Chris Farley as Matt Foley. Living in a Van by the River.
There is something extraordinary that happens when you witness comic performers lose control and break up during their own rehearsed sketches.
It is infectious.
Saturday Night Live was so much a part of my culture, I chose one of its characters as my blog ID, Van by the River.
The motivational speaker of questionable credentials, Matt Foley, can be found in this video of SNL cast members breaking out of character.
You can find a small excerpt of Chris Farley’s memorable persona at the mark of 2:09.
Sometimes, when all else fails, it’s just fun to laugh.
vanbytheriver 
I remember the late Phil Hartman playing Bill Clinton at a McDonalds and randomly consuming peoples burgers and fries as he went along, and suddenly busting up with his mouth full of fries and Kevin Nealon laughing as Hartman grabbed a drink to wash it all down. Great laughs. 😀
Phil Hartman was so talented. Such a waste. I remember that sketch, maybe it was at McD’s ? ☺
So sad the way that whole Phil Hartman situation developed.
He and Farley had a sweet farewell scene when they left the show…both died not long after.
And I miss those years of Saturday Night Live. Some of the best.
It was a showcase for so many, but it led to tragedy for others. I think comedians are some of the most complex folks out there, Paul. Tears of the clown.
Boy does it seem true.
Chris will be forever missed. Shame it’s so easy to get addicted/drinking. I commend the survivors.
🙂
The price of fame for so many celebrities, dealing with the spotlight while overcoming personal issues. Thanks, M. ☺
V
With social media it’s out of control!!!! I’m quite happy being a rockstar in my head. Hope you had a good weekend.
Do you have a weak stomach, stop reading. I had to many test to count on my eyes Friday. One test there were wires in my eyes!!!! My eyes feel like sand paper. It will take approx. 2 weeks for any word. There isn’t good information, it’s the best of the bad. I travel to DC next week to see Lyme doctor.
It’s so much fun getting thru TSA & airport with a cane. I’m blessed we have the money to fly fist class so I have more leg room. I would explode flying coach, that would get hits of YouTube!
Take care. I’ve written a couple deeply personal post and need to once over before posting.
Hugs
M
I know how worried you must be about your vision, so sorry for all you have to endure. Wishing you a successful trip to DC, and will be watching for those personal post. Take care always, M. ❤️
V
Any good news this week is welcome. I’ll check in Friday or Saturday once rested.
Have a great week.
🙂
M
💕 You too, M. Safe travels.
Yes…
☺
It’s fun to laugh anytime Van! ❤
Diana xo
For sure. ☺☺☺
I love watching professional comics cracking up in the middle of a scene. Blooper reels are great too.
I like the bloopers as well. With a live show, we get to see their mistakes right away. Part of the charm. ☺
I’m with you – always loved SNL!
It hasn’t quite reached its old glory, Kelly, I can remember planning my weekends around it back in the day. Needs some better writers these days; still relevant, though. ☺
I agree. Maybe that will happen again someday!
Classic, Van. Great clip. SNL…where do you start. But you’re right, watching these people who have been exposed to so much comedy, break up during a live skit, Is infectious.
Word has it, there were plenty of “substances” around through the whole process, still…it came off well, and the outtakes are priceless. Thanks, George.
I watched a lot of SNL in high school and college. So many great comedians got their starts on that show. I like it too when the skits go out of control. That used to happen on Carol Burnett too.
Tim Conway was famous for changing the script at the last minute to try to break up the cast…it always worked.
A classic sketch. What a talent he was. I remember Sting (guest host) cracking up during an SNL sketch, too. And Phil Hartman. I haven’t seen the last 16 or so years of SNL. I wonder if it’s still funny. I tried to watch it a few years back during a visit, but it was juvenile bathroom humor, so I shut it off.
No, it’s not quite the same, Julie, some of the writers who steered that ship for years have vacated, and it shows. It has failed and resurrected before…so, we tune in once in a while in that hope.
I love watching The Carol Burnett Show for the same reasons. Harvey Corman and Tim Conway were priceless.
For sure, I wrote about the Siamese elephant sketch…in case you missed the video. Tim Conway at his best. https://youtu.be/3qqE_WmagjY
Love! My Dad introduced my oldest to Conway’s “The World According to Dorf” series of videos and he absolutely loved them.
We have the “Dorf on Golf” video. Good stuff.
You didn’t think I’d miss commenting on this one, right? 😉 I think I need a dose of Matt Foley’s special brand of motivation tonight. You definitely have one of the coolest blog titles on the planet! 😉
Thanks always, Dyane, you offer the best support ever of my blog ID ! Sending motivation your way. ☺️
Great minds think alike…. 😉
💕
Yes laughing is always so good! If I have not laughed for awhile or I am stressed I end up laughing the whole day, wow relieves stress! nice post!
Thanks, Lynn. ☺️ Have a great day.
you too!
Laughing is good therapy. You know, it’s odd. I never really watched SNL.
I have loved and not loved SNL for years. I think they prove each week the difficulty of comedy. When it’s well done it lifts the spirit and does so much good. But good comedy is so hard and so rare. There’s nothing easy about being funny, especially live. Even in their best shows, the great laughs total maybe 10 minutes of the 90? But oh those ten are so often wonderful. “I can see Russia from my house.” Still makes me smile and maybe it even impacted on all of us in a big way…
You’re so right, Debby, it is a collection of moments, not hours. 😄 Thanks.
Oh, how I miss the memorable work of Chris Farley, RIP. John Belushi, still, too. Thanks to SNL, always, for bringing us that sharp sense of humor in widecasting, Van.
It’s only almost four hours past my bedtime, Van, but I wasn’t going to sleep until I read some of your posts! And the first one hit the coincidence button: I wasn’t inside WP, so googled Van by the River to find you. The first hit was the sketch you named your blog after–a sketch I don’t recall seeing, even though I was raised on SNL, like everyone else. Then, when I got to your place, what did I find but your post referring to it. WoooOOOOooo…
😀
Of course, the two really aren’t coincidental at all, since you named your place after a very popular sketch.
I got a good smile out of that video. Thanks! I remember with great pleasure the days of our group gathering at each others houses to watch SNL together. Now, perhaps we’re spoiled. We can watch current and past programs with fast, witty dialogue, Youtubes of excellent standup, and we’ve had all that brilliance from the likes of Amy Schumer, and Key and Peele. That’s a lot to live up to.
That sketch did inspire my post ID, SNL was the “water cooler” stuff for a very long time. Thanks for connecting with it. I catch it now once in a while, hoping it returns to its former glory. ☺