What is The King of Comedy about?

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Martin Scorsese smiling in a tuxedo and bow tie, holding an Oscar statuette at the Academy Awards, with a gold Oscar statue in the background. — Martin Scorsese American film director Martin Scorsese, 2008.

In the 1982 film The King of Comedy, directed by Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro stars as Rupert Pupkin, a delusional, self-styled stand-up comedian.

Blissfully unaware of his lack of talent, Pupkin repeatedly practices his unsuccessful comedy routines. In a desperate attempt to launch his career, he kidnaps a famous late-night television host, Jerry Langford (played by Jerry Lewis), demanding a 10-minute performance slot on the host's program in exchange for his release. Although the film was not a box-office success upon its initial release, it has since gained significant critical acclaim.1