Why Do People Love John Belushi?

John Belushi was one of the most iconic comedians and actors of the 1970s and early 1980s. As one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live and with memorable film roles like Bluto in Animal House.

Belushi had a tremendous impact on pop culture and comedy during his tragically short career. There are many reasons why John Belushi remains so beloved decades after his death in 1982 at just 33 years old.

What Made John Belushi So Funny and Appealing as a Comedian?

John Belushi had an extraordinary talent for physical comedy and contagious energy that made him hilarious to audiences. As one of the very first stars of Saturday Night Live back in 1975, he played outrageous characters like the samurai Futaba and a killer bee with complete committment.

Belushi also wasn’t afraid to sacrifice his body and dignity for a laugh. He galvanized SNL’s reckless, anarchic sensibility in iconic sketches such as the Olympics cafeteria food fight and tackling a metal tower guard. His brash style and willingness for messiness stood in hilarious contrast to more composed stars like Chevy Chase.

Even as Belushi found fame on SNL, he never lost that raw, improvisational quality to his humor. That spontaneity carried over to his legendary film performances in Animal House, The Blues Brothers, and Neighbors as he embodied loud, reckless, anti-authoritarian maniacs that struck a chord with youth culture of the era.

At a time when more traditional network comedy was the norm, Belushi’s edgy star persona was tremendously refreshing.

What Did Critics & Peers Say About His Comedy Skills?

Belushi earned tremendous admiration from critics and peers for his rare talents. The New York Times’ comedy critic Mel Watkins described Belushi as “a daring comedian” whose “representations of lust, anger and greed were delicious in their utter mindlessness.” Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune praised his “wonderfully maniacal personality.”

Among his fellow SNL cast members, Belushi was revered for his commitment and dynamic range. Gilda Radner expressed her awe at the way “in one sketch he could be a Japanese man ordering a pizza…and in the next sketch he was suddenly this old Jewish woman.” Stars like Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase have spoken reverently about his offbeat style and electric charisma that couldn’t be taught.

What Were John Belushi’s Most Iconic and Influential Roles?

While John Belushi delivered an array of hilarious performances throughout his career, he is best remembered for a handful of extremely iconic film roles that had an enormous cultural influence in the late 1970s.

Bluto in “Animal House”

Belushi’s role as the drunken troublemaker Bluto in 1978’s Animal House was truly star-making and set the template for countless slob comedy characters to follow. As one of the leaders of the unruly Delta Tau Chi fraternity, Bluto was loud, destructive, completely uninhibited, and the absolute antithesis of authority – which made him worshipped by youth audiences.

From crushing beer cans on his forehead to starting massive cafeteria food fights, Belushi invested the often crude Bluto with an undeniable playful heart and charm underneath the drunken hijinks. THAT toga party speech alone is the stuff of movie legend.

Jake in “The Blues Brothers”

Reprising their characters from Saturday Night Live, Belushi and Aykroyd starred as musical brothers Jake and Elwood Blue on a mission from God in 1980’s The Blues Brothers. With an iconic look of black suits, hats, and sunglasses and a Cadillac full of incredible cameos and musical numbers, it became one of Belushi’s finest roles.

What Were Some of John Belushi’s Other Notable Movie Roles?

In his very brief movie career, John Belushi played several other memorable roles:

Neighbors (1981)

In one of his last films before his death, Belushi played loud slob Earl Keese – part of a younger couple that moves next to a quiet suburban couple (Dan Aykroyd and Kathryn Walker). The fish-out-of-water hijinks showcase Belushi’s talent for physical comedy.

1941 (1979)

Belushi has a small but very funny role in Steven Spielberg’s 1979 combat comedy 1941. As pilot Wild Bill Kelso, Belushi unleashes his loudmouth comedy, including trying to steal an entire B-25 bomber while drunk.

Old Boyfriends (1979)

Prior to his huge hits, Belushi appeared in this gentle romantic drama as local loser Bernie Waltz who attempts to woo his old high school girlfriend (Talia Shire). It’s a window into the kinder side of Belushi’s screen presence.

Goin’ South (1978)

Belushi’s lets his eccentricity run wild as Billy the Kid – yes, THAT Billy the Kid – in this cult western comedy starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. He gets to rob banks, ride horses, romance Mary Steenburgen, and finally meet his fate at the hands of sheriff Jack Nicholson.

National Lampoon’s Lemma & Hardy (1978)

Along with fellow SNL star Bill Murray, Belushi appeared as one half of classic comedy duo Laurel & Hardy in a raunchy, anarchic update made for National Lampoon. It shows off Belushi’s physical comedy in a period setting.

Why Did John Belushi’s Death in 1982 Shock the World?

When John Belushi tragically died on March 5, 1982 at the age of just 33 from an accidental drug overdose, the news absolutely rocked pop culture. While cocaine abuse was rampant in Hollywood at that time, for someone as beloved as Belushi to die so suddenly and young was incomprehensible for fans.

Belushi was quite literally at the peak of his career following major comedy hits like The Blues Brothers in 1980. With so much humor and talent still to offer, to lose Belushi felt extremely wasteful. Several of Belushi’s SNL peers broke down during an emotional tribute episode including voiceover work from an audibly crying Gilda Radner.

Beyond just his own career achievements and young life lost, Belushi’s death signified a loss of innocence for comedy fans of the era.

It was a harsh reminder that even comedy’s loudest, wildest personalities couldn’t survive the perils of fame and addiction. For many, comedy would never quite feel as pure or joyous again without Belushi’s endearingly messy spirit.

What Did Belushi’s Widow & Friends Say About His Loss?

In her 2005 memoir Samurai Widow, John’s wife Judith Belushi Pisano reflected on the magnitude of his death saying “When John died, comey as we knew it passed away with him.”

Belushi’s closest collaborators like Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi have kept his spirit alive through The Blues Brothers but have spoken to feeling an absence.

In a 1984 interview, SNL writer Michael O’Donoghue gave voice to how suddenly losing a talent like Belushi took away “a little of your own childhood…it was like Bambi being shot.”

What Was John Belushi’s Cultural Legacy?

Though his catalogue of films was small, John Belushi had an undeniable impact on pop culture in just seven short years of fame. His daring, no holds barred comedy style blazed a trail for both his SNL generation and many generations to follow.

Belushi’s outsider antiheroes in films like Animal House and The Blues Brothers became the prototypes for the lovable jerks and rebels that populated 80’s and 90’s comedies. Stars like Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Chris Farley, Jack Black, Will Ferrell and countless more have cited Belushi’s reckless but earnest comedy approach as direct inspiration.

The iconic John Belushi persona even crept into other pop culture mediums like television and music. Bands like The Minutemen referenced the Belushi death in songs as a metaphor for innocence lost in the 80’s. Series like Beavis & Butthead, with its room destroying male duo, owed direct lineage back to Belushi’s humor.

Most importantly, Belushi’s completely committed approach to characters and fearless physical abandon seeded so much of SNL’s formative ethos. Nearly fifty years later, his influence can be felt in the show’s tendency towards more daring, controversial, just-going-for-it comedy pieces

Conclusion

Despite only starring in a handful of films and seven seasons of a late night sketch series, John Belushi had an astounding influence on generations of comedians and comedy fans. His anarchic spirit, commitment to characters, and dynamic physical comedy broke molds in the 1970s and forged new styles of entertainment.

Belushi’s sudden death at 33 years old undoubtedly robbed the world of even more humor, but it cemented his status as a legendary rebel comedian. While only the most daring performers can match his intensity today, Belushi’s essence can be felt anytime a performer utterly commits for a laugh regardless of societal standards.

Nearly fifty years since Bluto ignited food fights in Animal House, Belushi’s iconic performances are still quoted and beloved by multiple generations.

More than just nostalgia, fans continue to discover Belushi’s infectious energy and joie de vivre that leaps through the screen. Through streaming and media longevity, Belushi’s daring comedic outlook will continue inspiring radical performers and fans for decades to come.

Frequently Asked Questions About John Belushi’s Appeal

Why do people still idolize John Belushi today?

John Belushi’s daring, high-energy comedy style and iconic rebel film roles have continued to inspire comedians and fans over the decades since his death in 1982. His willingness to sacrifice his body for laughs and commit fully to outrageous characters set a high bar for fearlessness that modern comedians aspire towards.

What made Belushi such a one-of-a-kind talent?

So much of John Belushi’s singular talents sprang from his background in improv comedy. He brought a completely uninhibited, spontaneous quality to performances that electrified early Saturday Night Live and films like The Blues Brothers. That seat-of-his-pants spirit gave his comedy an authentic, often dangerous quality that few achieve.

Which modern comedians emulate John Belushi’s style?

Several comedians cite John Belushi’s go-for-broke energy and commitment as direct inspiration for their own comedy, including Chris Farley, Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, and Melissa McCarthy. Much like Belushi himself, these performers embody loud, reckless, but ultimately lovable personas in films and television.

Why didn’t Belushi’s career last longer?

John Belushi rose to phenomenal fame at a very young age during his years on Saturday Night Live, a show notorious for fostering drug culture.

Sadly, as with other SNL talents of that era like Chris Farley, Belushi’s cocaine addiction proved incompatible with the demands of stardom. His accidental overdose in 1982 cut short a career many felt was still ascending.

What Belushi performances should new fans check out?

For those discovering John Belushi’s talent for the first time, his signature performances as Bluto in Animal House and Jake Blues in The Blues Brothers make excellent starts.

Iconic early Saturday Night Live sketches like the Olympics cafeteria or his perfect Joe Cocker impression also showcase the energy that made him a star.