I’m sure most of you have heard of this series of short interview videos on funnyordie.com, but in case you haven’t, it’s some of the most awkward and brilliant improv I’ve ever seen.
The newest one features Ben Stiller and is pretty good (especially when Zach G. gives Stiller his e-mail address), but Charlize Theron’s appearance is probably still the best of them. Bradley Cooper’s is pretty good too.
“My girlfriend, she looks a little bit like you… and alot like dog the bounty hunter.”
Great line, though I’d assume these are a bit more written than you might think. That exact joke is on ZG’s Live at the Purple Onion video.
These are all fantastic, although the guest doesn’t always fit with what Galifianakis is doing. For instance, the Conan one. But the Bradley Cooper and Charlize Theron ones are absolutely brilliant. In fact, even though I’d already seen The Hangover, I think my opinion of Cooper shot up by about 150% after seeing his Between Two Ferns appearance.
I got to plug these shorts on Fidgit because the Charlize Theron one featured Need for Speed: Shift. Also, I freely admit to ripping off Galifianakis’ “I can’t pronounce your name” schtick when I do our movie podcast.
-TomI love how he put that game right in front of her when she’s trying to talk about her sick dog.
As I was watching the Charlize Theron episode, my wife walked by and said “hey cool, your internet friends put their talks on video.” I had no idea what she was talking about and told her so. She said “you know, the podcast you listen to where those people from that message board talk to each other.” For the record, I think Tom’s far better looking than Zach Galifinakis and don’t think he sounds anything like Charlize Theron, even in her role in Monsters Inc.
A friend of mine turned me on to these after we saw the Hangover. I love them and I think he is fucking hilarious.
The Micheal Cera one is my favorite.
When did you move to the US?
After 9-11.
(a recorded crowd noise)… Booo!
I can’t tell who’s in on the joke and who isn’t. I want to say that Cera was not.
Eh, I think they all are. They’re probably invited to be there partly based on their ability to improvise and roll with ZG’s asshole act.
Do you know (from interviews or something) that it’s improv? seems pretty scripted to me. Not scripted as in dialogue is written down, but I’m sure there’s an agreed progression of events planned (also cuts). Like The Office (UK) it’s uncomfortable, funny and looks very real - but of course there’s a script.
The Charlize Theron one especially.
Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re great (and I hadn’t seen the newest ones)
Yeah. This isn’t close to real.
'Cept fer real funny!
I don’t have any knowledge of how those things are made - they just feel improvised, within bounds. Like Hanzii, I think there’s a general outline, but I’m betting most of the dialogue is improvised.
My favorite is the Natalie Portman one.
“I’ve got a bigger dick than that.”
Heh - I tried to get Scott Aukerman, who directs the videos, to tell me via Twitter how scripted/improvised they are.
at this point I should not say. Perhaps a ferns tell all some day
Ah, well.
I figured they were probably a mix. Loose ideas and the actors being actors.
I imagine Zach preps his questions/material ahead of time and has them on his little blue card while the guests react on camera to whatever he throws at them. They probably go in knowing what to expect from Zach in a general sense (hostile absurdity) but the comedy is all about reaction shots so I doubt they’re privy to the interview questions ahead of time. They probably tape for a while (10-15 mins or more?) then cut together the best bits and reactions. I bet there’s a lot of cracking up that has to get cut.
Considering almost every guest he has on the show has a history of working in that kind of environment, and Zach himself has done quite a bit of work that way, I’d say you’re spot on.
Hot off Scott Aukerman’s twitter, a brand new Between Two Ferns:
“You shaved your head for V For Vendetta. Did you also shave your V for Vagina?”
The one with that guy who plays Michael Scott on the Office is my favorite by far. I like most of them, but that one is hilarious beginning to end.