(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Allllllrighty then! Jim Carrey makes rare return to comedy club
The comic pops up at an old LA haunt to promote his new Showtime series.
January 10, 2017 at 6:15PM
LOS ANGELES -- There was a time when the notion of Jim Carrey popping by a comedy club would have been as expectant as a joke about airline food. But the comic long abandoned the stand-up circuit to focus on an acting and producing career.
That changed Monday -- at least for one evening.
Carrey bounced up on stage at Pasadena's Icehouse Comedy Club to help promote his upcoming Showtime series, "I'm Dying Up Here," a dramatic look at standup in the 70s with Oscar winner Melissa Leo playing a jaded club owner.
Carrey doesn't appear in the series, but he's been front and center as a promoter, and that included warming up an audience of about 70 press members after a dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and sliders in a 56-year-old institution that has played host to everyone from George Carlin to Martin Lawrence.
Carrey approached the stage doing a smooth backfoot glide.
"I haven't been here in 20 years. It's like going backwards," he said looking out at club that had been re-imagined as a '70s hot spot with waitresses serving Tab soft drinks and black ashtrays at every other seat.
After an awkward bit with the mike ("I haven't touched one of these in a while") Carrey played up to the small group, teasing as if he might launch into a full routine.
"I have nothing to say!" he finally said. "I'm not hungry anymore. I've done it all!"
Carrey then handed over stand-up dutes to Al Madrigal, Erik Griffin and Andrew Santino who all appear on the show. Leo also cameoed on stage, if only to respond to her co-stars' ribbings.
"I'm Dying Up Here" premieres June 4.
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