Where does Chris Farley's motivational speaker Matt Foley claim to live?

Chris Farley’s motivational speaker character Matt Foley claims to live in “a van down by the river.” The line became the character’s defining catchphrase on Saturday Night Live.

Matt Foley is an aggressively enthusiastic but deeply unsuccessful motivational speaker. He warns teenagers about the consequences of bad decisions, presenting himself as a cautionary example: he is 35, divorced, and living in a van down by the river. His speeches usually become more chaotic as he knocks over furniture, shouts, and physically dominates the room.

Farley first developed Foley with writer Bob Odenkirk at Chicago’s Second City comedy theater. The character was later adapted for SNL, where Farley performed him in sketches with hosts including Christina Applegate, David Spade, and others. The humor came from the contrast between Foley’s supposed inspirational purpose and his obvious lack of stability.

The phrase is often shortened to “the van by the river,” but the canonical answer is the fuller “a van down by the river.” It is one of SNL’s most recognizable catchphrases and remains closely associated with Farley’s loud, physical performance style.