Andy Kaufman

Subject: RE: Andy Kaufman
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 03:58 PM

Maybe he did... that doesn't change the fact that throwing a bucket of cash at a snake-oil salesman is a stupid thing to do...

Not that $$ was a problem for him...

Subject: RE: Andy Kaufman
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 04:03 PM

It wasn't? His career was so short, I figured he probably didn't have much left at the end. I am going to have to get one of the books about him and read it, I guess.

One man's snake-oil salesman is another's shaman...LOL...stranger things have happened, CH.

Subject: RE: Andy Kaufman
From: beadie
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 04:20 PM

I always had a "take-him-or-leave-him" sort of attitude about Andy until I saw a movie called "In GOD We Tru$t."

The premise was that a monk (Marty Feldman) was sent by his fiscally challenged monastery into LA to consult with the one man who knew more than anyone about raising money for churches: the Reverend Armageddon T. Thunderbird (Kaufman). Andy Kaufman as a TV preacher was the ultimate humor ("I spoke with G.O.D. last night. He's ill. In fact, He's in Intensive Care. Do you know how much it costs to stay in Intensive Care? Send all your money so we can help G.O.D. pay his Intensive Care bill.") This guy did it even better than Steve Martin in "Leap of Faith."

The word G.O.D. is spelled with periods because it is an acronym for the General Operating Director, a computer voiced by Richard Pryor.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to locate this movie at a video store, although it does appear in their "big book" of films. I did see it for sale on an internet site.

Subject: RE: Andy Kaufman
From: Little Hawk
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 06:27 PM

"Man On The Moon" was a fascinating movie. Andy Kaufman had a lot of gall, and did some very memorable things in his time...but the role I will personally NEVER forget was Tony Clifton! Almost unbelievable.

To see that degree of bad taste and obnoxiousness combined with a style of music that is already obnoxious by its very nature is really hilarious, once you get over the initial shock. I can understand why some people went back again and again to see Tony Clifton do his thing at the Vegas nightclubs.

"Wow!", is all I can say. What nerve.

And a lot more fun than watching Spaw groom his weimaraners too...

- LH

Subject: RE: Andy Kaufman
From: BH
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 08:50 PM

Now that this thread is resurected.
To me---A comic genius. One never knew if he was serious or a put on---usually a put on.   

His appearances in Taxi were distasteful to him (according to his biographer---did it for the money).   

Even when dying people thought it was a put on.

Some memorable moments include his Carnegie Hall appearance and then having buses waiting for the audience to take them back to his place for milk and cookies---his amazing and unexpected impersonation of Elvis on a Dick Van Dyke Show---and never forget Mighty Mouse.

Sadly, I feel, his stint at wrestling proved to be an undoing. Perhaps he was suffering some mental problem at the time---I know not.

His biographer and friend Szuma (spelling?) has written a wonderful book about this comic genius---a genius that Jim Carey who I admitedly cannot abide did a wonderful job in portraying Andy K in the film. I was impressed. Having read the book I felt he did capture him.


Bill Hahn