I just watched Ernest goes to Camp, it started a ton of Ernest Sequels, my son and I watched Ernest Goes to Jail, and Ernest-Scared Stupid, we looked on Ebay to find he does just about everything, so I got the DVDs of Ernest Saves Christmas, and Ernest goes to the Army. I never watched any of these in the late 80's, but they were hilarious. I never knew Jim Varney died, until a few weeks ago, what a total bummer, he was only 50-he had lung cancer, and then it spread to his brain. Did anyone else like those movies? Has anyone seen Fast Food-he's in it?
Posted by djcsuperstar (Member # 723) on :
Not that I would consider myself a fan, but I once watched "101 Ernest Commercials"
I never realized there were that many. He must've made a small fortune off of those alone.
I do enjoy Ernest Goes to Camp...I dig the whole camp comedy genre (ala Meatballs) and I really like the "troubled teen" movies (ala Over the Edge)
That movie has both Posted by isis9968 (Member # 1780) on :
You know what I mean- Vern! I never connected him to that, but I remember the commercial too, and didn't realize that's what propelled him in to making the Ernest movies, which I can't believe how many he made. I heard he was very depressed in real life, which is really sad. Alot of comedians are. I am good friends with a pretty famous comedian, and I was shocked, because he knows everyone and works on The Dave Letterman show, and it's a bummer to see that people who have such a talent for making others happy and laugh, are so miserable in their own lives.
Posted by djcsuperstar (Member # 723) on :
Yep, sadly, those are usually the funniest comedians.
I mean Stephen Wright is a riot, and he seems to be anything but cheery.
Posted by jjsacran (Member # 1314) on :
Heck yeah, ernist is awesome, and it was definately sad that he died so young too.
Jim Varney(Earnist), is accually related to me through my grandmother who was first or second cousins with him. i never accually got to meet him, but they say he was a pretty good guy.
Posted by Bratpack4ever (Member # 1727) on :
I really don't want to start trouble or anything, but as a joke, they should have made an Ernest Goes To Hell- The Final Ernest Posted by isis9968 (Member # 1780) on :
That is freaky, my mother actually said the same thing about the goes to hell thing too, he went to Africa, and school, and every other place, that actually could have been really funny.
Also, my friend who's a comedian-he went to college with Stephen Wright, and he was in a comedy group with him and some other comedians in the 80's, another was Bob Goldthwait-sp? "Bobcat"-from police academy. It is true too, I knew from him telling me stuff about comedians in real life, and I have actually meet quite a few, I went to Caroline's in New York City, and got to meet a lot of 80's comedians. I have talked to Colin Quinn on the phone, and they're just like any regular person, it's just that's their job. It is actually a really hard job, to get up, and say the same things over and over every night, and make people laugh, when you might not feel good, or had a bad day, and you really have to be self motivated to the highest degree.
Posted by StevenHW (Member # 509) on :
Part of djcsuperstar's post:
quote: Not that I would consider myself a fan, but I once watched "101 Ernest Commercials"
I never realized there were that many. He must've made a small fortune off of those alone...[snip]
Yes. Jim Varney made tons of nationwide and regional/local TV and radio commercials throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's. If there was any actor who took a self-created "character" and milked it for what it's worth, it would have to be Varney and his "Ernest P. Worrell" creation!
Sadly, Varney died of lung cancer in February 2000.
I live in Sacramento, Calif., and there is a nearby place called The Roseville Auto Mall, which includes The John L. Sullivan Chevrolet Auto dealership. Varney did lots of commercials for them...and they STILL show them on local TV, even three years after his death!
We just watched Ernest Saves Christmas-even though we are in the milddle of a heatwave-, I had never seen it, and got it on DVD. It was hilarious. I love the reindeer sticking to the ceiling. And the end when the 2 guys at the packaging company, get the Easter Bunny in the box, that was funny! I figured Jim Varney died in 2000 at age 50, I think he did Ernest goes to Camp in 1987- which then he would have only been 37, didn't he look much much older than that??? That is so sad, that he died so young, I just was starting to be a fan of his, and didn't even know he wasn't around any more. What a drag.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)