See, there really isn't a memorable scene from Tommy Boy that doesn't involve Chris Farley. Chris Farley, as most of the US population is (hopefully) aware, died in 1997. It was a sad day when the news broke. I was a junior in high school. Numerous people at my school wore black that day. Chris was a hero to them. These were the kids that had few friends, and fewer real ones. I did not wear black that day. It wasn't because I didn't like Chris Farley. He was an incredibly funny, if slightly manic, actor and comedian. I loved most of his work. Matt Foley, who, if you recall, lived in a van down by the river, is one of my favorite SNL characters ever. Plus, the guy grew up in Madison, which happens to be the capitol of my home state, and less than two hours from where I've lived most of my life. He was a hometown boy, and he made good.
But I didn't wear black that day. I had other things to worry about, like real life. Chris Farley was a funny guy who accidentally OD'ed on cocaine and morphine. He was a celebrity, and celebrities do that. More funny ones, I think, than serious ones. He died in a manner very similar to that of John Belushi's death, which involved cocaine and morphine, and both were thirty-three. You know people read into that.
Anyway, DirecTV has a new commercial out. It involves the "fat guy in a little coat" scene from Tommy Boy. You can find it at the end of the post. The scene is still hilarious. Chris Farley being fat and retarded and acting like a five year old. That was what he did, and he did it better than anyone else I can think of. David Spade recorded the new footage talking about how great DirecTV is and all that garbage. But people are offended by Farley's presence in the commercial.
Why? Farley wouldn't be. That's one of his most memorable scenes ever. I'd like to think that, if he could choose a way for us to remember him, that scene embodies what his choice would be. Interestingly enough, his family feels the same way. As does his close friend David Spade. You might think I know this because I hang out with them all the time, but I actually found it here.
People get so pissed off when they see the image of a dead person they liked used in a way they don't like. As a reminder to these people, THEY'RE DEAD. They don't care anymore. I happen to believe in heaven, and in the idea that in heaven, you can't see what's going on down here because it would be like us watching a video of kittens being slaughtered. It's just far too depressing. So, from my point of view, Farley doesn't care. And if you don't believe in God and heaven etc, Farley still doesn't care, because he's just finished. One way or another, he doesn't know and if he did he wouldn't care. So, seriously, shut up about it, because it doesn't matter. His family is ok with it, and that's what's important.
And you know what contradicts my previous sentence perfectly? Dave Grohl has a point on the whole Kurt Cobain in Guitar Hero 5 debate, but Courtney Love does not. Dave Grohl and the other guy from Nirvana have stated that they find it distasteful that Cobain is in GH5 as an unlockable character. They say that (and they knew him pretty well) he might very well have agreed to be in it singing his own songs, but the fact that he can be made to sing any song in the game is something he would not have been ok with. I can see their point, and I think it is valid. The difference between the Farley debate and the Cobain debate is that Farley would likely be happy with it, whereas Cobain would not.
Courtney Love, however, is a horrible singer, an ugly woman, and kind of all-around disgusting. She has had more drug problems than I have had dollars. Hole was a joke of a band. And there's still a pretty good chance that she killed Kurt. All of those things aside, she held all rights to Cobain's image. She was contacted by Activision, and brought into the studio to ok the in-game model. She was given papers to sign. She's a celebrity, by one definition of the word or another, and as such, she was, I'm sure, smart enough to have a lawyer look over any papers she signed releasing Kurt's image for Activision's use. Once you cross that line, Courtney, dear, you can't go back and say, "Oh, I didn't know he'd be singing Paramore!" and try to get them to patch the game. You knew what was going to happen, and you're just trying to make yourself look better to all of Kurt's fans that got pissed off about his postmortem appearance.
Personally, I'm just happy I don't get pissed off about stupid stuff like this. And my GH5 band consists of Kurt singing lead vocals for a band that is otherwise comprised of skeletons. And I think it's hilarious.
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