Zach Galifianakis is what you call an alternative comic. When you think of most standup comedians, you imagine stale comparisons between males and females, and what the deal is with parking tickets. Not so with Galifianakis, who states his joke and then quickly moves on, sitting calmly at a piano in front of the waiting audience. Discussing topics such as the difficulties of quitting cold turkey itself or wondering "if deaf people have a sign for 'talk to the hand,'" his quips seldom last more than a sentence or two.

In 2005, he appeared in "The Comedians of Comedy" alongside Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Maria Bamford and has since released a live standup DVD. Last fall he appeared in the Sean Penn directed "Into the Wild" and stars in "Visioneers," an upcoming indie film.

Galifianakis is the only person in history to appear in music videos for both Kanye West and Fiona Apple.

How did you get into doing standup?

I moved to NYC after failing my last course in college by one point. I had a nervous breakdown and then moved there with my cousin Dean who was going to NYU.  We shared a closet for a bedroom. I moved to Manhattan in hopes of finding a great acting teacher who would change my life. Instead I met too many drinks.