Summary

• Farley's iconic Chippendales sketch with Swayze is ed fondly by fans, but criticized for its mean-spirited implications.
• Chris Rock and Bob Odenkirk both express disgust with the sketch, calling it lame and unoriginal in its humor.
• Despite the mixed reactions to the sketch, Farley's legacy as a comedic genius extends far beyond this one controversial performance.

Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze famously co-starred in a memorable Chippendales sketch on group known as the "Bad Boys of SNL", Chris Farley first debuted on the long-running sketch comedy show in the 16th season, which ran from 1990-1991. His tenure on the show lasted until the end of season 20. That short run may come as a surprise considering Farley feels almost synonymous with the late-night series.

He was an unstoppable comic force, able to elevate already great sketches and make the most out of those that bombed. Farley's physical comedy is on a tier of its own and is better compared to the legends of silent film rather than any contemporary SNL cast member. In season 16, episode 4, which premiered on October 27, 1990, Patrick Swayze hosted, fresh off his starring role as Sam Wheat in the smash hit romantic thriller Ghost. Together, Swayze and the newcomer Farley put on a performance that is ed fondly by some and disapprovingly by others.

Chris Farley & Patrick Swayze's Iconic "Chippendales Audition" Sketch Explained

In SNL's "Chippendales Audition" sketch, Farley and Swayze walk up on stage to perform a dance routine for three judges who are deciding which performer will be selected for the male dance troupe. What follows a one-minute-long dance sequence set to "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy that sees both dancers ending the number with their shirts torn off, baring it all for the judges and SNL audience.

When the dancers come back on stage to see who earned the job, the judges immediately go with Swayze's character. They're quick to praise both applicants' dance moves but it that they chose Swayze because of his physique. They spend an odd amount of time commenting on Farley's weight as he nods knowingly. It's weird. And the audience thinks so too. This is considered one of SNL's best sketches ever, but it may be that most people only its funnier first half.

In the beginning, the audience is in hysterics, wolf-whistling, and clapping for the two dancers. In the second half, their reactions to judges Kevin Nealon, Mike Myers, and Jan Hooks' comments on Farley's weight become muted. It turns out, there's not really a joke in this sketch except that Farley is "fat" and Swayze is not. While it's taken some time for people to come to the conclusion that "Chippendales Audition", others disliked the sketch's implications from the moment it aired.

Bob Odenkirk & Chris Rock Hated The Mean-Spirited Farley & Swayze Sketch

Chris Rock and Bob Odenkirk have both always hated the Chippendales Audition sketch. Rock, who was a cast member on SNL from seasons 16-18, talked about the sketch in the oral history, The Chris Farley Show,

"'Chippendales' was a weird sketch. I always hated it. The joke of it is basically, 'We can’t hire you because you're fat.' I mean, he’s a fat guy, and you’re going to ask him to dance with no shirt on. OK. That’s enough. You’re gonna get that laugh. But when he stops dancing you have to turn it in his favor. There’s no turn there. There’s no comic twist to it. It’s just f**king mean."

In the same oral history, Odenkirk, who worked with Farley at Second City and wrote for SNL from 1987 to 1991, said,

"I didn't like the fact that the first thing he became known for was that Chippendales thing, which I hated. F**king lame, weak bulls**t. I can’t believe anyone liked it enough to put it on the show. F**k that sketch. He never should have done it."

It's not the first time Odenkirk has expressed his disapproval of the Chippendales SNL sketch. He once told Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show,

"Chris didn't feel like he was on sure footing at SNL yet. That was the first big sort of present moment for him. So if it hadn't been the first one, that might have made it a little less egregious to me... I always felt like that moment where he pulls his shirt off, there's almost a hesitation I see in his eyes, and, and even the smile, or the kind of expression on his face, I just get a queasy feeling that he knows a good chunk of this reaction is because of my [Farley's] body shape. And, uh, he's loving the laugh, he's loving the reaction that he knows he's going to get because he got it anytime he did that or anything like it... So just that moment, I just hated that moment, I still do... It tells Chris exactly what he shouldn't be hearing, which is 'That's why you're funny, because you're stupid and big'... that's not why he was lovable and funny and worth watching and worth being around..."

It can be a bit heartbreaking to hear Odenkirk speak about his old friend. It doesn't seem like Farley was happy with his role in his sketch. He was a consummate performer and entertainer, so it may not look that way while he's on stage, but Odenkirk and Rock's issues with the sketch point out the fine line between when something is done in jest, and when it's just mean.

Chris Farley made dozens of sketches and movies that proved he was more than what the SNL "Chippendales Audition" sketch with Patrick Swayze gave him credit for. So fortunately, there's a wealth of incredible comedy and acting performances that Farley would be proud of producing.

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