Not many will be surprised to hear that actor/comedian Zach Galifianakis recently guest starred on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. Fewer will be surprised that the young actor decided to light up a marijuana cigarette on the air.
The theme of Maher's show was the legalization of marijuana, a topic that Galifianakis said is contentious only because of a fixed taboo against the drug and a popular mythology about the effects on the smoker. In order to demonstrate the stigma, Galifianakis pulled out a joint from his inside pocket and lit it nonchalantly.
To the apparent surprise of the audience and to the other panelists on the show, the young actor dragged from the joint in indifference to the cheers and gasps. The other panelists, now uncomfortable, avoided contact with the little white cylinder, clearly horrified for their careers if they were to follow the lead of Galifianakis.
He jokingly screamed out in horror at several dragons, hoping to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the perceived effects of the drug and poking fun at propaganda that continues to support the prohibition of a manageable drug.
Galifianakis' point was to show that people's misconceptions about marijuana are based on myth and that such ignorance still has an effect on people that know the truth about the drug's mild temperament.
The experiment went quite well; the other panelists reacted just the way that he wanted, and it proved his point.
In many ways, it is a good thing to make the issue a public spectacle, and a celebrity's attention and opinions about controversy are always met with a considerable allowance of credibility. Though typically dedicated to making jokes, Galifianakis made a valid and intelligent point and proved its worth with a simple controlled experiment.
Indeed, those that are afraid of pulling the same stunt on television advocate such a move to break the ice. Perhaps people will now be bolder off the air and will wake from propaganda-fueled disillusionment.
But in other ways, it was not the best move for Galifianakis to make in support of California's Proposition 19. For those that are opposed to the plan and to the drug, it seems like his actions will turn few heads.
One can only take a comedian as seriously as one can take his jokes. It seems, to some, that this was just another one of his actions in character, not to be taken as seriously as the political current for the proposition, which takes a more hard-hitting stance on how much money marijuana regulation can make for a financially suffering state.
Many will condemn Galifianakis for his audacious behavior, but it seems that such a bold move could only help the cause, as the discord against his actions only adds credence to his argument.
We salute Mr. Galifianakis for his boldness, and we hope that this anti-hero's point is taken well by the less-than-accommodating media.
