I've been watching a lot of Jerry Lewis-directed films. (Macro-blog inspiration Jack Pendarvis inspired these viewings.) As mentioned, watching The Big Mouth with my girlfriend MK did not go well. But I have enjoyed (alone) The Errand Boy and, of course, The Nutty Professor. Watching a lot of Lewis, you'll find that, amongst many characters, Lewis has three main "modes."
Jerry is at his goofiest when he's playing Professor Kelp. Kelp is your classic, Professor Frink-type geek. With buck teeth and Coke bottle glasses, you can see echos in almost every on-screen nerd. Lewis also plays Kelp-like characters for parts of The Big Mouth and The Family Jewels.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Buddy Love. Like Dean Martin, Love is the coolest drunk guy in the room. He (b)oozes confidence, making him at ease at the piano and the bar. While not playing Love in a literal sense, see also Lewis at the end of The Errand Boy.
Somewhere in the middle likes "Pure Jerry." You'll find Jerry in this mode in his more slapstick parts. The Errand Boy, The Bellboy and Hardly Working. Often playing common workers, this Jerry is more akin to Keaton or Lloyd. While he may dip into the goof or goon in these parts, there's a core sincerity to Pure Jerry. Like The Blind Prophet for Bowie, Pure Jerry is the closest we get (in fiction) to the actual Jerry Lewis.
These three characters are like the Three Faces of Foley (see above). For the uninitiated, Mick Foley is a living legend. Along with being a prolific writer, Foley helped bring hardcore wrestling to the WWE. And Foley, with Stone Cold, ushered in the 90s wrestling boom.
In WCW and abroad, Foley wrestled as Cactus Jack, a heightened version of his personality. But, after coming to the WWE, owner Vince McMahon made Foley into Mankind to cover Foley's face. Mankind is a deranged, masked maniac. It was as Mankind that Foley had his (in)famous cage match with the Undertaker. Foley also became an unlikely champion under this persona (see above).
Deeper into the Attitude Era, Foley debuted Dude Love. Dude Love, according to Foley, was his childhood idea of a "cool guy." Compared to Mankind and Jack, Dude Love is much more laid back, vibey kinda guy. He wouldn't be out of place at a Widespread show.
Dude Love and Buddy Love. "Pure Jerry" and Cactus Jack. Kelp and Mankind. Again, this is another "it's like" comparison, but this is what this macro-blog is! Think of this when you watch a Foley match or a Lewis movie! But speaking of comedians . . . .
P.S. If you're looking for a good Mick Foley match, check out Cactus Jack vs. Randy Orton in a No Holds Barred match at WWE Backlash 2004-04-18.