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Tag: zach galifianakis

  • Obama’s ‘Between Two Ferns’ Tactic Leads to Healthcare.gov Traffic Spike

    Let’s just assume that President Obama had reasons to sit down with Zach Galifianakis on “Between Two Ferns” other than showing the country that he could expertly pull off a fat joke.

    Of course, Obama’s move to star in one of the internet’s longest-running and funniest quasi anti-comedy bits had everything to do with pushing signups for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges as the signup period dwindles. Americans now have until March 31st to purchase coverage. It’s crunch time, and the White House made a calculated decision to reach out to the younger crowd by throwing them an (admittedly pretty funny) elevated sales pitch.

    And it looks like it paid off–if the White House’s measure of success was simply getting people to the healthcare.gov site.

    Time will tell if a sudden boost in signups can be directly attributed to the Funny or Die video, but in terms of a sheer traffic driver, it looks as though the move payed off to the tune of a 40% spike in healthcare.gov visits.

    The video has seen over 12 million views on the Funny or Die site alone, and that figure doesn’t include the countless views the video saw on YouTube before Funny or Die removed it.

    According to Google data, “healthcare.gov” has seen a spike in searches over the past 24 hours and “Between Two Ferns” is one of the hottest search trends since Tuesday morning.

    “I can assure you that the Funny or Die video will be one of the reasons we get young Americans to HealthCare.gov–one of the reasons we get young Americans to enroll in health insurance programs, but not the only one,” said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

    Pageviews aren’t signups, but it’s clear that Obama got people curious when he made mentions of the open enrollment period–you know, between all the Hangover 3 jokes.

    Images via YouTube, reddit

  • President Obama Interviewed On ‘Between Two Ferns’

    Okay.

    Between Two Ferns is a deadpan internet comedy series hosted on video website Funny or Die starring comedian Zach Galifianakis as a talk show host who invites various celebrities to sit down (literally, between two ferns) for an interview on a set that resembles something out of 90’s public-access television.

    *Phew*

    If you’re familiar with The Hangover star whose last name is too complicated to type and causes anxiety levels to sky rocket, you’ll find that he’s just as awkward as he’s always been by making his guests uncomfortable.

    Filmed two weeks ago and shortly released after 7:00 AM EST on Tuesday, President Barack Obama appeared on the hot seat, plugging his Affordable Care Act, urging young people to sign up for health insurance before March 31st. If you’re like Galifianakis and “don’t have a computer”, you can get coverage by calling by telephone. If you’re without a phone (like Galifianakis) and wary of “staying off the grid” for the sake of not wanting the President’s “people looking at” your texts, you can apply for healthcare in person.

    “Have you heard of the Affordable Care Act?” Obama asked.

    “Oh yeah, that thing that doesn’t work,” Galifianakis chimed in, later unveiling to Obama his various spider bites – the President assured that his preexisting condition wouldn’t  stop him from being covered.

    Aside from the President’s plug, Galifianakis dished out questions concerning “Ambassador Rodman” and what to do with “North Ikea”, asking if Hulk Hogan would be sent to Syria, the President’s birth certificate, which team he rooted for in the Winter Olympics, and suggesting that he make same-sex divorce illegal.

    Typically, Galifianakis would take jabs at his guest, showing complete disinterest as well as hurling passive aggressive insults and other various forms of mockery.

    Mixing up food with country, he asked Obama: “In 2013 you pardoned the turkey. What do you have planned for 2014?”

    Obama, vigilant in the skit, fired back at each remark his host made: “We’ll probably pardon another turkey. We do that every Thanksgiving. Was that depressing to you? Seeing uh.. uh..  one turkey kinda taken outta circulation a turkey you couldn’t eat?”

    Image via YouTube

  • Zach Galifianakis Interviews Barack Obama In Latest Episode Of “Between Two Ferns”

    The episodes of Between Two Ferns seem to get better with each installment, and with the latest episode, Zach Galifianakis hosted President Barack Obama. The show is a short internet comedy series that utilizes Galifinakis’ hilarious antics as he interviews celebrity guests.

    Things certainly got interesting with the questions that he asked, and Obama helped deliver some witty jokes as well. He welcomed Barack Obama on the show by jokingly apologizing that it had not happened sooner, before saying “My mouse pad broke, and I had to get my great-aunt some diabetes shoes.”

    In case the Obama interview sparked curiosity for fans, and people want to see more hilarious clips like this one, click here for all of the Between Two Ferns interviews.

    While Zach Galiafanakis may have thought it would be a great way to get some more viewers on his mock interview show, Obama was also using it as an opportunity to reach more young people. He still needs more young people to sign up for health care under the Affordable Care Act, and the March 31st deadline is approaching shortly.

    Dan Pfeiffer, Obama’s senior adviser and chief communications strategist, explained his appearance on the show when saying “We have to find ways to break through. This is essentially an extension of the code we have been trying to crack for seven years now.”

    The comedic genius has helped to turn the show into an Internet cult favorite by making his guests feel awkward and uncomfortable. He has been host to a variety of guests, but up until now, they have mostly been actors or celebrities of some sort.

    His last guest was in September when he was host to Justin Bieber, and was seen criticizing his music career, and hairstyle, among other things. Galifianakis’ interview with Obama was posted on Tuesday morning, and according to NPR, the video had been viewed more than 320,000 times within two hours.

    The appearance by Obama on a show like Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns is something that no previous president has done before. After a recent introduction to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s revival of Cosmos, and an interview with Charles Barkley during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, he continues to prove that he truly is the people’s president.

    The comedy segment included several odd questions toward the nation’s president, and he continued to deliver with hilarious answers, even insulting Zach Galifianakis on occasion.

    President Obama also showed that he was a fan of the show already, or at least had done his research well, as he referenced a previous episode with Bradley Cooper as being one of the best.

    Image via Youtube

  • Julianne Moore Celebrates Ellen Page Coming Out, Will Play Her Lover In Upcoming Film

    Ellen Page made a brave decision when finally deciding to reveal to the world that she is gay. Julianne Moore, her future co-star, has praised her for the action that she made, and is excited to present their new film.

    Page made her big speech during the Human Right Campaign’s “Time to THRIVE” event at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It significantly came on the night of Valentine’s Day, and she received great support from human rights groups, and Hollywood celebrities such as Julianne Moore have also come out in support of the young actress.

    The Oscar-nominated Juno actress had the internet buzzing like crazy when she delivered her speech that included the line “I’m here today because I am gay. And because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.”

    In a recent interview regarding Ellen Page’s speech, Julianne Moore said “It was really wonderful. I was very happy for her.” She also mentioned that she was excited for the film that they made together, and to be able to share it with the public.

    The upcoming film starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page is called Freeheld, and will feature the pair as lovers. Page has described the film as a dream project, and it will be based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning documentary short of the same name.

    Freeheld tells the true story of the late Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police detective whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill, and government officials prevented her from giving her pension benefits to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree.

    The film is an indie drama, and will also feature a different role for Zach Galifianakis, and he will play Garden State Equality activist Steven Goldstein. Julianne Moore has another upcoming film titled Maggie’s Plan, in which she will star opposite Greta Gerwig.

    Ellen Page delivered her speech for LGBT youth, and hopes to inspire young people to be able to open about their true identity in the same way that she is. Her casting as Julianne Moore’s co-star came on the following day.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Zach Galifianakis, Louis CK Team Up For FX Comedy Series Pilot

    The FX network has officially announced the order of a new comedy series pilot. The upcoming series, which is currently in development, will star The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis.

    However, his contribution won’t just be in front of the camera. Galifianakis and Louis C.K. will serve as the show’s creators and co-writers. The two will also act as the show’s executive producers along with Dave Becky, Andrea Pett-Joseph and Marc Gurvitz.

    This particular pilot will be the first series production to be released under FX Production’s new merger with the Pig Newton production company, which is owned and operated by C.K.

    According to USA Today, FX inked the deal with C.K. back in September of 2013 to develop and produce new shows. The series is one of twelve FX Production comedy pilots currently being developed.

    The details of the upcoming, untitled show are still quite sparse. No further details have been released, and the plot of the show has not been revealed.

    Galifianakis is best known for his role as Alan Garner in the three installments of The Hangover film series. The 44-year-old actor also has a video series titled, Between Two Ferns. The series, which appears on the comical website Funny or Die, chronicles Galifianakis interviewing notable celebrities while literally sitting between two potted ferns. 

    The series has been lauded because of Galifianakis’ comedic, yet bizarre interview style. On Between Two Ferns, Galifianakis’ bizarre personality and straight-faced quips are what make the interviews so comical. His long list of interviewed celebrities is endless.

    Celebrities that have appeared on the show include Jimmy Kimmel,Michael Cera, Jon Hamm, Natalie Portman,Charlize Theron, Bradley Cooper, Carrot Top, Conan O’Brien and Andy Richter, Andy Dick, Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Tila Tequila, Jennifer Aniston, Will Ferrell, Samuel L Jackson with Tobey Maguire and Arcade Fire, and Justin Bieber.

    Other credits on Galifianakis’ filmography include HBO’s Bored to Death, Kroll Show and Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons | Zach Galifianakis

  • Zach Galifianakis Teams Up With Louis C.K. For FX Comedy

    The time has come for fans of comedy to get extra excited. Zach Galifianakis and Louis C.K., two of the comedy giants of the past few years, are teaming up together to make a new comedy. What more could the fans ask for?

    The new show comes just a month after Louis C.K., the star of FX’s Louie, inked a deal with the network to produce additional projects under his production company, Pig Newton, while partnering with Louie producer Blair Breard.

    It is an exciting time for FX and fans of comedy, as FX Networks and FX Productions CEO John Landgraf said “So many incredibly talented artists want to work with Louis and follow down the independent and idiosyncratic creative trail he has blazed. I can’t wait to see who he brings through our door, not to mention any new projects that he wants to create for us.”

    The new untitled comedy that will star Zach Galifinakis marks his first project with the network in the deal, and when the two of them being paired up, it is undoubtedly going to a huge hit with the fans and critics.

    The new comedy is just one of 12 new projects in the works at FX, and others include Billy Crystal’s The Comedian, You’re the Worst from Weeds’ Stephen Falk, Tracy Morgan’s Death Pact, Denis Leary’s Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll and the newly announced Charlie Kaufman comedy How & Why, starring Michael Cera and John Hawkes.

    Zach Galifianakis shot to stardom with his role in The Hangover in 2009, and its subsequent sequels, but he has also starred in several other films, and has experience with television already too. Other notable films of the comedy star include Due Date, It’s Kind Of A Funny Story and The Campaign.

    This will mark the latest adventure in television for Galifianakis, who has previously starred in the HBO comedy Bored To Death, Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job and he continues to host the online series Between Two Ferns where he has ironically interviewed a variety of celebrities, including a recent interview with Justin Bieber.

    Zach Galifianakis will also serve as an executive producer, along with Louis C.K., Blair Breard, Dave Becky and Andrea Pett-Joseph and Marc Gurvitz. Louie is also set to return to the network in May with its fourth season. Louis C.K. is known for his unique brand of vulgar comedy, and along with Galifianakis, they should make an interesting team.

    For fans to see Zach Galifianakis in a comedy that is made from a production team including Louis C.K. could be a comedy fan’s dream, and it will soon become a reality. Details are being kept secret, but the two of them will also co-write the project that was created by Galifianakis.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Zach Galifianakis Brings Homeless Woman to Movie Premieres

    Zach Galifianakis is well-known for his dry comedy, but it turns out he’s got a sweet spot. It turns out the 43-year-old comedian recently saved an older woman from homelessness.

    According to a New York Daily News report, Galifianakis befriended a Los Angeles-area laundrywoman named Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist nearly 20 years ago. A few years ago, when Galifianakis learned that the 87-year-old Haist had no place to call home, the Hangover star set her up with a one-bedroom apartment an has been paying her rent.

    Now, Galifianakis is even bringing along Haist as his date to Hollywood premieres. Haist was reportedly brought to the premieres of The Hangover Part II and The Campaign, where gawkers wondered whether the woman was Galifianakis’ grandmother. According to the Daily News report, Haist relishes the looks she gets on the red carpet and enjoys martinis at exclusive after-parties.

    (Image courtesy Tom Sorensen/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Zach Galifianakis Discusses Why He Quit Drinking With Conan O’Brien

    As the actors who comprise The Hangover’s Wolfpack hit the press circuit in preparation for next week’s release of The Hangover Part III, there are sure to be some interesting stories and anecdotes from the group that is Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, and of course, Zach Galifianakis. One such story was told by the host of Between the Ferns to the host of Conan, and it concerned why the bearded funnyman stopped fooling around with alcohol. While Galifianakis’ “rock bottom” story doesn’t go as low as some have before him, if it’s true, getting spit in the face can’t feel very redeeming, especially if it was your own drunk actions that caused the situation to escalate.

    The timing of his confession, because of how he told the story, I’m sure, fits with the tone of the high-anticipated release of the trilogy’s third and final chapter. If the conditions of the interview were different, this could have been a much more dramatic explanation of why Galifianakis cut down on his libation intake. Now, it should be noted that my use of “cut down” as opposed to “stopped” is intentional. At the beginning of the video, Zach says he stopped drinking, but after his story, Conan confirms “you decided to cut back,” to which Galifianakis responds, “yeah, cut back.”

    With that in mind, it’s up to you to decide whether he completely quit drinking or just slowed down. In other news, how does the idea of a vodka with sausage cocktail strike you?

  • Zach Galifianakis Plays ‘Game Of Game Of Thrones’ On SNL

    Comedian Zach Galifianakis hosted the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live, and a number of the show’s segments are generating a fair amount of buzz on Monday morning.

    We already looked at the Google Glass sketch from Weekend Update, in which Fred Armisen played tech blogger Randall Meeks, trying to convince Seth Meyers that the device is cool, and makes life easier. Spoiler alert: it did neither (though the jury’s still out in real life).

    Another one of the most-talked about sketches from the episode features Galifianakis on a game show called “Game of Game of Thrones”.

    It seems that not a day goes by that the Internet doesn’t produce some type of Game of Thrones parody, so it’s no surprise to see SNL take on the show. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage actually appeared on Weekend Update a few weeks back.

  • Zach Galifianakis Stars In New My Morning Jacket Vid

    If you know anything about the Kentucky band My Morning Jacket, it’s probably that they are a little weird, a lot talented, and so diverse in their sound that the album “Evil Urges” seems to have been recorded by five different bands. What you may not know, however, is that they’ve just tapped cult-status hero Zach Galifianakis to star in their latest video, which is for the song “Outta My System”.

    While the song isn’t my favorite on the album “Circuital”–“Victory Dance” and “Holdin’ On To Black Metal” tie for that prize–it’s still a good one that starts a bit slow and moves into excellent “driving music” territory, with big drums and an epic feel in the latter half. As for the video, I’ll let you decide for yourself…but I will say that the guys in the band are still holding on to their unique style, cape, psychedelic animation, and all.

    Shoutout to Buzzfeed for the tip.

  • Fifty Shades of Grey, as Performed by Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell

    Let’s just say that I don’t expect an audiobook anytime soon.

    During a promotional interview for their upcoming film The Campaign, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis were surprised and asked to give an impromptu dramatic reading of popular masturbatory fan fiction megahit Fifty Shades of Grey.

    Other than utter confusion and a lack of any sense of syntactical structure, I think they did a bang up job.

    The writing is indeed exquisite.

    With all do respect to Mr. Galifianakis and Mr. Ferrell, I don’t know if it can top this (NSFW):

  • Zach Galifianakis Engaged To Ballerina

    That’s a pretty random headline, I know, but if reports coming in are true, Galifianakis is indeed set to marry his girlfriend of several years, Mary Quinn Lundberg on August 11th. And yes, she’s a tall, blonde, beautiful ballerina.

    Supposedly, Zach drew portraits of himself and his bride on the invitations; he was a short, troll-like beast and she was a stunning, willowy princess. Typical Zach humor, in other words. Lundberg, besides being a dancer, is also involved with the domestic violence organization Growing Voices, and the couple has asked guests to donate to the charity in lieu of giving a gift.

    Galifianakis has cultivated his brand of odd humor over the years, making a name for himself with his self-deprecating stand-up routines, which often incorporate music. He found huge success in the “Hangover” films, however, and made his mark on the modern lexicon with phrases like “One man wolfpack”. As Alan, he’s weird, annoying, troubled, and completely lovable, which is much how people view the actor.

    He can be seen next in the Will Ferrell comedy “The Campaign” in August and is rumored to be working on “The Hangover III”.