‘More cowbell!’ for this NC high school, which now has a unique gift from an ‘SNL’ star
Any top-ten list of “Saturday Night Live” sketches must include “More Cowbell,” the one-off skit from 2000 featuring Will Ferrell in a rock-star wig, hammering hilariously on a piece of farm equipment.
The town of Roanoke Rapids has always carried a special fondness for Ferrell’s performance, considering his parents and grandparents are natives and the actor occasionally stops for a bite at Second Street Lunch.
But the town’s pride swelled even bigger on Saturday when Ferrell donated a special item for Roanoke Rapids High School’s 100th birthday: a souvenir cowbell modeled on the sketch, signed with a silver Sharpie.
“Happy 100th!” he wrote. “More cowbell!”
The town drew thousands for the school’s celebration, centered around the Gothic-style landmark. Alumni reached out to Roy Lee Ferrell, class of ‘61 and Will’s father, in search of something special for the auction.
“We didn’t know what it was till it got here,” said Phil Hux, active in the school’s preservation. “It’s not the original bell, but Will signed it. I remember watching that sketch when it came out, and to think having something from there!”
No ‘tractor supply cowbell’
At Saturday’s centennial gala, auctioneer Landen Morris tempted the crowd to jack up the price, all proceeds of which benefit the school’s restoration fund.
“This ain’t a tractor supply cowbell now!” he assured them.
And through a steady drumbeat of cowbell clangs, the bids rose and rose till they hit $3,600 — sold to town dentist Todd Arthur, class of ‘85.
“This high school means a lot to me,” he told the crowd. “It was very formative in my years in making me who I am. I didn’t bid on this cowbell because I thought I wanted to take it home. I want to donate this to the school if they will find a nice place to put it.”
That nice place is still being decided.
But for now, the town can treasure its still-growing connection to stardom.
“He always liked to eat at Second Street Lunch and Ralph’s Barbecue,” said Jason Etheridge, class of ‘96, of Will Ferrell. “There’s a picture of him at a Lakers game with a green Ralph’s Barbecue hat on. We always thought that was kind of cool.”
So as the school settles on a hallowed shelf, they can take advice from Ferrell’s fabled character: Not too distracting. Really explore the space. You’d be doing the town a disservice if you didn’t display the hell out of it.
This story was originally published October 4, 2021 at 12:13 PM.