Bob Odenkirk Shares the Story Behind Chris Farley’s ‘Down by the River’ SNL Sketch
Apr 6, 2023
Better Call Saul and Lucky Hank star Bob Odenkirk finally made his way to the popular web series Hot Ones to enjoy some spicy chicken wings and talk about his career. During the conversation, Odenkirk touched on his late pal Chris Farley and the friendship that they had. Odenkirk recalls how he knew immediately that Farley had star potential when they first met, but he also says he wasn’t alone in that, as that was clear to everyone who was lucky enough to meet the comedy legend.
Odenkirk also recalled how that famous Matt Foley sketch came together at Saturday Night Live. As fans of Farley will know, the late comedy icon was one of the most memorable performers on SNL, and among his most popular sketches was one that featured him as motivational speaker Matt Foley. The sketch was actually written by Odenkirk, though as he explains on Hot Ones, he got the idea after seeing Farley performing with a similar persona in his comedy act. As Odenkirk regales:
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“I love Chris, and then the motivational speaker sketch that I wrote for him, the one that did so well…. We had done an improvisation, and we were all playing teachers of a school, and it was like a ‘Don’t Do Drugs’ rally, and we were talking to the students, and he did his coach character. And it was Matt Foley. He might’ve even used the name Matt Foley. It didn’t have the story, ‘van down the river,’ it wasn’t a motivational speaker, but, you know, he was going, [imitates Matt Foley’s mannerisms]. It stuck in my head, as it would anyone, and I went home that night and I wrote that sketch, and I’ve written hundreds of sketches in my life, and I wrote it exactly the way it’s done, although Robert Smigel added the breaking table.”
Related: Rob Schneider Says Bill Murray Was Mean to SNL Cast, Hated Chris Farley ‘With a Passion’
Bob Odenkirk Had the Most Fun in His Career with Chris Farley
Odenkirk also recalled bringing the written sketch to Farley and pitching it to him, with the late funnyman proceeding to take that ball and run with it better than anyone could have hoped for. Further remembering Farley, Odenkirk recalls how performing live with him was the most fun he’s ever had in show business.
“My daughter once asked me, ‘What was the most fun you had in show biz?’ And I said I did this sketch with Chris Farley, and played the dad in the sketch, and we did it seven times a week at Second City. Every time I did that was the most fun I had in show business.”
You can watch the new interview with Bob Odenkirk on Hot Ones below.
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