Chris Farley remains one of my favorite comedians of all times. Not only was he one of the best with his physical humor, he’s one of those guys that gave 100% no matter what size venue or appearance.
What makes him so unique is that he took a perceived weakness (being obese) and ran with it. He didn’t try to sweep it under the rug or avoid the elephant in the room…metaphorically speaking. That’s not to say I’m suggesting being out of shape and abusing your body is something we should rejoice, rather the ability to overcome perceived obstacles and succeed in a highly competitive industry.
Below are a few video clips just in case you forgot how funny Chris was or want a quick reminder. The first couple are a little longer, the third is less than two minutes. What amazes me is his ability to perform physical stunts that someone his size shouldn’t be able to do.
Chris Farley 1st interview
Chris Farley on Letterman 1995 – Cartwheel entrance!
Chris Farley as a Hibachi chef from Beverly Hills Ninja
We can learn quite a bit from successful comedians and apply some of their core principles to our business practice every day. I recently heard Chris Rock and David Spade on Howard Stern and while the hour long interview was riveting, the one thing that stuck out more than anything was when Chris said he practices his new set for at least 6 months before scheduling tour dates. We live in such an ROI society that we typically can’t wait that long to get a return on our investment even if we’re not ready to launch.
There are plenty of other traits that business professionals could take a page from our favorite comedians. Not that long ago I wrote about storytelling and painting the picture, and it’s hard to find anyone better than comedians at doing just that. Making people laugh is a great quality to posses whether you’re in sales, management, IT or the mail room. We want to surround ourselves with people that put a smile on our face and make us feel good, a mind-vacation from the hectic day to day. It happens on Twitter, near the office water cooler, and in our homes between parents and children.
Nobody complains when their stomach and cheeks hurt from too much laughter.
There’s a reason Debbie Downer doesn’t date on the weekends, negativity is a buzz kill.
Want to get noticed? Be relevant.
This holds true for comedians and businessmen alike. How would you like to go to your favorite comedy store and hear Joe Chuckles tell a story about the Iran Contra affair? Telling a joke about a world crisis that happened over 20 years ago much like helping fix someone’s Internet connection problem by suggesting they switch to dial-up isn’t going to capture an audience’s attention. Both professions require observing their surroundings, figuring out how they can help their community and then deliver what people want and need. It’s the oldest form of market research yet sometimes we try and complicate things and miss out on the sale.
The ability to think on your feet is another important skill to master.
Whether they’re conducting improv or fighting off hecklers, being quick on thier feet is essential for stand-ups to thrive. We’ve all seen or heard Michael Richard’s racist tirade during his last stand up gig and many point to the fact that he wasn’t an accomplished and experienced stand up comedian as reason for this incident. Answering objections on the fly or having to change course in midstream are key for any business professional and like the old saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect’. Too bad we don’t have time to practice anymore.
In honor of Chris Farley (Feb 1964 – Dec 1997)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Good stuff.
I think, in line with turning a weakness into a strength, is transparency and honesty. My favorite stand up comedian, Doug Stanhope, is brutally honest in his sets… to great results.
He discusses the “sore on his lip” as being more of a war wound than a disease. “You look at me like I’m disgusting, I look at you like you’re boring. I’m out living life lady!”
Many comedians use honesty (okay, sometimes maybe too much, haha) as their main style of comedy. Own it, wear it as a badge of honor, and no one can use it against you.
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Matt,
I’m a Doug Stanhope fan as well. I also enjoy comics that tell it like it is without fear of retribution as you mention. Life is made up of funny moments to share.
Thanks for the mid-afternoon comic relief. I absolutely loved Chris Farley’s SNL skits where he was Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker (who lived in a van down by the river), and the one where he was a talk show host and would say the most inane things (like when he interviewed Paul McCartney and asked him if he remembered being in the Beatles). As someone who tries her best not to look stupid, I appreciate Chris’s over the top humor whether physical humor or just plain old comedy.
There is certainly humor in our daily lives, whether it involves our children, our careers, or our hobbies. I really enjoy hearing about and even telling stories about the wacky every day things that happen in life. That’s probably why I loved shows like Seinfeld and Friends because it portrayed real life in a humorous way. We all need to include a little levity in our lives and laugh at some of the mistakes and unexplainable things that occur. I like authors, speakers, and actors who can relate real life stories and turn them into teachable moments.
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