David Spade recently filmed a commercial for satellite company DirecTV. The 30-second spot features Spade promoting the brand while sitting in a living room and presumably interacting with deceased actor Chris Farley, who is doing Tommy Boy shtick from his famous 1995 Fat Boy in a Little Coat.
Spade says, “Great, I’m here with tons of fun, but I could be at home with DirecTV. It never gets old.”
Farley died of heart failure due to a drug overdoes in 1997. Some have labeled the ad “bad advertising” and a “monstrous lack of judgment.” Others are calling it “unfunny and not very clever.”
Entertainment Weekly straddled the fence and can’t quite decide whether it is “a sweet homage to a sexy moment or semi-disrespectful exploitation of the dead.”
DirecTV weighed in, saying they have taken their cues from the loved ones of Farley, who were consulted before the ad was filmed. Jon Gieselman, senior vice president of advertising and public relations for DirecTV said, “They were on board with the concept from the very beginning and throughout the entire process and felt the spot was a great tribute to Chris.”
View the commercial video below. Let us know – hit or miss?