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Jul 05, 2008

Ed rated it:

I tore through this book. Like the history of Saturday Night Live called "Live from New York" this is an oral biography of Chris Farley (interestingly, in this book the "Live from New York" book takes a pretty harsh hit from someone claiming he was misquoted in the SNL history). The oral format worked for me. As Tom wrote in the introduction, Chris Farley lived the type of life where all his friends had "Chris stories."

This book, like its subject's life, More...

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May 21, 2008

Marty rated it:

There's some real interesting tid-bits about his career.
It's real depressing to read about his endless struggle with his addictions.
But it was even more interesting to see his relationship with his 600 pound father and how he lived to please him. They were never able to acknowledge their problems with drinking and eating.
Another thing that took me aback was how deeply religious Chris Farley was. You would never have known that.

He comes across as basically the nicest More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jun 01, 2008

Michael rated it:

I'm not typically into biographies or memoirs much, but this one intrigued me, particularly after EW and People magazines gave it extremely good reviews.

Turns out they were right.

It's like Titanic, in that you know what happens in the end. But the build-up is absolutely fascinating, tragic, and devastating.

The Chris Farley Show is presented in three acts of Farley's life. Farley's brother interviewed what must have been nearly 100 people who were close to Chri More...

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May 11, 2008

Jeff rated it:

Oh boy. Speaking as someone who didn't give a damn about "SNL" when Farley was on it -- and who thought his movies were stupid, too -- this book is a sad, sweetly funny, enthralling, deeply moving account of a life that was, by all accounts, filled with incredible promise, both on and offstage. A horribly sad waste of life and talent that Farley's friends and family are still obviously trying to make sense of. (read for review)

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Jun 27, 2008

Gurn rated it:

This is a great book

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 12, 2011

Patrice rated it:

I grew up watching and loving Chris Farley on SNL and in his films. I was just starting to understand the horrible disease of addiction when he died. I was in high school it was 1997 and someone told me in the commons. It was shattering. I'd just lost my first friend to drugs the year before. My friend's death was still so shocking to me and when I heard about Chris Farley I just felt numb.

I read this book at work during breaks and while waiting for bills to type. I kept laughing re More...

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Jan 20, 2011

Kristy marked it as to-read

Wahoo, I just got this for 5 bucks on the bargain shelf!!!

Chris Farley (Bus Driver): ... that Veronica Vaughn is one piece of Ase ... I know from experience, if you know what I mean ...
Adam Sandler (Billy): ... no you don't ...
Chris Farley: ... well, not me personally, but a guy I know, him and her got it on, wooo weeee ...
Adam Sandler: ... no they didn't ...
Chris Farley: ... no no no, they didn't ... but you can imagine what it'd be like if they did More...

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 12, 2008

Sheryl rated it:

This is a sad tale of a very funny man's demise. My family have really enjoyed his movies and it was interesting to read the stories behind them. The book is written in narrative style with direct pieces contributed by Farley's friends and family. Strangely, Adam Sandler did not make an appearance in the book.

Chris Farley couldn't seem to emerge from the shadow of either his father or the Catholic church. I have know several friends who had similar issues with Catholicism to the p More...

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Jan 27, 2012

Tony rated it:

Okay, first off a caveat: you have to be a little bit worried about a druggo's bio that is sanctioned by the whole family. I mean, you definitely get the feeling that things are maybe gonna be skewed a little bit, especially in this wienie day and age. And indeed, I definitely could've done without the epilogue painting its rosy little picture at the end.

However, this is still a helluva book, and fully worthy of the tremendous Belushi oral biography (which was also worked on by the More...

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Aug 23, 2011

Michael rated it:

A very insightful, funny, and ultimately heartbreaking book. It's primarily set up like an oral history, a book format I've always had a great love for, and it works well for this biography as there are some differing opinions about the events of Farley's lives and it juxtaposes those inconsistencies well. The book portrays Farley as one of the most gifted physical comedians of his generation and a figure that everyone in the book could not help but fall in love with, but he's also shown to be More...

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Feb 18, 2011

Paul rated it:

Until I read this book I would have had no idea who Chris Farley was, except I remember reading about his death from a drug overdose. I sort of put him in the same category as John Belushi and Phil Hartman, both from SNL, and both dying from drug overdoeses.

Little did I know when I picked up this book that it would be an absolute riveting and fascinating read. The book is unique in that it follows the life of Chris Farley, with commentary from people that knew him best. One finds More...

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Jun 06, 2010

Katey rated it:

Have you ever read a book, seen a movie or heard a story where you already know how it's going to end, but you're still completely caught off guard when it ends the way you knew it would?

I have been sobbing for the last forty-five minutes to an hour, as I finished reading The Chris Farley Show. This book broke me. I have read so many biographies - always about people who died too young; who died before anyone was ready for them to go - and never have I been affected like this.
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Apr 16, 2010

Brett rated it:

Chris Farley was hilarious, a great friend, a devout Catholic, a generous giver and a raging alcholic and hardcore drug user!

This biography of his life, written by his brother Tom Farley and Tanner Colby is excellent. I think they paid a great respect to Chris by writing this book. It covers Chris's life from childhood to highschool/college, from his early comedy days in Chicago all the way to SNL and his untimely death in December 1997.

The book features short stories f More...

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Mar 05, 2010

Mishel rated it:

I remember watching Tommy Boy for the first time and falling in love with Chris Farley. He was adorable and absolutely hilarious. And while Black Sheep didn't leave a lasting impression on me, I do remember a fair share of laughter going on. While reading this book I learned that Chris was originally supposed to be in The Cable Guy and Shrek. And even though I can't imagine the two movies without Jim Carrey and Mike Myers, I still wonder where Chris could have taken the roles.

Chris a More...

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May 31, 2009

Cheryl rated it:

The Chris Farley Show is the biography of one of history's funniest comedians to grace the stage, television, and movies. Though I had only seen Chris Farley a few times and though times that I did watch him on tv he made me laugh. What I found very interesting about this biography was that Chris was very religious about his faith. There are very few celebrites who stand up strong for what they believe in. Even at a young age Chris was making people laugh.

The most enduring quality I More...

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Dec 31, 2008

Stephanie rated it:

Definitely one of 2008’s best. The untimely death of Chris Farley deprived the world of not just his comedic prowess but his generosity and charity work. It’s amazing that even his close friends had no idea that he was involved in that much community service work (which shows he did it for all the right reasons). His faith: inspiring and admirable.

I loved the way the book was organized—a collection of memories from his childhood and high school friends, his priests, brothers, Impr More...

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Aug 07, 2009

Allyron rated it:

Chris Farley was part of the SNL cast in the days when my friends and I first started watching the show and we loved Farley. Looking now at Sandler, Spade, Rock and the other guys who came up through the ranks with Chris Farley you have to wonder where he would have ended up... where he would fit in the comedy world today if he hadn't fallen victim to his excessive lifestyle. This book does a great job of revealing what a kind and talented but also deeply troubled person he was. Like 'Live From More...

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Aug 21, 2008

Seeking rated it:

I am not a fan of books about celebrities, but chose this book for personal reasons. I was hesitant because of the style. It consists of interviews with people who knew Chris Farley throughout his life. I thought it might be disjointed, but it was not. It flowed smoothly and told the story of his life in an interesting and sympathetic way. Ultimately, I liked the book very much, and came to admire Chris Farley.

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Jun 01, 2009

Clare rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Nov 22, 2008

Jordan rated it:

I wasn't sure what I was going to write for a review when I clicked to add this title. Then I saw the Goodreads ads running down the side with links to sites about diet and weight loss and the anger I felt while reading the book returned. Even this many years after his death, we are unable to separate the talent of the man from the size of the man.

One of the most gifted physical comedians ever born, Farley could create equally huge laughs bursting through a wall or simply cocking h More...

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Jan 13, 2012

Alex rated it:

Growing up when I did, it was all about Farley! I still remember my dad picking a friend and I up from soccer practice and saying, almost as a throw-away comment, "oh, and that fat guy you guys like Farley died today." It was all over the news: Farley at the Capital as Speaker Gengrich, the Gap Girls, and of course, the van-inhabiting Matt Foley.

This book, as told by his family and closest friends, pulls no punches in telling the story of the sad clown. I realize it's a cliche, but this book More...

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Oct 22, 2010

Kate rated it:

When I was a little kid, my favorite book was The Clown of God by Tomie DePaola. My brothers and I must have checked it out of the Fairhope library a hundred times. If you retold that same story and threw in some alcoholism, heroin, morbid obesity, prostitutes, and Oedipal issues, you would have something that approximates the life of Chris Farley. I liked Chris Farley on SNL, but not because I ever thought he was funny -- maybe I intuited the loneliness and neediness behind his antics?
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Jun 05, 2011

Kitt-e-kat rated it:

A really good book to read. It is put together by Chris's brother with all interviews from everyone Chris knew in his life from childhood to his death. Alot of insight about his home life as a child, being famous doing comedy on SNL and movies to his addiction to food, drugs, alchohol and making people laugh. Making people laugh was his goal in life. He was a sweet catholic boy who enjoyed helping people off the street, kids he met and never acted like a snotty movie star to anyone. He battled m More...

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Feb 10, 2010

Linds rated it:

I always thought that Chris Farley's death was a premature waste of talent. Another early senseless death to drugs and alcohol addiction.

What I didn't realize was just what a wonderful man outside of showbuisness he was. Everybody just loved the guy. When he was sober he did volunteer work for a Catholic mission in Hell's Kitchen and visited old people. He didn't just cut a check, he went down there and put the time in. He went to mass every Sunday and I was shocked that he had such More...

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May 11, 2010

Leeankh rated it:

An emotional book for me. I adored Chris Farley and loved getting to know him throughout this book. Of course, the story is heart breaking in the end and it's hard not to get a little teary eyed while reading. I liked that not everyone agreed on certain points, but that they were still represented. I have more empathy for David Spade than ever before. I can't imagine what that time was like for him. Overall, it was much more than I thought it would be. It was more emotional, more honest, and mor More...

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Apr 07, 2009

Todd rated it:

This was nice fast read of the rise and downfall of the very funny Chris Farley. I really enjoyed the book - but gave it only 3 stars as I was hoping for additional stories/funny moments in the life of Chris. What I found instead was numerous first hand accounts of what kind of person he was. We all know the story of his downfall. Watch any behind the music episode on VH1 and you will find the similar pattern of rise against the odds - find fame - find drugs/alcohol - go to rehab - relapse - More...

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Jun 11, 2008

Eric rated it:

this book was a quick read. it's a collection of interviews with friends and people he worked with. it is worth the read just to read the entries from Bob Odenkirk.

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Sep 17, 2009

Jeremy rated it:

Who knew Farley's uncompleted "Shrek" was head and shoulders above Mike Meyer's in terms of its humor and sensitivity? Or that his next role, a biopic about Fatty Arbuckle, would've cemented Farley's place as a dramatic actor? We never saw this man-child even near his peak, and while this book is specifically about that, it is generally about much more.
Written from the collected thoughts of those who knew Farley throughout his life, this book would seem to be a hit-or-miss. If yo More...

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May 06, 2009

Claire rated it:

this was a book i had to buy while waiting for my plane in the chicago airport. i finished it a few days later and had to pass along to my brother. it's a really great look into the troubled life of Chris Farley, told by the people who knew him best. It's certainly a side of Chris Farley that many people don't know, but i found it just made me love him more, because at the core of his troubles was an unbreakable love for his family and friends. It's sad that i don't think we really got to se More...

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Nov 06, 2009

Gina rated it:

This was a riveting read. You'll both want to jump back in time and save Farley, and you'll also be angry with him for the basic selfishness that comes with an addictive personality... I was always under the impression that no one cared about Chris, and that he died somewhat of loneliness. Turns out there are lots of people who loved him and cared, but in the end, he just couldn't be stopped. I feel for his family, who put the effort forth, and shared their experience quite lovingly in this book More...

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