Comedian Zach Galifianakis likes his one-liners. They become the quoted dialogue from his movies, he zings em at stand-up audiences and even in interviews he relishes in punchy brevity. That makes an interview with Zach Galifianakis short but offers a strong case for quality over quantity.
For some 15 years, Galifianakis has performed stand-up with a devout following, a cult which grew larger when YouTube made it easy to share covert videos from small stand-up gigs. This summer, movies cast Galifianakis into a major spotlight. The Hangover put Galifianakis obscure one-liners about post-9/11 airplane masturbation into one of the most seen comedies of all time. The success of G-Force, in which he creates a team of secret agent guinea pigs, paled in comparison.
After a smash summer hit like The Hangover, youd think networks would be scrambling to build a TV vehicle around Galifianakis. HBOs already got him signed to their upcoming series Bored to Death, which began filming before Galifianakis box office twofer. He plays the supporting role of Ray, the best friend of lead character Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman). Jonathan is a bored writer who decides to pose as a private detective, and actually takes on cases while Ray tries to talk some sense into him.
If I were 26 and this was happening, it would be all great, and I would probably buy like 17 Dodge Vipers, Galifianakis told a press conference in July. But right now it's just a major inconvenience.
After the Bored to Death cast press conference, a group of reporters followed Galifianakis into the hallway. The show doesnt come on until September 20 so we need a little more comedy wisdom to tide us over until then. He stuck to the notion that attention was a burden but that only fed into his deadpan curmudgeon persona, with his trademark flannel and bushy beard. He did laugh at some of the zanier questions, as indicated.
Question: With this summers success, what does it feel like to be Zach Galifianakis right now?
Zach Galifianakis: It still feels fat. It feels the same, to me. I just forget that Im in stuff, so I just live my life inside my own mind, and I forget that Im in movies now.
Q: Is this funny to you, this whole experience of people wanting to talk to you?
ZG: No, its not. Its a major inconvenience. People are coming and putting things through my mailbox.
Q: Like what?
ZG: Just notes from neighbors, like death threats. No, none of that. But, all thats kind of new. Im trying to figure that all out. Hopefully, it wont be too big of a deal.
Q: Are you going to do Hangover 2?
ZG: If theres a good script and we would all like to work together, maybe.
Q: So, you would be willing to do another one?
ZG: If theres a good script, I would, yes. Right now, theres no script.
Q: Now that youre huge, whos the most famous person on your speed dial?
ZG: [Laughs] Three of the members from the band DeBarge. Nobody remembers them. Nobody. I dont hang out with famous people. I think theyre jerks.
Q: You are good friends with Bradley Cooper, arent you?
ZG: Is he famous now? Bradley is a friend of mine. He likes to come over to my house and take naps, which I find weird. Not with me, but he just will nap.
Q: Does he give you any advice about dealing with fame?
ZG: I dont talk to Bradley about that stuff. Its his fault that hes a pretty boy. I dont have to deal with that stuff. Thats his fault.
Q: On Bored to Death, what sort of comic relief do you get to be? Whats the tone of your best friend character?
ZG: Hes just this angry, surly curmudgeon guy that is frustrated with his existence. Its really easy and fun to play. Its a very fun, nice character to play. Hes not a nice guy, in particular, and hes not socially gracious, but thats really fun and easy to play.
Q: Were you a fan of Jason Schwartzman, prior to this?
ZG: Yes. Jason Schwartzman was a big reason that I wanted to do the show. I think hes very good, clever and subtle and a very nice man.
Q: How long have you known him?
ZG: I only knew him right before working. He gave me a phone call and said that he was very happy that we were going to work together. Gentlemen are hard to find these days, especially in show business, and he and [series costar] Ted Danson are just gentlemen. Im not necessarily a gentleman, but those guys really are. How nice they are on set actually makes me kind of upset because then Im like, Oh God, Ive got to be a nice guy now? They really are just gentlemen. Theyre really nice people.
Q: Seriously, how has your life changed after all of the success with The Hangover?
ZG: I can get a really good table at Arbys now. My life really hasnt changed that much for me, honestly. Its hard when youre doing comedy, and then you get in this kind of world now. Its a dangerous thing, with comedy, to be going to Hollywood parties and all that stuff. If you forget what brought you here in the first place, it can be a very dangerous thing. And Im old enough now to be aware of it. Im trying to not think about it too much. It hasnt changed. I can pay my parents to leave me alone. No, its nice to spend money on your folks and people that are close to you.
Q: Have you splurged on anything at all?
ZG: No. I dont spend money. I still have my 1998 Subaru that I will probably drive until it runs out. Hopefully, Ill drive it for 10 more years. My goal is to keep my same Subaru. I also like the car.
Q: Are your stand-up shows more packed now than they used to be?
ZG: I dont do shows that I announce. I just show up at hole-in-the-walls.
Q: Do you anticipate that there will be any stand-out jokes or lines in Bored to Death, like the bin Laden line you had in The Hangover?
ZG: There are some really good jokes in this TV show that I will not spoil, but yeah.
Q: Will your character stay out of trouble?
ZG: The character is a guy who has a girlfriend that has two kids, so hes a little bit grounded. His whole goal, as the show progresses, is paternal. He wants kids. He smokes pot and drinks too much, but so do a lot of people and they still have other, more grounded goals.
Q: G-Force was such a big hit. Have you gotten a call for G-Force 2 yet?
ZG: No, not yet. I have not gotten a call yet.
Q: That could be a franchise for you. Is that something youd be interested in?
ZG: When I was doing the first G-Force, the Disney people took pictures of me, in case they wanted to make a toy. I was like, Oh my God, if this ever became a ride at Disney and you would just see my cut-out before you get in line and it says, If youre this short, you cant ride this ride, thats my nightmare. But, having said that, I dont know the answer to that question. Up to this point, Ive just gotten work and it just falls into place. Ive never really been drawn to anything. I just go and audition. I got lucky this summer, to be quite honest. Everybody is always like, What drew you to this? and Im like, Well, I needed a job. Theres nothing that draws me. Now, hopefully, I can have those choices. But, if theres a G-Force 2 and I get to talk to more guinea pigs, I dont think theres a problem with that.
Q: What is your favorite movie that no one else has ever heard of?
ZG: [Laughs] Maybe people have heard of it. I hope they have. Its called Withnail & I, which is a British comedy.
Q: Thats your sensibility?
ZG: Yes.
Q: Do you have any personal, dream projects that you hope youll get to do at some point?
ZG: Yeah, theres a lot of them. Theyre all in my mind. Hopefully, maybe Ill put them on the page, one day. Theres one called Fat Jesus that Id love to do.
Q: Is that indeed about a fat Jesus?
ZG: Its self-explanatory.
Bored to Death premieres Sept. 20 on HBO.
For some 15 years, Galifianakis has performed stand-up with a devout following, a cult which grew larger when YouTube made it easy to share covert videos from small stand-up gigs. This summer, movies cast Galifianakis into a major spotlight. The Hangover put Galifianakis obscure one-liners about post-9/11 airplane masturbation into one of the most seen comedies of all time. The success of G-Force, in which he creates a team of secret agent guinea pigs, paled in comparison.
After a smash summer hit like The Hangover, youd think networks would be scrambling to build a TV vehicle around Galifianakis. HBOs already got him signed to their upcoming series Bored to Death, which began filming before Galifianakis box office twofer. He plays the supporting role of Ray, the best friend of lead character Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman). Jonathan is a bored writer who decides to pose as a private detective, and actually takes on cases while Ray tries to talk some sense into him.
If I were 26 and this was happening, it would be all great, and I would probably buy like 17 Dodge Vipers, Galifianakis told a press conference in July. But right now it's just a major inconvenience.
After the Bored to Death cast press conference, a group of reporters followed Galifianakis into the hallway. The show doesnt come on until September 20 so we need a little more comedy wisdom to tide us over until then. He stuck to the notion that attention was a burden but that only fed into his deadpan curmudgeon persona, with his trademark flannel and bushy beard. He did laugh at some of the zanier questions, as indicated.
Question: With this summers success, what does it feel like to be Zach Galifianakis right now?
Zach Galifianakis: It still feels fat. It feels the same, to me. I just forget that Im in stuff, so I just live my life inside my own mind, and I forget that Im in movies now.
Q: Is this funny to you, this whole experience of people wanting to talk to you?
ZG: No, its not. Its a major inconvenience. People are coming and putting things through my mailbox.
Q: Like what?
ZG: Just notes from neighbors, like death threats. No, none of that. But, all thats kind of new. Im trying to figure that all out. Hopefully, it wont be too big of a deal.
Q: Are you going to do Hangover 2?
ZG: If theres a good script and we would all like to work together, maybe.
Q: So, you would be willing to do another one?
ZG: If theres a good script, I would, yes. Right now, theres no script.
Q: Now that youre huge, whos the most famous person on your speed dial?
ZG: [Laughs] Three of the members from the band DeBarge. Nobody remembers them. Nobody. I dont hang out with famous people. I think theyre jerks.
Q: You are good friends with Bradley Cooper, arent you?
ZG: Is he famous now? Bradley is a friend of mine. He likes to come over to my house and take naps, which I find weird. Not with me, but he just will nap.
Q: Does he give you any advice about dealing with fame?
ZG: I dont talk to Bradley about that stuff. Its his fault that hes a pretty boy. I dont have to deal with that stuff. Thats his fault.
Q: On Bored to Death, what sort of comic relief do you get to be? Whats the tone of your best friend character?
ZG: Hes just this angry, surly curmudgeon guy that is frustrated with his existence. Its really easy and fun to play. Its a very fun, nice character to play. Hes not a nice guy, in particular, and hes not socially gracious, but thats really fun and easy to play.
Q: Were you a fan of Jason Schwartzman, prior to this?
ZG: Yes. Jason Schwartzman was a big reason that I wanted to do the show. I think hes very good, clever and subtle and a very nice man.
Q: How long have you known him?
ZG: I only knew him right before working. He gave me a phone call and said that he was very happy that we were going to work together. Gentlemen are hard to find these days, especially in show business, and he and [series costar] Ted Danson are just gentlemen. Im not necessarily a gentleman, but those guys really are. How nice they are on set actually makes me kind of upset because then Im like, Oh God, Ive got to be a nice guy now? They really are just gentlemen. Theyre really nice people.
Q: Seriously, how has your life changed after all of the success with The Hangover?
ZG: I can get a really good table at Arbys now. My life really hasnt changed that much for me, honestly. Its hard when youre doing comedy, and then you get in this kind of world now. Its a dangerous thing, with comedy, to be going to Hollywood parties and all that stuff. If you forget what brought you here in the first place, it can be a very dangerous thing. And Im old enough now to be aware of it. Im trying to not think about it too much. It hasnt changed. I can pay my parents to leave me alone. No, its nice to spend money on your folks and people that are close to you.
Q: Have you splurged on anything at all?
ZG: No. I dont spend money. I still have my 1998 Subaru that I will probably drive until it runs out. Hopefully, Ill drive it for 10 more years. My goal is to keep my same Subaru. I also like the car.
Q: Are your stand-up shows more packed now than they used to be?
ZG: I dont do shows that I announce. I just show up at hole-in-the-walls.
Q: Do you anticipate that there will be any stand-out jokes or lines in Bored to Death, like the bin Laden line you had in The Hangover?
ZG: There are some really good jokes in this TV show that I will not spoil, but yeah.
Q: Will your character stay out of trouble?
ZG: The character is a guy who has a girlfriend that has two kids, so hes a little bit grounded. His whole goal, as the show progresses, is paternal. He wants kids. He smokes pot and drinks too much, but so do a lot of people and they still have other, more grounded goals.
Q: G-Force was such a big hit. Have you gotten a call for G-Force 2 yet?
ZG: No, not yet. I have not gotten a call yet.
Q: That could be a franchise for you. Is that something youd be interested in?
ZG: When I was doing the first G-Force, the Disney people took pictures of me, in case they wanted to make a toy. I was like, Oh my God, if this ever became a ride at Disney and you would just see my cut-out before you get in line and it says, If youre this short, you cant ride this ride, thats my nightmare. But, having said that, I dont know the answer to that question. Up to this point, Ive just gotten work and it just falls into place. Ive never really been drawn to anything. I just go and audition. I got lucky this summer, to be quite honest. Everybody is always like, What drew you to this? and Im like, Well, I needed a job. Theres nothing that draws me. Now, hopefully, I can have those choices. But, if theres a G-Force 2 and I get to talk to more guinea pigs, I dont think theres a problem with that.
Q: What is your favorite movie that no one else has ever heard of?
ZG: [Laughs] Maybe people have heard of it. I hope they have. Its called Withnail & I, which is a British comedy.
Q: Thats your sensibility?
ZG: Yes.
Q: Do you have any personal, dream projects that you hope youll get to do at some point?
ZG: Yeah, theres a lot of them. Theyre all in my mind. Hopefully, maybe Ill put them on the page, one day. Theres one called Fat Jesus that Id love to do.
Q: Is that indeed about a fat Jesus?
ZG: Its self-explanatory.
Bored to Death premieres Sept. 20 on HBO.
VIEW 14 of 14 COMMENTS
fitzsimmons:
Cool interview. He's the best part of Bored to Death.
user032823550:
haha fat jesus 