When Chrisy Farley died in December 1997, a light truly went out around the world. The beloved actor and comedian passed away from an accidental drug overdose, after having spent several years being open about his struggle with addiction.
In the year he died, Chris explained to Playboy that he was really only beginning to understand fame. "I used to think that you could get to a level of success where the laws of the universe didn’t apply," he said. "But they do. It’s still life on life’s terms, not on movie-star terms. I still have to work at relationships. I still have to work on my weight and some of my other demons. Once I thought that if I just had enough in the bank, if I had enough fame, that it would be all right. But I’m a human being like everyone else. I’m not exempt."
Chris was teased as a child
Before everyone knew him as a comedian and star, Chris Farley was a kid growing up in Wisconsin. With his above average frame (Chris weighed in at 230 pounds as a high school senior), he was often teased and bullied by his classmates. He developed a style of self-deprecating comedy as an attempt to make fun of himself before others tried to, and he joined Chicago's Second City comedy training school soon after leaving Wisconsin behind.
He joined 'Saturday Night Live' in 1990
Chris' comedic styling took off, and in 1990 he was invited to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. Unfortunately, he constantly dealt with a fear of people, which he later told Rolling Stone directly contributed to his dependence on drugs and alcohol.
He also told the publication he knew the lifestyle was problematic.
Chris was aware of how his drug use might be perceived
While Chris was open about using cocaine and heroin, he often worried that younger people might be inspired to try to the drugs, too.
"I worry about talking about this, because I worry about kids who might think, ‘Whoa, man, that’s cool!’ Because in some ways, that’s what I did with my hero, [John] Belushi. I thought that this is what you have to do to be cool. But all that [expletive] does is kill someone. It’s a demon that must be snuffed out. It is the end."
Tom tried to help keep Chris steady
At some point, Chris reached out to fellow actor and comedian Tom for help. Tom recently sat down for an interview with Howard Stern, where he told the radio host that he volunteered as Chris' sponsor for quite some time.
"I was his sponsor for a few years. Chris was from Wisconsin. I am from Iowa. We’d switch off football games. [We were] very close. He liked to have fun — and he had too much fun. I was very sad when he died."
Chris was headed toward his 17th rehab stint before his death
Unfortunately, Chris continued to wrestle with addiction. Tom confessed to Howard that Chris was preparing to visit rehab for the 17th time before he died.
"It’s all so frustrating because, at a certain point, he was like, ‘I’m not going to be around Tom because I don’t want him to see.'"
Tom tried to use jokes to make things easier
Tom also said that he attempted to use humor to motivate Chris.
"I always told Chris, you can't be fat and do drugs, you just can't. You gotta pick one. I can speak from experience. Pick one, you can't do everything."
Chris' death was shrouded in mystery
By all official accounts, Chris died after accidentally overdosing on cocaine and morphine. But his friends, including comedian Chris Rock, believe more contributed. While speaking about a famous Saturday Night Live sketch that co-starred the late Patrick Swayze, Chris explained.
"‘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. Okay. That’s enough. You’re gonna get that laugh. But when he stops dancing you have to turn it in his favor."
He added, "As funny as that sketch was, and as many accolades as he got for it, it’s one of the things that killed him."
