Galifianakis says he almost canceled Clinton interview over request about emails
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Comedian and actor Zach Galifianakis has revealed that he nearly canceled his 2016 interview with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was then running for president against Donald Trump, because his team tried to tell the comedian he couldn’t bring up the email controversy.
Galifianakis spoke with comedian Conan O’Brien on his show “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” during which they both argued that comedy should come first in interviews with politicians, including presidents. Galifianakis said some podcasters are now using the president just to “fawn over him” and that their job is to make their subjects uncomfortable.
“First of all, I’m more interested in comedy, and whatever their purpose is, that’s fine,” Galifianakis said. “But the comedy has to come first. I remember when I interviewed Hillary Clinton and I said she didn’t want to be there. And I totally get that. I get it.”
“But before we could set all that up, they wrote back saying, ‘You can’t open those emails,’” he continued. “And I say, ‘We don’t have to do the interview… That’s okay. We won’t.'”
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Zach Galifianakis talked about his 2016 interview with Hillary Clinton during a conversation with Conan O’Brien on May 4, 2026. (Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images; Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
The comedian said Clinton’s team told him they would do the interview without preconditions.
“Saying no to powerful people is crazy,” Galifianakis said. “They said, ‘Okay, we’ll do it.'” You can ask because it’s not that important to me to do it the way they want. If you’re going to be in a comedy, you should do it the way we want,” Galifianakis said.
Clinton’s team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Galifianakis sat down with Clinton on his show “Between Two Ferns” In September 2016. He also performed with former President Barack Obama.
KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP ‘THE EXPECTED WIDOW’ AHEAD OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOT
Hillary Clinton speaks with members of the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in Chappaqua, NY. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg)
The comedian said he wouldn’t have Trump on the show shortly after the Clinton interview in 2016, saying at the time: “I wouldn’t put someone that mentally disabled on the show.”
“I feel like I’m going to benefit from it. And you can print it,” he added.
O’Brien and Galifianakis argued that it would be good for Trump to make himself “the butt of the joke.”
“And our current president better understand if he allows himself to be the butt of the joke,” O’Brien said, and as Galifianakis added, “It’s a humanizing act.”
“You don’t do that with him. It doesn’t work,” Galifianakis said of Trump.
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President Trump raises his fist as he leaves Doral, Florida, en route to his Palm Beach mansion on May 2, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
During his second term, Trump has criticized late-night comedians, including most recently Jimmy Kimmel.
The liberal comedian joked during a parody version of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner that First Lady Melania Trump looked like a “waiting widow” just days before the shooting at the real thing.
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Trump and the First Lady called for Kimmel to be fired.
