Jim Carrey’s assessment of John Belushi’s death: “It was his fault”
The 1990s were an exciting time for up-and-coming Hollywood comedians, with a variety of performers being given a public platform. The likes of Eddie Murphy and Bill Murray continued to thrive, whilst such newcomers as Sarah Silverman and Jim Carrey stormed onto the scene, offering something new, fresh and vibrant to an audience demanding something a little different.
If ‘different’ was what you were after during the decade, Carrey was certainly your man, announcing himself onto the scene with a distinctive personality that made him instantly memorable. Although he was snubbed by Saturday Night Live, Carrey quickly made a name for himself in Hollywood, enjoying an extraordinary year of success in 1994, releasing a trio of classics that included The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
Although it was the 1990s that certainly made Carrey a household name, he had done all the legwork in the previous decade, having worked in the industry since 1981. Whilst he was working to climb the ranks of the industry, the actor found himself among the company of those whose names were already written in the stars, including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Richard Pryor, Billy Crystal and John Belushi.
Carrey was asked about this formative time for his career during an interview with Playboy, with the publication questioning how he made his rise among comics like Belushi, who “were overcome by excess”. Continuing, they explained how “people around him wouldn’t let him have a bad moment even if it meant feeding him drugs,” an opinion that Carrey quickly refuted.
“That’s bullshit,” the actor responded, “It was his fault. John Belushi was a strong-willed motherfucker who’d kick your ass if you told him how to live. This is the mistake people make. Why couldn’t someone talk to Elvis? Well, good luck. You were out the door if you did. It’s this habit we have of shirking our responsibility to ourselves”.
Questioned on his stance further, the publication put forward the example of Sam Kinison, who “seemed to work best when they were standing on the edge of a precipice”.
Yet, Carrey wasn’t ready to agree with this statement either, explaining: “Sam was in total denial. He created a beast he couldn’t get away from. I’m not saying that’s ultimately what happened to him. But I know his struggle…when you create the beast, you’ve got to be the beast, you know? I’ve got enough of a beast in me, man”.
Despite his judgements, Carrey, who has long been clean from alcohol and drugs, added: “I’m not as much fun for somebody who just wants to get wasted. I’m too confrontational to be around. But I don’t judge people. You want to get wasted? I’ll pass it to you. Here you go. You’re your own judge. I don’t want to judge anybody”.
Take a look at a clip of Carrey in his early stand-up days below.
