Fred Armisen has a fondness for the spectral. Fans of his work in shows like "Los Espookys" and "What We Do in the Shadows" might suspect this, but his interest extends beyond the screen. Armisen has actively tried to make spirits feel comfortable in his own home.
This unusual hospitality was revealed during Armisen's conversation on the podcast "Woo Woo With Rachel Dratch." True to its name, the show, hosted by Rachel Dratch and Irene Bremis, delves into personal accounts of the strange and supernatural. After reminiscing with Dratch about their time on "Saturday Night Live," Armisen shared that someone involved in his move to Los Angeles informed him the house had ghosts. Instead of calling for an exorcism, he opted for a more welcoming approach.
"If there's a presence in my house," Armisen explained, "it's not my place to say, 'You can't be here.'" He added, "If it's that important to them, why should I need all that space? I thought, 'Fine, be my guest. Want to hang out here? I understand. It's a nice place. Don't worry, I'm not around that much anyway.'"
But Armisen didn't stop at a mere change of heart. He took a leap of faith, deciding to redecorate with his unseen housemates in mind.
"I bought some miniature tombstones from Hollywood Forever," Armisen said, referring to the iconic Los Angeles cemetery. "Small ones, made from leftover marble. I labeled them 'ghost number one,' 'ghost number two,' 'ghost number three,' and 'ghost number four.' I made four in total, and I placed them outside. It was like saying, 'Here you go, feel free to use these... these tombstones are for you.'"
Both Dratch and Bremis were touched by the gesture. The burning question remains: have the ghosts responded to Armisen's kindness?
"I'm not sure how that would feel," Armisen admitted. "But I can say that, in my mind, as I was talking to them, I imagined them saying, 'Oh, great!' I don't know what that sensation is, it's all in my head, but in that moment, it felt very real."
