Zach Galifianakis Explained How Louie Anderson Got Cast as His Mom

Jimmy Kimmel talked with Zach Galifianakis’ new FX show “Baskets” and its immediately evident that “Baskets” is a strange show. There were two clues to this.  First, Zach’s eyebrows, and second, when Zach said “Baskets is a strange show.”  Zach explained that the show is about “a bitter rodeo clown who studies clown theory in France and moves back to Bakersfield to become a rodeo clown.”

The great Louie Anderson plays Galifianakis’ mom in the series.  Zach explained that he kept hearing a voice in his head for the part of the mom, and he imitated the voice in his head to executive producer Louis C.K.  Louis immediately knew the voice in Zach’s head was Louie Anderson, and so they brought him on board. Martha Kelly plays Zach’s friend/assistant, and Galifianakis describes her as the worst improv actress in the world, because instead of the ‘yes, and’ theory of improv she uses a ‘well, ummm’ technique.

Baskets premieres Thursday January 21, at 10pm on FX.