Emily Browning, Meryl Streep, Jim Carrey and Liam Aiken
Photo: Kevin Winter

HOLLYWOOD — At the premiere of his new movie, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," Jim Carrey joked about everything from his transformation into the wily villain Count Olaf ("It only took about two minutes") to what he considers the funniest part of the movie ("My feet — they're hideous. But you never actually see them in the film"). 

Carrey's 14-year-old co-star, Liam Aiken, said Carrey's sense of humor did not make his job easy. "The hardest part about working on this movie was keeping a straight face," he said. "But it was also the most fun part."

Jennifer Coolidge, who plays "White Faced Woman #1" in the film, echoed the sentiment. "Jim is funny over and over again. He has more energy than anyone I have ever met in my whole life," she said. "There were a couple of shots where I would ruin the scene because I just couldn't keep it together."

Although Carrey kept the cast in stitches, the film's plot is no laughing matter. The movie, based on the children's books, centers around three siblings who are left an enormous fortune after their parents die. They are sent to live with their greedy distant relative, Count Olaf, who they soon learn is trying to steal their riches.

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Kattan, Larry David, George Lopez and Martin Short were among the many stars who brought their families out to the Cinerama Dome on Sunday afternoon to see the film. Leelee Sobieski, Lacey Chabert, Cedric the Entertainer and Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis were in the house as well.

Also in attendance were Rita Wilson and her teenage son Chester. Wilson said that besides being a big fan of Carrey's, she is also a friend and a neighbor. On the red carpet, she reminisced about her favorite Jim Carrey moment: "We were all at the beach, and I remember Jim came out of the water, ran up to my mom and shook himself off like a dog, right on her," she said.  

Also excited to see the movie was Meryl Streep, who plays Aunt Josephine. She said she had not yet seen the film and rushed inside the theater, not wanting to miss any of it.

Before the movie began, Carrey was able to get his co-stars smiling one more time. As they all gathered together for a cast photo, Carrey began making funny faces at the cameramen. When his castmates realized what he was doing, they burst out laughing.

Check out everything we've got on "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events."

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• Photos From The "Lemony Snicket" Hollywood Premiere, 12.12.2004

• Jim Carrey

Ashton Kutcher at the 2003 Teen Choice Awards
Photo: Fox

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Ashton Kutcher was the big winner at Saturday's taping of the Teen Choice Awards, but even his five surfboard trophies couldn't steal the spotlight from the plethora of unusual appearances at the show.

(Click for photos from the red carpet.)

There was Kobe Bryant, accepting the Choice Male Athlete award for the fourth time just four days before his first hearing on sexual assault charges. "I'm going through some dark clouds right now," he said, thanking his wife and fans for support.

There was 5 Cent, and no, that's not a typo. It was Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer performing his own version of "In Da Club," adding lines like "even Snoop calls me the bizzoss."

There was Jim Carrey's eyeball, dangling around the actor's "scarred" face. "I'm sorry," he said, unwrapping bandages off his face while accepting the Choice Comedian and Choice Movie Actor, Comedy award. "I'm in the middle of having work done."

"I need to look younger to continue to appeal to the teen audience," he added later, mocking rumors that he's had plastic surgery.

	2003 Teen Choice Awards Red Carpet

And then there was the cockroach exterminator who chewed up and swallowed several of the creatures while Justin Guarini looked on in disgust. "There's some terrible news from backstage," Jimmy Kimmel said later. "The exterminator just ate Mini-Me."

In between all this commotion onstage at the Universal Amphitheatre, Fox, Teen People and America Online managed to give out several surfboards, including Choice Male Hottie, Choice TV Reality Hunk, Choice Reality/Variety Host and Choice TV Actor, Comedy to Kutcher.

The "That '70s Show" star, who also nabbed Choice Greatest TV Reality Moment for his tax-repossession prank on Justin Timberlake on "Punk'd," did not mention his latest squeeze in his acceptance speeches, but he did shout out his date, her daughter Scout Willis.

After performing her new single, "Low," Kelly Clarkson accepted the Choice Music Female Artist award, one of many "American Idol"-related wins. The show won Choice TV Reality, Paula Abdul won Choice TV Reality Babe, Ryan Seacrest won Choice Male Fashion Icon and Ruben Studdard being voted into the bottom two won Choice Scariest Reality Moment.

Elsewhere on the performance stage, the Donnas treated the young audience to "Too Bad About Your Girl," and Evanescence — with guitarist Ben Moody sporting an "I Love Alyssa Milano" shirt — busted through "Going Under." The latter capped off their appearance by winning Choice Music Rock Track for "Bring Me to Life."

Winners in the several other music categories will not be announced until the show, hosted by David Spade, is broadcast on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. Jennifer Lopez, 50 Cent and Eminem are leading contenders.

Other announced winners in movie categories included "Daredevil" star Colin Farrell for Choice Movie Villain, Hilary Duff for Choice Breakout Female Movie Star, Adam Sandler for Choice Movie Hissy Fit ("Anger Management") and "The Matrix: Reloaded" for Choice Movie, Drama.

And lastly, Britney Spears, one of the many stars who attended the ceremony but avoided the blue carpet arrivals, crowned Queen Latifah with Choice Movie Actress, Comedy award for "Bringing Down the House."

• Jim Carrey
• Kelly Clarkson
• Paula Abdul
• Ruben Studdard
• The Donnas

Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston in "Bruce Almighty"
Photo: Ralph Nelson

It took all the powers of God to unseat "The Matrix Reloaded" at the box office as "Bruce Almighty" debuted at #1 this past weekend with $86.4 million.

The Jim Carrey comedy had the second-highest Memorial Day weekend opening ever, behind 1997's "The Lost World: Jurassic Park."

"Bruce Almighty" was also Carrey's biggest opening and the largest debut for a comedy that wasn't a sequel. (Click for photos from "Bruce Almighty.") The highly animated megastar's $55.1 million opening three years ago with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" previously held both records.

The only other new picture that went into wide release over the weekend was the Michael Douglas-led comedy remake "The In-Laws," which landed at #5 with $9.1 million.

"The Matrix Reloaded" was #2 with $45.6 million, according to studio estimates, a 50.3 percent drop from its opening weekend. The first of this year's two "Matrix" sequels has made $209.5 million since it was released two weeks ago. (Click for photos from "The Matrix Reloaded.")

The rest of the weekend's top 10 includes "Daddy Day Care" at #3 with $18 million ($73.1 million, three weeks); "X2: X-Men United" at #4 with $13 million ($192 million, four weeks); "Down With Love" at #6 with $5.1 million ($14.6 million, three weeks); "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" at #7 with $4 million ($37.3 million, four weeks); "Holes" at #8 with $3 million ($60 million, six weeks); "Identity" at #9 with $2.6 million ($49.1 million, five weeks); and "Anger Management" at #10 with $2.4 million ($131.8 million, seven weeks).

• Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey in "Bruce Almighty"
Photo: Illusion Arts/Universal

Even with all of the powers of heaven, Jim Carrey's "Bruce Almighty" may not be able to topple the box-office might of "The Matrix Reloaded" — because, after all, it's still just a movie.

The rubbery-faced megastar plays an average Joe who is granted all of the powers of God in the new comedy, which hits theaters Friday. Carrey is a news reporter whose nonstop complaining about his lot in life has not gone unnoticed by God, played by Morgan Freeman. After a particularly bad day, Bruce insults the Lord, who gives him all of His powers and challenges Bruce to do a better job with the world's ills. Jennifer Aniston also stars. (Click for photos from "Bruce Almighty.")

"Jim is funny onscreen and offscreen," Aniston said recently. "Morgan was God, which was great; he was godly, you know? He has a godly presence to him."

The supernatural comedy will have to contend with "The Matrix Reloaded," the first of this year's two "Matrix" sequels, which enjoyed the second largest opening of all time last weekend and the largest opening for an R-rated film (see "A Red Pill With That Popcorn, Please — 'Matrix Reloaded' Is #1").

Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks' remake of the 1979 comedy "The In-Laws" is the only other new film going into wide release this week. "Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns," a documentary tracking the 20-year career of quirky pop duo They Might Be Giants, opens in select cities.

• Jim Carrey

"Bruce Almighty" Photos

• Jim Carrey