With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Zach Galifianakis Saved 87-Year-Old L.A. Woman From Homelessness
Zach Galifianakis is a man of many surprises, and the latest twist to his winding tale is that in addition to being hilarious and having done stand-up with Ken Jeong in the 90s, he's a big softie at heart.
According to the New York Daily News, after Galifianakis made it big, he found out that a woman who used to volunteer at his laundromat in L.A. had fallen into homelessness -- so he put her up in an apartment, and still pays her rent and bills to this day.
The woman is 87-year-old Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist:
Haist first met Galifianakis in 1994, when the then-unknown comic was a newcomer to Los Angeles trying to get his big break. He moved into an apartment around the corner and was soon a regular visitor to Fox Laundry, where she volunteered — surviving off tips from customers... Two years ago, the funnyman discovered that Haist — who was married earlier in life but has been on her own for the past 30 years — was homeless. He swooped in and found her a one-bed, one-bath apartment and started covering her rent and utilities.
Sponsored message
[Haist] is the subject of a film being made by Israeli actor and director Yaniv Rokah. Now entering post-production thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, “Queen Mimi” tells the story of how this feisty octogenarian, who was once a San Fernando Valley housewife, ended up living on the streets of Los Angeles for almost a decade before taking up permanent residence at Fox Laundry 18 years ago.
Fox Laundry is located in Santa Monica.
According to the Daily News, Galifianakis will bring Haist to the premiere of "Hangover Part III" as his date.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
