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The King of Comedy: Scorsese, Scorsese, Where Art Thou?

The King of Comedy: Scorsese, Scorsese, Where Art Thou?

Last updated on: July 25, 2026 at 1:23 pm by Chase Padusniak

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The King of Comedy: Scorsese, Scorsese, Where Art Thou? 2026-07-25T13:23:14-04:00 Chase Padusniak

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Rupert Pupkin. What a perfect name for a fame-obsessed stalker and everyman. “Rupert” has a proper, almost British air. It’s the name of a prince or an old man who spends all day sucking black licorice cough drops. And “Pupkin”? Both “pup” and “kin” mark something as diminutive, as small. Rupert Pupkin is a tiny, pathetic aristocrat, a bleating fool in a pompous suit. His suit, in particular, is powder blue.

For those who have not seen Scorsese’s The King of Comedy (1982), Rupert Pupkin works almost better in 2026 than he did back then. Rupert, obsessed by fame, stalks his universe’s Johnny Carson, played by Jerry Lewis. The basement of his home, where he lives with his aging (and always off screen) mother, forms his home and practice space, where he imagines himself as “the king of comedy.” He spouts zingers and one-liners to a laugh track and cardboard cutouts of Jerry, Liza Minelli, and other celebrity guests. Rupert is delusion made manifest—to riff on Mr. Succulent Chinese Meal.

As insane as Rupert is, however, the film’s true focus is fame. Fame, per the movie, is a parasite. Jerry can never be alone. He has stalkers coming out of his ears. If an insane person (say Rupert) wants him to listen to an audition tape, he’ll be punished if he refuses, even though he has no time.

Rupert himself is a victim of fame. It’s all he thinks about. His obsession risks, in fact, being rewarded. The deeper he goes into his insanity, the more likely he is to do something dangerous. And what does the media love more than dangerous and obsessive behavior?

In the age of parasocial relationships, in the age of influencers, this feels all the more real. K-Pop stans, kids watching streams, lolcows. No one is safe, and every kid wants to grow up to make TikTok or YouTube videos. They’ve known the parasite since birth, don’t know any better. Their reward, should they succeed, will be loneliness and insecurity.

The King of Comedy is one in a long line of such human ruminations. Chaucer’s House of Fame, in which Fama spreads rumor from her heavenly temple, destroying reputations and humbling all, is another. But we feel the effects of this parasite more strongly than ever. We all want to be whiny aristocrats, beset by attendants and lonely at heart. We’re all Rupert Pupkin.

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