Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life...

Referred to by some as a dadaistic comedian, Andy Kaufman took comedy and performance art to the edges of irrationality and blurred the dividing line between reality and imagination. Born in New York City on January 17, 1949, the first son of Stanley and Janice Kaufman, Andy grew up on Long Island, New York, in the town of Great Neck. He began performing for family and friends at the age of 7, and by the time he was 8, was being hired to entertain at children's parties. After a year at a Boston junior college, Andy began performing his unique brand of stand-up comedy at coffee shops and nightclubs on the east coast. Andy quickly earned a reputation as a talented, yet eccentric performer. Impressed by his abilities, Lorne Michaels asked Kaufman to appear on the inaugural broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" (October 11, 1975). Best known for his work as Latka Gravas on the TV sitcom "Taxi" Andy appeared in several TV shows (see The Andy Kaufman Timeline) and movies, on Broadway, did a one-man show at Carnegie Hall, enjoyed a brief professional wrestling career and performed in concerts nation-wide. The movie, "Man on the Moon" (Universal/Jersey Films), will give us the Hollywood version of the life of Andy Kaufman. Directed by Academy Award winner, Milos Forman and starring no less than, Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito and Courtney Love. With liberal dramatic license in affect, the movie will recap Andy's short life and fascinating career. It will open in theater's across the nation on December 22, 1999.

Andy Kaufman in the Wrestling Match...

Fifteen years after his "death" the world still talks about Andy Kaufman. His work on "Taxi", can be seen each weekday night on the Nickelodeon cable network. On March 29, 1995, a one-hour special, "A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman", was telecast on NBC. This retrospective of Andy's career was produced by his former managers and close friends. The broadcast picked up a 10.2 rating (watched by approximately 14,300,000 viewers) and was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. Many of Andy's appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman" or "Saturday Night Live" can be enjoyed via the E! and Comedy Central cable networks. Bill Zehme, a senior writer for Esquire Magazine and coauthor of Regis Philbin's book, "I'm Only One Man," Jay Leno's book, "Leading With My Chin," and a Frank Sinatra tribute titled, "The Way You Wear Your Hat," is the authorized Andy Kaufman biographer and his book, "Lost in the Fun House - The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman" is available in stores now. Purchase your copy today! (See below.) Discussions about Andy appear in Internet newsgroups quite frequently. In fact, a newsgroup devoted to discussing Andy's life has recently been created. Subscribe today to the alt.fan.andy-kaufman newsgroup. His infamous brawl with wrestler Jerry Lawler continues to generate talk among members of the alt.fan.andy-kaufman, alt.fan.letterman, rec.arts.tv and rec.sport.pro-wrestling USENET newsgroups. The bizarre speculation that Andy faked his death and will someday reappear still remains. Some even thought he would make a surprise visit to Letterman's "Late Show" when Dave moved to CBS. But it's obvious to Kaufman fans everywhere that Andy will reappear at the world premiere of his biopic, "Man On The Moon". And if not there, than at the re-release of his movie, "My Breakfast with Blassie"? Andy always maintained he wasn't a comedian and that comedy was the most "unfunny" thing there was. Many times, Andy's performances left audiences shaking their heads and wondering what they had just witnessed. Andy provoked you to think: "What is funny? What is entertainment? How long will I tolerate this?" He looked to create reactions, not to make people laugh. Steve Allen said he believed Andy did not explore the borderline between reality and imagination - he lived there. Throughout all of the controversy and speculation, Andy's family and friends could attest to one thing - Andy Kaufman was a warm, loving, courageous man and his early "death" was not fair.

Monopoly, Twenty-One, Checkers and Chess...

As "Foreign Man," Andy Kaufman adopted a theme of absolute incompetance by portraying a pseudo Eastern-European stand-up comic whose inept comedy reached uneasy and awkward moments of nonpareil proportions. Audiences watched with a muddled blend of horror, anger and pity as Foreign Man's disorientation, humiliation and panic suddenly transformed into an incredibly accurate impersonation of Elvis Presley. At this point the audience would realize they were part of an elaborate hoax - Foreign Man and Andy Kaufman were not what they originally seemed to be. With the evolution of Foreign Man to the "Latka Gravas" character on the hit television series, "Taxi" the Foreign Man/Elvis character became common knowledge to the general public and the routine lost its impact. This left Kaufman searching to create a new angle in which to exploit the vulnerability of the audience's understanding of his intentions. As Tony Clifton, the crass, abusive, small-time Las Vegas lounge singer, Andy Kaufman found the next level for his unique comic styling. Kaufman claimed to have met the conceited and insensitive nightclub singer in the early 1970's, and had initially impersonated him as part of his own act but began hiring Clifton when he could afford to do so. When Clifton appeared in concert (sometimes opening for Kaufman, other times opening for Rodney Dangerfield, his incompetence and foul behavior angered the crowd to the point where they would pelt him with garbage and threaten physical violence. Despite (or more accurately: "to spite") the violence directed his way, Clifton would continue his act dressed in riot gear or protected by a nylon net. This would enrage the crowd even more and many wanted to harm or kill Clifton! Kaufman helped Clifton negotiate a contract with the producers of Taxi guaranteeing Clifton work in one episode of the show with an option for two additional episodes. The episodes were never filmed because Clifton's boorish behavior on the set prompted the producers to fire him. As studio guards dragged Clifton off the set he screamed, "I'll sue all your f***ing asses!! You'll never work in Vegas again!!" Returning the following week, Andy acted as if nothing had happened. Rumors floated about that Andy's friend and co-conspirator, Bob Zmuda (among others) often times played the role of Tony Clifton, while others claimed it was Andy all along. Kaufman insisted that Clifton was a real person, not the one he once imitated, and Clifton would become livid when reporters accused him of really being Andy Kaufman. "He's been using my name to get places!" an outraged and visibly upset Clifton would shout. "Everyone thinks he's me," responded Kaufman, "It's really destroying his career." Although many feared the Clifton character represented a darker side of Kaufman, it was perhaps his most brilliant concept. Tony Clifton was the absolute opposite of Andy's Foreign Man or Latka Gravas creations, and Andy didn't even have to be there to do him! Or did he?

Mr. Fred Blassie in a Breakfast Mess...

For many reasons Andy did not like working on Taxi. Once Andy agreed to appear on Taxi as the immigrant auto-mechanic, Latka Gravas, the character of "Foreign Man" would no longer be his. Not only would Andy lose one of his most beloved characters, but he feared playing Latka Gravas in a television sitcom would pigeonhole his career and cause him to be typecast in a singular persona. As Bill Zehme writes in Lost in the Funhouse: The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman "...this was to be his legacy-in-shorthand... He (Andy) sensed/feared the imminent cultural shackling of it from the get-go." The limitations of playing one role notwithstanding, Andy was also hesitant to commit to the time-consuming effort of doing a television series. His special agreement with the producers to show up only on Tuesday's (for the script read-through), and Friday night (for the actual taping of the show), made many of his fellow cast members unhappy. Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza and Jeff Conaway disliked Andy tremendously. Andy kept to himself, did not participate in after-hours functions with the cast and crew, and was considered aloof and arrogant by many. Despite public posturings to the contrary, Andy did not like Taxi and Taxi did not like him. Ironically, after Andy's passing, most Taxi alumni sang the praises of Andy's talent, and claimed that Andy was a part of "the Taxi family." Despite outspoken disenchantment with him as a co-worker, Judd Hirsch penned a most heartfelt tribute to Andy for Rolling Stone magazine.

Let's Play Twister, Let's Play Risk...

From the debut of Taxi on ABC, September 12, 1978, to the final broadcast on NBC, July 27, 1983, viewers were treated to Andy Kaufman's portrayal of the innocently complex immigrant, Latka Gravas. For five seasons we learned the meaning of words like, "nik-nik," "brefnish" and "ibeda." We were treated to a majestic rendition of the national anthem of Latka's native country and delighted in the silly beauty of his wedding vows with Simka Dahblitz. So, just where were Latka and Simka from?? No one knows. The name of Latka and Simka's native country was never revealed..."Foreign Man," was from an island in the Caspian Sea named Caspier. "Foreign Man," came to America after the island sank into the ocean. In 1978, Andy met the musician/performance artist Laurie Anderson in New York City. Laurie worked as a "straight man" for Andy in comedy clubs, at Coney Island, or wherever the inspiration arose.

See You in Heaven if you Make the List...

Is Andy dead? In the early evening hours of May 16, 1984, Andy Kaufman succumbed to a rare form of lung cancer. He had been sick less than one year and died at the age of 35. The reports of Andy's passing were thought by many to be another cleverly crafted Kaufman performance piece. Several friends and associates remained unconvinced until they viewed his body in the casket. Andy Kaufman is buried at Beth David Cemetery in the Long Island town of Elmont, New York. Or is he?