The short shelf life of the comedic actor's popularity

**Supreme Olajuwon** · 01-05-2010, 03:35 PM

Have you ever noticed this? Every so often a comedic actor will have huge success with a handful of movies and become extremely popular. Then for a variety of reasons, the popularity will just be gone. Either the actor was in a huge bomb or the audience just didn't like him anymore. Whatever the case, this happens all the time and it happens quickly, like within a couple years. Then the actor is forced to make a choice. He can keep making shitty movies, he can try a different type of role, or he can just fade away making brief cameos in other movies. I'm not really going anywhere with this, but it's interesting:

Eddie Murphy

Hit It Big:48 Hrs.
Trading Places
Coming to America
Beverly Hills Cop
Coming to America

Flamed Out:
The Golden Child
Harlem Nights
Another 48 Hrs.
Boomerang

Decision:
Kept making comedies. Scored hits with the Nutty Professor and Shrek, but most of his movies are bombs.

Adam Sandler

Hit It Big:
Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
The Wedding Singer

Flamed Out:
Bulletproof
Little Nicky

Decision:
Made more mediocre comedies, but took on an occasional serious role including an outstanding performance in Punch-Drunk Love

Jim Carrey

Hit It Big:
Ace Venture: Pet Detective
The Mask
Dumb & Dumber

Flamed Out:
The Cable Guy

Decision:
Came back with more serious roles in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon, then bombed again with The Grinch and Me, Myself, and Irene, then rebounded with Bruce Almighty and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and now making average to terrible movies

And then there's a bunch more that I'm too lazy to do now:
Ben Stiller
Will Ferrell
Vince Vaughn
Mike Myers
Chris Farley was definitely on his way before he died

I dunno, it's interesting to me how quickly guys move and out of the spotlight, but it's especially quick in comedy. Dramatic actors can be relevant for decades.

01-05-2010, 03:35 PM	#1
Supreme Olajuwon You know that�s right Posts: 52,760	The short shelf life of the comedic actor's popularity Have you ever noticed this? Every so often a comedic actor will have huge success with a handful of movies and become extremely popular. Then for a variety of reasons, the popularity will just be gone. Either the actor was in a huge bomb or the audience just didn't like him anymore. Whatever the case, this happens all the time and it happens quickly, like within a couple years. Then the actor is forced to make a choice. He can keep making shitty movies, he can try a different type of role, or he can just fade away making brief cameos in other movies. I'm not really going anywhere with this, but it's interesting: Eddie Murphy Hit It Big:48 Hrs. Trading Places Coming to America Beverly Hills Cop Coming to America Flamed Out: The Golden Child Harlem Nights Another 48 Hrs. Boomerang Decision: Kept making comedies. Scored hits with the Nutty Professor and Shrek, but most of his movies are bombs. Adam Sandler Hit It Big: Billy Madison Happy Gilmore The Wedding Singer Flamed Out: Bulletproof Little Nicky Decision: Made more mediocre comedies, but took on an occasional serious role including an outstanding performance in Punch-Drunk Love Jim Carrey Hit It Big: Ace Venture: Pet Detective The Mask Dumb & Dumber Flamed Out: The Cable Guy Decision: Came back with more serious roles in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon, then bombed again with The Grinch and Me, Myself, and Irene, then rebounded with Bruce Almighty and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and now making average to terrible movies And then there's a bunch more that I'm too lazy to do now: Ben Stiller Will Ferrell Vince Vaughn Mike Myers Chris Farley was definitely on his way before he died I dunno, it's interesting to me how quickly guys move and out of the spotlight, but it's especially quick in comedy. Dramatic actors can be relevant for decades.