Zach Galifianakis on Between Two Ferns' Future

0:00On May 2nd, Zach Gallifonakis just explained why between two ferns might stay on the shelf for good. On the Rich Eisen show, the 56-year-old comedian said our world's gotten meaner lately, and the show's awkward satire might not land right now. He sounded unsure, but admitted it could still work. Rich Eisen pushed back, saying, folks get the joke these days, and that might make it prime time for a comeback. Gallifionakis agreed maybe, and they bonded over the bloopers, which he calls pure joy. He stressed it was always a team effort with guests, never mean pranks, even if the audience didn't always know. The series ran from 2008 to 2018 as a web hit, grilling stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, and even Barack Obama. It spawned a comedy central special in a Netflix movie in 2019, all about those cringy, deadpan chats between two dying ferns. Gallifionakis spilled on behind the scenes gyms, like coaching Pitt to spit gum in his face. Turns out it was his own gum.

1:00Most guests winged it without questions ahead, but Obama got a heads up, due to tight White House time. The ex-president nailed it like a comedy pro, leaving Zack Starstruck and nervous. Even after, Obama rings Zack's cell from nowhere while he sat by traffic cones at a job site. That call, and the empty chairpicky snapped, sealed it as a highlight. In these divided days, maybe that light spirits exactly what we need to revive. Keep in listening to entertainment and celebrity news today, AI-powered pop culture coverage.