Going unnoticed has never been my strong suit. -Jerry Lewis
I was raised as a little girl to the amazement of this man. The man and the way he acted, the way he didn't seem to care about how ridiculous he was, but it honestly was a good thing because to this day I have never laughed and enjoyed watching perform, or even, just be himself more than anyone I've ever witnessed. He does everything so effortlessly it seems, and puts being uncomfortable aside; actually I bet being uncomfortable for him is to what someone else would be their comfort zone.
The Nutty Professor is the first film I saw him in, either that or Rock a By Baby which is my favorite, (if I had to pick one) and I know I was really young when I did, and I had never seen anything like it. Some people would say that about some spectacle of a movie, and of course this movie wasn't that, but I am saying it in the sense that Jerry just took what he had and went with it. He created his characters on so many layers and stuck to it, and made it so convincing and still more than managed to give you all he had in a performance (which was a lot).
As an actress (well, one in progress, an aspiring one) I always have wanted to stick to dramatic acting and dramatic roles, which people think is interesting of me because I am that girl that always is being crazy and basically a "class clown" for lack of a better term. But it has been awhile I'll admit, that I have watched one of his films, even though I never forgot how he mad me feel the years I didn't watch his films, I watched one two nights back, and it was just an amazing feeling seeing pure true comedy, and a pure & true person doing it. Ahh I feel like I am doing a terrible job explaining this, which I hate because I wish I could express how seriously I am effected by this man (in a good way) and how everything he does makes me so happy there was someone in show business like him. He never gets old to me, he's the definition of a classic; he's timeless.
If I am ever asked "Who would you just be a total wreck meeting?" I wouldn't have to give it thought. Of course I have many, many other influences and inspirations but nothing like Jerry Lewis. What I find such a blessing and something I am thrilled about is knowing he is still in this world with us. Think of all the amazing people that have left this earth, but he is still here, and one of the few of Hollywoods golden out there. To sound a little silly, but to be honest, on the top of my bucket list it says 'Meet Jerry Lewis" and of course, if I don't meet him in this life it's okay, just knowing someone was here on Earth like him is all that matters.
He has inspired me more than just acting too, and most I have trouble putting into words, its almost just a feeling you get from watching him. But something that I have really taken note on for me personally is that I grew up as the funny, outgoing, silly, ridiculous girl and as I have grown older I very well notice I have lost lots of that spunk, but mostly when out of the home, so I know I still have it. It's not like I just shut it off in public, but I never really even gave it a chance and it became a habit, and i didn't even realize when I actually changed. But since I revisited my childhood and was so strongly reminded of how I should be that girl again, no not because I want to be like Jerry Lewis, but because he taught me that it's better to have fun being who you really are and it shows it really got him somewhere, I mean look at it this way, if he would have started feeling stupid and obnoxious and just put off the whole comedy thing than would I even be writing about him now? It just makes you think a little.
I knew I had to write about this, because he, even without me realizing it, has molded me as a person, since I was a little girl and I am trying so hard to describe my feelings on the matter and I can feel it lacking comprehension and understanding. Maybe it's one of those things you see in someone through action? And maybe its just one of those things that leaves you speechless, to where people are just going to have to trust you when you say this has a life changing effect on me, however strange that may sound.
I also want to write real fast on how when he did all those films with Dean Martin, he was more of the slapstick comedy and Dean was more of the clever, witty heart-throb type. But to me, everything Jerry does makes you fall in love with him more and more.
I am truly grateful for the amazing inspirations I have that have come before me and taught me things I would have never learned on my own, about myself and who I want to be in this life. I knew that this one was definitely worth writing about, as they all are, I just had to get this out and share with you what I have been feeling a lot lately since it has been so long since I have written (I'm sorry, so much stuff has been going on, and I couldn't decide on which to write about to if I should just write about all of it) & its crazy this this overruled writing about little things going on in my life, but this is a major factor in my life. It is linked to my number one goal, my dream, what I will do, and also the kind of person I aspire to be while doing it.
I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again! -Jerry Lewis
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