Galifianakis and Helms, on screen

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:46:10 -0400

Another Galifianakis is making waves.

Longtime political observers may remember former U.S. Rep. Nick Galifianakis, best known for his unsuccessful U.S. Senate run in 1972, which paved the way for Sen. Jesse Helms' three-decade career.

His nephew Zach has a new comedy coming out called "The Hangover" and was the subject of a lengthy profile in the New York Times magazine last weekend.

A standup comic, the younger Galifianakis talked about his uncle's political career while on stage at the Purple Onion, in a clip available on YouTube.

"My uncle was winning and then Jesse Helms came out with this slogan ... that said 'Vote for Jesse. He's one of us.' — meaning he doesn't have a freaky long last name and it turned the election," he said. "I hate the right. I hate them with a passion."

Incidentally, Zach Galifianakis stars with a Helms in the new movie — Ed Helms of the TV show "The Office."

We presume he's no relation.