If you just happened to flip over to The Tonight Show on Thursday, you may have thought you were seeing double at first as lookalikes Will Ferrell and Chad Smith, the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, appeared on the show to compete in a drum battle. The drum-off came after an exchange between Ferrell and Smith on Reddit and Instagram back in February.
The back story to the drum-off between Will Ferrell and Chad Smith is nearly as entertaining as the battle itself. Ferrell fans have often commented on how much Smith looks like the funny man, which Ferrell addressed earlier this year. “A lot of people think that it’s me playing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But that would be an insult to Chad Smith. The truth of the matter is there is no Will Ferrell. Only Chad Smith,” Ferrell said on Reddit.
Smith responded to Ferrell’s comments with an Instagram video and jokingly challenged Ferrell to a drum-off. “I’ve seen your skills,” Smith says in the video. “You don’t got ’em.” Check out the challenge video below.
After viewing the Instagram video, Will Ferrell accepted the challenge on Reddit. “Hi, Chad. Will Ferrell here. I saw your video and I graciously accept your invitation to a drum battle,” Ferrell said. “If we can raise $300,000 for Cancer For College I will face off with you in the greatest drum vs. cowbell showdown the world has ever seen. We can do it on stage at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert or in front of a mutually convenient public library. Your call.”
The showdown finally took place on Thursday on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Smith and Ferrell dressed just alike on the show, and at first glance, it really is hard to tell the two apart.
Check out the full video of the battle and see who won below–in case you’re expecting Ferrell to repeat his drum performance from Step Brothers, think again.
The winner of the drum battle? Will Ferrell, and the icing on the cake was the Red Hot Chili Peppers performing at the end, with Ferrell on the cowbell. Now that you’ve watched one of the most entertaining drum battles you will see this decade, enjoy a clip of Ferrell playing the drums a tad bit differently on Step Brothers.
Image via YouTube