Zach Galifianakis Explains Why Between Two Ferns Won't Return

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis made waves in the twenty-tens for its awkward interviews with celebrities, and clips of its surreal, satirical talk show improv still do the rounds on the internet. The Hangover star would ask the likes of Brad Pitt and even former U.S. president Barack Obama insults dressed up as questions that would often get both interviewer and interviewee laughing uncontrollably. But after a 10-year run, Between Two Ferns came to an end in 2019 with Between Two Ferns: The Movie. Since then, nothing.

So, would Galifianakis consider restarting Between Two Ferns for a new era? Based on comments he gave recently while promoting his new Netflix series This Is a Gardening Show, it’s unlikely.

Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Galifianakis said that “tonally” Between Two Ferns wouldn’t work these days, because “we’re living in meaner times.”

“I feel like we’re kind of living in meaner times right now,” he said. “And I’m not sure that that, tonally, might work at this moment. I don’t know.”

Rich Eisen then suggested that the audience is in on the joke now, and Galifianakis replied to say “maybe that is the reason” to return to the show.

Galifianakis went on to explain that Between Two Ferns was not a show about pranking his guests. Indeed, they were often in on the joke, although it wasn’t until the bloopers were released that the cat was officially out the bag. “I’ve never been interested in pranking anyone,” Galifianakis said. “I always wanted it to be a joint effort, but I never wanted the audience to think that. Then when we showed the bloopers we kind of gave that up a little bit.”

Galifianakis added that his guests did not get the questions ahead of time, because “that takes away the element of surprise, that you need that honest reaction from them.” Obama, Galifianakis confirmed, was the only guest who got the questions ahead of time.

Galifianakis has said that Between Two Ferns started as a way to make fun of “the sycophantic way that Hollywood machine runs.” In the 2014 episode featuring Brad Pitt, the actor was referred to as both “Bradley Pitts” and “Bart Pit.” At one point, Galifianakis asked Pitt if his relationship with wife, Angelina Jolie, was anything like Ross and Rachel from Friends.

In 2016, Galifianakis admitted that Between Two Ferns had “run its course a bit.”