Live, from Buckhead, it's Jim Carrey!
The comic actor, who’s been in Atlanta filming “Dumb and Dumber To,” took his high-energy antics to a very small stage over the weekend with an appearance at the Buckhead Barnes & Noble to read and sign his new children’s book. Fans started lining up well in advance and the able B&N staff kept things orderly with a velvet rope, but Carrey wasn’t having it. As soon as he took the platform in the children’s storytelling corner, he invited the entire crowd over to join him.
“There’s nothing interesting over there,” he said, herding everyone his way. “They’re all out of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’ Come on over, girls!”
He then invited kids seated in front of him to help. Each time he turned a page of “How Roland Rolls,” which tells the story of Roland the Wave, Carrey got the young readers in on the action. “WHOOSH!” they all shouted in unison.
"How Roland Rolls" is about a wave who fears the worst will happen when he reaches the shore. We won't spoil the ending for you but can tell you that Carrey, whose grandson Jackson is 3, had a great time reaching a new generation of fans whose parents brought them to the store.
“It’s wonderful to be here in Buckhead,” Carrey said. “Gateway to deer foot. Five miles from Bambi’s butt!”
Moms and dads had already been furiously snapping away on their cellphone cameras, but for the little ones in the room, Carrey had them at “butt.” (When you’re a kid, what’s more hilarious than an adult saying “butt”?)
Ahead of his reading and signing, he did a few interviews with media outlets including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CNN, Star 94 and V-103.
"It's just freedom from concern," he said, referring to the enduring popularity of the nutty dimwits he and co-star Jeff Daniels play. "These characters are so funny, so ridiculous. No one does it better than the Farrellys."
Filmmakers Bobby and Peter Farrelly are no strangers to Atlanta, having shot "Hall Pass" and "The Three Stooges" here in years past. So they know their way around town enough to know that a trip to Johnny's Hideaway was a must. Carrey said the gang had dinner at Hal's on Old Ivy the other night, and talked about going to Johnny's for an hour during the meal. So naturally they went, and had a blast.
Less amusing was the Oct. 12 theft of a $500,000 camera that was to be used for a scene in the movie. Someone stole the pricey gadget from a crew member’s SUV in Chamblee. Carrey just shook his head at mention of the recent heist, which did not affect his scenes but will surely mean a blizzard of insurance paperwork for someone. Authorities are investigating.
“Dumb and Dumber To” has filmed in Cabbagetown, Grantville, Stone Mountain and Brookhaven. The project finished a two-day stint in Marietta recently complete with a Zamboni drive down one of the streets on the downtown Square. Carrey said filming continues until November but of course couldn’t reveal details about the long-awaited sequel.
“It’s just friends getting together again,” he said. “It’s much, much funnier. It’s hard to believe we could top it!”
About the Author
