Top 10 Funniest Will Ferrell Meltdowns Ever

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)
Yeah, as if we wouldn’t include this one. Possibly Ferrell’s most memorable ever “SNL” moment, this fictionalized take on the recording of Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” features what’s possibly Ferrell’s most memorable “SNL” freakout. Tensions rise at the recording session for the classic rock song, with Ferrell’s cowbell player Gene Frenkle at the center of it. As if Ferrell’s intrusive cowbell playing wasn’t already getting on his fictional bandmates’ nerves, Christopher Walken’s eccentric music producer keeps egging him on. Ferrell was so committed that he suggested wearing an ill-fitting shirt to amp up the level of ridiculousness already on display. Judging by the tear-stained faces of Walken and his fellow “SNL” cast members, it worked.

“The Campaign” (2012)
This underrated political satire, helmed by “Austin Powers'” series director Jay Roach, sharply blends deft political commentary with the specific brand of low-brow humor we’ve come to know and love from Ferrell and co. When faced with unlikely opposition from Zach Galifianakis’ dopey Marty Huggins, Ferrell’s unscrupulous Cam Brady resolves to go to any lengths to win a seat in Congress, representing a fictionalized version of North Carolina’s real-life 14th district. Despite Cam’s best efforts, the earnest and likable Marty steadily gains support in the polls, while a series of gaffes and mishaps further harm Brady’s already precarious reputation. The stress clearly gets to Cam, who expresses his feelings on the matter in classic Ferrell fashion.

“Wedding Crashers” (2005)
Owen Wilson’s John knows he’s hit rock bottom when the only person in the world who gets him is the unhinged Chazz Reinhold, who taught Vince Vaughn’s character the very ways of wedding crashing. While John expects to be reassured by Chazz, it quickly becomes clear that Vaughn’s mentor is a big-mouthed degenerate who seems content to hang out at home in his bathrobe — that is, when he isn’t crashing funerals. Yikes! True to form, Ferrell pulls off the repulsion and necessary lack of charm to make Chazz real — Wilson’s character seems to have caught him in the middle of a lifelong meltdown. Side note: anyone else wanna try that meatloaf?

“Old School” (2003)
2003 was a significant year for Ferrell, with the actor starring in this raunchy comedy and the family comedy “Elf” (you may not be surprised to hear that we’ll be talking about that movie in just a bit). “Old School” showed off Ferrell’s penchant for going all-out — and that he had real potential as a comedic leading man. While there’s any number of laugh-out-loud Ferrell scenes to choose from in director Todd Phillips’ cult classic film, we have to go with the aftermath of a poorly executed stunt. Forced to participate in an academic decathlon to prove their worthiness as an independent frat house, Ferrell’s Frank “the Tank” attempts to rally the troops after the embarrassing incident.

“Zoolander” (2001)
Most people have probably had a difficult boss, someone a little hard to deal with. However, you’ve probably never had to deal with a boss quite as difficult as Jacobim Mugatu. The fictional fashion giant meets with Ben Stiller’s titular male model in an attempt to recruit him into an evil scheme with earth-shaking geopolitical implications. Here, Derek Zoolander bears witness to the first signs that Mugatu isn’t just lending him a friendly helping hand — specifically, when Ferrell’s character comically blows up at his assistant for what appears to be an insignificant infraction. Watching the two kinda makes us want a Mugatu/Todd prequel.

“Elf” (2003)
A modern-day Christmas classic, Ferrell is unforgettable as Buddy the Elf, delivering a powerhouse comedic performance for the ages. Case in point? The iconic, beautifully cringeworthy scene in which Ferrell unleashes his characteristic rage on an unsuspecting mall Santa, played by Artie Lange. A human baby mistakenly shipped to the North Pole and raised as a gargantuan elf, Buddy travels to New York City to meet his birth father, who’s played by James Caan. Ferrell totally sells us on Buddy — we instantly believe his innocent naïveté and can only watch through our fingers as he thinks he’s sussing out an imposter.

“Step Brothers” (2008)
As with Ferrell’s “Wedding Crashers” cameo, sometimes a meltdown requires a little help from a friend. And by “help,” we mean “egging on.” And, of course, by “friend,” we mean new step brother-slash-mortal enemy. After being warned not to fiddle with Dale’s drums, Ferrell’s dimwitted, immature Brennan, in an attempt to stick it to John C. Reilly’s character decides to do so anyway. Somehow, this seemingly minor betrayal ends with Brennan’s mother being called away from work to witness her son and step-son knock each other out cold. We guess every family has their own way of dealing with changes. Sometimes that involves using a bicycle as a weapon.

“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” (2006)
Staring down the barrel of a career slump at the hands of a hot new French rival, Ferrell’s Ricky Bobby decides that this race will be shake-or-bake — uh, make-or-break. After a devastating crash, the NASCAR superstar emerges unscathed… at least, to those around him. Ricky, however, inexplicably believes himself to be fully engulfed in flames. Ricky’s freakout is our gain, pushing the limits of total absurdity as he hopelessly attempts to put out the imaginary flames. Well, look at it this way… at least Ricky’s prayers were answered because he was never on fire in the first place?

“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004)
When in trying times, it’s nice to know that your friends are just a phone call away. Even if they can’t understand a single word that you’re saying. Enter legendary San Diegan newscaster Ron Burgundy, who, at the time of this scene, is the victim of an all-too-common occurrence. After arousing the ire of Jack Black’s biker bully by inadvertently tossing an unfinished breakfast burrito into his face, Burgundy’s beloved canine sidekick Baxter is punted by said biker into a body of water. Okay, maybe it’s not that common, but you’d probably feel just the same as Ron if that happened to you!

“The Other Guys” (2010)
Is it fair to say that this scene from “The Other Guys” shows Ferrell at his most unhinged? While investigating a scaffolding permit violation, Ferrell’s Allen Gamble and his mismatched NYPD partner, Mark Wahlberg’s Terry Hoitz, stumble upon a much larger conspiracy. This leads them to Steve Coogan’s David Ershon, a shady financier and the film’s primary antagonist. Ershon plies the odd couple with extravagant gifts, like pricey Broadway tickets, to buy their silence about his misdeeds. While Ershon is able to pull this off a few times, our heroes’ integrity kicks in, and they decide to use a slightly more… aggressive approach. Unfortunately, “desk jockey” Allen fails to understand the assignment. A for effort?

Did we miss your favorite Ferrell freakout? Let us know in the comments below!