Let’s talk about Jim Carrey, a man who has made millions laugh with his unforgettable performances on the big screen. But here’s something you might not know—he’s not entirely ruling out the idea of returning to the roots of his career: stand-up comedy. Now, at the age of 57, Jim attended the TCA Summer Press Tour to promote his Showtime series, Kidding. While there, he was asked if he would ever consider stepping back into the world of stand-up. “Yeah, anything can happen in this world. You never know. If I felt I had something to say,” Jim replied with a thoughtful expression.
Jim Carrey on the Challenges of Modern Stand-Up Comedy
Stand-up comedy has changed a lot over the years, and Jim is well aware of that. In today’s world, it’s not as simple as walking onto a stage and letting the jokes fly. “It’s hard for standups nowadays though. It’s hard to get a place to work your stuff out, without the cell phones and all the stuff,” he explained. “It’s a different process now, but it’s all valid stuff. There’s some great standups out there.”
Jim then took a moment to reflect on the legends of the craft, like George Carlin. “But, I keep going back to people like [George] Carlin who were just like, and I knew George a little bit and he has emerged after death as one of the, just the most important voices out there. The most honest, not agreeable all the time, but holy crap man, a guy who was not editing himself and did it so artfully. I could listen to him for hours.”
Read also:Reese Witherspoons Lookalike Daughter Ava Phillippe Shares Throwback Photo To Mark The Actressrsquo 49th Birthday Love You
Why Traveling Could Be a Dealbreaker
While Jim isn’t completely shutting the door on a potential return to stand-up, he does have some concerns about what it would entail. One major issue? The constant traveling. “It’s not bearable. It’s not bearable at all. It’s the reason Michael Jackson took the sleeping medication. It’s stuff like this,” he revealed. “It’s when you try to, you go, ‘Well, I’m f–king exhausted, out of my mind and yet, I know, there’s a lot of people counting on this.’ So, I know first hand for sure the feelings that people like that go through and the point that they get to where they’re 50 something and decide it’s a great idea to do a 50 city tour.”
Jim compared the mentality of entertainers to that of boxers. “It’s like being a boxer your mentality goes, ‘One more big giant thing!’ the Fricking, ‘Thrilla in Minilla! One more!’ the Golden Globes winner continued. “And then you’re fricking punch-drunk or you’ve got to do it synthetically. And I’m trying to not do that stuff, so sometimes I’m asleep in front of people.”
Jim Carrey's Humble Beginnings in Toronto
Before Jim became the megastar we all know and love, he started his comedy journey in Toronto. His father, Percy, played a significant role in shaping his career. “He was an amazing, incredible character,” Jim fondly recalled of his late dad. “I’m always drawing on my father to play characters. He was the kind of guy who if you talked to him for five minutes, you felt like you knew him for 50 years.”
Jim remembered watching his father entertain guests in their living room. “I would watch him hold court in the living room,” he said. “People invariably left holding their bellies and going, ‘Percy, you missed your calling.’”
Even though stand-up comedy was a stepping stone to greater things, Jim always believed in pushing boundaries. “When something works, people’s instinct is to grab it and stay with it as long as you can. I’ve never been comfortable with that,” he admitted. “I say keep moving — everything is happening to you for a reason. Whatever you’re being given, even if it’s terrifying, is something that if you look at it the right way, you can become stronger because of it.”
