Lorne Michaels Banned Chris Farley From ‘SNL’ for ‘Weeks at a Time’ to Help Him Get Off ‘the Drinking and the Drugs’: He ‘Clearly Had Addiction Issues’

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Despite Chris Farley being renowned as one of the most emblematic “Saturday Night Live” actors in history, the creator of SNL, Lorne Michaels, wasn’t always comfortable having him on the set of the popular late-night comedy series.

On Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, as shared by Entertainment Weekly, Susan Morrison – the writer of “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live” – mentioned that Lorne Michaels tightened up on the cast’s substance use following John Belushi’s passing due to an overdose in 1982. This was a change I noticed and appreciated, as it helped create a safer environment for everyone involved with SNL.

After Belushi passed away, Morrison shared, it affected him deeply. He felt that the laissez-faire attitude they had towards individual freedom might not have been right. They’re more like a community or a family, he said, and we should care for each other.”

Or simply:

“Morrison reflected on Belushi’s death, explaining it hit him hard. He felt their previous approach of letting people do their own thing wasn’t suitable. Instead, they are a group who needs to watch out for each other.

In this situation, the method was also applied to Farley, who, as stated by Morrison, was struggling with addiction problems. Michaels is said to have frequently summoned Farley to his office and offered assistance in managing his alcohol or drug issues.

Morrison mentioned that, following her discussion with Bob Odenkirk, who penned for “SNL” from 1987 to 1991, she discovered that Farley usually felt enthusiastic when summoned to Michaels’ office, even though those talks were seldom straightforward.

She reminisced about feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension, similar to being called to the principal’s office, yet knowing trouble was brewing. Lorne, however, struggled to process this sensation. Unlike before, he drastically altered his management style. If Farley was too intoxicated, Lorne would exclude him from the show for extended periods. Moreover, he arranged for Farley to attend several rigorous rehabilitation centers. Regrettably, these interventions didn’t seem effective in helping him.

Following a lapse after initially being sober, he was suspended by Michaels and placed in a strict rehabilitation center in Alabama,” she continued. “Michaels understood that the show was Farley’s favorite, so taking it away from him, he thought, would have an impact.

On December 18, 1997, Farley tragically passed away due to a lethal combination of cocaine and heroin, the same deadly concoction that claimed Belushi’s life 15 years earlier. The beloved “Tommy Boy” actor succumbed to this fatal mix merely two months following his return as host for “Saturday Night Live.

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2025-05-03 22:16