Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion (2006 TV Special) User Reviews (12)

I want to combine the NAACP with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and call it Mothers Against the Advancement of Colored People.

[Burntout · 8/10 · 25 January 2008]

Zach Galifianakis is probably one of the best comedians to come out of the scene in the last 10 years…he's definitely that good, he's a top ten without a doubt on anybody's list who truly understands comedy.

No, his humor is not always right there for you to "get." Case in point, interspersed throughout his stand-up at the Purple Onion (San Francisco), are "interviews" with his twin brother Seth from the South. These segments contain very subtle comedic touches and sometimes they even seem to intentionally protrude into the going-ons that are taped at the club.

But it's okay, once you realize that Zack/Seth is really a total nutcase which is evident when he deviates from his usual "jokes" and begins to engage with the audience members…there is no one out there in today's comedy scene that I know of who is best equipped to handle total chaos than Zach. I'm not saying that he caused nor were there any chaos present at the club that night…but when he interacts with paying customers, there really is no one out there in today's world that can hold a candle to his improv.

He chastises them, he loves them, he makes fun of them, he screams at them, and he wonders overall (out loud) if they even understand his jokes. It all adds up to one of the most unique and satisfying stand-up performances you're likely to see out of all the current "newbies" out there.

Sloppy set pulls some genuine laughs

[MassDistraction · 7/10 · 16 March 2014]

Zach Galifianakis's first feature-length special, following the "Look Who It Isn't" compilation. Features one of his stand-up sets with footage of Zach on the road and an interview with "Zach's twin brother" interspersed. His material consists of one liners, wordplay, crowd work and general weirdness. Zach style has a relaxed, natural feel, but at times comes off more sloppy and unprepared. Fortunately, Galifianakis is downright lovable and his ad-Ibs tend to be dynamite, so that does buy him a little slack. His innovation in how he presents his material can be better than the material itself, though he does have some solid laughs on here. Starts slow, but has a killer finish.

The most original style of comedy.....or venting

[eric-cberg · 8/10 · 22 July 2010]

Zach Gach-fix-kin-ass-key is one of the freshest comedians walking the comedy beat today, he has created a very original style of comedy and the best way I can describe it is to call it "venting". You know that feeling of awkward hilarity when someone does something embarrassing and you cant help but laugh? he tends to blend that, with making fun of himself and his past and I have to say that I cant remember the last time I laughed so hard. His comedic style beats the HELL out of Dane Cook's overcooked garbage. My favorite quote from the film is "When you look like I do it's hard to get a table for one at a Chuck E' Cheese." I cant really say much more other than there should be a movie made about Zach's "brother" Seth Galifiankis.

Revelatory. Opens your eyes to a singular talent.

[Ben_Cheshire · 10/10 · 5 May 2015]

King of the one-liner, insult comedy, strange lying-down comedy, meta comedy, musical comedy.

This is a SPECIAL special. This film of a Zach G stand-up set captures a comedian at the peak of his powers, completely self-deprecatory and self-deconstructive, if that's a thing, Zach is just plain funny. That's all you need to know.

The only moments that didn't work for me bordered on insult-comedy and audience- participation, the sort of moments normally aimed at hecklers. Just not a fan of that sort of thing. They still worked well to showcase how quick Zach is, because he bounces instantly off something the audience-member says into something brilliant.

The chief genre here is one-liner. If you don't care for one-liners, steer clear. If you've never seen a Zach G comedy set (like I hadn't) highly recommended.

Zach & the Women of Lifetime

[thesar-2 · 9/10 · 13 December 2009]

For the most part, Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion made me laugh-out-loud. I loved the incredibly odd sense of humor Zach portrays, whether drunk or acting drunk. His one-liner zings of racism, idiocracies or just observations while looking (again) intoxicated or simply uninterested, make the whole act. You have to like this type of humor. You certainly have to have an open mind.

I loved his act, which in some ways mimics the comic genius of Seth Macfarlane – neither are afraid of ridiculing their sponsors, Netflix and Fox, respectively. Part of his show was his "twin brother" Seth in a hilarious interview from NPR's Brian Unger (watch the DVD extras – adds to the humor), but mostly it's Zach on stage in his dry, very dry sense of humor as he beats up the audience, who don't seem to mind that he's biting the hand that fed him. (I especially liked the "old man" in front and the Sims 2 guy.) I first saw, or began aware of, Zach in The Hangover, of which he was my favorite amongst the foursome in Vegas. After watching this live comedy stand-up, it's almost as if he sold-out to do that movie. But after further thought, it just proves he's more of a real comic master (case in point, Seth) who has a lot of range and is not one of those whiney, spoiled comedians who are too picky or set in their ways. I would certainly put him close to the top of my favorite comedians of all time.

So, if you like real, fearless and uncensored humor (and dirty, as well) give this a shot. Side Note: I HATE censored anything, so this fit just perfect for me.

The single funniest comedy act I have ever seen.

[seanorafferty · 10/10 · 8 December 2023]

Big fan of stand up, this is the single funniest comedy act I have ever seen.

It is hard to call it stand up, it is not just him standing in front of a mic telling zingers. It is him mostly on piano the whole show sharing with you a peak inside is hilarious, self-aware yet sometimes self-loathing mind. There is dark humor, there is witty humor, there is eccentricity that makes you laugh, there are audience interactions that make you cringe (seemingly intentionally) and parts that make you jealous you weren't in the room. It is electric!

I cannot recommend this special highly enough. It has been over 15 years from its release and I still have not laughed harder at a comedy act. Truly brilliant!

Just see it, words can't describe

[tylerpurrden-783-365614 · 10/10 · 17 July 2021]

Just like the most perfect representation of a comedian film, and yet it's so not. My favorite stand-up film ever.

This 'Purple Onion' Smells...

[jazni · 5/10 · 26 May 2010]

You have to really be in the mood to get through this performance, because some parts of this 'Onion' sort of, well... stink.

Not that Zach Galifianakis isn't a brilliant artist. 'Live at the Purple Onion' highlights Zach's unusual approach to comedy and has flashes of genius. But unlike most stand-up releases, this feels very much like a guy working his material out, a dry run-through, if you will, not the kind of show you'd want to pay full-price to see.

The unfinished quality is obviously part of Galifianakis' shtick, but I found myself waiting too long to laugh between jokes and eagerly anticipating Zach's mockumentary-style moments offstage (as his fictitious twin 'Seth') than his moments on stage, where his dramatic stares at the camera were often times funnier than his jokes.

Did He Ever Say Anything Funny ???

[nebohr · 4/10 · 7 September 2020]

We gave up about halfway through this yawn fest. The audience was obviously drunk and/or paid to be there; they mimed laughter only as long as they thought they were in the shot.

Needs more work

[FieldCannotBeLeftBlank · 5/10 · 23 January 2023]

I like most of what Galifianakis has done outside this and I understand his comedy, but I found this show to be a little bit too indulgent, ill-disciplined and not very funny. I can do without seeing long inserts of him driving a Kombi and the 'twin' character didn't add anything but highlight the weakness of the main set: In a 1 hour show nothing should be trying to detract from the stand-up unless there are problems with the stand up in the first place. And there were; (unintentionally and repeatedly) flubbed jokes; excessive and repetitive interaction with one audience member; lack of much coherence; and inconsistent delivery. There were occasional lines that brought a smile, but more often the comedy fell flat or awkwardly for me.

Not Good at all

[jumbobiscuits · 2/10 · 15 January 2022]

If you're here for a laugh, leave. Its the most unfunny comedy I have seen perhaps in my life. It was so boring except a few good moments there was nothing to it. It was like him winging it and maybe one or two paid people in the audience laughing loudly. Most of the audience was looking at others wondering what they were laughing at. The jokes weren't funny. He's gotten so much better in the recent between two ferns seasons.

Hang In There

[ShadowsBeneathTheLight · 5/10 · 30 January 2024]

I won't lie, it starts off rough. It takes a bit for Zach to get good, but once he's 2-3 beers in, it gets much better. Zach has a lot of one liners and silly characters, some land, some don't. He also likes to pick on the audience, somethings it's funny, sometimes it's just painful. But the drunker he gets, the more entertaining he is. What starts off cringe turns into a laughing fit by the end, you just need to hang in there. By no means tho will every joke land, and for some I can understand why they'll bail out early. Again, it starts out rough.

Interspersed throughout the show is cutaways to Zach talking about his life or playing a character as his "brother". These bits are odd but very humorous. If you are a fan of the Hangover, you will see where a lot of the inspiration for Zach's role comes from between his jokes and his characters.

By the end tho, it is funny. And shout out to Carl, the real hero of this special. We need more good sported audience members like you.