# What Happened to Will Farrell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743 "2020-06-24T14:44:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/1 "2020-06-24T14:44:12Z")
> **[What the Hell Happened to Will Ferrell?](https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-the-hell-happened-to-will-ferrell)** > > The comedy god has had a string of duds, from the gay panic-y “Get Hard” to “Daddy’s Home 2” with Mel Gibson. His latest Netflix film, “Eurovision Song Contest,” isn’t any better. Now this might by the stupidest paragraph written in the history of journalism: > [@](#): > > Will Ferrell is the [funniest comedic actor](https://www.thedailybeast.com/snl-will-ferrells-gordon-sondland-throws-alec-baldwins-trump-under-the-bus) of the past 20 years, a master of buffoonish absurdity whose gift for juvenile nonsense—often laced with explosive aggression—has rightly made him a Hollywood A-lister. It therefore brings me no joy to report that his latest, _Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga_ , is not only a two-hour slog of lavish production design and on-location filmmaking minus any trace of humor, but further confirmation that the star has gotten himself stuck in a rut of diminishing-returns repetition. He might be humorous but he has never been the funniest comedic actor of any year. He’s a one trick pony who cant discern good scripts from bad. Corporate Hollywood has been trying to force him down our throats for years. 🙈 🙉 🙊 His films are basically 💩 accept Old School. Your thoughts, please. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/2 "2020-06-24T14:54:22Z")
He is funny, most of his movies aren’t. I guess some people can’t grasp separate those things in their minds. He has become a symbol of low grade comedy film, sort of like Bob Hope maybe. Sometimes it sorta works, I liked Land of the Lost, stupid and silly but still decent satire and fun. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/3 "2020-06-24T15:18:27Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Now this might by the stupidest paragraph written in the history of journalism Because you disagree with the author’s opinion? I think there may be a good argument to be made that Ferrell is the funniest comedic actor of the last 20 years (though more in the 2000s than the 2010s, probably). I don’t think that’s an out of line opinion at all. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/4 "2020-06-24T15:24:05Z")
Old School and Anchorman are great films. Elf, Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory were pretty good. I don’t think I’ve seen a Will Ferrell movie since Anchorman 2 (meh), unless you count The Lego Movie. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/5 "2020-06-24T15:26:34Z")
From SNL his Harry Caray, James Lipton, and cheerleader Craig were very good. “Blades of Glory” and “Talladega Nights” were funny. “Step Brothers” was ok. Not so much on the other stuff I’ve seen him in. Agree though, he’s **very** hit and miss. I’ve been kinda interested in seeing a few of his movies as they come out—but when I hear a bad review, I stay away. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/6 "2020-06-24T15:27:39Z")
Yeah, Ferrell has some good films that are great on a re-watch (Elf, Anchorman, Talladega Nights) but I think the general public has caught on to the fact that he plays more or less the same idiot, screaming man-child character in every film he does. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/7 "2020-06-24T15:28:42Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > From SNL his Harry Caray, James Lipton, and cheerleader Craig were very good. Don’t forget his Alex Trebek, too! ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/8 "2020-06-24T15:35:17Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > Yeah, Ferrell has some good films that are great on a re-watch (Elf, Anchorman, Talladega Nights) but I think the general public has caught on to the fact that he plays more or less the same idiot, screaming man-child character in every film he does. I wonder if part of that is because that’s what sells. I really liked Ferrell in “The Campaign” where he played a different sort of character, but that film didn’t do as well as some of his more buffoonish roles. Of course these days Ferrell seems to be far more active as a producer than as an actor (he’s an executive producer of “I love you, America”, “Drunk History”, “Succession”, and “Dead to Me” among others) ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/9 "2020-06-24T15:36:51Z")
If Adam Sandler is a cheeseburger, Will Ferrell is a cheeseburger with a free small drink thrown in. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/10 "2020-06-24T15:39:48Z")
I find I like hime best when he’s not trying so hard to be funny. **Everything Must Go** and **Stranger Than Fiction** are by far his best movies. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/11 "2020-06-24T15:40:05Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I wonder if part of that is because that’s what sells. I really liked Ferrell in “The Campaign” where he played a different sort of character, but that film didn’t do as well as some of his more buffoonish roles. > > Of course these days Ferrell seems to be far more active as a producer than as an actor (he’s an executive producer of “I love you, America”, “Drunk History”, “Succession”, and “Dead to Me” among others) Yeah, in the past it certainly was what sold, but it looks like the public may have decided that they just have had their fill of it. Ferrell has tried to branch out in the past; he got good reviews for Stranger than Fiction, and he was attached in the mid-2000s to an attempted film adaptation of A Confederacy of Dunces that is the closest that book has come to actually being made into a film. But he simply hasn’t been able to escape the formula. Ferrell is probably credited as a producer on those shows because his production companies, Gary/Gloria Sanchez Productions, are behind those series. I would have to wonder if Ferrell actually has any kind of input at all into any of those programs. As it is, I think that Gary Sanchez is supposed to be coming to an end, due to Adam McKay (Ferrell’s partner) moving into more serious fare (McKay is heavily involved with Succession, from what I have heard). ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/12 "2020-06-24T16:28:30Z")
I think the very same quality can make him either appealing or off-putting: He is completely fearless and shameless. He is one of those performers who will do absolutely _anything_ for a laugh, even - especially? - if it makes him look like an idiot. When that kind of performance hits, it can be hilarious; when it misses, it’s cringeworthy. The line is fine and the sweet spot is small. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/13 "2020-06-24T16:35:17Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I think the very same quality can make him either appealing or off-putting: He is completely fearless and shameless. > > He is one of those performers who will do absolutely _anything_ for a laugh, even - especially? - if it makes him look like an idiot. > > When that kind of performance hits, it can be hilarious; when it misses, it’s cringeworthy. The line is fine and the sweet spot is small. I agree. The thing about Ferrell is he is willing to completely immerse himself in his character in a way most actors will not. He’s the comedy equivalent of Daniel Day-Lewis or Gary Oldman. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/14 "2020-06-24T16:52:45Z")
He’s doing more exec-producing these days, including of _Succession_, HBO’s corporate dynasty palace-intrigue series, which is a pretty serious show: [Will Ferrell filmography - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Ferrell_filmography#As_executive_producer) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/15 "2020-06-24T18:49:49Z")
He’s on my list of Actors Whose Movies I Refuse To Watch Because He’s Embarrassingly Unfunny. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/16 "2020-06-24T20:12:41Z")
Like many skit comics, he doesn’t translate well to the big screen. Sandler, Ferrell, Akroyd, et al. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/17 "2020-06-24T20:18:20Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > accept Old School. I won’t and you can’t make me. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/18 "2020-06-24T21:05:57Z")
Im the Will Farrell of spellers. 😼 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/19 "2020-06-24T21:40:31Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > If Adam Sandler is a cheeseburger, Will Ferrell is a cheeseburger with a free small drink thrown in. But the lid isn’t tight on the drink, and it spews all over you, and all the frat boys at the next table think it’s hilarious. As soon as I saw the thread title I said “Can be funny, but mostly embarrassing …like Adam Sandler.” ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743/20 "2020-06-24T21:59:58Z")
I sadly agree. Along with those already mentioned his Sherlock Holmes spoof was absolutely horrible. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-will-farrell/912743.md?page=2)