BACKSTAGE RIDER: Comedy

Zach Galifianakis

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Zach Galifianakis Rider

Zach Galifianakis

It seems as if comedian Zach Galifianakis has confused his tour rider with an office supplies order form.

Highlights include a roll of Scotch tape, two large flip charts (Staples and Office Depot product codes included), and three Sharpie Magnum permanent markers.

Which, in case you’re wondering, are not the kind of magnums TSG usually finds backstage. (2 pages)

Comments (4)

He tried to cover his ass and say that it was fake marijuana but I don’t believe that. I’m actually kinda glad that he did this stunt because I feel like it just fed into the existing stigmas around marijuana use. Don’t get me wrong though… I think that marijuana should be legalized, but I’m just sort of happy that prop 19 didn’t pass. I have a feeling that the demographic that doesn't smoke primarily "because it's illegal" is going to start experimenting with it, and we're constantly going to have a bunch of old a-holes crashing their cars because they don't know how much they can smoke/can't handle being high. I’d probably say only 10% of the people I know that smoke can drive normally while high, and those people have been smoking for god knows how long. I realize that even if marijuana was legalized that it'd still be illegal to drive high, but there’d still be a percentage of cars on the road that would be driven by these newbs who don't yet understand the technicalities of driving while being stoned out of your mind. For instance, a car ran over my mail box about 2 years ago. My security camera at my home recorded it so I got their license plate, and it turns out that the driver was high and claimed that it was their first time trying to drive on it (you can even see in the video that he’s smoking a joint while he’s driving. I even saved a picture… home security cam marijuana idiot). I’m sure over time that the demographic of “new” smokers will eventually know their limits and when they are not able to drive, but at the moment, I’m glad prop 19 failed because I wasn’t looking forward to buying a new mailbox.
What no "Orange M&M's" or something stupit like that????
A lot of these riders may seem unreasonable (and sure, some "artists" are indeed unreasonable themselves), but a lot of these seemingly trivial or even prima dona-esque requirements are there to guarantee that the promoters and bookers who hire the performer actually READ THE CONTRACT. Some of these people actually need very specific setups for their performances (see Penn & Teller's rider for an excellent example) or they simply cannot put on their show. I once worked in a place where the promoter booked a seven-piece rock band but provided a completely inadequate technical setup, all because he didn't read the technical rider. It happens all the time. The promoter who does this is an idiot, or course, but from the perspective of the hundreds or thousands of people who showed up to see the performance, it is the artist who looks like and idiot for canceling the show. These wacky riders are a trick to make the promoter read his contract carefully.
If you've ever seen his stand-up...he uses an easel and paper as part of his routine. THAT is why it is requested...

Random Demands

K-Y Jelly

One (1) Large Tube K-Y Jelly

Along with banning brown M&Ms backstage, Van Halen once needed some lubricant. View the Rider »