Czech version of the Oscars duped into inviting fake Jim Carrey on stage

The Czech version of the Oscars has been duped into inviting a fake Jim Carrey on stage during its televised awards ceremony.s

A man pretending to be the Dumb and Dumber actor was allowed on stage where he was greeted with applause from the audience - with some clearly realising it was not actually the Hollywood funnyman, the Daily Mail reports.

Organisers had put on VIP red carpet treatment for the conman who was showered in golden confetti during his appearance at the glamorous event in the capital, Prague.

Officials at the Czech Lion Awards (Cesky lev) had been contacted by people claiming to represent Jim Carrey, claiming the actor was in the area and wanted to attend.


The Czech Lions are the equivalent to the Academy Awards in the Czech Republic, and the callers are said to have told organisers that it would be an honour for the Truman Show star to attend.

They were asked not to make the invitation public until his appearance because of security concerns.

Organisers were bombarded with messages from fans pointing out that the Jim Carrey on the stage was a fake - and they finally accepted a mistake had been made.

But the embarrassing appearance had already been broadcast live across the country on Czech television.

Film director Jan Sverak, who supervised the ceremony, said: “We have become very likely the target of a very elaborate hoax. I'm so sorry.”

Both he and the organisers had earlier insisted that it was the real Jim Carrey who appeared.

Even the award host Lucie Vyborna had insisted he was real, telling Czech newspaper Blesk shortly after the ceremony.

She said: “Of course the real Jim Carrey was on the stage. I knew that he would come but I did not know what he would do there.

"He appeared for a very short time and people did not have chance to recognise him. I have heard people suggesting it was a lookalike but I can say no, it was really him.”

But after then admitting they were wrong Jan Sverak added: “I am very sorry, I apologise. It was not my intention, but I must salute someone's perfect game in managing to con us.”

The fake Carrey, who is still unidentified, came with a translator and his own security, and went through the ceremony preparations just like the real star would have been expected to, according to a statement by the ceremony's organisers.

A spokesman for the awards added: 'Nothing indicated it was a ruse and we did not pay any money to the false actor.'

This was the 22nd year for the ceremony. The Best Film prize went to The Way Out (Cesta ven), a gritty drama set in northern Moravia where anti-Roma sentiment is widespread.