Jerry Lewis' screen persona

The slightly retarded, helium-voiced manchild. Why did he settle on this image to present to the public? From what I've read, he was the the polar opposite in real life: shrewd businessman, quite the ladies' man. Any sizemeatus verificacia?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAfjSYvg02g



• Liz Renay said Lewis remained "true to his wife" (in his own mind) by sitting in a hotel room with her while she pranced around naked in high heels and he jerked off on a little piece of shag carpet he carried in his pocket for precisely that use. When it was over, he told her "That's probably the most HONORED piece of carpet in the world."

  Hey%20LAAAAADY

• An utterly repulsive human being, on every level.

• The French adore him. He must smell like very old cheese.

  Dean Martin's patent leather loafers

• Why did he settle on this image to present to the public? From what I've read, he was the the polar opposite in real life: shrewd businessman, I think you've answered your own question. He was immensely successful playing a doofus. Why would he want to do anything otherwise? He tried, and failed spectacularly, with his Nazi deathcamp film.

• I loved him when I was a kid, but then I was eight years old. I don't know how he was popular with adults. As I got older I couldn't tolerate him.

• Hey LAAADY!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DlwGwG5a7B2k

• Because that persona made people laugh. And it made him money. Lots of it, that's why. It wasn't until much later that he was found out to be a total unmitigated egomaniacal asshole of the first order. Dean Martin hated him and THAT is what broke up their act. Dean wanted to get out from under his narcissistic, manipulative, NEEDY and overbearing shadow. Dean wanted a solo career but also could not stand to work with him any longer. It was decades before they even spoke, at least publicly. I think they were reunited on one of the telethons in the 80's or 90's?

• R2 NAILED IT. THREAD CLOSED

• Has he ever acknowledged his illegitimate daughter? She looks just fucking like him, poor thing. She was homeless for awhile.

• His 50 year dedication to and raising hundreds of millions for MDA truly mitigate whatever personality flaws the man might have. How many of us have done so much to help so many?

• He was fantastic in The King of Comedy. I'd go so far as to say he was robbed of an Oscar nomination. Brilliant film.

• [quote]His 50 year dedication to and raising hundreds of millions for MDA truly mitigate whatever personality flaws the man might have. How many of us have done so much to help so many? Very few. And how many of us have created a film character so irritating that people wince in pain when they recall it?

• You're right, r10 - Lewis did raise a lot of money but on his terms. Like slobbering all MD patients and portraying them as ever so grateful and pitiful cripples. And the telethons were really about Jerry - how exhausted he was, what a fucking saint. Then times changed and MD patients began objecting to being patronized and exploited and being rolled out in their wheelchairs to be pitied. They asked him to knock off the Queen for a Day bullshit and Lewis didn't like that. It was only a matter of time before he left. He's always been a miserable cunt.

• Who was his illegitimate daughter, R9? Shari Lewis?

• He was strange. Always waiting for that shoe to drop and he would blow his top

• I always thought he was in love with Dean.

• [quote] They asked him to knock off the Queen for a Day bullshit and Lewis didn't like that. It was only a matter of time before he left. Wow, I can't believe anyone else remembers, "Queen for a Day". I remember it from when I was about 5 years old and I'm 55. It may have been only a matter of time before he left, but didn't he host the telethon for many decades?

• He was also excellent in Funny Bones. Much more talented as a serious actor.

• R18, Funny Bones was the only movie that he was in that I could stand. Had a few very brief contacts with him. Proved to me that he truly is the self involved asshat DL has always claimed.

• "His 50 year dedication to and raising hundreds of millions..." That was his job -- he couldn't get another. R11, yes, Lewis was wonderful in The King of Comedy. Problem was, after the release of the film he got a syndicated talk show, and guess who showed up? That phony fawning egomania jackass, Jerry Lewis. Show didn't last long.