Jamie Kennedy might be best known for his TV and movie work, but it's stand-up that got him started.

The 39-year-old performer won his first acting gig 15 years ago (for a Vans sneakers commercial), after he was spotted at an L.A. comedy club.

"It took me about five years to get to that point," he says. "Every day was a struggle and I didn't know if I was going to make it."

But within a few years of his TV debut, the Pennsylvania native was working steadily and landing high-profile parts in the Scream franchise and 1999's Three Kings and Bowfinger. But Kennedy's career really took off in 2002, when he starred in his own hidden camera-style show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.

The early success of the program, which was cancelled in 2004, led to major roles in such movies as Malibu's Most Wanted, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Son of the Mask.

Although he became known as a comedian, Kennedy studied acting at college and had always planned to become an actor.

"I took acting classes, I took dance classes ... I figured I needed to be a well-rounded person to be a performer," he says.

"I wanted to act, but I figured I could do it all. I started doing stand-up and I just got good at it. That was my initial way into Hollywood."

Last year, Kennedy joined the cast of the popular drama Ghost Whisperer as psychology student Eli James.

Many viewers were surprised to see Kennedy in a more serious acting role. But he says producers needed no convincing.

"The Ghost Whisperer producers were big fans of me," he says.

"They had a nice vision of what they wanted from the character. They knew and Jennifer (Love Hewitt) knew that I was a good actor. I think it's the really funny comedians who are the really good actors, but comedians get less respect because they're funny."

Not only has Ghost Whisperer revived Kennedy's career, but it has also made him a bit of a target for gossip sites since he started dating co-star Hewitt last year.

Kennedy finds it strange but funny the paparazzi are interested in their relationship.

"It's funny reading about yourself but you sometimes you get headlines like, 'Jennifer Love Hewitt scrapes bottom of the barrel.' But it's all part of it. I feel lucky that people care."

Kennedy is gearing up to record a new stand-up show in L.A. this September. He'll be trying out some of that material tomorrow night and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. at The Laugh Shop. Get tickets at thelaughshop.ca or call the box office at 403-255-6900.

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