One of my favorite comedic actors, Will Ferrell, turned 55 on July 16th. With that in mind, I thought, should I do a top 10 Ferrell post? Of course!
However, I figure that his leading man performances and biggest SNL skits have probably been talked about a lot. I may post about them later, but one thing that makes Will Ferrell a generational comedian for so many of his fans is all of his cameos and small roles that just come out of nowhere. There are many movie stars and even comedy stars that have made people laugh, but how many of them just showed up in an Old Milwaukee ad?
So, how to narrow it down? Well, my aim here is to highlight any small role from movies or TV (like 1-2 scenes), or any random appearance like that Old Milwaukee commercial. SNL doesn’t count for this list since he was a regular cast member on the show, usually appearing in many skits in each episode. Mugatu from Zoolander doesn’t count, he has too many scenes as he was the main villain. Think smaller. My #1 choice is probably obvious, but not for the reason you think!
I hope not to spoil these appearances for anyone because they’re such a pleasant surprise when you see them for the first time, but obviously SPOILERS AHEAD!
To the list!
Most honored of honorable mentions: My most honored of honorable mentions goes to The Office. This is arguable, as he’s in a lot of episodes, but I’m including it because I have only seen about 2 minutes of his time on the show. This is largely because, if I’m being honest, I’m not a diehard fan of The Office. I’m not saying it’s bad, I just don’t love it the way everyone else does. But the fact that his name in the show is DeAngelo Vickers, is too wonderful to exclude. He sounds like he should be an NFL Running Back. Instead he’s middle management at a paper supply company. Excellent.
10). Bob Woodward – Dick
To be honest, I saw this movie a long time ago, and I didn’t like it. Looking back, it was a satire of Watergate and All the President’s Men, which wasn’t in my wheelhouse when I saw it. Probably worth a rewatch to see if it’s actually decent.
For those who don’t know the plot, two ditsy high school girls played by Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams, are on a class trip to Washington D.C., and accidentally witness Watergate, so, naturally, they become “deep throat”.
Will Ferrell plays Bob Woodward, and the only thing I remember about the movie at all, and the only part I found funny back then, is when Woodward and Bernstein confront the girls in a library and loudly whisper, “You lying sacks of shit!” It’s a surprise in the movie, catches you off guard.
9). Mustafa – The Austin Powers franchise
Believe it or not, this wasn’t a cameo role, but actually one of Ferrell’s earliest movie roles. I was (and still am), a big fan of this franchise. Mustafa is far from the funniest character in any of the movies, but he’s a memorable piece of the puzzle. He’s a hard to kill henchman of Dr. Evil who sports a fez. He’s silly! It’s just a silly character in one of the best comedy franchises of the 90’s-00’s.
8). The 2008 ESPY’s
This was right around when Step Brothers was coming out, but he basically owned the Espy’s in 5 minutes. In the first clip, Ferrell and co-star John C. Reilly, one of the funniest comedy duos ever by the way, make outrageous demands for hosting the Espy’s. But the second clip is really the gem, where he goes up and accepts the Best Male Athlete award on behalf of Tiger Woods. Absolute gold.
7). Mattress Salesman – The Internship
The Internship stinks, but early on, we get a nice surprise. Uncredited, unlike Orson Welles…
6). Knife Guys – Jimmy Kimmel
Another reason Ferrell is awesome. He wasn’t the guest on Kimmel that night, but he just popped in to make everyone laugh.
5). Bitch Hunter – 30 Rock
A great ongoing bit in 30 Rock was occasionally tying in a silly new reality show. There were quite a few, but it’s hard to top Bitch Hunter. I think the clip speaks for itself.
4). Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly – Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
I haven’t seen this in a while, but Jay and Silent Bob was a favorite of my friends and I during our high school years. It’s an early role for Will Ferrell, and obviously he brings the goofy as a Federal Wildlife Marshal who seems…inadequate. I can’t swear that it holds up, but in a funny movie with many stars, Willenholly steals the show every time he’s on screen.
3). Big Earl – Starksy & Hutch
Starksy & Hutch isn’t as bad as The Internship, but isn’t as great as some of the other “Frat Pack” comedies of the early 2000’s. The two leads are chasing down clues, which takes them to a prison to find a man named Big Earl, who, among other things, sews dragons into denim.
The slow reveal is a nice touch and it’s another uncredited Will Ferrell cameo. It’s mostly funny because Big Earl isn’t really a tough guy. He’s homosexual and makes Starsky and Hutch perform a little “routine” in exchange for some information. I don’t know if this would be cancelled nowadays, but like his other cameos, it’s a very pleasant surprise.
2). Ashley Schaeffer – Eastbound & Down
A lot of this comes down to the outtakes from season 1, but Ashley Schaeffer is just ridiculous. First of all, great name. Also his platinum blonde hair and his southern drawl. In a show that is hilarious and ridiculous, he is arguably the most over-the-top character. In season 2 or 3 (I don’t remember), he shows up again as someone who hosts parties where rich people hunt poor people.
1). Chazz Reinhold – Wedding Crashers
This probably isn’t surprising. Wedding Crashers is the biggest comedy on this list, and Chazz Reinhold is probably the funniest character on this list. However, I think this role is his best cameo for a different reason – it kind of saves the movie.
John and Jeremy are outed at the end of the third act, which means that the last act of the movie really lacks the riotous laughs and comedic stakes of the previous three acts. When Jeremy isn’t there to back John up at Claire’s engagement party, the two have a falling out, and then we’re spending time with the two of them apart, not being funny.
When Jeremy tells John he’s engaged, John spirals and is depressed. He’s crashing weddings alone, getting too drunk and being sloppy. Then he walks up to a house and asks to see “Chazz Reinhold”. And we’re taken back to the beginning when Jeremy relayed that Chazz was the one who got him into crashing weddings, and that he’s a bit of a “kook”. Similar to the Big Earl reveal, they build some anticipation and in walks Will Ferrell, perhaps the most delightful surprise in any movie ever. And then Ferrell proceeds to belt home run after home run, lifting our spirits and getting us to the climax of the movie. It’s arguably the funniest Will Ferrell we get in any movie period. “Damn you Roger…”.
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