(Entertainment Weekly) -- Chris Farley was a corpulent "Saturday Night Live" veteran like John Belushi. He died of a drug overdose like John Belushi (at the same age, no less). Saturday Night Live alum Chris Farley backstage at the 1997 Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. And now, with "The Chris Farley Show," he gets his own biographical treatment just like -- you guessed it -- John Belushi. The "oral history" form of presentation -- essentially a string of anecdotes from friends and family -- is popular in the "Saturday Night Live" canon. (See Bob Woodward's 1984 Belushi bio, "Wired," and 2002's "Live From New York.") It's no wonder: Everyone involved -- Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, David Spade, Rob Lowe, and Tom Arnold -- are terrific storytellers.
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Farley's physicalisty good metaphor for book: a meal overstuffed with dish
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Farley doesn't come off as likable -- hookers, drug addiction on full display
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Still, he emerges as more than just a sweaty beast who gave good pratfall
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This unflinching, well-written book outshines any Farley highlight reel
A more mentally together @placeholder wouldn't have done it."