“I wanted to shake it up with a comedy” — Jeff Daniels shares he was advised against ‘Dumb and Dumber’ toilet scene, but Jim Carey encouraged him 

Actor Jeff Daniels opened up about the infamous toilet scene from his film Dumb and Dumber. In an interview with USA Today on Saturday, May 18, 2024, the actor discussed playing Harry Dunne in the 1994 comedy film, despite his agent advising him against it. He stated:

"I had agents, who weren’t wrong, telling me, ‘You’re a serious actor. This is not the direction you need to be going. We’re going to stop this and get you off this movie. But I wanted to shake it up with a comedy. And I wanted to work with Jim Carrey."

The scene Daniels was referring to involved Harry unknowingly drinking tea spiked with a laxative, leading to the character having a disastrous bout in the toilet.

Dumb and Dumber is an American buddy comedy film centered around Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels), two dumb but well-meaning friends who go on a cross-country trip to return a briefcase. They thought it was abandoned by mistake when it was actually left as a ransom.

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"This is either the beginning of my career or the end of it" — Jeff Daniels recalls telling co-star about the ill-advised toilet scene

Jeff Daniel confessed that he thought his agent might be right when it came to shooting the toilet scene, fearing it could put an "end" to his career. He told USA Today:

"It’s one thing to read the toilet scene, but then the day comes, and we’re actually going to do the toilet scene. I told Jim, ‘This is either the beginning of my career or the end of it.’ Jim, who is fearless, told me, ‘It’s going to be great. You’ve just got to go all the way with it."

Eventually, the Terms of Endearment star took Carrey's advice and committed to the scene. According to the New York Times, Dumb and Dumber opened at No. 1 in its opening weekend, earning $16.4 million. It grossed a total of over $247 million worldwide, becoming a cult classic.

The success of the film prompted a sequel, Dumb and Dumber To (2014), with Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey reprising their roles. Talking about the film's success, Daniels expressed his surprise, explaining that he thought only "12-year-old boys would go see it" and was not prepared for people to act "like it's their 'Citizen Kane.'"

The actor also revealed that Clint Eastwood praised the toilet scene. Recalling how Eastwood introduced himself at a celebrity golf tournament, Jeff Daniels said:

"Clint says to me, ‘I just saw Dumb and Dumber and you know, the toilet scene? That happened to me. And then he tells a story about dating this woman that he really wanted to impress, but the shellfish hit him the wrong way from lunch."

Talking about the people's response to the scene, Jeff Daniels explained that he felt he "did (his) job, beyond (his) job." He stated that the comic scene would "outlive" them and even be funny "40 years from now."

In the interview, the American Rust star also revealed that he let Jim Carrey, a comedic superstar, pilot the other scenes in the film. He stated he would let Carrey be the "leader," adding that he let Carrey "go through the door first" and he would "follow like a puppy on a leash."