It has been said that laughter is the best medicine, and this is especially true if your spirits are low and in desperate need of a bolster. When life gets rough, many people turn to entertainers - and comedians in particular - to find a way through. However, comedians offer far more than a few guffaws. In the case of funnyman Fred Armisen, you never know what delightful surprises to expect. For years, Armisen has made crowds roar with laughter by way of his performances on television, stage, and film. What many are not aware of, though, is that he also is a registered minister of the Universal Life Church.
A Life of Movement
Born in Mississippi, Armisen’s family moved great distances over a few short periods. Within a handful of years, Armisen lived in Brazil and New York. It was in Manhattan where the young Armisen flourished, spending time as a student at the School of Visual Arts before dropping out to pursue the life of a musician. Armisen would spend countless hours at live shows, both as a performer and spectator. He would play drums for a number of renowned groups during these years, including Trenchmouth and the Blue Man Group.
The transition from music to comedy was a natural one, according to the interviews Armisen has given over the years. The performer never set out to be on television, though he claims he always felt he would wind up there somehow. In 2002, he accepted a performing role on “Saturday Night Live” and fast became a fan favorite. From his uncanny impersonations of figures like Barrack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Queen Elizabeth to his many original characters, Armisen would make audiences laugh until his departure in 2013. At the time of his exit, Armisen was SNL’s third-longest tenured cast member.
A Look at the Weird Side
After his time on lSNL, Armisen teamed with longtime friend, musician, and collaborator Carrie Brownstein to create the show “Portlandia.” The show itself was a sketch-based comedy centered around a larger-than-life version of the city of Portland, Oregon. Brownstein and Armisen had a natural chemistry on screen, helping the show run for eight seasons and receive countless accolades. The show tackled a number of social ideas, with a strong emphasis on accepting people of all walks of life no matter how weird they might be.
Carrie Brownstein has long been openly bisexual, but she and Armisen have often discussed the platonic nature of their relationship. Both agree that they have an incredibly intimate connection, though they have stated numerous times that the relationship was never sexual. In fact, their relationship is often cited as one of the more impressive examples of a man and woman with incredible chemistry working together without a sexual angle.
A Passion for Love
Though there are no public details surrounding why Fred Armisen decided to become a minister with the Universal Life Church, his life and personality illustrate why he may have gone down this path. Same-sex marriages were illegal in many states until 2015. Since Armisen was a longtime ally and proponent of the LGBT community, it stands to reason his status as a minister was born out of a desire to help friends and family members tie the knot during a period when it was not so easy to find a minister.
Whether you’ve seen him in performances on SNL, his many movie roles, or his time as a musician, it stands to reason you know who Fred Armisen is in some capacity. While the details about his time as a minister for the ULC might be somewhat unknown, his status showcases the kind of person he is and his willingness to go the extra mile for love and those he cares about.