
Flight of the Conchords Take on America
On stands now
When Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie hit the streets in their hometown of Wellington, New Zealand, earlier this year, they had hardly expected the throng of family, friends and fans that would greet them. It was then that the duo realized it wasn’t just a pair of familiar faces; it was a pair of superstars. Strange, considering that this pair of funny-boy musicians considered themselves to be the “worst guitar players in class” in their not-so-distant college years. Call it dumb luck or smart comedy, but the jokesters of Flight of the Conchords have taken flight, tucking an HBO show, debut LP, and even a Grammy under its well-worn feathers. Here, Filter takes you through the ins and outs of foreign-born fame as Clement and McKenzie discuss how they separate their fictional selves from their non-fictional counterparts, their cult following of card-carrying J.R.R. Tolkien maniacs, and the humor of the American Dream.