Chris Farley Direct TV Ad: Too Soon?

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 26th 2009 06:00PM

Direct TV brought back the late Chris Farley in their new ad campaign and has viewers in a twist citing that it is tasteless and insensitive. But this won't be the first time the company has used dead celebrities to hype their products. Last year, the company was under attack after featuring Heather O' Rourke in 'The Poltergeist' -- she died in 1988 at the age of 12.

In the new ad, actor David Spade appears in the commercial with Farley, who died in 1997 of heart failure due to an overdose. Asylum reached out to Spade through his publicist for a comment.

"When DIRECT TV came to me and the Farley family with this idea about 'Tommy Boy,' we talked and thought it would be a cool way to remind people just how funny Chris was. It is a clever homage to my friend and a movie that we loved doing, " he says.

"We should look to Chris' family and friends for the ultimate opinion on this subject. They were involved from the beginning of this project and felt that the spot was a great to tribute to Chris," DIRECT TV said.

Tags: chris farley, ChrisFarley, david spade, DavidSpade

Comments

(23)

Monday 26 October

By bill

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Fat guy in a little coat...CLASSIC! Made me laugh all over again

Wednesday 28 October

By J. Richard Cassin

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When I first saw the commercial with Chris and David Spade, my business sense suggested to me that Farley's estate might need a financial lift. Certainly nothing wrong with that. JRC

By RKK

Spade was a prick for not showing up at his funeral...then he does this B.S.? Spade is an a55hole.

By jon

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i agree. Spade was a jerk for not going to his funeral. Its like your brother or sister not going to your funeral. They were like brothers on SNL and on film. I know Spade was upset at Chris for what he did, but at least show respect for him.

By Sekinu2

Spade didnt go because he was deep in mourning and couldnt handle it. Sometimes its to hard to say good bye like that. Ive been there when I lost a friend of mine. I wanted to go but just couldnt do it so to say he is a prick or whatever you guys are just stupid. The commercial is great it was approved by his family and spade and lets people remember him in a tasteful way and Chris gets to do what was his greatest joy in life....he got to make us laugh agin...Thank you Chris...miss the shine you shared with us while here and now that shine has come again..

By bastion78

If his family had no objections then there is no problem.

By Trowgo

I was happy to see it air, funny then funny now. It was a classic line and delivered by someone we all loved. I have no problem with it.

By estee

People need to lay off direct tv over these ads! I mean do people really think direct tv is stupid enough to not disscuss these ads with the families &/or the people in the ad? Why would they open themselves up to a possible lawsuit by not getting all required permission before making the ad? Give it a rest people find some else to flip out over......preferablly something worth flipping out over!

The commercial is great. Nobody should forget about the type of guy Chris was and bringing in this commercial is way of remembering the great comedian he was. Great job and i love the DIRECT TV spots involving classic movies.

By Cappyboy

I won't be participating in this poll. Because there's no response for the correct answer. That would be C: Neither.

It's been 12 years so I'd be hard pressed to find it insensitive. And I've never found this campaign funny. The bait and switch tactics in these ads and in much of advertising in general these days gets on my nerves because it's done so much it's lost whatever comedic effect there ought to be.

By ccrider

It was nice to see Chris Farly....for me it brought make pleasant memories of the guy....as for the product...it would not influence me one bit to buy thier stuff....I still laugh at the car commercials when they would play an old song to sell thier crap....so sorry...i only went down memory lane when I hear the song..nothing here influences me to buy thier products...

By Gary

Are people really upset about this. Chris Farley has been dead for a couple years while only a couple months ago Billy Mays died and they still play his commercals.

Tuesday 27 October

By benhogg

more proof that women don't know funny.

By mike vitiello

my father died the same day that chris farley did....i am grateful to the folks who put this sd together...not only does it make me remember how wondorously funny farley was, it also reminds me of my my also-funny dad and my own mortality..now, if we can only find a way to keep the annoying computer generated spam ads off, we'd be getting somewhere....frickin annoying

By Mr. BIG

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CREEPY, CREEPY, CREEPY. Soulless creatures with no new ideas need to sample from the dead. YUCK!

By Rose

Not everyone can handle death face to face - not all can attend a funeral and be public with their grief - my nephew did not attend my mothers funeral but do I hold that against him - no I do not because I know he loved her he just couldnt say good bye in public to her.

By Donna

The commercial is just stupid, IMO, of course.

I'm not familiar with whatever movie it's from, so obviously don't get it, therefore not funny.

But insensitive? Not if he's been dead 12 years!! I only wish we could wait 12 years before having to see Michael Jackson on TV again.

By Jamie

You are such an IDIOT!!!!!!!

By savagemouse

Wasn't there at least, maybe, a funnier clip they could've used? I've never seen the movie, but it seems to still be pretty popular so it must have some funnier moments then this. It just made me kinda like "Huh?" I guess. I don't know. I don't really care.