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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 24 sepTember 2019
Galifianakis and Aukerman on 'Between 2 Ferns: The Movie'

By JAKE COYLE mocking star of the internet
Associated Press series and film.
NEW YORK (AP) — Some But for many, the release
Netflix titles involve an- of "Between Two Ferns:
guished discussion over The Movie" is a cinematic
whether the movie will also event of mammoth sig-
get a substantial theatri- nificance. It promises a
cal release. This was not feature-film feast of a rare
the case for "Between Two comedy candy that, since
Ferns: The Movie." its 2008 inception, has been
"Netflix was like: Do we only dispersed randomly
even want to put this on our in 3-6-minute morsels. It's
platform? Maybe it should been five years since there
be a ringtone," jokes Zach were steady new episodes
Galifianakis, the celebrity- of the faux interview show,

This image released by Netflix shows Ryan Gaul, from left, Zach Galifianakis, Jiavani Linayao and
Lauren Lapkus in "Between Two Ferns: The Movie."
Associated Press

and there remains nothing 'Hangover 4' was never go- "When I sit down — and
quite like it. ing to be made," adds Gal- these are people I mostly
When "Between Two Ferns" ifiankis. don't know — I know there
was last being made, its "Between Two Ferns: The are some heavy questions
unique brand of low-rent, Movie," which premieres that could be offensive or
deadpan absurdity had Friday on Netflix, was large- bring back bad memories,"
reached the heights of ly improvised; they started says Galifianakis.
power. In one episode, shooting with hardly any "We're not into that but I
Galifiankis asked President celebrity guests lined up. kind of have to do that to
Barack Obama how it felt The movie concocts a see where the line is. There
"to be the last black presi- backstory for the series as have been some questions
dent." In his 2016 sit-down a local access show in ru- that never made the sheet
with then-presidential can- ral North Carolina. There, of paper because even to
didate Hillary Clinton, he Funny Or Die co-founder speak them now, I couldn't
concluded with a raised Will Ferrell demands 10 new tell you what they were."
eyebrow, asking: "What's episodes in two weeks after "Between Two Ferns" has
the best way to reach Galifianakis' interview with long been an expression
you? Email?" And then he Matthew McConaughey of Galifianakis' own misgiv-
played the "You've got goes awry, nearly killing the ings about Hollywood and
mail" chime. actor in the deluge of a celebrity culture. The great
Scott Aukerman, who co- broken pipe. irony is that the comedian's
created the Funny or Die "It may be hard to believe own fame has swelled con-
series with B.J. Porter (it was but it's really difficult to land siderably during the show's
spun off from a failed Fox a huge A-list celebrity to be run.
sketch comedy show of squirted in the face with "The Hangover," Galifi-
theirs) and directs the film, water," says Aukerman. anakis big-screen break-
grants there wasn't an ur- "McConaughey stepped through, came out a year
gent impetus for a movie up." after the first "Between Two
of "Between Two Ferns." In the film, Galifianakis Ferns," with Michael Cera.
Brevity was always part of takes his show on the road "We're coming from a po-
its genius. But the idea had to collect guests including sition where Zach is a rich
appeal after he and Galifi- Tiffany Haddish, Benedict celebrity and I'm a hanger-
anakis were improvising for Cumberbatch (he calls on," says Aukerman, the
a Comedy Central special. him "Benefit Lumberjacks"), widely respected come-
"We thought: If we could Tessa Thompson (he calls dian and host of the "Com-
do a whole movie like this, her "Tesla"), David Let- edy Bang! Bang!" podcast.
it would be such a fun situ- terman and Chance the Galifianakis lets out a loud
ation. So we just tried to Rapper. Galifianakis asks sigh. "Can you put a giant
trick a movie company into Chance if he has a brother sigh in the article, please?"
giving us money to shoot named Community Chest he says.
a movie like that," Auker- the Rapper. To best-actress A decade of doing "Be-
man said in an interview Oscar-winner Brie Larson, tween Two Ferns" has given
alongside Galifianakis. "We he wonders if she's "tried to both a reason to consider
found the right mark and it aim higher by trying to win the shifting trends of celeb-
ended up being Netflix." best actor." (Expect full epi- rity. "Now one's the presi-
"For me, it was just realizing sodes to later be released.) dent," says Galifianakis.q