'Between Two Ferns': Zack Galifianakis reveals celeb questions that (maybe) went too far

LOS ANGELES – On Zach Galifianakis' parody public-access show "Between Two Ferns," the comedian becomes the most awkward interviewer imaginable. He slumps in a chair opposite celebrities including Jon Hamm, Charlize Theron and even President Obama, and has them deal with long pauses, memorable mispronunciations and embarrassing questions. It's an Emmy-winning bit of hilarity.

But sitting between faux ferns in the interviewee chair, Galifiankis, 49, drops the absurdist shtick in favor of some real talk.

The "Hangover" and "Baskets" star has adapted his 11-year-old Funny or Die series for "Between Two Ferns: The Movie" (streaming Friday), a new Netflix film filled with A-list cameos. Amid greenery, USA TODAY chatted with Galifianakis about Hollywood's beauty problem, whether comedy can be "too much," and why this is probably the end of "Ferns."

Question: When you’re shooting “Between Two Ferns” interviews, how do you ask questions in such a deadpan way?

Zach Galifianakis: Well, mostly I’m dead inside. (Laughs) I'm not a very good speaker, in general, and I'm pretty nervous on camera sometimes. I use that energy. I try to pretend that I’m a real journalist like yourself, but asking terrible questions. I use a notepad and don’t tend to lock eyes with people when I’m doing this.

Q: You do ask some risqué things, including "When did you lose your virginity?" and "When did you get your period?" And there was this memorable question you asked Natalie Portman back in 2009: "You shaved your head in 'V for Vendetta,' did you also shave your V for vagina?"

Galifianakis: I actually asked them to edit that out, but if I might remember correctly, she requested that it be put back in. And I thought, “If she’s fine with it, then I’m fine with it.”

Q: Did that question cross a line for you?

Galifianakis: It’s not a line like, “Oh, that’s too much.” It just has to be in the right place. And if the placement of the joke is too much, we’ll pull back on it. The balance is I let people insult me, and I think that’s why we get away with it.

Q: Turning your sketch show into “Between Two Ferns: The Movie” either signals the end of an era, or it could be an indication that you’re preparing to do more of these interviews. What are you thinking?

Galifianakis: I don’t know. Comedy switches a lot. If you think about what people are watching 20, 30 years ago, it's different than what they are watching now. There’s a shelf life for something like this. We live in meaner times now. I don't know if there’s an appetite for something like this out there.

Q: Do celebrity guests ever complain about what transpired after an interview?

Galifianakis: Well, I've always said to people, “This is not a prank show.” I'm not interested in pranking. I've worked on prank shows and they made me feel horrible as a human being. You're working for this studio and the person you prank in their basement, they don't have that team.

I was on a prank show once (Comedy Central's "Dog Bites Man"). I cried afterward.

Q: You've asked Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper whether they’re worried people distracted by their good looks will figure out they’re bad actors. Mocking actors for their beauty seems to be a theme on the show.

Galifianakis: The only underlying truth there is that leading people, men and women, have to be good-looking in this town. And that, to me, is weird. That to me is Hitler’s dream.

It’s always bothered me. You drive to Burbank, and people tell you you’re too ugly. No one's (actually) ever said that, but it’s human nature to (prefer attractive people).

I mean (Canadian Prime Minister), Justin Trudeau. He’s a really good leader, but he’s beloved because he happens to be really good-looking.

Q: Do you feel that Hollywood has changed at all in terms of prioritizing looks?

Galifianakis: Without the advent of the internet, I would be an out-of-work actor. It would still be three networks on television.

I remember auditioning for “Frasier” and the casting director called my manager; I was told to “take a bath” next time I come. That was the feedback.

Q: Seriously? How were you dressed?

Galifianakis: Wore what I’m wearing now. They told my manager that I should groom better.

But that was their idea of art, right? I've got to look a certain way. That prevailed in this town for a long time. The internet broadened people’s tastes a little bit, for good or bad.

Q: You’ve said that your FX show “Baskets” was originally going to be about the making of “Between Two Ferns,” which is what the movie is about. How did it all pan out this way?

Galifianakis: I was going to do a behind the scenes of "Between Two Ferns." They said, “Nobody’s interested in that.” So we just shelved it and wrote a clown show.

If you’re lucky enough to be in this position, the things that you can create yourself might be a little more rewarding than just being hired hands. And, you know, you get older, that becomes the priority. So the timing of it seemed correct now. But I think we’ll put (“Ferns”) to bed after this.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Between Two Ferns': Why Zach Galifianakis thinks the movie ends it