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The stretching-out-the-awkwardness lane of comedy is usually a matter of taste, people either love it or not. I love it. I mean, I really enjoy watching excruciatingly painful moments in my film/tv watching. (Yes, I’m in therapy.) Zach Galifianakis hosting Between Two Ferns was always up my alley–yes the interviews could run long, but I was willing to stick it out for the moments that really landed. I also enjoy Zach as a “serious” or “straight” actor (he was criminally under-used in Birdman). So I guess now I’m finally gonna have to subscribe to Apple TV+ to watch The Beanie Bubble, a movie Zach produced and stars in as Ty Warner, creator of Beanie Babies and every 90s parent’s worst nightmare. The movie is out now, and Zach recently spoke with the New York Times (before the strike) to promote it:
Life in the cringe: In his latest film, “The Beanie Bubble,” he portrays the billionaire behind Beanie Babies, the stuffed animals that were a cultural craze in the 1990s. There are moments when viewers might not know whether to laugh or cringe. “You don’t see it much in movies because movies want to sometimes show a different side of humanity,” Galifianakis said. “I live in the awkward and cringe because I find life can be like that.”
Poetry in the woods: “I grew up rural, and all I wanted to do was run to the city. Now that I’m older, all I want to do is run back to the woods. I always tell people: Don’t forget about the woods, because as city dwellers, as urbanites, as suburbanites, we forget. There’s a lot of poetry in the woods.”
What he values about Greek & European culture: “This is the thing about Greece, where my dad’s family is from, and Europe in general: It’s about walking to go get a coffee. It’s about sitting down and having a conversation. I feel like these older societies have their priorities a little bit more in check sometimes. They’ve been through it. They’ve seen it. So there’s a coolness to me about Greece. And I just agree with the lifestyle. Also, the history there is unbelievable.”
He wants you to know he reads books: “When I read a book, I want everyone to know I read books, so I talk about it to everyone. ‘Stolen Focus,’ by Johann Hari, is basically a deep, deep dive into the phone and social media. When you finish this book, you’ll go: We’ve all been duped, especially young kids who feel social media and constant contact is a must. I highly, highly recommend it, especially for parents.”
He goes into Twitter glaze: “The biggest crime of social media is that it’s so boring. I’ll hear people say: You should see what I just tweeted out. As soon as I hear ‘Twitter,’ my face glazes over. For somebody like me, I have to observe. I need to see the small spaces in life as an actor, as someone that tries to make people laugh. I’m not going to get that from Twitter. But, look: I’m 53. I’m old. I’m out of the loop. Nobody should listen to me.”
Yes! Yes to all of this! I’m (technically) a millennial. I remember Facebook emerging when I was at the end of high school/beginning of college. I can’t fully say why, but my gut reaction to it was “nope, not for me.” It wasn’t really that I thought it was “boring,” like Zach, but more that I thought it wasn’t real. Granted, I was already an introvert, already bookish. Like Zach talks about, I became very observant. Too much so, my parents might say, though I’ve come to cherish the activity and skill.
Because my decision to stay off Facebook (and later Twitter and Instagram) was a-typical, I’ve taken a lot of flak for it from all sides. People have said to me “oh, if you’re an introvert then social media would help you!” Or the other big argument was it would be detrimental to a career not to join. Both those statements are probably true! I know there are connections I’ve missed out on, both personal and professional, because of my abstinence. I can’t honestly deny that. But I’m stubborn and independent and apparently committed to taking the long way. So that’s what I’ve done, because it felt right for me.
So Zach, I’m not 53 (actually 35 at the end of the year), I’m also out of the loop, and I’m listening to you.
Photos credit: Apple press and Getty Images
