Garofalo Talks Stiller, Politics
Janeane Garofalo
The Guardian has a nice “catching up with…” article with Janeane Garofalo. The actress-turned-radio host has been outspoken in recent years in the area of progressive politics, at the expense of her formerly burgeoning movie career. Garofalo has a long friendship and working relationship with Ben Stiller, including a stint on The Ben Stiller Show and in Stiller’s first directing gig, Reality Bites. Recently, the actress appeared on 24 and in the Tropic Thunder faux-mentary Rain of Madness.
Regarding politics, Garofalo is surprised she has become a lightning rod. ”What am I getting my head blown off for (in Team America: World Police)? For speaking out against an immoral, illegal and unjustified invasion and occupation? What they did was cowardly. To try and get yourself off the hook by saying we’re equal-opportunity offenders, it doesn’t mean shit to me.”
Garofalo is gearing up for two-week stand-up run in the U.K. She then waxed nostaligic about her friend and former co-author Ben Stiller (Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction).
Garofalo believes he’s very much underrated as a straight dramatic actor, and says another of his strengths is his “bizarre” work ethic. “I have a much more casual attitude towards discipline and working, which I think can in part explain the vast differences in our career trajectories.” She clearly has a lot of respect and affection for her friend. “Of course, if he isn’t working, he hits the gym. He wants to look his best. Like, that’s a whole other thing I don’t want to do. And then he takes his shirt off. It’s ridiculous; he shouldn’t have that body for comedy. It’s difficult to relate to Ben when he takes his shirt off!”
Janeane Garofalo appears at The Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh from 8-15 Aug, and the Bloomsbury Theatre, London on 28 Sep (two shows)
I love THE MINUS MAN very much.She and Owen were looked so pure and cute.