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This 1988 sequel to Ernest Goes to Camp was the co-creators, actor Jim Varney and adman John Cherry’s, second Ernest installation in a series of movies about the vest-wearing doofus who liked to say “knowhutImean?” 

 

In this film, Ernest is working as a Florida cab driver when he picks up Santa, “His Big Redness,” at the airport. Santa tells him he feels he’s getting too old for the job, and wants Joe Carruthers, the kids’ TV show host, to replace him. Complicating matters is Joe’s slimy agent, who gets Joe cast in the very un-Santa slasher movie, Christmas Slay.

 

Ernest helps Santa along the way, dealing with toy mix-ups, kids who don’t believe in Santa, and helping Mr. Claus when he gets arrested for vagrancy. Ernest also helps a teen runaway named Harmony, convincing her to go back home for Christmas. Ernest performs all his good deeds with typical character slapstick, but the clock is running out – he only has until 7pm on Christmas Eve to get Joe and Santa together, or lose Christmas forever.

 

This holiday film proved an even bigger success than Ernest Goes to Camp, and paved the way for the franchise to continue with the TV show Hey Vern, It's Ernest! the next year, followed by the 1990 feature film, Ernest Goes to Jail.