Did you know today is World Cancer Day? Well, it is, and as a decent human being, Will Ferrell cares about cancer. So, the comedian decided to stop by Reddit this afternoon and participate in an Ask Me Anything session in order to benefit Cancer For College. Rather than take a no-holds-barred let it rip approach, Ferrell decided to play the funny card, bantering with a slew of users and even Snoop Dogg, who Reddit bombed his AMA at one point to talk about recording "Boats And Hoes 2".
Fortunately, in the midst of all the comedy, there were a few reveals that really gave us a better sense of the actor, and there were a few longer form jokes that translate pretty well out of context. If you’re interested in reading Ferrell’s entire hilarious exchange, hop on over to the Reddit AMA, or, if you’re only casually interested, scroll below for some of the more interesting parts…
Ferrell And Chris Kattan came up with the hypnotizing handshake for A Night At The Roxbury together. A lot of good comedy comes out of collaboration. It comes out of workshopping an idea and slowly improving it over the years. Ferrell and Kattan came up with the Roxbury characters inside his apartment to use in a Groundlings show, and it slowly grew from there.
"I think it was Chris Kattan and myself just acting stupid in my apartment when we wrote that sketch for the Groundlings show that we were in at the time. It's also what happens when the beat of any Haddaway song hits your ear."
He has no confidence in his cowbell playing skills. You might think Will is full of himself and his own cowbell playing skills given he’s in the most famous cowbell-related comedy sketch of all time, but when it comes down to it, he’s not at all. Snoop Dogg stopped by the AMA to ask if he would play cowbell on an upcoming song, and Ferrell, while gracious, wanted no part of that, not even if it was for a follow-up called "Boats And Hoes 2".
"Of course! I'm absolutely game, Snoop. I've also got some beats that I want to run by you. I'm warning you now, they're not good. edit: In fact, I just talked myself out of it. I'm not going to show them to you."
For the last time, he knows he looks like Chad Smith. People have been letting Will know for the last decade that he’s a dead ringer for Smith, the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Consequently, there’s probably not any point in bringing it up anymore.
"It has been acknowledged many times that myself and Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, share a resemblance to each other. A lot of people think that it's me playing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But that would be an insult to Chad Smith. The truth of the matter is there is no Will Ferrell. Only Chad Smith."
He is NOT a wizard. Sorry, everyone, who has been floating this conspiracy theory or secretly hoping the former SNL star had magic powers. He can’t do anything more than you can, despite his best efforts.
"I have attempted to be a wizard on several occasions. I studied for about a year and a half at Ansontolliver's Wizard School...it wasn't a full year and a half. At the conclusion of which, Anson pulled me aside and said, "I don't want you to waste any more of your money with me. I think it's best for me to let you know you don't have what it takes to be a wizard." And for however sad I was on that day, I respect Anson so much for giving me the straight talk.
He ate real syrup on real spaghetti in Elf. Directors are able to do quite a bit in terms of special effects these days, but sometimes in order to get the best take possible, the stunt really needs to be performed, whether it’s jumping out of a car or eating a ton of spaghetti slathered in syrup. Ferrell stepped up to the plate and did his part in the beloved Hollywood classic, and that dedication to the craft really comes through.
Yes, I actually ate syrup on spaghetti. Multiple takes, multiple times.
The fake balls he rubs on John C Reilly’s drumset in Step Brothers cost $10,000. I know that sounds like a joke. There probably is a joke in there somewhere, but that’s the value Ferrell gave for the rather disgusting prop.
"Those are, no joke, $10,000 worth of prosthetic balls that you see in that movie."
Don’t try to sneak Sex Panther into an airport.. Seriously. Just don’t do it. They absolutely do not enjoy having to encounter that pungent musk.
"A word to the wise, do not try to sneak Sex Panther by TSA officials. They don't appreciate it."
Ferrell has two favorite SNL sketches. A lot of actors are unwilling to single out random bits of their work as all-time favorites, but when it comes to SNL, the comedian was willing to go there.
" I will say that off the top of my head, the two favorite sketches that I was a part of had to have been the Harry Caray space show with Jeff Goldblum and, of course the cowbell sketch with Christopher Walken."
He’s left-handed but learned to play all sports right-handed. This actually isn’t as weird as it sounds. A lot of people write with their left-hands because that comes natural but learn to play sports with their right because they see an overwhelming majority of people playing sports right-handed.
So when people find that out, they're like, "Hey, whaaat?"
The juggling was fake on The Office. Yup, I know you may have been excited about Ferrell and his absurd coordination, but in truth, they just used camera tricks and the whole thing was banged out in a matter of minutes. As far as we know, he hasn’t learned how to juggle since either.
"I can't remember specifically how long it took, it was just something we probably shot, due to the nature of the show and how fast it moves, 3 or 4 times and then that was it. But I do appreciate that you are a fan of fake juggling."
