A teen-age girl conceals her insecurity behind a barrage of jokes — until she meets an aspiring comedian who asks for her help with his new act. Janet is an over-weight girl who has a knack for making the other children in school laugh... by making fun of her own weight. In seeing the other kids' reactions, she feels that she might have what it takes to be a comedian. She visits the local comedy club where she finds Tony Moroni who is a struggling comedian whose jokes are less than funny. Together Tony helps Janet find self-esteem and Janet helps Tony with his material.
Acting
Carrey's rubber-faced precursors to Ace Ventura chaos
Production
Gloriously dated 1981 Toronto aesthetic
Director
Glen Salzman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in Toronto when Carrey was 19, this predates his breakthrough by nearly a decade. He was reportedly paid $350.
The 'after-school special' format here treats eating disorders and bullying with blunt sincerity that feels alien to modern viewers—earnestness as its own time capsule.
CA
