Elder Farley Brother Taking Preventative Measures

By Shannon in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 17, 2007 8:19PM

It's been nearly 10 years since the untimely, unfortunate demise of Chicago-area comedian Chris Farley. We're not going to lie and say we remember exactly where we were when we heard the news or anything like that, but we can't believe it's been that long already. He had still been big in the movies with a promising future at the time of his death, if he could have broken out of the stereotypical fat-guy-does-crazy-shit-cuz-he's-fat role. His addictions to cocaine and heroin got the best of him, a message that his older brother Tom is still pushing hard to get across today.

After Chris's death in December of '97, Tom started the Chris Farley Foundation in an effort to reach the comedian's prime audience of teenagers and young adults. Tom aims not to educate kids just about harder drugs commonly associated with fame, but also alcohol and marijuana. Tom held a town hall meeting earlier this month focusing on booze and middle schoolers. He put special emphasis on parents to not leave beer around the house where it can easily be ingested by underage children. His method of teaching through improv comedy should prove effective among the younger set, kind of like a funny D.A.R.E. program.

Working out of the Farleys' hometown of Madison, WI, the family's mission has been an uphill battle in a college town known for its drinking habits. It must be incredibly hard to get anyone to listen, not just in Madison, but here in Chris's adopted home, too. At the risk of sounding a bit killjoyish, and assuming our audience hasn't left for the bars already, we at Chicagoist urge you to maybe think twice about getting utterly obliterated for Amateur Night tonight. Your stomach, brain cells, roommates and future romantic partners will thank you later.

Image via Improv Olympic West.