Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Roxana Hadadi | Film | September 29, 2019
Have you watched the Between Two Ferns: The Movie on Netflix yet? It's fine! It's 80 or so minutes, which makes it brisk-enough weeknight or afternoon viewing. You know the celebrities are in on it, but Brie Larson, Keanu Reeves, Tiffany Haddish, and David Letterman in particular are great and game. And if Zach Galifianakis's particular brand of very brusque rudeness is your jam, and if you wonder when you'll see Lauren Lapkus again now that Orange is the New Black is over, I would recommend.
There is one bit I'm still laughing about a few days later, and it's a moment you can experience when Jon Hamm appears in the trailer:
Do you need the dialogue again? I'm giving it to you again, so I can laugh while typing it out:
"Bradley Cooper co-wrote, directed and starred in A Star is Born. Are you hoping that will open doors for other hot idiots?"
I am a Star is Born apologist, and even still, this line fucking kills! Galifianakis does so much here: Acknowledge spitefully (and rightfully) that Hamm and Cooper (Zach's own co-star from The Hangover trilogy) are Very Handsome Men, but also lean into his own Between Two Ferns persona by insulting the hell out of them, and also wink to us at the absurdity of anyone as famous as Hamm or Cooper worrying about doors being closed to them at all. Come on! They're white men with full heads of hair, the limit does not exist! They are, in fact, very well known for playing hot idiots! (Galifianakis has already apologized to Cooper, so it's fine.)
We know this from Hamm's work on 30 Rock:
And for Cooper, from Wet Hot American Summer:
So a question for you, dear reader: Who else would you consider a hot idiot? An actor or actress who has cultivated a career playing someone very, very attractive and also very, very goofy? The Overlords have some suggestions:
Paul Rudd, who also appears at length in Between Two Ferns: The Movie!
Melanie Griffith in her '80s heyday!
Sandra Bullock in her '90s heyday!
Donald Glover, Community era!
Jason Momoa! Obviously!
Charlie Hunnam! Who we also know has not-great opinions in real life with his weird Jordan Peterson fascination! Dude! You gotta stop that shit!
Jason Mantzoukas, OF COURSE!
And Paul Walker! RIP, buddy! This one still hurts!
Did you watch Between Two Ferns: The Movie? Did you also appreciate this face Hamm made when being called a "hot idiot"? I did!
Do you have any suggestions for actors or actresses who belong in the "hot idiot" category? Tell us in the comments! And if someone starts saying the name "Pete Davidson," y'all better show your work.
