Watch the rare final TV appearance of Andy Kaufman
Many pioneering figures have facilitated the evolution of American comedy, but none of them has been as unique as Andy Kaufman. Often described as an “anti-comedian”, Kaufman introduced a new approach to the craft which further blurred the already faint lines between fiction and reality.
Born in New York City, Kaufman was drawn to the performing arts as a child and began performing at birthday parties. In addition to his acts, he was also deeply interested in writing and completed several poems and short stories, including an unpublished novel called The Hollering Mangoo, which he finished when he was just 16.
After graduating from college, Kaufman frequented multiple small clubs on the East Coast, where he worked on his comedy routine. Soon, he started garnering attention for his bizarre character sketches, which involved iconic creations like Foreign Man and Tony Clinton. Kaufman moved on to bigger opportunities like Saturday Night Live and TV specials which introduced his elusive comedic persona to wider audiences.
While talking about his approach, Kaufman once said: “I am not a comic, I have never told a joke…the comedian’s promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him…my only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can. I can manipulate people’s reactions. There are different kinds of laughter”.
“Gut laughter is where you don’t have a choice, you’ve got to laugh. Gut laughter doesn’t come from the intellect,” he added. “And it’s much harder for me to evoke now, because I’m known. They say, ‘Oh wow, Andy Kaufman, he’s a really funny guy.’ But I’m not trying to be funny. I just want to play with their heads”.
By the end of 1983, it was clear to Kaufman’s family that something was wrong with him. Although he assured them that the doctor had told him there was nothing wrong with his coughing, a subsequent checkup revealed that Kaufman had the kind of lung cancer which is often linked to smoking.
Four months before he passed away, Kaufman agreed to be the host for the premiere episode of Harold Ramis’ The Top, where he stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Chevy Chase. If you watch the clip, it is evident that Kaufman was struggling with health issues. He passed away later that year at the age of 35, but due to his fondness for pranks, many fans believed it was a hoax orchestrated by Kaufman for a long time.
Watch the video below.
