Video of the Day: Chris Farley Impersonates Newt Gingrich in 1995

The Atlantic ^ | 12/5/2011 | Chris Good

[JediJones]

Ah, 1995. Bill Clinton was president, Newt Gingrich was the House's feisty new speaker, and Chris Farley was still alive.

At this April 5 meeting of the House Republican Conference, John Boehner introduced Gingrich, only to have Farley appear from the wings and present a last-minute agenda to round out the new Republican Congress's first 100 days in power.

Saturday Night Live currently has Bobby Moynihan playing Gingrich in its debate spoofs, but there's something about Farley that oddly befits the former speaker. Gingrich fancies himself such a serious intellectual that there's almost no way to parody his persona, only to defuse it with the seeming unawareness of someone who crashes through tables with glee.

Video credit: C-SPAN library via FamousDC.com, via Chris Taylor

[JediJones]

Definitely a classic...

Here's another low quality clip of Farley as Newt from an SNL skit. Kind of ironic which actress is helping "Newt" pass legislation in this scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6soITTTRVs

[VicVega]

Farley is well missed. Too bad we couldn’t trade him back for Ginny Garofalo. She sucked in the video and still sucks today.

[Larry Lucido]

Doesn’t he live in a van down by the river? Maybe one in the sky? :-)

[NYTexan]

Newt: “which of our FORMER members set this up?

LMAO!

[Finny]

Just WOW!! Thanks for posting that! I watched the clip at your link in the posted article, and fast-forwarded to where Farley came in.

This is so neat ... for years I've suspected Farley leaned to the right because of his humor and what his friends said about just his character -- not his politics, but his life philosophy. I never did find out, though, for sure which way he leaned politically, but when I watched Tommy Boy (one of my favorite comedies), it was the same thing -- something about Farley's spirit felt like he leaned to the right. But I figured it was just wishful thinking, that he was after all part of the SNL scene ...

... but in this clip, it's pretty obvious that Farley was a great admirer of Newt.

THANKS SO MUCH, JJ, for this clip! It's a great gift on this seventh day of Christmas!

I still grieve our loss of Farley. He was such a gifted comedian but even more than that, he was so filled with love for his fellow man. His humor was always sweet -- it was never mean, cruel, or cutting, but always filled with love and a certain vulnerability. RIP Chris Farley. You are missed.

[JediJones]

You’re welcome.

Chris’s brother Kevin has “come out” as a conservative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Farley

Kevin Farley appeared at the 2008 Republican National Convention, and during an interview with 97.1 FM Talk’s Jamie Allman he identified his politics as mostly conservative.

[JediJones]

Sounds like you might be right about his conservatism...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Farley

Chris Farley’s family is traditionally Irish Catholic, and Farley and his siblings attended Catholic schools in his hometown, including Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart. According to Joel Murray, a fellow Second City cast member, Chris would “always make it to Mass”.[6]

Also from this site, which has another clip on bottom of Farley as Newt from SNL:

http://welcometofarleyville.blogspot.com/2011/12/chris-farley-as-newt-gingrich.html

It should be noted that although claiming no interest in politics while alive, Chris’ family were republicans. Recently his older brother Tom ran for city council and in the past made a bid for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (http://farleyforward.org/).

[Bobalu]

I really miss him too....

[OrangeHoof]

Wow. What a flashback. There was Chris Farley, who won’t be voting for Newt, and Henry Hyde, who won’t be voting for Newt and Sonny Bono, who won’t be voting for Newt and all for the same reason - because they’re dead.

That’s because Newt was relevant back then. 16 years ago. Watching that simply reminds me how long it’s been since Newt was relevant. Yet some still think he can be elected president.

[JediJones]

As opposed to Mitt Romney, who was never, ever relevant? Voting for anyone else at this stage of the game is a vote for Mitt Romney, which is a vote for Barack Obama. What has Newt being less relevant in the last 10 years gotten us that you’re happy with? I guess you only think lifelong career politicians are “relevant” and anyone who takes time to work in the private sector is no longer “relevant?”

[OrangeHoof]

I still believe there are alternatives to Romney and that Newt is not the best option. In fact, I think he’s only better than Romney, Huntsman and Paul. Until the real conservatives bow out, I’m not going to settle for someone that Obama will easily beat in a personality contest, which is what the vote will be if Newt is the nominee.

[JediJones]

I don’t agree that Obama beats Newt in a personality contest. Newt is a more compelling speaker, a better storyteller, and seems more relatable to the average voter, especially older voters. I also don’t agree that the race will be “about” whatever Obama wants it to be about. We have some say in what the race will be about. We will make it about the successes for the country during Newt’s time in Congress vs. how bad Obama has performed and how bad Congress has performed since Newt left in 1998.