The quirky sketch comedy show "Portlandia" has found itself a dedicated and loyal fan base thanks to its willingness to be super-meta and very absurd. The show is centered around the denizens of Portland, Oregon, and features hyper-stylized interpretations of the hipster-meets-hippie culture of the city. "Saturday Night Live" cast member Fred Armisen and musician Carrie Brownstein of the band Sleater-Kinney debuted their original sketch comedy take in January of 2011, and they have picked up cult fans and admirers all along the way.
For the most part, Armisen and Brownstein play the bulk of the characters on the show, each dressing in drag or otherwise altering their appearance in order to play one of the many eccentric characters in each sketch. The show has also managed to attract some surprisingly big name guest stars to make appearances, and IFC has just announced this year's guest stars. Bill Hader, Roseanne Barr, Juliette Lewis, and Patton Oswalt are among the names who will pop-up on the show when it starts its third season in January of next year.
Here's a look at the big names that "Portlandia" was able to land for appearances in the first two seasons of the show's run.
Jeff Goldblum -- The "Jurassic Park" star appeared in a second season sketch . He played a salesman at an artisan knot store. He was exactly as you'd expect him to be, which can only be described as "Jeff Goldblum-y." He played to type perfectly, meandering through his dialogue with small bursts of both manic and confused behavior.
Kyle MacLachlan -- He's no stranger to quirky scripts and characters, having been a star in David Lynch's edge masterpiece television show, "Twin Peaks." Therefore the antics of Carrie and Fred in "Portlandia" were a natural fit for Kyle, who plays the mayor of Portland. Viewers look forward to his appearances, because he's shown a willingness to be every bit as silly and bizarre as those who surround him.
Kristen Wiig -- Fred's former "SNL" co-star appeared on the show last season. The Academy-Award nominated writer and star of "Bridesmaids" was in one of the funniest episodes of the show's first two seasons. Wiig played a super-fan of Brownstein and Armisen's fictitious band, Cat Nap. The band's claim to fame was featuring an actual cat as one of its members. Kristen was perfect as the deranged and overly obsessed fan, kidnapping and eventually becoming a member of the band herself.
More from this contributor:
Anne Hathaway Says 'Les Mis' Haircut Made Her Look like Her Brother - Plus 3 Other Chameleon-Like StarsLindsay Lohan's 'Liz & Dick' Ripped by Critics and Viewers - How Can She Get Her Career Back?
