'EXPERIMENT': MIXED RESULTS.

Byline: - David Kronke

``JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment'' is a cross between ``Candid Camera'' and ``Saturday Night Live.''

Comic Kennedy plays a loopy array of oddballs in wildly improbable situations before unsuspecting regular folks and captures their incredulous reactions. The situations he creates are so goofy and bizarre that it's hard to feel much compassion for his human guinea pigs.

In one bit, he plays a breathtakingly untalented aspiring rapper from the rugged 'hood of Malibu (where waiting in long lines at the coffee shop toughened him up and gave him street cred). He meets the flabbergasted family members of his intended fiance. In another, he acts as a business executive with a horrifically wired mouthpiece interviewing a prospective employee.

In the funniest sequence, he portrays an infomercial nabob whose creation apparently severely injures an audience member, shocking the studio audience - at least until he offers 20 bucks to other audience members to offer testimonials for the dangerous contraption.

Kennedy is versatile and fun to watch, but the ``Candid Camera'' element seems a little tired. Sundays are such a wash for the WB that his modest program is a vast improvement on its usual programming.

``JKX: THE JAMIE KENNEDY EXPERIMENT''

What: Hidden-camera high jinks with a sketch-comedy performer.

The stars: Jamie Kennedy.

Where: WB (Channel 5).

When: 8 tonight.

Our rating: Two and one half stars

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Photo:

KENNEDY