There are loads of Hollywood success stories out there and while Sylvester Stallone’s will always remain my favorite, Jim Carrey is a not too distant second. He’s another success story who started off with major financial struggles that included he and his family. In fact in the early 80s he nearly gave up stand up comedy after couple of bombed routines in Toronto of all places. Things stabilized with his family and he got back to doing stand up and gradually began to land gigs at Dangerfield’s and eventually appearing on the Tonight Show.
However, despite his increasing popularity as a stand-up comic, Carrey turned his attention to the film and television industries, auditioning to be a cast member for the 1980—1981 season of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Carrey was not selected for the position, although he later hosted the show in May 1996, January 2011, and October 2014 when he was already a humongous star.
I recently came upon some footage of his SNL tape and to be 100% honest, while his impressions were spot on, I could see why at the time he was turned down. I don’t think 1980-81 SNL was ready for this guy yet. Good thing In Living Color was. Too bad that wasn’t until 1990.
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