Our first comedian interview! Laughs likely.

The Beardo himself, Zach Galifianakis had a chat with TALive via e-mail this week prior to his show at Juanita's. It appears the piano-tinkering comedian has a lot on his plate for 2007, including two movie appearances and a slot on Coachella! Fans are advised to catch him in the smaller clubs while you still have the chance.

TA Live: We tried to learn more about some of your upcoming film projects, and the posted description of "Visioneers" (thanks, imdb) only describes a comedy involving people who "physically explode." Can you provide any additional insight as to the premise of the film and/or your role in it?
Zach Galifianakis: It is a very interesting little film. I shot it in Seattle and it was my first lead role. It is a story about a guy named George who is a corporate drone who has given up on life. And he tries to find a way out of his pathetic life. Those around him who dare to dream in this kinda Orwellian world end up physically exploding. He tries to dream without exploding. You know your run of the mill people exploding because of daydreaming movie.

TA Live: On the other hand, you'll also be in a more dramatic film, Sean Penn's take on “Into the Wild.” Were you working on these very different movies simultaneously or did you have a break to adjust between the two roles?
ZG: I worked on "Visioneers" right after "Into the Wild" with a little break in between.

TA Live: What age did you start playing piano? When you go to the piano to provide accompaniment for your jokes, what are you playing? Is it a composition created for that purpose, improv, or maybe a piece that someone else composed?
ZG: I started playing around with the piano around 8, I guess. I don't know how to read music so I make it all up. It just adds a bit of backdrop to my stupid little jokes.

TA Live: In the last 5 or so years, Jimmy Fallon has opened up for The Strokes, David Cross opened for Guided By Voices, and you and Patton Oswalt performed with Elf Power at a show here in Atlanta just last year. Who's responsible for making these connections? Are the comedians reaching out to the indie acts, are the indie acts reaching out to the comics, or is it just a creation of record labels and managers to get new people out to shows to deal with sagging album sales?
ZG:There have always been comics opening for music acts. Sinatra often had comics open for him. I don't think it is anything new. I think bands like certain comics and ask them to open for them and vice versa. Annuals, a band I like out of North Carolina are opening for me simply cause I asked them to. I don't think there is any more to it than that.

TA Live: On a similar note, Comedians of Comedy have a slot on the traditionally music-oriented festival Coachella. Are you intimidated performing comedy in front of a large audience of rock fans? Have you had any experience doing stand up in a festival environment? How do you anticipate the reaction will be different or similar than a club show?
ZG: I have done so many different types of shows that it does not phase me really. I cannot wait to perform at Coachella. My Morning Jacket asked me to open for them but we could not work it out. There is always going to be drunks at any kind of show which is a drag.

TA Live: The TV version of the Comedians of Comedy show made it look like you, Brian Posehn, and Patton Oswalt lived in pretty close quarters. Who would you say went the most stir crazy from living in such close quarters and how long did it take for them to crack?
ZG: We all get along quite well. Those guys are nerds and Maria and I are the jocks but we make it work. Brian has the shortest fuse but usually that fuse is put out with a well planned fart joke.

TA Live: As you tour the nation, do you have to adapt your set geographically at all? Besides maybe making reference to local news/events, do you find that sense of humor varies in different parts of the country? Or is a Galifianakis fan a Galifianakis fan no matter where he/she lives?
ZG: I have performed at colleges where I wondered how many of the students ever got out of 4th grade. But as far as regions? I am not too sure. I will research a place a bit to give it a little local flavor perhaps but I don't cater my act because I fear that they audience will not take to it. If they do, wonderful. If they do not you can usually tell by the amount of mouth breathing that is going on.

- Michelle Gilzenrat