During the winter of 1998, visitors on the Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour encountered an unexpected fright near the Bates Motel set from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, Psycho. As the tram approached the motel, a man dressed as Norman Bates’s mother suddenly appeared, startling everyone by brandishing either an axe or a rubber knife, depending on different accounts. This unsettling moment caught even the tour guide and tram driver off guard, as John Murdy, the park’s creative director, recalled,
“The driver, the tour guide, nobody had any clue what was going on.”
He added,
“He just came out as the mother with a rubber knife.”
Jim Carrey Behind the Prank
The surprising figure was revealed to be actor Jim Carrey, who was filming the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon on the Universal lot at the time. According to tram operators who spoke with the film crew, Carrey was reportedly channeling Kaufman’s inventive spirit through this prank. In the years that followed, Universal Studios incorporated a Norman Bates character into the Studio Tour itself. Guests can now see the character suspiciously loading a body into a car trunk before menacingly approaching the tram with a knife drawn.
Prank Repeated With Norm Macdonald at the Set
Carrey’s antics were not limited to unsuspecting tourists. During the filming of Man on the Moon, Carrey’s co-star Norm Macdonald visited the Bates mansion set for lunch. In a video that surfaced more recently, Macdonald is seen exploring the house just before Carrey suddenly emerges from the front door in costume, rushing at him with an axe. This footage lends credibility to accounts that the tram prank’s weapon of choice was indeed an axe.
Attempted Prank During How the Grinch Stole Christmas Filming
The following year, while filming How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Universal, Carrey attempted to recreate the stunt in full Grinch makeup. However, the studio declined because the makeup was intended to remain secret until closer to the film’s release. Instead, Carrey later performed a more planned version of the prank during an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s show. Since then, Universal has hosted an annual Grinchmas celebration each holiday season, sometimes featuring the Grinch character taking over the Studio Tour tram to entertain guests and promote the event.
The Lasting Impact of Carrey’s Pranks at Universal Studios
Jim Carrey’s unexpected Norman Bates prank left a memorable mark on the Universal Studios experience, blending the actor’s comedic style with classic horror iconography. The inclusion of a Norman Bates character on the Studio Tour adds thrill and intrigue for visitors, while the annual Grinchmas highlights Carrey’s ongoing influence on the park’s cultural events. These moments reflect how Carrey’s creative energy continues to resonate both on and off the screen at Universal Studios Hollywood.
