It was September 2016. The election was screaming at us from every screen. Then, suddenly, there she was—Hillary Clinton, sitting on a cheap stool next to a very disgruntled Zach Galifianakis.
Most people remember the "white power tie" joke. Or maybe the AOL email notification sound that closed the sketch. But honestly? The story of how Hillary Clinton Between Two Ferns actually happened is way weirder than the six-minute video let on.
The Secret Pneumonia Shoot
Here’s a detail that sounds fake but is 100% true: Hillary Clinton had pneumonia when she filmed this.
She arrived at the New York Historical Society on September 9, 2013, feeling like absolute garbage. Most politicians would have canceled. Instead, she sat in a freezing room between two wilting plants and let a man in a Grim Reaper mask tackle her Secret Service detail.
The "Had Pneumonia" chyron that flashed under her name wasn't just a mean joke. It was a literal medical diagnosis.
📖 Related: Eyes of Laura Mars: Why This 1978 Fashion Slasher Is Better Than You Remember
Was It Scripted?
Basically, no.
Scott Aukerman, the director and mastermind behind Comedy Bang! Bang!, has been pretty open about the fact that they didn't clear the questions with her camp. That’s almost unheard of for a presidential candidate. Usually, every syllable is vetted by sixteen different consultants in power suits.
Galifianakis and his writers (a stacked room including Sarah Silverman and Jon Lovett) had a list of prompts, but the interaction was largely improvised. Clinton’s team apparently told the producers, "She wants to be roasted."
And boy, was she.
- The Typed Words Question: Zach asked how many words per minute she could type.
- The Coffee Jab: He asked if President Obama likes his coffee like himself: "weak."
- The Pregnancy Joke: He asked what happens if she gets pregnant and if we'd be "stuck with Tim Kaine for nine months."
Her face throughout the whole thing is a masterclass in the "deadpan stare." People debated for weeks if she was actually angry. She wasn't. She was just playing the character of the "straight man," which is the only way to survive a Between Two Ferns interview.
Why a Presidential Candidate Did a Funny Or Die Sketch
It wasn't just for the memes.
Back in 2014, Barack Obama used the show to save the Affordable Care Act. Seriously. Healthcare.gov was a disaster, and young people weren't signing up. Obama went on the show, traded insults with Zach, and mentions of the website caused a 40% traffic spike.
Clinton was trying to catch that same lightning in a bottle.
👉 See also: Kristina Karissa Shannon Playboy Era: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
The video racked up 30 million views in its first 24 hours. That was a record for Funny Or Die. It was a desperate, hilarious attempt to reach "the youths" who were increasingly skeptical of traditional political ads.
The Trump Jokes
You can't talk about Hillary Clinton Between Two Ferns without the "white power" bit.
When Zach suggested that Donald Trump would wear a "white power tie" to the debates, Clinton didn't flinch. She just deadpanned, "I think that’s even more appropriate."
According to the producers, Clinton actually suggested that Zach should be the one to deliver the punchline. She knew her comedic timing. She knew that if she said it, it would look like a prepared attack. If Zach said it and she just agreed, it was "comedy."
📖 Related: Why the cast of Bangalore Days still feels like your actual friend group
The Lasting Impact
Does it still matter? Kinda.
It represents a specific moment in time when the line between "politician" and "content creator" completely vanished. We take it for granted now that candidates go on podcasts or do TikTok dances, but in 2016, seeing a former Secretary of State get asked about "limousine windows tinted with diamond-encrusted tint" was jarring.
It also humanized her in a way that her stump speeches never could. You saw her laugh—not a "political laugh," but a genuine "I can’t believe I’m doing this" smirk.
How to Watch It Now
If you haven't seen it in a while, it's still on YouTube and Funny Or Die.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the Obama episode first: It provides the context for why the Clinton campaign felt safe doing this.
- Pay attention to the "ads": The fake commercials during the Clinton episode actually included real Trump campaign footage, which was a subtle (and brilliant) editing choice by Aukerman.
- Check out "Between Two Ferns: The Movie" on Netflix: It features some of the behind-the-scenes chaos and cameos from people like Benedict Cumberbatch and Brie Larson that follow this same "awkward-interview" blueprint.
The interview didn't win her the election, obviously. But it remains one of the most successful pieces of digital political strategy ever attempted, mostly because it was willing to make the candidate look like the butt of the joke.