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Matt Foley

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For the politician, see Matt Foley (politician).
Matt Foley
Foley (Chris Farley) giving a speech to two teens (David Spade and Christina Applegate)
First appearanceMay 8, 1993
Last appearanceOctober 25, 1997 (Farley)
February 11, 2015 (McCarthy)
Created byBob Odenkirk
Portrayed byChris Farley (1993–1997)
Melissa McCarthy (SNL 40th Anniversary Special)
In-universe information
Occupation • Motivational speaker
 • Prison inmate at Joliet Correctional Center (former)
 • Mall Santa (former)
SpouseThree ex-wives (first one named Linda, other two unnamed)[1]

Matt Foley is a fictional character from the sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live performed by Chris Farley. Foley is a motivational speaker who exhibits characteristics atypical of someone in that position: whereas motivational speakers are usually successful and charismatic, Foley is abrasive, clumsy and down on his luck. The character's debut performance (May 8, 1993) has been called one of the best segments in SNL history.[2]

History

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The character was conceived by Bob Odenkirk.[3] Farley debuted the character during his tenure in The Second City comedy troupe prior to his joining the cast of Saturday Night Live.[4][5] Farley named the character after one of his Marquette University rugby union teammates, an Army chaplain who became a Roman Catholic priest in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.[6] Reviewing the stage version of the sketch in 1990, the Chicago Reader wrote:

...even if he is imitating the loudmouth imbecile Sam Kinison to the decibel, Chris Farley is a stitch in "Motivation." He plays a scuzzy drug abuser hired by parents to scare their kids straight, a case of negative psychology taken over a cliff.[7]

Matt Foley appeared in eight Saturday Night Live sketches. Each sketch typically started with Foley brought into a situation by someone to speak to a group. The sketches usually feature Farley's physical comedy, such as the over-caffeinated Foley gesticulating wildly and leaping around, often breaking furniture. At the end of each sketch, he is usually rushed out of his speaking location, where the people left behind huddle together and comment on him, usually bemused and frightened. Though his intended message is always ruined by his bizarre presentation, his results are usually successful as his audience changes their behavior so as to avoid further association with him.

The character's debut was so popular that Farley turned it into one of his best-known routines and one which he would repeat many times, both as Foley and as other characters on SNL and in film during the remainder of his life and career, sometimes injuring himself in the process.[citation needed]

Plans for a film version with David Spade in a supporting role were shelved after Farley's death in 1997.[8]

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Other appearances

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Being a Wisconsin native, Farley was asked to portray the character at the 1994 Rose Bowl banquet.[22] He delivered a comedic "motivational speech" to the Wisconsin Badgers football team, who were to face the UCLA Bruins that year and won the game, 21–16.

Farley appeared as Matt Foley on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on January 14, 1994.[23]

In a 1997 guest appearance on All That, Farley appeared as Chef Farley opposite future SNL cast member Kenan Thompson in a "Cooking with Randy" sketch. He used many of Foley's mannerisms.[24]

Parodies

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In the third episode of season 20 of Family Guy, Peter Griffin dresses up very similar to the character on Halloween. When two children remark this, Peter claims he doesn't know him and is merely getting home from work. He heads inside and states he has "to do a dangerous speedball and become the least surprising death in Hollywood history,"[25] referencing Chris Farley's death.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Chris Farley and Tim Meadows (October 25, 1997). Matt Foley: Stationary Bikes at the Gym. Event occurs at 4:30. Retrieved August 1, 2016. I am thrice-divorced.
  2. ^ "50 Greatest 'Saturday Night Live' Sketches of All Time". Rolling Stone. February 3, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  3. ^ Borrelli, Christopher (January 30, 2015). "Underrated for years, Bob Odenkirk gets the call for 'Saul'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 10, 2020. But even an "SNL" character like Matt Foley, which you wrote decades ago for Chris Farley, seems to come not from ridicule but a sincere sympathy with kind of hapless people like Foley.
  4. ^ Fox, Jesse David (February 18, 2014). "Watch an Early, Live Version of Chris Farley's 'Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker' Sketch". Vulture. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Chris Farley at The Second City: The Original Motivational Speaker. February 17, 2014. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2021 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ Silverberg, Melissa (August 2, 2015). "The real Matt Foley remembers his friend Chris Farley". Daily Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  7. ^ Bommer, Lawrence (August 2, 1990). "Flag Smoking Permitted in Lobby Only, or Censorama". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  8. ^ Borrelli, Christopher (January 30, 2015). "Underrated for years, Bob Odenkirk gets the call for 'Saul'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Foley, I always thought there was a movie in that character. ... That would have been a great little movie. But only with Farley.
  9. ^ "Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker". December 12, 2004. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004.
  10. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Matt Foley: Van Down By The River - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  11. ^ "Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker". December 15, 2004. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004.
  12. ^ "Matt Foley: A Scary Story on Halloween - SNL". YouTube. September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Matt Foley: A Scary Story on Halloween - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  14. ^ "Matt Foley: Motivational Santa". December 15, 2004. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004.
  15. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Matt Foley In Prison - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  16. ^ "So Long, Farewell". December 15, 2004. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004.
  17. ^ "Matt Foley, Bilingual Motivational Speaker". December 16, 2004. Archived from the original on December 16, 2004.
  18. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Matt Foley Cold Opening - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  19. ^ "Matt Foley Motivational Trainer". December 15, 2004. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004.
  20. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Matt Foley At The Gym - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  21. ^ "Watch Saturday Night Live Highlight: SNL40: Weekend Update - Matt Foley - NBC.com" – via www.nbc.com.
  22. ^ Sweeney, Vince (2005). Always a Badger: The Pat Richter Story. Big Earth Publishing. p. 153. ISBN 9781931599627.
  23. ^ "Chris Farley - Matt Foley Motivational Speaker". YouTube. October 22, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  24. ^ November 17, Christian Holub. "Kenan Thompson talks working with Chris Farley". EW.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Is That Matt Foley? - Season 20 Ep. 3 - FAMILY GUY". YouTube. Fox Broadcasting Company. October 8, 2021. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
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