Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) is a failure in life but a celebrity in his own mind, hosting an imaginary talk show in his mother's basement. When he meets actual talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis), he's convinced it will provide his big break, but Langford isn't interested in the would-be comedian. Undaunted, Pupkin effectively stalks Langford -- and when that doesn't work, he kidnaps him, offering his release in exchange for a guest spot on Langford's show.
"Like Travis Bickle, Rupert Pupkin becomes a celebrity in spite of -- and because of -- his antisocial behavior. The overnight success of this borderline psycho is as chillingly ironic as the taxi driver’s was cathartic." - Entertainment Weekly
"Scorsese infuses this tale with the passionate energy of New York street life and an outsider's wonder at the powerful workings of show business and studio craft." - New Yorker
"What we have here is an agonizing portrait of lonely, angry people with their emotions all tightly bottled up." - Roger Ebert
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