Since the early days, Jerry Lewis - in the line of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel - had the masses laughing with his visual gags, pantomime sketches and signature slapstick humor. Yet Lewis was far more than just a clown. He was also a groundbreaking filmmaker whose unquenchable curiosity led him to write, produce, stage and direct many of the films he appeared in, resulting in such adored classics as The Bellboy, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and The Nutty Professor. By becoming a "total filmmaker," Lewis surpassed expectations as a comic performer and emerged as a driving force in Hollywood. He broke boundaries with his technical innovations, unique voice and keen visual eye, even garnering respect and praise overseas. However, American critics and the cultural elite tended to reject his abrasive art. While they viewed Lewis as nothing more than just a clown, others like the French recognized him as a true auteur, giving rise to questions that have perplexed American pop culture for over 50 years: Why do Europeans love Jerry Lewis? What is this inexplicable aversion Americans have towards him? Is he just a brash, anything-for-yuk buffoon? Or is he a creative genius? Who is the man behind the clown? 译文(2): 从早期开始，杰瑞 · 刘易斯——就像桌别林、基顿和劳雷尔一样——用他的视觉笑料、哑剧素描和标志性的闹剧幽默逗得大家捧腹大笑。然而刘易斯不仅仅是一个小丑。他也是一位开创性的电影制作人，无法抑制的好奇心促使他写作、制作、舞台表演和导演了许多他出演的电影，导致了《侍者》、《淑女先生》、《差使》和《随身变》等经典电影的诞生。通过成为一个“完全的电影制片人”，刘易斯超越了作为一个喜剧演员的期望，成为了好莱坞的驱动力。他的技术创新，独特的声音和敏锐的视觉打破了界限，甚至赢得了海外的尊重和赞誉。然而，美国的批评家和文化精英倾向于拒绝他的粗糙的艺术。虽然他们认为刘易斯只不过是一个小丑，其他人，如法国人认为他是一个真正的导演，引起了问题，困扰了美国流行文化50多年: 为什么欧洲人爱杰里刘易斯？美国人对他有什么莫名其妙的厌恶？他只是一个傲慢的，只为恶心的小丑吗？或者他是个创意天才？小丑背后的人是谁？
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