The King of Comedy; a movie I have often heard of but never had the opportunity to watch until It randomly came across as a recommendation after I just finished watching another highly rated Robert De Niro “classic.” (Which was the Movie, Heat, in case you are curious. I have my own views that differ significantly from the masses. Stay tuned for a future blog discussing that movie).

Starring the aforementioned Bobby D and late comedic legend Jerry Lewis, De Niro’s character Rupert Pupkin, is a delusional upstart comedian who happens to slip into Jerry’s car while he is attempting to escape a mob of fans. Rupert then begins to spend the first half of the film badgering, begging and berating Jerry and his staff into giving him a shot to perform on Jerry’s late night TV show. After literally refusing to take NO for an answer, Jerry’s assistant listens to Rupert’s demo tape and gives him actual constructive criticism, stating that he has great comedic timing but needs to work on his actual material (Director Martin Scorsese illustrates this to great effect during the climax of the film). Refusing to believe that his comedic craft could still benefit from some additional seasoning, Pupkin then proceeds to devise a plan to kidnap Jerry with the help of fellow lunatic Masha, played by Sandra Bernhard, all in an effort to force his way into a showcase performance.

This movie is billed as a comedy, yet I did not find myself bellowing with laughter at any point during the film’s nearly two hour runtime. The only parts I found truly funny were when Rupert, and to a lesser extent Masha, were committing their most absurd of acts. For instance, Pupkin along with his romantic interest Rita (played by De Niro’s real life ex-wife Dihanne Abbott) find their way to Jerry’s home, tells a convincing lie to get past his butler, then proceeds to tell endearing stories about each of the photos in Jerry’s living room.

What’s also ironic is that I did not find Jerry Lewis to be very funny during any point of the film. Since his inaugural scene, Jerry is often curmudgeonly, irritated and curt, which makes sense given that his character is constantly harassed by fanatatics, stalkers and staff alike.  Jerry Lewis’s heyday was before my time, so I can’t speak to his comedic style nor how perceivably funny he actually was. Yet, I did wish there was more pizzazz and emotion from his character. 

These observations may come across as if I didn’t particularly care for the film. On the contrary, this was an excellent, well directed and tightly paced film that tells a very unique story for the time; as dozens of movies since have taken inspiration from this classic (2019’s Joker is a prime example). The story of a delusional, psychopathic narcissist who refuses to take any sort of criticism, nor performs even a modicum of work to develop his craft, is played expertly by De Niro. And this was a role I was quite unaccustomed to seeing from him, as most of the movies I’ve seen Bobby D in were either mob related (Goodfellas is an all time favorite of mines) or him playing some sort of hard ass. I was more so surprised that this movie was less of a comedy but more so a drama with a tinge of thriller tossed into the mix. There were points of the film where I was unsure as to how far this guy was actually going to go in order to get the notoriety he desperately desired. 

What really struck me while watching this film was Rupert’s thinking in that he had already arrived. That just from watching Jerry’s act over the years, he was ready for the big time without needing to do any of the foundational work that is necessary to develop any skill set. That he could go straight to the main stage without first slowly and carefully building his network in the comedy scene. In the opening scene, Jerry explicitly tells Rupert that there is no easy way to make it to his level. That the glitz and the glamour you see on the television screen is only obtainable after working tirelessly on your craft for years, starting at the very bottom.

I remember this very point being repeatedly stated on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, where Rogan and any comedian guest he would have on the show, waxing poetic about the trials and tribulations of honing their skills throughout the decades. And that they would even on occasion return to the very same “bottom rung of the ladder” where they first started, in order to utilize the whet stone of their roots to sharpen their act. This is true for almost every profession outside of comedy; from lawyers and doctors starting off as graduate student interns, contractors gaining an apprenticeship through a trade school, and even comedians and musicians sharing their material for the first time at their area’s local open mic event. Starting from the bottom is what truly makes the journey to the top worthwhile. 

Yet, following a path that the greats of yesteryear had to tread wasn’t good enough for Rupert. He’d rather live in his delusions of grandeur, fantasizing about Jerry begging him to take over the late night show; or having faux interviews with cardboard cutouts of celebrities while ignoring the screams to “SHUT UP” from his mother in the background. And this very factor is what stuck with me the most after watching this film…

We unfortunately live in the era of social media where a plethora of people think that they have already arrived. That posting a picture, making a comment, or sharing a video is grounds for celebration. That a display of one’s finest moments of success and triumph, came with minimal work ethic. That there is little to no degree of pain, suffering, heartache, discouragement or bewilderment inflicted when trying to obtain something that is truly desired. No…too many people want it the easy way. Too many of us want success and admiration without really earning it. Too many of us are too afraid, or too lazy, to really work hard for the outcomes that we dream of. Rupert Pupkin is the perfect avatar for modern day society, forty years after The King of Comedy debuted.  

And some of us do obtain fame and fortune by doing the minimum or by simply being mediocre. We’ve seen it throughout the years. From sex tapes, to twerk videos, to simple displays of poor behavior and judgment; Its human nature to look at the train derail. Martin Scorsese demonstrates this notion expertly during the final scene of the film. But I ask you, is this truly the way you want to achieve success? Is sacrificing your humanity, your reputation and the potential well being of another person, really worth achieving your goal? For some, the answer very well may be yes. However, for me, its an unequivocal no. And I hope those reading this are on the same page as I am.

I know this review about a near half century old film became pretty deep, but this film really resonated with me, and I would encourage those who have yet to see this film, especially those of my succeeding demographic in Gen Z, to watch it. Its available to stream on Hulu. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and keep an eye out for future blog post in the near future.

Kreedo