Freakin Genius. Gone way too soon

I lived in Lexington and ran into him a few times after he became famous. He would frequent the bars at the Radisson and the Hyatt, which were popular at the time, when he was in town. He was always like he was everybody's friend and everybody was his friend. If you encountered him he would likely do a funny little impromptu skit for you. Couldn't believe it when I heard he had died. One of his movies, can't remember which, the characters are about to crack up half the time, probably because of things he was doing off-camera or between takes.

Just the way he says "hair" with that accent is hilarious...

Jim Varney was awesome. He's still awesome. I could watch a video of him making coffee and still get a kick out of it...lol.

Loved Jim Varney very talented man......Hey Vern!!

That suit is the most 90's thing I've seen in a looooong while

jim Varney is awesome.

great deep voice. Feels good to listen too.

Ernest goes to camp was one of first (if not the first) movie I ever saw at the theater.....he is missed.

I used to really love this guy so many years ago and didn't even know he'd passed on. I love this, thanks! ^_^

Thanks stonegator. I saw the Bunny Jennette Rogers routine develop in Chattanooga in the early 70s.

Jim Varney was so funny I love this video. Thank you for sharing

Thanks for the upload! This is great!

I always loved Jim in the milk commercials. Thanks for sharing!

His stand up is awsome!! Thanks for posting!

Wow he made a good mime too! I sure miss that guy!

He was such a great actor and he was so funny. I loved all his movies!!!!!

He Was 1 Of The BEST Actors Around! Especially As Ernest LOL I

No way!!! His home town is only an hour from me?!?!? Always loved this guy :)

Lovin ur short clips!!! RIP Jim

Handsome man!

Cool video ,RIP Jim!!! My son and I love Ernest.

OMFG funny! The beginning was so-so but it really picked up halfway through. You rock stonegator; thanks for digging this up from wherever it was hiding ^.^

I watched his commercials today, he should be alive today , if he had lung cancer, then I wish and still wish that that cigarettes were off the market completely. I miss him :(

That suit is all class.

Legend

I miss Jim, one of a kind...

So great!

MY entire childhood was based on this guy.. He was amazing.. :(

Funny stuff! Thanks for sharing this rare video. And to all the people saying it's "awful"... if he were in drag you'd probably be laughing, so please... use a little imagination and try to appreciate his pantomime and mannerisms!

This guy was a pure genius,,and its crazy how natural it came to him,,this guy was so good,,damn i miss REAL AUTHENTIC comedians ,,the ones that had to make it on strong personality!,and nowadays its all about looks and special effects, and because of crazy fuckin dumb kids and parents,they dont even put the same shit on TV that they used to in the 80's.We will probably never see guys like this again,,just pure talent.

I grew up on him. Funny dude. Good tv show and his movies were great as well.

GOD it's just not fair!

I love him!! He's so cute, he reminds me of being a kid :)

"I roll huurr."

R. I. P Jim

He was so cool,,..in fact I am sure he still is.cool like that...carries on with his soul.:):)

Ernest we miss u buddy wish u were still with us making another Ernest film lol

What. A. Treasure.

Know what I mean?

Funny funny man!

Bunny shows very briefly in Ernest Scared Stupid. She also shows up in the 1994 video "Your World As I See It" where his Astor Clement character hosts and introduces many of Jim's other familiar characters. She might have popped up in another movie but I can't remember right now. I know he had been doing Bunny since the early 80's when he was on POP GOES THE COUNTRY for a brief period and in other stand-up performances.

He really that comment as a compliment. By the way, there is another clip of this stand-up that I just posted. Hope you enjoy.

woww 1992 old school comdey!

I was really surprised when I first saw a picture of Jim Varney out of character. For some reason that cap Ernest always wore made me think Jim was bald...I never would have guessed he had a full head of wavy hair.

Anyone else from Lexington, KY here?

@stonegator Awesome! Thank you :D

i didnt know Jim wore an earring. haha, he was cool. look at the gold he wearing.

Jim looks a lot like Lee Van Cleef in this.

Lol! Where did that funny picture at the end come from? I've never seen that!

@GenXer68 I think it was in Ernest Rides Again.

I saw him live at Nashville's Exit/Inn in the 2nd half of the 70's. I think it was after his stint as Sgt. Glory (Is that the name?) for Purity Dairy and before Ernest debuted. He was surprisingly edgy and intelligent, and did a great segment of Shakespearian parody. Quite a departure from his "Creature Cooler" bug juice ads. Anyone have any of those to upload? I couldn't find a single still image or reference to this character on the net.

I performed at this event with the Merry Muckers of Mirth improv troupe..you do not happen to have that recorded?

My mom called that a rat's nest in the hair, impossible to comb out, thy would resort in to cutting the hair 😂

Please make this available for playback on iPhone. I need my Varney fixes on the go! XD

I love Jim Varney and his Ernest character, but his stand-up was a little weird for me. But I do have to say thanks for posting this rare video.

I'm from nicholasville. Who all performed at this event

@writertrump amen to that!

why do the good always die so young? I moved near his hometown in TN and think about him when I see the name

Where in Lexington was this filmed?

Actually, he looks pretty good as Bunny Jeanette

I'm a roll hur... 😂😂😂

Wow, when you listen to his voice you can tell how he was gone from lung cancer less than 10 years later. The man was in his early 40s and he had the voice of a 70something year old chain smoker. There was not a trace of youth left in that voice. He must've been an absolute chimney. Such a shame, especially over something so trivial as cigarettes. It took George Harrison, David Bowie and Jim Varney FAR too soon, just like chewing tobacco took baseball legend Tony Gwynn far too soon as well. Tobacco is an evil, evil plant. Don't smoke, kids. Just don't.

My hometown. Corbin, Kentucky City Limits Next exit, the Colonel Harlan Sanders KFC Museum Then a sign: This is where Col Harlan Sanders took a fit after the gravy wasn't cooked right and dumped the whole pot into the road. Then the billboard: These holes were where Col Harlan Sanders took a fit and a pistol and took out his frustration on said billboard. None of these signs true, but the stories definitely are.

what year was this video made

I know, right?!? :) "I brought my Loretta, she's gon' hep me!"

he was great.. doesn't seem like it's been 9 years since he died

pullin down that knot i was cringing lol

i’m sorry loretta

Sort of look like John Holmes with that mustache.

OMG He looks like my dad in this vid

Ghadaffi's got nothing on Varney! Jim was a gorgeous man IMO.

Slinky

The intro was weak but the actual bit was pretty good. I would have loved to see him do some serious acting.

He reminds me of Lucille Ball.

interesting . . . .

Is it just me, or does he kinda look like Ghadaffi??

OMG That is SO funny. especially the bobby pin part - b/c that's just how people look trying to "spread" those things - ugh i hate them lol Jim Varney's awesome. my mom also had lung cancer that spread to her brain :(

I hear this type of comment quite a bit.

1:25-1:27. Channeling Clint Eastwood.

I'm sorry Loretta

R.I.P. Jim Varney! You are inspiration to me as an actor/comedian myself! You are really a Legend! Check out my videos, everybody! I have a Jim Varney/Jim Carry style of humor!!

The Marriott.

@milquest done.

It's not like he dresses like Ernest all the time.

He died in 2000

That's my baby the man I'll always loved o dreamed of you last night fourteen years ago you left and this morning you were here just like you'd never go e come ba k or can I co.d there god may I go nos

did he pass away or something?

It’s a shame he was typecast as Ernest.

this is way more relaxed than that awful movie character he had to play.

BAHAHAHAHAHA!

@bigpanfishplus yeah they probably didn't get most of the jokes. This act wasnt' THAT funny though..

I love Jim Varney but that was bad stand-up.

his ear ring is in the wrong ear...and he has a lot of "bling" funnier as Ernest

was he gay? right ear pierced only... that was a big 80s and 90s way of letting people know you were gay..... I loved his warming comedy!

wtf is he doing dressed like that

This certain stand up was not funny at all though

dude was gay !!! no wonder he was so original !

This is God awful.

Well I never had anything against the guy, in fact I liked his movies and character but I just never found him quite funny.