Matt Foley
Encyclopedia
Matt Foley was a fictional motivational speaker
from the sketch comedy
program Saturday Night Live
performed by the late Chris Farley
. The character was created by Bob Odenkirk
. Farley had performed the character in other comedy groups before being a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
: abrasive, clumsy, and down on his luck. Farley named the character after one of his Marquette University rugby union
team-mates of the same name who is currently in the US Army as a Roman Catholic Chaplain. The character was moderately popular in its time and is now considered some of Farley's best work and one of his best characters. Plans for a film version with David Spade
in a supporting role were interrupted by Farley's unexpected death in 1997.
Foley appears in eight Saturday Night Live sketches. Each sketch usually starts with Foley being brought into a specific situation by someone to speak to a group. In addition to appearing dishevelled, overweight, and unstylish, he yells, disparages, displays cynicism, and unintentionally gives a negative motivational message. Foley's trademark line is warning his audience that, like him, they could end up being "...35 years old, thrice divorced, and living in a van down by the river!" In most sketches, whenever a member of his audience responds with some statement of accomplishment, Foley responds with, "Well, la-dee-frickin-da!", "Whoop-deefrickin-doo!", " Dad - I think you should shut your big yapper!" or a similar remark. The sketches often include Foley giving wildly exaggerated gestures and falling (or jumping) onto a piece of furniture, destroying it while sometimes injuring himself in the process. In the character's SNL debut, David Spade and Christina Applegate
, who were playing the teens supposedly in need of Foley's help, had to cover their own laughter. Spade in particular spent most of the sketch with his hand over his mouth.
At the end of each sketch, he is usually quickly herded out of his speaking location, where the people left behind huddle together and comment on him, usually bemused and fearful. Though his speeches always backfire, the end results are usually successful, in that the recipients do not want to be associated with Foley. One departure sketch had George Foreman
considering the fact he was too old and weak to continue boxing, and happens to walk by the river, where he comes upon Foley's van. Foley does not go into his usual tirades, instead ordering Foreman to do all sorts of chores such as barbecue hamburgers, claiming the work is "for dexterity"! When Foreman realizes Foley is using him, he punches Foley, causing Foreman to realize he can still fight and ultimately goes on to win the championship. Foreman then recites this to Tim Meadows, who wonders why is he is cooking burgers for George, who barks, "You know why! For dexterity!"
Farley portrayed the Matt Foley character at the 1994 Rose Bowl
banquet
. He delivered a comedic "motivational speech" to the Wisconsin Badgers football
team, who were to face the UCLA Bruins
that year. (Farley was a Madison, Wisconsin
native.) Wisconsin defeated UCLA, 21-16 in the 1994 Rose Bowl
.
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
from the sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
program Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
performed by the late Chris Farley
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....
. The character was created by Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk
Robert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
. Farley had performed the character in other comedy groups before being a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
History
Essentially, Foley is the antithesis of a good motivational speakerMotivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
: abrasive, clumsy, and down on his luck. Farley named the character after one of his Marquette University rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team-mates of the same name who is currently in the US Army as a Roman Catholic Chaplain. The character was moderately popular in its time and is now considered some of Farley's best work and one of his best characters. Plans for a film version with David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
in a supporting role were interrupted by Farley's unexpected death in 1997.
Foley appears in eight Saturday Night Live sketches. Each sketch usually starts with Foley being brought into a specific situation by someone to speak to a group. In addition to appearing dishevelled, overweight, and unstylish, he yells, disparages, displays cynicism, and unintentionally gives a negative motivational message. Foley's trademark line is warning his audience that, like him, they could end up being "...35 years old, thrice divorced, and living in a van down by the river!" In most sketches, whenever a member of his audience responds with some statement of accomplishment, Foley responds with, "Well, la-dee-frickin-da!", "Whoop-deefrickin-doo!", " Dad - I think you should shut your big yapper!" or a similar remark. The sketches often include Foley giving wildly exaggerated gestures and falling (or jumping) onto a piece of furniture, destroying it while sometimes injuring himself in the process. In the character's SNL debut, David Spade and Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
, who were playing the teens supposedly in need of Foley's help, had to cover their own laughter. Spade in particular spent most of the sketch with his hand over his mouth.
At the end of each sketch, he is usually quickly herded out of his speaking location, where the people left behind huddle together and comment on him, usually bemused and fearful. Though his speeches always backfire, the end results are usually successful, in that the recipients do not want to be associated with Foley. One departure sketch had George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
considering the fact he was too old and weak to continue boxing, and happens to walk by the river, where he comes upon Foley's van. Foley does not go into his usual tirades, instead ordering Foreman to do all sorts of chores such as barbecue hamburgers, claiming the work is "for dexterity"! When Foreman realizes Foley is using him, he punches Foley, causing Foreman to realize he can still fight and ultimately goes on to win the championship. Foreman then recites this to Tim Meadows, who wonders why is he is cooking burgers for George, who barks, "You know why! For dexterity!"
Farley portrayed the Matt Foley character at the 1994 Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
. He delivered a comedic "motivational speech" to the Wisconsin Badgers football
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
team, who were to face the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
that year. (Farley was a Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
native.) Wisconsin defeated UCLA, 21-16 in the 1994 Rose Bowl
1994 Rose Bowl
The 1994 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1994. It was the 80th Rose Bowl Game. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the 21-16...
.
List of SNL episodes featured
- May 8, 1993 (host Christina ApplegateChristina ApplegateChristina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
) - October 30, 1993 (host Christian SlaterChristian SlaterChristian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
) - December 11, 1993 (host Sally FieldSally FieldSally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
) - February 19, 1994 (host Martin LawrenceMartin LawrenceMartin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
) - May 14, 1994 (host Heather LocklearHeather LocklearHeather Deen Locklear is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sammy Jo Carrington on Dynasty, Officer Stacy Sheridan on T.J...
) - December 17, 1994 (host George ForemanGeorge ForemanGeorge Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
) - April 15, 1995 (host Courteney CoxCourteney CoxCourteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
) - October 25, 1997 (host Chris FarleyChris FarleyChristopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....
)
External links
- SNL Transcripts - contains scripts from most "Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker" sketches in searchable database.