THIS WEEK IN BADGER HISTORY
CAMP RANDALL 100 SPOTLIGHT:
CHRIS FARLEY
The Camp Randall 100 honors a prestigious group of 100 people who shaped the first century of Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin Athletics revealed a new honoree every day from May 24 through the Badgers’ 2017 opening game vs. Utah State Sept. 1.
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BY BRIAN LUCAS UW Athletic Communications
n the early 1990s, a number of young comedians began making a name for themselves on Saturday Night Live. Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, David Spade and Rob Schneider parlayed their work on the long-running series into successful movie careers. But one man literally loomed larger than all of them. Chris Farley, who grew up in Madison and attended Edgewood High School, burst on the scene with non-stop energy and a physical brand of comedy that made him unique. Whether it was as a shirtless dancer opposite “Dirty Dancing” star Patrick Swayze or portraying motivational speaker Matt Foley, who “lived in a van down by the river,” Farley often stole
the show, even working with such a talented cast. In 1995, Farley starred in the breakout film “Tommy Boy” alongside Spade. If he wasn’t already a household name, the cult classic made him a star. But, other than attending high school less than a mile from Camp Randall Stadium, what is Farley’s connection to the historic venue? According to “Always a Badger: The Pat Richter Story,” the Farleys were neighbors with the Richter family in the village of Maple Bluff on the east side of Madison. When he came back to Madison, I knew that Barry (Alvarez) always liked to have famous people talk to the football team, Richter said in the book. I called up Chris and invited him to speak to the football team. I brought him out there and he did his Matt Foley stuff and he had a ball.