4. Andy Kaufman - The Heckler | Catch A Rising Star 10th Anniversary Special (1982)

[@berserkley]

I'm ashamed to say I was one of those who didn't get Kaufman. Took me years to figure out what he was doing and to find the humor. The man was a genius, a true original

[@grawakendream8980]

that's big of you to admit that

[@toddst.george6511]

Both Kaufman and Zamuda were so far ahead of their time, what a genius. Bit of performance art. I love how the audience at the beginning is laughing and the more serious it gets the more quiet they become.

[@johnf120]

Everyone knows Andy Kaufman was an incredible talent but credit to Bob Zmuda too. He played a great heel and was effortlessly convincing in bits with Andy

[@lukejbarnett1]

exactly bob does a great job in this he has to be very quick witted and remember a lot of stuff and say a lot of stuff very fast and be in character and he is very convincing in his character.

[@JukeboxJoeB]

It's almost like Andy Kauffman is having a debate with his inner self. An internal struggle, yet allowing it to play out in front of the audience, with audience members not quite knowing if it's a set up or not. At least not until the end. Absolute genius!

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

It's the inner monologue of the Sad Clown done as performance art. It's like watching Einstein giving a lecture in comedy genius...

[@sarcofaygo6218]

It's a line between mental breakdown and emotional breakthrough

[@scottmonroe6522]

Man he pushed the boundaries! I loved it. RIP

[@womanofsteele3331]

At one point, ppl in the audience are leaving because of this "fight." LOL. Meanwhile they had no idea they were watching Andy fighting with himself. As others have said, total genius.

[@WeeniePablo]

Zmuda is playing Andy’s ego and negative self talk this is art

[@strongbongus]

human tragedy is comedy is tragedy is…

[@joeycheatcode7235]

Love how he plays the audience lol there is no one else like him 💛

[@phillyphilly137]

There is a saying that greatness in not touching one extreme but touching two extremes at once. If you scroll through the comments, by definition, greatness was achieved.

[@MrThermostatic]

Who else in show business would have the guts to have their last movie referred to as a "piece of shit" as part of the routine? 🤣

[@Fireball_Roberts]

This has to be one of Andy's best performances ever. He makes himself look so pathetic, and then when the audience starts to realize Zmuda is in on it, Andy takes it to the next level and starts getting pissed at Zmuda for revealing the put-on, which is the put-on within the put-on.

[@AlmostReady504]

You don't say , booster

[@grawakendream8980]

this might have been the best i agree

[@grawakendream8980]

@@AlmostReady504 why yuck this person's yum

[@Starshine2007]

He's a man who knows no shame. He takes the limelight and waits with agonising aching pause till your sides break and you burst into embarrassed laughter for him. Its tearjerkingly painful right on the edge of truth.

[@dr.dennisbusiness9614]

Thanks Andy, for everything.

[@briangriffin4937]

The first time I saw this I thought he was really being hounded by a heckler. Even now when I watch it’s so smooth I still think it’s real

[@randalltaylor3700]

I remember seeing this live and not understanding. The heckler is Bob Zmuda. Andy and Bob didn't go for laughs, their routine was shocking people. Many didn't get this routine at that time including myself

[@levvisbalhare1780]

Well I would say that you're easy to manipulate

[@3d3f3ct3]

@@levvisbalhare1780 I disagree. Comedy has evolved so much then, I believe very much in part due to this genius routine. Guy was treading new ground. People did not understand. Society has become dramatically more ironic entertainment wise since then.

[@memphis6915]

​@levvisbalhare1780 it literally says at the end, HBOs phone lines were SWAMPED with ppl demanding to know why the bit was cut short & inquired about a fistfight. It's not about being easy to manipulate its about being a fuckin genius at a craft, performance actor/artist is a HUGE, VAST understatement

[@CSestp]

​@@levvisbalhare1780if your going to act like Andy never got you by the balls your not a fan.

[@joelalexander4513]

"You're", friend. "You're".@@CSestp

[@jaredcress4328]

i was hoping it was gonna be zmuda playing the heckler. such a genius comedy team

[@lorrainekopp6504]

I have never seen this. I kept saying, Is this real? Lol Then read the comments. My mind was expanded. Love it.

[@jimhood1202]

So clever. How they set this up and make it this funny/serious/reflective in a live situation is stunning. Years ahead of his time. "I must be doing something right if I keep getting invited in all these late night shows?" Oh Andy, have you ever been proven correct! ❤

[@shanekrongforpm]

Pure anarchy. Love it. Genius comedy. Original and disturbing. Kaufmans comedy is like no other. Bob Zmunda and Andy, Theatre of comic cruelty. Superb. .

[@user-fw1un2cw7v]

“I was an original guy” lol😂😂😂

[@moc9893]

The more I watch of Andy the more I realize how influential he's been on so many other comedians, a lot of people have taken from him over the years. Speaks volumes of the man 👌

[@DidYouReadEULA]

The man was a genius with a huge set of balls!!

[@lukejbarnett1]

he was never intimidated or inhibited with anything he did no matter how outlandish edgy or making him stupid looking it was.

[@regplasma7906]

Andy was always steps ahead of other comedians and didn't do comedy like this to become more popular,It was an art form to him and that what makes him one of the best.

[@bauhnguefyische667]

What’s brilliant is Andy Kaufman takes the tension in the room and discomfort. The ‘heckler’ as part of the routine makes it personal😂

[@markwilson3414]

I love the fact people don’t get this , he was a genius … him and norm macDonald

[@joesephkroll2056]

R.I.P.norm

[@ayderla789]

norm McDonald is less a genius and more the lovable idiot. dont get me wrong, Norm McDonald IS one of the funniest men alive today, but his comedy is very different.

[@lenmetallica]

@@ayderla789 I guess you didn't even know he was sick.

[@Signorellielli]

@@ayderla789 you know that old saying "speak ill of the dead"

[@Kinghobbe]

@@ayderla789 if you truly believe Norm to be an idiot he has really done a number on you

[@roycroftjones9924]

Andy was supremely contra. Entirely fearless. This performance is like from another timeline!

[@PerspectiveEngineer]

Wow just thanks Andy

[@matzacomn]

This is art

[@mthomas1973]

The craft behind his work is that his performances always made you feel uncomfortable and on the edge. Dude was a genius. Smart enough to fake his own death. If anybody could pull it off, it's him There was an underlying theme of controversy in his act.

[@afterburner2869]

Fake his own death? Is there any credible evidence that he faked his death or is it just wishful thinking from his fans?

[@skelter1153]

@@afterburner2869 He meant: "Smart enough to Bake his own Bread." Spellcheck is a bastrd.

[@BermondsayBattler]

If he did fake it with the intention of coming back he'd better do it soon or he will be dead for real

[@MWiggins-m2g]

Effortless? Take it from someone within the entertainment world (university professor/frustrated never was comedian), it's always a ton of effort. You work your butt off over the course of years or decades to produce the illusion that it's effortless.

[@750count]

That's how good he was. People who think he faked his own death were completely faked out

[@Tormentor0411]

So far ahead of his time, the one and only forever shine on Andy.

[@EdCosico]

I was a kid when I saw this on HBO. Pretty sure I had seen taxi so I was excited to see the set. Freaked me out to see this skit unfold not knowing what was going on. So glad to see this on YT.

[@cynamonstudio]

This is... Best comedy show ever! Andy and Zmuda... this is amazing

[@supersomebody101]

This is genius

[@realrecfake8966]

Very ahead of it's time

[@MrThermostatic]

I love when he takes the heckler's suggestion and switches to an Archie Bunker imitation.

[@lisar3944]

it is. and it's also extraordinarily painful to watch - he was brilliant

[@chrisjamesbrian]

This is So Brilliant. The world wasn’t even smart enough for this yet.

[@jaredcress4328]

the fact that zmuda admits to being a plant and even giving his name to sell the bit is just perfect.

[@shannonchambers9764]

so it was all planned like that ?

[@jaredcress4328]

@@shannonchambers9764 it was indeed. the heckler was bob zmuda, andy's longtime comedy partner. He helped orchestrate and perform a ton (if not all) of Andy's bits.

[@killout18]

@@shannonchambers9764 Shannon, Jesus is the son of God and he received the punishment we deserve for our sin so that we can believe on him and be saved. When he was nailed to the cross, every sin youve ever done and will do in the future, it was as if Jesus had done it. It pleased God to bruise him. Believe that Jesus paid for your sin and ask him to save you right now, eternal life is a free gift, just like the bible says.

[@DrakeDietrick]

Bob is so hilarious

[@Qrayon]

@@killout18 What the Bible really says is that no man can be punished for another man's sins.

[@yicama2098]

Bob Zmubda's the man! Love this bit :))

[@valmarsiglia]

I saw this on HBO when I was a kid and I totally fell for it. I was like "Oh shit!"

[@jimmyconway294]

Andy Kaufman came up with the Sopranos ending 25 years before David Chase did.

[@skoolbus]

One little part of this bit that was really effective is the Heartbeeps comment. It was on HBO a lot at the time.

[@charlenemack7040]

In case you’re wondering that’s Richard Belzer formally of Law and order SVU

[@gilmangus83]

The heckler is part of the act.

[@corlahasper234]

His writer Zmuda is heckler. He appeared a lot in his scenes

[@melodycoull9638]

This footage is AWESOME. big Kaufman fan

[@MikeGervasi]

A true genius. His comedy wasn't standard fare. He totally messed with your head and made you feel uncomfortable and on the edge.

[@Nickyeyes]

Bob Zmuda said in an interview, after Andy's death, that this bit got a little more physical than he'd expected. The bit was going as planned until Bob improvised the crack about Andy losing his hair. It sincerely pissed Andy off because it was something he was sensitive about. Bob only said that things got out of hand between the two. The HBO cut was real, and the fact that the cut footage hasn't surfaced by now means it probably never will.

[@Merlin_Price]

That last 10 seconds were captivating. The break is what we are all looking for and it's incredibly hard to fathom if it's real. Is there any link to that interview with Zmuda?

[@Nickyeyes]

​@@Merlin_Price Well my friend, I've looked and looked for that interview to no avail. But I think my memory may be a bit faulty. In 1999 when Man on the Moon came out, I remembered that I had read Zmuda's first book "Andy Kaufman Revealed! Best Friend Tells All" released in 2000. I'd bet $ that I had read about what happened in that book, rather than seen an interview about it. I hope this helps.

[@rgwebb5165]

Zmuda pisses off a fellow crowd member to the point of brandishing a gun. Brilliant.

[@dash_r_media]

Imagine shooting someone over heckling

[@petesolberg6182]

Wait...what?? Someone was so pissed they brandished a gun?

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

the subtitles @@petesolberg6182

[@ToneeRhianRose]

@@petesolberg6182 Yeah apparently Pat Benetar's aunt & uncle were there & her uncle had a gun. They were the 1s arguing w/ Bob Zmuda in the audience. They weren't in on the joke so they had no idea that Bob & Andy were friends. Though it is ridiculous that this guy was gonna shoot Bob over heckling. Thank goodness nothing happened.

[@josephnebeker7976]

It's a shame we lost him so long ago. I wonder what he would be doing today. Would he still be relevant? What kind of new material would he have produced? Would he have gone into politics? Is he really gone?

[@Qrayon]

I'm sorry, but he doesn't have any new material.

[@walterkersting9922]

I never heard Andy speak in a normal voice till I saw this.

[@orythesaint]

This is basically what post-internet entertainment has become. The viewer and the creator are so closely linked by immediate feedback (comments, live streams) that it's hard to tell which is leading which.

[@freedo333]

Theres 2 types of reactions to this video. 1. This is genius! 2. What the hell is this shit? I think it's genius! :)

[@albertperson4013]

Shit, that's genius!

[@MarcusMIDI]

Soooo soo good. 😂

[@dolinick]

LOVE

[@MarcusMIDI]

And so ahead of its time 👍😎

[@williamwalls9768]

Oh andy

[@kevinobrien9626]

Irony ...? Anyone?? This is head-shakingly original. Mind-blowingly original. Push-the-envelope-to-the-wall original. Something totally new, based on the idea of 'having nothing new to do.' Did he have nothing new to do, or ... was the argument over having nothing new to do ... something totally new to do? Help!

[@anonymous5405]

That guy with the gun in the back is a menace to society (read the captions halfway through video)

[@GhostofBelleIsle]

Seriously, anyone who'd be willing to whip out a loaded gun in a packed room over a verbal insult to his wife shouldn't own a gun.

[@Ron4president09]

Pat benetars uncle too?

[@Joey-JoJo-Jr.64]

Brilliant.

[@hellsong23]

This is genius. :) Love the idea of celebrating his performances but adding yet another layer with the heckler. He was so far ahead of his time.

[@KidFresh71]

Dude was at least 50 years ahead of his time.

[@antileft6776]

Extraordinary genius.

[@TGarzarel]

Brilliant!

[@georgemanka]

Great!

[@Flickit100]

To people who are strong in science, the art of arguing with yourelf is genius.

[@alhassant9204]

Pure comedic genius

[@kkroeger5868]

This is art...

[@andykaufman5686]

Yes that was me thank you very much

[@mwilliams1330]

i saw you last month at the car wash, nice gig but next time put the wax on after you wash..not before.

[@krispinwahsghost5999]

Sigma male confidence to go out there like this. *chefs kiss*

[@joramponi249]

the heckled heckler...

[@BadIntentions2006]

Zmuda's fuckin brilliant

[@davidmoskowitz1801]

The ultimate heckler!😂

[@keef7224]

Andy’s “new stuff” reminds me of that scene with Louis CK trying to make David Lynch laugh.

[@thejeenbeen1861]

Dude what made andy a genius. Is that nobody knew if he was serious or being funny . He the king of fucking with people . That's why when he died nobody believed it. 😂 rip to the straight man

[@kamdan2011]

Good meta joke about why comedians hate repeating the same jokes.

[@BlackWhirlies]

Seriously great.

[@skyler951]

Jesus this was funny as shit. thanks for posting

[@maestroaxeman]

Did Jesus post this?🤔😳 What a blessing🙏🤣 I love your comment😎

[@ekLuca]

im convinced Michael Kaufman is actually Andy

[@stevejames5863]

brilliant

[@abouteverything7385]

Andy is the ultimate godfather of all trolls

[@Wizzy678]

Trolls are supposed to be funny i never cracked a milli second smile for andy kaufman listen to better comedians

[@slimjim4239]

frighteningly original

[@ludwigbooth4882]

C'mon. Be honest. Am I a plant? Am I a plant?

[@VelvetFog09]

Wow.

[@nworbydnar]

He was a genius comedian.

[@chadinmich1]

How did no one notice Bob zamuda was on his own mic

[@steveb9151]

This aint comedy.....but it's captivating theater!

[@walterkersting9922]

Who is capable of original thought?

[@chrissullivan40]

Andy was much more interested in getting a reaction than a laugh.

[@npol024]

I wonder what he'd think if he knew millions of people would be watching today. Looks like Robin Williams & Billy Crystal also performed. They're great, but Andy is dumbfounding. Also, shout out to Bob Zmuda who was in on almost everything important Andy ever did... PS If you like rare Andy clips go find 'The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show,' and see the time he got Tony Clifton a gig with Jim Henson. It was filmed 13 days before this HBO special!

[@geargeekpdx3566]

So Andy, did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch? Hey Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? "Hey, baby" Are you having fun? If you believed they put a man on the moon (Man on the moon) If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

This wouldn't have worked on me watching at home because I noticed he was mic'd from the beginning.

[@magictransistorradio4933]

It's funny that they reveal the act at the end, and Andy says he ruined the act. Which is part if the act! Lol!

[@MarvinMonroe]

ultimate Kaufman bit would have been to just ignore the heckler

[@AGENTARMES]

Still laughing in 2029

[@RMusicent]

I was wondering who was telling the whole act while he was doing it.

[@stevestarscream5182]

The Heckler is his partner Bob Zmuda

[@AlIegory]

Kaufman died of lung cancer on May 16, 1984, at the age of 35.

[@maniac1075]

That must be Bob Zmuda lol

[@DeathbySkullfxxx]

The video literally tells us that... do you not see the subtitles in the video?

[@maniac1075]

@@DeathbySkullfxxx I wrote it before I got to that part lol

[@Harpadzo]

Total put-on

[@Kevin-tz2lv]

Ya think!? 😅

[@yoda9518]

This meta is too orginal for my taste

[@matthewfrawley724]

This is great. Was this part of a longer special back then? I can’t find any info on it.

[@kevinobrien9626]

Yes it was. I was 12 in '82, but I remember it was a full HBO special featuring various acts.

[@yournamehere6002]

It's from Catch A Rising Star's 10th Anniversary Special, which I taped off of cable back in '82....and someone posted on here in full. It's not The Improv, a different club altogether.

[@tcbanjo]

This is Catch A Rising Star, not The Improv. From the 10th Anniversary special

[@Ishkah]

Right you are, thanks! I found the full show and I'll edit the title now: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6vLco2VnMesrLc

[@tcbanjo]

@@Ishkah one of my favorites, glad you posted it. Genius performance 🎤✨