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Chris Rock Compares Chris Farley to Michael Jordan in Preview for Late SNL Star’s Tribute Special

Chris Rockrecognizes the legacy that comedy iconChris Farleyleft behind.

Inan upcoming two-part tribute specialonDavid SpadeandDana Carvey’sFly on the Wallpodcast, Rock recalls what a comedic genius Farley was during his days onSaturday Night Live.

Rock even compares Farley to another trailblazer. “It was just like he’sMichael Jordan, and give him the ball,” he said of the late comedian, comparing him to the NBA icon.

“Literally, [I] never had one bit of like, ‘Hey, this guy doesn’t write sketches. Why is he in everything? Hey!’ None of that,” Rock adds. “None of, ‘Why is he in nine sketches and I’m in one?’ ‘Cause he’s better than you, that’s why.”

Continuing, Rock points out how Farley “had a way of stepping into funny, like it was just on his shoe” and “he didn’t know how he got there.” TheGrown Upsactor also describes the “warmth” Farley had.

“He’s un-hateable and he’s this guy that he’s just always himself, in a good way,” he says. “He didn’t really have to get into character or anything. He was just f—— funny.”

chris farley

Farley died in December 1997 from a drug overdose at age 33. Though the comedian appeared in high-profile films likeTommy BoyandAirheads, he was best known for being a cast member on five seasons ofSNLfrom 1990 to 1995.

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“It’s sad when our friend’s not here, but it is curious to [think] ‘Wow, what would that guy have done?’ When I see Sandler in something likeUncut Gems, it’s like, ‘Yeah, Farley could have done that,'” Rock says in the sneak peek. “He’s literally that level of actor, and that level of like, you just felt for that guy. Whatever ride Chris Farley was going to take me on, I was definitely ready to go on it.”

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source: people.com