Jim Carrey Returns To TV After 25 Years Via the Showtime Comedy 'Kidding'
Jim Carrey will return to television after 25 years. The comedian will soon star in the Showtime comedy "Kidding," which will reunite him with director Michel Gondry.
"Kidding" will be a 10-episode offering where Carrey will play Jeff and his alter ego Mr. Pickles, a childhood icon on television. Jeff, however, struggles with a family crisis that would eventually affect his career.
"No one inhabits a character like Jim Carrey, and this role — which is like watching Humpty Dumpty after the fall," Showtime CEO David Nevins said. "[It] is going to leave television audiences wondering how they went so long without him."
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"Kidding" will mark the actor's return in front of the TV cameras. Carrey first got his break in Hollywood via the sketch comedy series "In Living Color," which aired on FOX from 1990 to 1994.
The show was compared to "Saturday Night Live" except that Carrey was one of the few Caucasian comedians in the cast. "In Living Color" was created by African-American brothers Keenan and Damon Wayans ("Lethal Weapon") and featured mostly black actors.
Carrey also had cameos in the comedy series "The Office" and "30 Rock."
"Kidding" will further strengthen Carrey's working relationship with Showtime since he is the executive producer of "I'm Dying up Here" that features a group of comedians from the 1970's. Showtime gave the series a second season renewal after a successful run this summer.
Gondry will direct all of the episodes of "Kidding." He and Carrey worked together on the critically-acclaimed 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Dave Holstein ("Raising Hope") will write the episodes and server as showrunner, while both Carrey and Gondry will also be executive producers.
Meanwhile, Carrey also expressed his interest in joining a Marvel franchise. There were earlier rumors that the actor was one of the choices to play Loki in "Thor" back in 2011. Tom Hiddleston was eventually cast in the role.
