Jim Carrey Once Called a Politician a ‘Fascist’ For Signing a Bill Mandating Vaccines For Kids
Among both the long list of comedic and dramatic actors in Hollywood, Jim Carrey is a treasure. He pretty much took over the ’90s comedy scene after 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and almost three decades later, the actor can still have audiences in stitches. As young fans from his slapstick 90s comedies have grown, he’s grown from just being a force of physical comedy and timing into an actor that can also deliver powerful dramatic performances.
His comedy is known for being a bit over the top, and some would say some of his controversial statements and positions are as well. Though fans love Carrey’s camp on the screen, many think he goes a bit too far in his opposition to vaccines.
Jim Carrey’s Career
Carrey would only become a household name after a string of hit roles in the mid-90s, but he was an active performer for long before that. Born in 1962 in Ontario according to IMDb, he was extremely extroverted and was interested in acting from an early age. Young Carrey even sent a resume to The Carol Burnett Show at age 10.
Once grown he would continue to pursue performance, starting in standup in the Toronto comedy scene. In 1979 he moved to LA, where a regular show at The Comedy Store got him noticed by legend Rodney Dangerfield. Dangerfield signed Carrey as his opening act, definitely boosting the young comic’s exposure.
After a role in Earth Girls are Easy, he would land a regular role on In Living Color. This would eventually lead to larger roles heading toward his breakout in 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. After that, he would star in a long string of hit comedic roles and would go on to prove his significant dramatic chops in movies like The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Behind the smile of the comedy legend
Though Carrey has a notoriously manic and bubbly onscreen presence, he’s struggled with mental health in his personal life. After swearing off stimulants and alcohol forever and turning toward personal spirituality, the actor claims to have come a long way in his own personal happiness.
As many people living with depression are familiar with the manic highs and dismal lows plaguing their life, it seems so sad that someone so high energy onscreen for the enjoyment of fans, suffers so much from the depression in private.
Carrey claims he’s come a long way in his struggle, telling 60 Minutes in 2004, “There are peaks, there are valleys. But they’re all kind of carved and smoothed out, and it feels like a low level of despair you live in.”
Carrey outraged over vaccination bill
In 2015, Governor Jerry Brown of California signed a bill that mandated vaccinations for schoolchildren across the state. Carrey hasn’t been shy about his distrust of vaccines and promptly took to social media to criticize the move.
According to the Daily Beast, the actor responded by tweeting “California Gov says yes to poisoning more children with mercury and aluminum in manditory [sic] vaccines. This corporate fascist must be stopped.” Running straight to calling the signing of a bipartisan supported bill “fascism” wasn’t a good look, and upset many fans.
Many more were upset that an overwhelming majority medical research says that vaccines are safe and effective, according to the FDA. Vaccines are supported by medical research and the majority of Americans, and seeing the star frequently speaking out against them often leaves a bad taste in their mouths. Still, they shouldn’t be too surprised anymore since he repeatedly expressed views like this since dating his long-term girlfriend and fellow anti-vax activist Jenny McCarthy.
Carrey has stated that he’s not entirely anti-vax, tweeting in 2015 according to Newsweek “I am not anti-vaccine. I am anti-thimerosal, anti-mercury. They have taken some of the mercury laden thimerosal out of vaccines. NOT ALL!” Vaccines are, in fact, rigorously tested and contained trace elements that the actor references are far within safe limits.
The vaccine debate hasn’t slowed down in the past 6 years and likely won’t anytime soon. The actor speaks for what he believes in as he’s done his whole career. If fans don’t agree with him, at least they can still laugh together through any of the countless hours of entertainment this legend has created over the years.
