Liberal redneck

>> Zach Galifianakis hobnobs with
Kanye West, Sean Penn, lawnmower
racers and gang members

by ERIK LEIJON

Don’t call him Larry the Cable Guy just yet, but comedian/actor Zach Galifianakis has a newfound appreciation for the Southern, rural way of life. Four years ago, the liberal-leaning American comic, known more for his non-sequiturs and audience-baiting, retreated to his North Carolina farm, where he began his dual life as a comic and a redneck.

“It was awesome—last weekend, we went to a lawnmower race,” says the 37-year-old from his farm. “They soup up these lawnmowers and it’s unbelievable. I would like to get involved in that stuff because it’s hilarious, but I’m thinking I would get a souped-up push mower. I’ll ask if there’s a push mower division.”

Although his knowledge of fence building and alpaca-breeding has grown, Galifianakis’s affinity for the rural life hasn’t affected his live material, even if he is writing most of his new comedy bits sitting on his tractor.

“One of my favourite things is to get on my tractor and ride around, thinking, ‘Where am I going to put these marijuana plants? Is this going to be a good place to hide when the apocalypse comes?’”

The apocalypse is a topic that frequently comes up with Zach, and not just because of his film resumé, which includes small roles in such classics as Corky Romano, Heartbreakers and Bubble Boy (a trio of movies even he admits to not having seen).

Despite his unfortunate movie history, Galifianakis has become an in-demand comedian for his uncanny ability to perfectly lip-synch. Kanye West recently shot a video on his farm, where Zach put his silent yet emotive delivery to the test, rapping while sitting on his tractor, surrounded by a local tap-dancing group known as Cloggers. This isn’t the first time he has used his lip-synching talents for a major artist’s video; he appeared in Fiona Apple’s “Not About Love” in 2006, after Fiona saw him performing his rendition of Anita Baker’s “You Bring Me Joy.” He also was personally recruited by Sean Penn for a part in the Oscar-winner’s latest picture, Into the Wild, so he hasn’t given up on acting just yet.

Slap me, I’m American

Galifianakis purposely keeps politics out of his comedy routine, but, like Penn, he’s a political junkie less than enamoured with the current state of his native land.

“It’s almost become blasé to comment on it, it’s gotten to the realm where we’re all just waiting for it to end, you know, ‘It was a good run, this country,’ and it’s all going to be crappy from here on out. People have given up and are looking forward to the next leaders.”

Getting away from the American political climate is only one reason why Galifianakis is happy to return to Canada. He knows us well, having spent a lot of time in B.C. (“first during the Vietnam War,” he jokes), and his girlfriend is from Edmonton—he’s very complimentary towards the smoothness of Canadians’ skin.

“When I was living in British Columbia, I would challenge Canadians during my sets to come up and slap me in the face, since I was American and I wanted them to let their frustrations out, but everyone was too modest and they wouldn’t do it.“Conversely, Zach can be relentless when it comes to berating his audience, as seen on his latest DVD, 2007’s Live at the Purple Onion. Typically, his fans expect his brand of improvisational humour from his act, but there are times when the participant is an unwilling one.

“There was this guy who was drunk and laughing sarcastically at the jokes, and he wasn’t really paying attention. I brought him on stage and tried playing the shrink, since he was fat, so I asked him if he was acting out because of his obesity. He didn’t laugh and he had all these gang tattoos on him. After the show, the club owner tells me, ‘You have to get out of here.’ There was a gang waiting for me outside, and not just a group of guys.”

at the Cabaret Juste Pour Rire (2111 st-laurent)
from July 12–21, $23. for schedule and ticket details,
call (514) 845-2322 or visit www.hahaha.com .