The King of Comedy (1983 film)

The King of Comedy is a 1982 American black comedy drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis and Sandra Bernhard. Written by Paul D. Zimmerman, the film focuses on themes including celebrity worship and American media culture. 20th Century Fox released the film on February 18, 1983 in the United States, though the film was released two months earlier in Iceland. The film began shooting in New York on June 1, 1981 to avoid clashing with a forthcoming writers strike, and opened the Cannes Film Festival in 1983.

When the straight approach does not work, Rupert hatches a kidnapping plot with the help of Masha Sandra Bernhard, a stalker similarly obsessed with Langford. As ransom, Rupert demands that he be given the opening spot on that evenings Jerry Langford Show guest hosted by Tony Randall, and that the show be broadcast in normal fashion. The network brass, lawyers, and the FBI agree to his demands, with the understanding that Langford will be released once the show airs. Between the taping of the show and the broadcast, Masha has her dream date with Langford, who is ducttaped to a chair in her parents Manhattan townhouse. Jerry convinces her to untie him and he manages to escape.Ruperts standup routine is well received. In his act, he describes his troubled life from growing up in a poor neighborhood to getting beat on in his adolescence while simultaneously laughing at his circumstances . Rupert closes by confessing to the studio audience that he kidnapped Jerry Langford in order to break into show business. The audience laughs, believing it to be part of his act. Rupert responds by saying, Tomorrow youll know I wasnt kidding and youll all think Im crazy. But I figure it this way better to be king for a night, than schmuck for a lifetime. ........

Source: Wikipedia