First of all, look how slim Zach Galifianakis is these days!! Wow. He’s lost a lot of weight over the past year. I’m bad at determining the actual amount of weight loss for anyone, so I’ll just say my guesstimate is… maybe something like 50 lbs over the past year? He looks really good. These photos are from the New York Film Festival premiere of Birdman on Sunday. Zach is in it, as is Emma Stone, Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts and many more.
While doing press for Birdman on Sunday, Zach sort of went off about being a celebrity and how celebrities get treated differently in our society, I guess? Honestly, I think he seemed sort of bratty in the first part:
Hours before the New York Film Festival’s closing-night premiere, director Alejandro G. Inarritu and the cast of Birdman posed for photos and answered questions after a Saturday afternoon press screening, held at New York City’s AMC Lincoln Square — to the dismay of some of the actors.
“Being a celebrity is sh-t — it’s dumb and I’m not interested in it,” said Zach Galifianakis, noting that he’s not a fan of all the “picture-taking” and that the cast generally feels the same way. “I like to be an actor, and that’s it. The blurred lines are, I think manmade. I think celebrity is a manmade thing, it’s not innate in us, we have people telling us, ‘We should pay attention to these people,” for all the wrong reasons, their personal lives and whatnot. … I’d rather just do my work and go home and watch Lifetime.”
To be fair, he was asked specifically about where to draw the line between “actor” and “celebrity” and Zach was explaining that he likes being an actor but hates this idea of being a celebrity. While he does seem to practice what he preaches (when is the last time Zach got pap’d with a lady friend, you know?), it does seem like… there’s a trade-off. Zach gets to be a comedic leading man and people write down what he says in interviews and press conferences. It seems odd to complain about it while actively participating in the press for one’s film. Then on the NYFF red carpet, THR asked him for clarification and this is what he said:
“It’s confusing to me — all of this is confusing to me. They oversell it like we’re curing cancer, you know what I mean?” he told The Hollywood Reporter at the New York Film Festival’s closing-night premiere on Saturday, held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. “I just think it can be gross sometimes, the way Hollywood congratulates itself all the time.”
“I agree with what this movie says. I read it, and I’m like, ‘Boy, he’s taking swipes at everybody, but he’s right.’ So the truth trumps everything else,” he said of the Alejandro G. Inarritu dramedy. “It’s gotten a little out of hand — there’s no culture in it. If people were writing about poets, mathematicians and all that, that would just move us forward quicker.”
I understand why someone within the Hollywood machinery would be like, “Whoa, this is crazy, this is way too much,” and I agree. In a perfect society, we would honor teachers not athletes, scientists not actors, doctors not musicians. And in a perfect society, vapid famewhores woudln’t be famous for being famous. So on that alone, I agree with Zach. But I do think perhaps this is the wrong messenger and the wrong time for this particular message. When in doubt, feign humility and just promote your film, you know?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
He’ll be glad to know that I’d never heard of him before this post, then!
Really are you sure u just don’t recognize him? Never seen the hangover?
Nope – don’t watch comedy films much and am only familiar with UK stand-up. I can honestly say I would have had no idea who he was had this post not appeared and made me look him up on Wiki.
I like how all the celebrities that make these comments still cash the huge cheques they get. Be a actor in a off Broadway show or community theatre if being so popular bothers you.
My thoughts exactly. You don’t like and don’t understand the fame, but you sure as hell are like those paychecks that come with it, don’t you.
I don’t think he lacks humility. His comments – and Sarah Paulsen’s recent tweet-a-thon about reserving the word love for family, not fans of a show she’s on – reflect more interest in their work than the crazy celeb stuff that surrounds it. It IS crazy to think we deserve all this inside personal information about someone’s life because we see him so often on our screens. Curiosity, sure. But we don’t DESERVE that information.
There’s a sliminess to our celeb culture and saying, “Oh, that’s just part of the job!” has become a bit of a trope. We don’t demand proclamations of fan-love and photos with studio heads who have no problem cashing their checks either. They perhaps risk not getting as many jobs by saying this, but I’d rather hear the truth than the “oh, there are so many people who have it worse” which has become such a stale response. Someone always has it worse. But being photographed with strangers every time you leave your house would SUCK.
David Sedaris stopped taking photos at book signings so he could actually just settle into his chair, look people in the eye and talk to them. He makes millions, too, because his excellent work generates big sales.
But David Sedaris is still engaging with his public, he’s just drawn a boundary. Generally I find that fans will respect boundaries if they’re clearly and respectfully communicated. I’ve seen famous people in restaurants politely decline photo ops when interrupted by fans, but the fans leave dazzled because the celeb was gracious, if firm, about the denial.
It’s like Kaiser said, in a perfect world, this is not how our society would work, but this is the reality we live in. People care about celebrities, they invest in them, and they expect a certain level of interaction. I respect actors who don’t want to be on social media, but don’t be a dick about it. Just say you have no interest in social media and move on. I get what Zach is saying in terms of being baffled by the attention and prurient interest, and I think he pretty much lives accordingly. He’s not often pap’ed and he doesn’t make a bunch of unnecessary public appearances. He could sound a little more humble, maybe, because he is making so much money doing something ridiculous, but he’s hardly being rude.
But there is a trade off. There is an element of “just part of the job.” If you sign up to be in a superhero movie, you’re going to have to go to Comic Con and smile and sign a bunch of stuff and take a lot of pictures. If you want an Oscar, you’re going to have to hustle for it. I don’t think paparazzi should be waiting outside the schools of celebrity children and they shouldn’t be yelling gross stuff at people or chasing them through traffic, and no one should have to deal with a stalker and if you don’t want to invite me to your wedding or baby shower, great, I’m not entitled to that. But if you get paid five million per movie, then yeah, I think you can put up with people wanting your photo at the airport.
I’m going to see David Sedaris tomorrow night! So excited.
David sedaris is brilliant. His piece about how surprised he was that women take their bras off when they get in from work is a classic. He can’t believe it and is relieved when he finds a women who says she doesn’t take her bra off when she gets home: she spoils it by adding” I take it off on the bus back” . You’ll enjoy it kitten.
So I assume he’s willing to turn down the crazy paychecks he gets to be in the Hollywood machine? Or better yet, donate it to some well deserving poets and scientists? Talk is cheap.
He never said he didn’t like the money. He’s talking purely about celebrity. Giving away all his money to charity would only make him more famous, so I fail to see your point.
From what I understand, he’s actually pretty charitable.
Before he was super famous, he was in a documentary about comics called “The Kings of Comedy” or something like that. It showed how much he adored the elderly woman who worked at his local laundromat. She said when he found out she was homeless, he got her a place to live. (I think I have that story right.) It was sweet, sincere and very kind.
I love that he still shows up to the “Doug Loves Movies” podcast on a regular basis. He just calls up last minute and asks if he can come on for fun. He’s still very connected to the stand-up comic community in L.A. and makes regular apoearances on all the comedy podcasts – much the same way as Jon Hamm. When you’re still friends with your old pals and supporting their work, in part for your love of doing comedy in small venues, you’ve got your priorities straight. I think. I assume.
Anyway, seeing David Sedaris live almost made me pee my pants. He’s so great live. If you like him, check out Mike Birbiglia’s work. He too is humble, smart and charmingly vulnerable & sweet. And got his big break on This American Life. He makes me pee, too! (I’ve apparently got bladder-control-laughter-problems since giving birth to a 10+ lb. baby a few years ago…)
I agree with him and as for the time and place, it’s not like he ranted unprovoked. I think his take that this interest in celebrity is manufactured vs innate is interesting, I’d never thought about that. Clearly the manipulation worked on me or I’d probably spend more time at the NY Times than here! 🙂
I *think* his initial comments were during a panel discussion for Birdman and Keaton and Norton were all SERYUS ACTORS ACTORING THEIR CRAFT, so Zach was marinating in pretentiousness when he made those comments.
Marinating! Priceless, Abbott!
Ah, hmm. Maybe he felt he was in over his head and made these comments to deflect? Who knows.
I get what he’s saying to a degree. But at the same time, complain to your friends, man, because you’re benefiting from this interest and attention. And without this interest, you wouldn’t be paid millions of dollars. I’m sorry, but compared to most people’s problems, getting asked for a picture is kind of low on the totem pole. And hearing that he said the rest of the cast (ahem, Emma Stone) feels the same way makes my blood boil. She has gotten so pretentious since dating Andrew Grafield.
I agree- I have no problem with a person complaining because everyone needs to do that sometimes, but there’s no need to do it so publicly when promoting the film.
He does live a very low-key life and I respect that, but he’s also chosen to do things that bring a certain amount of fame with them. He’s not wrong about the celebrity culture, but maybe needs to find some sort of middle ground.
If he doesn’t like promoting films that employ hundreds of people so much then he should stick to stage acting. I get what he is saying about the grossness attached to celebritydom but he should quit complaining about it so much. He should forfeit the large paycheck and work in the theater instead. What a baby
Time to interview himself Between the Ferns.
Maybe he can get Gotye to play him, because that’s all I can see now with the weight loss.
Wow!!! Where did he go..? Dude has lost a lot of Weight. He doesn’t look sick though and must be healther for it..? I don’t care about the interview, I want to know how he lost weight..?
A younger Zach :
http://bunchfamily.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ZACH-e1373481595904.jpg
He looked *good*.
Cannot forgive him though, for bailing on “Bored To Death”. The funniest comedy series, ever, IMO. Incredible casting. What a bummer when HBO ended it ( which I think happened due to his increased film role demand).
It is not like he is really complaining about the burden of attention, just saying how weird celebrity worship is.
I agree. I think it was in response to the movie he was selling too, Birdman which is about an actors career years after they’ve played an iconic character (a super hero).
This is my take on it as well.
I also don’t see why he should “turn down huge paychecks” just because he doesn’t like the attention that comes with the industry he works in. He has the right to like the industry he works in and still dislike the attention.
Yes, this. The coverage of celebrity lives in the early days of tv and film was practically nothing compared to today. Where there might be a magazine article about “Lucy and Ricky at Home,” today we’re bombarded with Kardashian selfies in the bathroom, royal morning sickness, and every ignorant thought that spews from some hillbilly’s mouth. Is it really because we all want it? Maybe some of us do. But we wouldn’t expect it if it had never been offered, right?
When people say they owe us because we pay their salaries…no. Just no. You pay the money to see their work. That is what you’re paying for, to see them performing. To do that job. Having people bug you at the airport or when you’re at dinner or taking a walk is not part of that. It’s no different than doctors or teachers. We pay them to help us be healthy or teach our children, and most of them even offer their services above and beyond that. But we don’t expect to be able to bother them while they are just living life. Everyone has a line, even people who are very well paid and splashed across gossip sites and billboards and screens. They’re still people.
Yeh that’s what I took from it too and I agree with him. I find it almost creepy how much some people worship celebrities. Sometimes I even think to myself why am I even looking at sites like this? Why do I give a shit about these other peoples lives? But I guess as the header states it really is just a brief period of escapism for me.
Yeah that’s what I got too and agree with. Way too many people are obsessed with celebrities and singers. I dont know if because of twitter, the internet, etc. people feel like now they have instant access to their idols and it is easier to believe that you are in a real relationship with them either it be friends or romantically. Either way it’s kind of surreal.
Social media has changed celebrity worship so much. The immediate nonstop access really invades the lives of these celebrities, and i think they do have the right to say “stop, too much”. Many actors just want to be actors, not reality stars. There is a line and I don’t have a problem with a guy like Zach G talking about it.
I know (of course) there are many other “celebrities” who court that attention and ruin it for all of them though. You can’t play it both ways.
But I bet he´s a fan of “all the Money making”.
In a perfect society we would honor everyone that works for the society. And i don’t think Zach’s massage is “attention sucks”. He just doesn’t get why people are paying *that* much attention. It is a valid point IMO.
He didn’t say he didn’t like the money, just the celebrity worship part of it. I’m with him, if some idiot is fool enough to give me a bucket of money, I’d take it.
Some actors are certainly more on the artistic side than on the celebrity side and to be fair, a healthy society needs doctors, scientists and artists. Art is part of culture and no society functions without good cultural or artistic values.
I actually agree with Zach. I mean, haven’t we all said something to that same effect here? Why does anyone care what any of the Kardashians are doing? Or that Taylor Swift likes walking around with her cat? Or whatever Iggy might be buying at the grocery store? I think with social media the obsession & access to “celebrities” is insane. I love gossip as much as the next person, but if I’m honest, there’s way too much of it
Agree
In more it’s not as iif he was a famewhore
Then people should stop hiring him. I don’t like him anyway.
I’m really looking forward to this film. It looks better than anything else right now, aside from the Snowden documentary, “CITIZENFOUR,” by Laura Poitras.
I don’t have a problem with his statement that celebrity worship is absurd.
He has such a tiny body and a BIG head. It’s really distracting. I’m never going to unsee that now.
wow, he has lost a lot of weight! looks good. he played the weird guy in the Hangover so well.
OT, does Zach have Asperger? He reminds me so much of my brother who was diagnosed with spectrum disorder.
how do you test for that? i think my brother might have that but I don’t know where to go to have him tested
Celebrity says he hates being a celebrity. *yawn*
I understand the point of the “picture taking,” the thing I’ve never understood was the interest in getting autographs from celebrities, pictures, yeah. I guess,smell it on eBay? Fill me in.
I’d have a hard time with fame since I’m a notoriously private person. People think I’ve been single since high school, I’ve had a handful of boyfriends, noting serious though. I would enjoy the checks though, I come from a lower-middle class family.
Haha, you beat me to it, I said something similar down thread. Good point about the autograph hunters those people are scummy, they are rude and pushy with the real fans who have waited hours and the also to the celebs, they damand huge amounts of pictures to sign, but some celebs refuse to sign them. It’s a gross business.
Didn’t mean to beat you. Sorry about that. Lol.
I’m still disbelief there are autograph hunters out there, it’s ridiculous and pathetic, especially to real fans that have waited as you said.
Zach doesn’t live in LA or NY,he lives in a farm in Carolina ( i believe ,i ‘m not sure)
Yep, he’s a native North Carolinian. He’s also married with a child, so perhaps that’s why we haven’t seen him “pap’d with a lady friend”.
I agree about the way people always are wanting pics, no matter where you are or what your doing in your personal time, mostly they don’t even know or care who they are. They just know their famous and want to put it on instagram ” I met a celeb, aren’t you impressed?”. I’m not talking about official events, that’s part of the business to great fans. It’s changed what people expect of celebs, they have a real sense of entitlement about information and what they expect to know about them.
He’s right, it’s different these days, people have less boundaries, people think a whole lot of garbage is really important when it’s not and they share their whole lives on social media.
Actually, I’ve heard him on numerous podcasts, and also heard people talking about how he still lives in the same 1200 something square ft house he’s had forever and drives the same car he’s had since forever, I think an Outback or something practical like that. So maybe he does donate money or whatever. Who know.
I get the feeling he’s been going through some life changes. If you read the entire interview he talks about giving up alcohol and losing weight. So maybe his priorities in life have shifted in the past year and as a result where being a celebrity was at one point cool to him, now it’s not. Besides, he’s right and I think he handled himself pretty well. He made it clear what his love and priorities are and that’s acting. Not necessarily being famous.
My cousins son was diagnosed with an illness that I am not able to write since it is so rare, but it kept him from growing, eating, it was horrifying, he was less than 6 yes old. The village raised money to take him to Switzerland for a experimental drug but he passed on. It made headlines in Greece, so hundreds came to the funeral, and who was there, Zach. He did not approach the family, he kept to help myself,no publicity, but in Greek cculture, if you are there and there is a child’s funeral, all go, strangers. And he was there, the people gave him privacy and he never used it as a promotional opportunity for himself. That is class. Rest in peace my sweet boy.
I agree with his take on celeb worship. It is so bizarre to me. I enjoy movies and television, but I do not worship at the feet of actors. I think certain musicians are wonderfully talented and creative human beings, but I wouldn’t turn into a slobbering mess at their feet. I think some celebrities love that stuff, they feed off of it. On the other hand, some are probably seriously uncomfortable about it. If I was an actress and people commented on my tweets “Queen” “I worship you” “I love you so much” like I see all the time, it would personally weird me out. I totally think these people are overpaid, but that’s the nature of the beast. The entertainment industry is a money machine, so is the sports industry in this country (MLB, NFL, NBA). We go to movies and to the games, so they continue to get paid enormous amounts of money. I don’t have a problem with Zach thinking celebrity worship is weird or a celeb who doesn’t actively court the paps complaining about a pap following them and basically stalking them.
On another note, my cousin saw Zach at an airport once and told him he thought he was hilarious. He said Zach feigned ignorance and told my cousin he had the wrong guy. He said he was really nice, but it was bizarre because it was definitely him but even as people were trying to take pictures and video, he just kept saying “Who is Zach Galifianakis?” “I don’t know that guy.”
Celebs and sportsman are mostly paid through merchandise and royalties, but they also have people they have to pay, managers, assistance, stylist (if they have them), if they’re part of SAG or another acting group they have to pay a fees to maintain membership, publists, legal team, agent, etc.
While, yes, they are overpaid, they still have people they have to pay, I know that agents can get 10% of the paycheck, not sure for athletes, and the other parts of the team.
Yawn… Stop making movies, problem solved!
I’m glad he said something. Bravo. This is how people’s perceptions can begin to change. People have to have the balls to speak up. He did this at his own risk and I commend him for it.
Usually people from the system don’t question this celebrity thing because they like the attention and even when they don’t they feel they have something to gain with it, so yes, it is refreshing to see someone from hollywood not congratulating himself!
Someone wrote that he is benefiting from the interest and attention from fans, but I disagree. People go to see his films because they find him funny (no one really knows much about him), and I ask what that has to do about knowing what he does in his private life? Why should he owe something to us? The only thing he owe us is good performances. He doesn’t court fame, so he is not a hypocrite doing ads and going to parties just to be seen. And the check? Well he is being paid because he is performing, and studios make money because of him too. Just because it’s normal to see celebrities sharing a lot and being available doesn’t make it a rule. You can be a successful film actor and not really a celebrity if you avoid that path. An example: what do you know about Daniel Day-Lewis? Isn’t he great? Are you expecting him to be an actor or a celebrity? For me it’s us, as a society, who have it wrong, he is totally right in his diagnostic of our obsessed celebrity culture.
That kind of take on being a celebrity is weird when fame is part of getting people to see a movie now a days. Acting work is not like work that a doctor does or a janitor or really a lot of 9 to 5 jobs. You can’t divorce promoting a movie from being an actor.
But promoting a film is not the same as courting fame or being available to fans beyond the film promotion.
¨In a perfect society, we would honor teachers not athletes, scientists not actors, doctors not musicians.¨
It’s not wrong to honor athletes, actors and musicians, well maybe actors because they are annoying. But being an athlete it’s something quite difficult and admirable. And a musician is incredibly demanding and amazing, I suppose you meant the ¨musicians¨ like beyonce, justin bieber, miley, rihanna, lady gaga, who are celebrities and not real musicians. A real musician definitely should be honored. People confuse artists and celebrities and celebrities call themselves artists. Quite ignorant.
And also katy perry, she is one of the worst.
Acting is a craft as well. It’s not easy, I’m a stage actress, and can say it’s a tough job to have but I work hard at it, obviously, there are the ones who don’t. But that goes with every career.
The point was that we should honor people who directly make a difference in the health and education of others on a daily basis. Actors, musicians, and athletes don’t. I respect the crafts of performers, but at the end of the day they’re just reciting some lines, banging on drums, or throwing a ball. Not the most honorable activities, though impressive in their own right.
OK, I don’t know about the actors, but being a real musician is hard work. I don’t see why is not honorable, I was always taught that every job is honorable unless is doing something wrong. Music is not easy, musicians that study, not that start a band and become famous. I know students of music and they HAVE to practice at least eight hours a day, they not just show up at a concert.
Music is such a beautiful form of art and passion not just banging drums.