Jim Carrey ‘look-alike’ fools awards bosses in Prague

It was a mixed case of Liar Liar and Dumb and Dumber.

Organisers of the Cesky Lev (Czech Lion) awards in Prague have been forced to issue a statement, admitting that the joke was on them after a Jim Carrey ‘lookalike’ fooled officials and got on stage during the awards ceremony.

“We were the victims of an elaborate hoax,” the Czech Film and Television Academy said.

“We communicated with the supposed Hollywood actor’s agents and he came with bodyguards and an interpreter so it all appeared very professional with nothing suggesting it was a hoax.”

Suited and booted, the prankster — who was later identified as Hari Zinhasovic — was allowed on stage at the ceremony, where he was showered with confetti.

The host, Lucie Vybornia, had insisted to a local paper that “it was really him”, but organisers were eventually forced to admit they had been duped — almost 24 hours after the show. After the ceremony, the academy’s members continued to insist their guest was indeed Jim, the star of films such as The Mask, Dumb And Dumber and The Truman Show.

Vyborna told the Blesk Prague newspaper: “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.”

The impersonator was greeted with mute applause by an audience which didn’t appear to buy for one moment it was the Hollywood star on stage.

Film director Jan Sverak apologised for the hoax.

“We have become very likely the target of a very elaborate hoax,” she said.

The real Jim Carrey was last seen in Hollywood at a pre-Oscars party over the weekend.

He discovered the new and shared a report with fans on Twitter. He wrote: “Look! I’m more interesting than the Oscars while plunked on my couch eating chips. My Spirit Will Not Be Ignored!”