Andy Kaufman - Dadaist comedy genius, 1977

[@WobblyLance]

"Thank you very much. Right now, I'd like to do a comedy routine..." Simplistic genius.

[@MrOhmygoditsben]

Laying in bed trying to go to sleep but I can't stop thinking about Andy Kaufman turning his hysterical cries into a song

[@jakevendrotti1496]

And the song into an argument between a couple 😂 absolutely ingenious

[@jaybestnz]

and that whole bit of him breaking down was nothing other than a reason to make that sobbing song. 😮

[@ArvisTatom]

Was that whole song improvised? @@jakevendrotti1496

[@tuanjim799]

"You really showed me where I'm at.." 😂

[@SDsimplelife]

Yoooooo same 😂

[@keithbentley6081]

Totally blown away by this. First time seeing Andy Kaufman.

[@ChuckCastle471]

So curious what you thought because he was such a trailblazer.

[@jizim8947]

You got to see the movie on his life.

[@velenceigabor1418]

In that case you should watch Taxi-the series, I"d also recommend the movie Man on the moon.

[@bim-ska-la-bim4433]

An original...one of the best...

[@EricOtt-kh1ce]

​@@velenceigabor1418😮😅oò0😊 12:09 😊😊😊

[@termin8or123]

The way he turned his crying into the beat/chant of his song is fucking amazing.

[@user-qg5bl2kt7u]

I think it's cringey as fuck, but the best part is that he knew it was not funny at all, but he did it anyway, because he also knew that people would laugh at it and that's the best joke: making people laugh out of unfunny stuff, just right after being unfunny on purpose.

[@iamfantastic.iamgreat3649]

Egg! 🥚

[@iamfantastic.iamgreat3649]

Chicken🐔🍗😋😋😋😋

[@iamfantastic.iamgreat3649]

Sausage and beans👍👌

[@iamfantastic.iamgreat3649]

Maurice Gibb! 👨‍🦲🙋‍♀️👨‍🎨👩‍🏭

[@kthking]

It takes a other level of confidence to do material like this

[@AdamAndGregorFilms]

Apparently he used transcendental meditation to build his confidence

[@JB-xx3dq]

This is sociopathy, not confidence.

[@BacchusFA]

@@JB-xx3dq you have no clue how and the why of his comedy. Your comment alone proves how much smarter and brilliant Kaufman was than you. He just trolled the fuck out of you from the grave.

[@TheOliverKraft]

Adam Beck 3 hours meditation and yoga every day!!!

[@l.t.c8.1.46]

a other

[@ShitizenGayne]

The thing that bugs me about the cult of Andy these days is that people think he was some kind of misunderstood genius that nobody appreciated. Yes many people didn't understand him. Yes many people didn't appreciate him. But even at his most bothersome he had hordes of fans who worshiped him. Watch any Kaufman clip. The adoring fans are there laughing till their guts bust. The man was a genius. He was ahead of his time. He was nothing less than the father of so much of our modern comedy. But still... Dudes... Stop thinking the people before you were a bunch of slack jawed morons. They loved him too. Not all of them.. But a fucking lot of them. If they didn't, he wouldn't be remembered.

[@philipk4475]

Amen.

[@gladtobeangry]

Agree with the sentiment. I do think that it is a bit of a by-product of how hard it is to describe what Andy Kaufman did for TV comedy. He really had a style all of his own. Many people have tried to copy since, many people have incorporated a bit of Andy Kaufman into their comedy personas. But none of them have his unique combination of silliness, subversiveness, vulnerability and misschief. I also think that people's tastes in comedy are a deeply personal thing. As a fan of a comedian you really feel you share some of your own weird sense of humour with that comedian. I can see how that could help to make people think that a comedian so strange and unique must have been completely misunderstood back then, when he was in fact one of the great names in comedy in his time.

[@mattneydl4477]

The jim carrey movie had a lot to do with that too.

[@runi5413]

If you're a fan of Andy Kaufman then you've likely seen him on Letterman, SNL, Taxi, his NBC special, or performing at Madison Sq. Garden. So I don't think any of his fans would call him "misunderstood", when evidently he was so popular. Obviously American audiences must've liked him, they kept asking him back on TV, after all (and this was back when there were like 5 channels on).

[@anotheryoutubeaccount9852]

Agreed. I just despise the fact that Jim Carrey is forever affiliated with Andy. Not good.

[@guyjerry]

That “stand-up” bit in gibberish, but hitting all the beats and inflections so perfectly that it’s as funny as if there were real punchlines there… he literally in real-time distilled comedy to its purest essence: timing, rhythm, and the unexpected. Absolutely genius.

[@publicspace234]

I noticed that! Well said. And imagine the prowess and confidence as a man-as a performer-to be doing and say pure nonsense-getting the audience to say it with you-pure gibberish-but give the audience the standard meatbag noises and cues-and we’ll react like we’re programmed to do. Lady Dada’s Nightmare.

[@johnmclaughlin1946]

Shut up

[@numberonedad]

this is still way ahead of our time

[@jasonlee8497]

Gibberish? I understood every word.

[@gukagudashvili]

​@@jasonlee8497Are you from Azerbaijan?😅

[@zosobor3452]

Bombing was literally part of his act. Imagine starting out with this material.

[@TheWorld_2099]

I'm so glad you said that, because I'm 3 minutes in, and he is bombing so bad... This is really blowing my mind.

[@inthekingdom1996]

It's like a forced consciousness conversion. I like it! 😅

[@TopLob]

That means that every start-up comedian is actually a comedy genius. Brilliant.

[@bamgrok]

bAm 💥!

[@thatguy6227]

@@TheWorld_2099 he was killing the whole time

[@jw9366]

A true comic genius if there ever was one. Andy was one of a kind. 🙏♥️✌️

[@joshuapowers4623]

Fun fact, when the movie Man On The Moon about Andy was released I watched it in a Kingstong MA mall movie theater, tripping on mushrooms, sitting next to Woody Harrelson. Who happend to just randomly show up to watch it.

[@shijo222]

That's pretty wild

[@veryStupidInternet]

Alright, so while that sounds impressive, I've got a story that might be just as cool. I'm actually related to the film's cinematographer for 'Man on the Moon', and he took me behind the scenes to meet Jim Jarmusch before filming began. He showed us some of his own experimental short films from the 80s, and we even got to hang out in his Brooklyn loft with Chris Farley, who was going through a pretty rough time during that period. The funniest part is, he improvised one of his characters' lines on the spot during a rehearsal, and we actually captured it on camera. We've got some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage that's never been seen before.

[@mattcrouch9348]

Um.. maybe you imagined that part

[@jazzman7320]

⁠​⁠@@veryStupidInternetMilos Forman directed Man on the Moon. Jim Jarmusch had nothing to do with it, so I think your memory’s rather off.

[@kennergauthier3461]

Ya, ohhhhh-kay, shuuuuuure 👌

[@banjobandit3270]

The master of confusing and getting reactions from crowds. He was such a genius

[@puercoespineta]

Did he said so? Cause he actually looks sick.

[@r3b3lvegan89]

You look but do not see

[@diabl2master]

His mastery is in toying with the conventions of comedy.

[@jamesgarvey8402]

This guy had balls of steel!

[@davidlabelle361]

Damned. Fucking. Straight.

[@TheRealRorbo]

what was the joke about furries with fringe on top?

[@jc4307]

Na. People weren't pussies back then.

[@ArvisTatom]

I think it meant a vagina. @@TheRealRorbo

[@RoxTeddy]

Hi @@TheRealRorbo I came here for that. Have you got an explanation since ?

[@maxrocky4414]

That first bit with transition from crying into a song... I couldn't control my laughter it was that good. Yes it's absurd but also very funny, so I can definetly see Kaufman's genius here.

[@sabbath7081]

He was so convincing with everything he did you never really knew how he was actually feeling. He had the ability to put on an impenetrable mask.

[@NBATESdgm]

Like many legendary entertainers, Andy was a master of psychology, a prodigy of his craft.

[@moonlightlove27]

Not psychology. He just did what he use to do as a kid in his bedroom. Make believe.

[@Vonnegut84]

This is the pretentious borderline word salad I'm here for

[@provetamin]

like a childrens show for adults

[@JugaJuga14]

Having just watched a full half hour of Andy Kaufman, I can now safely say he is a full blown genius. So sharp, so witty, so ahead, what a man.

[@Codgerism]

I think you meant to say Tony Clifton. Andy Kaufman is the clown that went on at the start of the video and nearly ruined the whole show. He has all but faded into obscurity now, but the great Tony Clifton will live forever.

[@blakesasha3517]

He’s dead

[@truthmonster3290]

andy kaufman was not funny

[@SpadePyro]

Truth Monster he was funny to him, that’s all he cared about, he didn’t want to be loved

[@bernardocarneiro1982]

@George Chiarovano yes but If he's not funny why the hell should I care? It's like a director who makes a terrible film but thats okay,because he likes it.He has all the right to like his own Piece of shit movie,but there's absolutely no reason I have to

[@puertoriconnect4611]

2:00 I love this bit so much. It's believable that someone would think they were delivering comedy gold. The sincerely awkward sounding delivery. The way he controls his nervous breathing. The faux confidence when he starts getting into the groove of the bit. It's all brilliant but I just love that corny dad delivery when he says "quite a wallop" then stumbles into the next bit to try and shake off the embarrassment.

[@smurfette_blues7922]

Holy shit that jibberish bongo song caught me so off guard. I've never been so uniquely tickled :D

[@mrseal662]

Pure insanity. I don't even know what to say except I think that I enjoyed it.

[@thecuriousquest]

He's brilliant. Everything is very well planned and orchestrated. Fearless. Nobody can take a crowd on a wild ride like Andy!

[@zazenbo]

"I really shouldn't have done this."

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Haha! Ey?

[@subpar7404]

Nouns!

[@chikelord]

I came here to have fun tonight is gold too

[@foxtowercommunications]

That's the story of my life!

[@Jackknifegyp]

Just noticed that Steinberg didn't refer to him as a "Comedian". Kaufman didn't think of himself as a comedian but as one who played with heads of his audience.Props to Dave for giving him that respect.

[@MeadeSkeltonMusic]

Jackknifegyp imo he was an actor or performance artist

[@conradgarcia858]

Why Kaufman is great? Most people see him as a comedian, but he, actually, was not. He was more of a Neo- Dadaistic performance artist. He went against the expectations of the audience and the medium. He brought other reactions to the table other than laughter. He brought awkwardness, uneasiness, disgust, pity, even contempt. And I think, Andy proved something, that even he could bring all these types of feelings, humor can still sprout out of nowhere.

[@ellawelitschewska4756]

Great note, thank you!

[@Zzzinnn]

Someone read a wiki entry

[@mescellaneous]

he is weirdly connected to what alan watts preaches in spirit. very intuitive about how the ego thinks in general. he's always seeking to meld the mind of the audience with the performer. and when you "dont get it", he doesnt make it his job to steer you into laughter. he's just being what he finds funny.

[@feny8]

Nah he’s funny. I lol to his stuff. He’s an unconventional comedian but a comedian nonetheless.

[@Proudathiest1]

@@Zzzinnn haha. Yes that sounds about right

[@itsme-nq8bq]

First volunteer on stage was Bob Zmuda Andy's good friend who helped him plan most of his acts and was always in on them.

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

All volunteers are plants, not only Zmuda. Like how Zmuda and the fat guy was supposedly beating the crap out of Tony Clifton at the end. The genius is having only Zmuda as the "outed" plants while they're all plants working together.

[@MatthewAndrewDrake]

And played Tony Clifton after Andy passed to throw fire into the fake death conspiracies

[@dant7072]

That Tony Clifton routine is pure performance art!

[@polpotify]

I was dreading going to work tomorrow as I am about to quit the job but this really made my day 😂

[@АртёмДубравин-ы6у]

How did it go, pal?

[@na-vn5qy]

​@@АртёмДубравин-ы6уthey fired him just before he got the chance to quit, and he has since spiraled into a deep, dark depression over the missed opportunity for a leg up in the matter.

[@steve_bal4]

Please tell me you did it by crying a song!

[@polpotify]

@@steve_bal4 🤣🤣🤣

[@polpotify]

@@АртёмДубравин-ы6у I quit!!!

[@MusicDementia]

This is the skit that made me an Andy Kaufman fan for life.

[@JanetCaterina]

I am addicted to watching this tape

[@Lux7355]

What a madman, brilliant comic, never seen anyone who could troll an audience like Andy Kaufman, and always left you guessing how much of the "audience participation" was a part of the act, it's like watching Jerry Springer but with comedy.

[@skipads5141]

I always thought Jerry Springer was comedy.

[@Lux7355]

@@skipads5141 😂 haha, fair point. I used to like to watch Morton Downy Jr back in the day, that was another one that wasn't really _supposed_ to be "comedy", but was just unintentionally hilarious every time, smoke hanging out of his mouth, yelling at his guests, "shaddup-ya-scumbag!", it was just too funny.

[@JosephPerrotta-db9xp]

More like boring the audience

[@PeterMasalski93]

I'm Polish and I can confirm that we clap like this in Poland.

[@JoshX1317]

You think you’re funny cause you’re Polish, Bob?

[@killer408cid]

Andy just loved not giving the audience what they thought they were going to get. The surprise, and uncertainty over what was act and what was real were the appeal.

[@PlanetRockJesus]

Awesome performance. Andy always pushed that barrier between reality and fantasy.

[@AiVaultGuy]

where is this funny... never thought this guy was funny

[@joeybeann]

Sjhhhhhh

[@Seriouslydave]

​@@AiVaultGuyi think of the emperor s new clothes and i think andy actually thought the audience were morons.

[@puercoespineta]

He looks actually sick

[@horacebones493]

@@AiVaultGuythat’s the point

[@3goals4bonzai]

"bottom of the fifth and the bags are loaded." done.

[@PulledPurk]

It was like the only joke lol

[@garrcarro2063]

Kim Clay it’s just a play on the bases being loaded, or in other words every base would have a player on it.

[@charliekiger]

@Coitus Handguns Fake news! An american would know what bases loaded means lmao

[@camogrrl]

Thanks for that. I didn’t get it either. We don’t have baseball in New Zealand. Not even on television. I’ve literally never seen a game in my life.

[@MARSBELLA1]

@@camogrrl You re not missing anything x

[@SouthwestFloridaCircus]

Absolute favorite comedian of all time. His acting is so good and his sets were like a scripted social experiment.. he knew exactly how to trigger the audience reaction he wanted and had so much fun with it…

[@toomuchsumo]

This is pure comic sorcery. And the man's got rhythm too.. top notch🔥🔥

[@xVoodeedoox]

This guy looks like he's just having the time of his life and I love it

[@3kulx]

An absolute credit to the world of comedy. There will never be anyone like him. I was born in the ninety's and would give almost everything to see this man perform in the way he magnifies the art of laughter.

[@Houdini774]

Only Andy, only the genius of Andy Kaufman could pull something like that off. He had total control of the audience the whole time, a natural original. We miss you.

[@jaydenxtreme]

The man was an unbridled fool, creating "comedy" for drooling mouth breathers

[@bubbyskittles4802]

@@jaydenxtreme The very few people I know who don’t like Andy Kauffman are rather up-tight, sad people, often very full of regrets. Seeing someone so confident as Andy is clearly quite difficult for these people, because it reminds them of what they could have achieved if they’d just let go a little bit.

[@jaydenxtreme]

@bubbyskittles4802 Yes, I see your point. Perhaps I just need to loosen up a bit as you say. Then I shall truly see the unbridled genius of one, Mr. Andy Kaufman. My deepest thank you! Excelsior!

[@arenawarfare2584]

One of the best videos on the internet.

[@tonyclifton265]

the bewildered audience reaction is part of the entertainment. that was his genius

[@joesimon2018]

Hell of a bongo player too.

[@Deebomofo]

get with the program, They're not bongos, They're Conga Drums.On top of that,He couldn't play the damn things.Seriously.

[@joesimon2018]

S.F. Warriors 2019 Not really giving a flying fuck about your program. And he played pretty good.

[@Deebomofo]

you're such a dumfuck ,you don't know the difference between bongos and congas or what it takes to play them.You fuckin hack.

[@joesimon2018]

S.F. Warriors 2019 This is the field upon which I grow my fucks. Lay thine eyes upon it for you shall see that it is barren.

[@bundangbear]

Da fucken blue balls. Da fucken blue balls. Da fucken blue balls. Da fucken blue balls. Da fucken blue balls.

[@54CFL]

"...it's not working... I really shouldn't have done this" His delivery here is outstanding.

[@jordach545]

Oh man I love him so much. Never has anyone made so many laugh, then promptly feel guilty for it.... Haha oh man he was 30 years early

[@localkauf]

I think he's still ahead of even our time

[@matthewrouge]

And the real genius was that he was decades ahead of his time but still thoroughly entertained people in his own time.

[@joeyashley497]

If he was alive today, he would still be ahead in the times. Nobody has or is anything close to this man. The word "Genius" describes him perfectly.

[@davidj.steiger3178]

If Andy was just starting out during our time (01/13/2024), no chance he’d make it, the left would absolutely destroy the man. Glad he was who he was during the end of an era that could still accept him…

[@idontwanttosignupnow]

@@davidj.steiger3178ok grampa let’s get you to bed

[@bearygoodbeans8169]

Undisputed comedic genius. VERY competent on the bongos. He was a guru, in total control of his body. He did a bit on Letterman in a turban, totally bare on top; the physical part of the act was astounding. Swallowed a sword, and THEN sang a Slim Whitman tune. Without a glass of water between....ROFLMAO! BUT, the singing was extrememly good. When you are on a metaphysical plane above, it's wonderful to bless those of us down here in normal. Miss you Andy, wish you were here today!

[@csebastian3]

Probably the most brilliant comedy performances of all time.

[@tommunist10]

The ending is actually gold

[@laytonspuzzle]

@kerr.y Probably the only serious line in that entire bit... unless it wasn't

[@purvaahuja3527]

This is a genius loophole for a performance artist. The audience can never undermine this, the artist has nothing to lose and people will be always left wondering how far will he go, anticipating. In the end he has got what he is aiming at which is their attention not their laughter. we have no idea what actually makes us laugh. A great example- minions.

[@therainman7777]

Huh?

[@tttm99]

So he explored and exploited new areas of comedy. You know, arguably just finding that "loophole" itself could be argued a kind of performing genius. So I guess if your point was he was a genius it's well made. If your point was that repetition, confrontation/contrarianism and desperately wanting to be taken incredibly seriously eventually becomes hilarious (also like Kauffman) then also well made. I guess like Kauffman's act, your comment can't really lose.😅

[@purvaahuja3527]

@@tttm99 You've put it so well.

[@sgt.thundercok4704]

Yeah, it's easy-mode, duh.

[@sgt.thundercok4704]

@@purvaahuja3527 - it reads worse than if A.I. had written it.

[@bobdigital21]

This is so interesting. What i think people don't understand when they watch this is how TIGHT the act is. It has the look and feel of something which has a free flow to it but the actual act is very coordinated. Yes there is some improve because it is a live crowd but an act like this involves a lot of coordination and comedic timing. Even his looks and mumbo jumbo talk is very rehearsed and it all happens in a very specific order at a very specific time.

[@markofsaltburn]

And his breathing and body language - all exquisitely and delicately weighted.

[@honeytlbadger4365]

17:38 honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen. The split second in which he drops character and uses his normal voice when saying "wanna see it again?" is perfection.

[@elbo7755]

Jesus if you're thought that was the 'funniest' thing you ever seen then I feel for you.

[@honeytlbadger4365]

@@elbo7755 Thanks man!

[@elbo7755]

@@honeytlbadger4365 No worries are kid.

[@TastyChevelle]

​@@elbo7755Nasty person

[@anarchy_79]

I totally caught that and yes, so much happened in that split second!

[@FuzzyDancingBear]

Dude had mad bongo chops and a great voice. Can't believe he brings that Clifton guy with him, though...

[@dukeredi]

Don't knock Clifton.

[@royalnass1029]

"bottom of the 5th and the bags are loaded". that was a clever joke

[@gkoknok6076]

I wouldn’t say I’m laughing my ass off but this is definitely very very unique and entertaining in its own way.

[@sensualarmpit3512]

Captivating

[@jeebuz6627]

I’m laughing my ass off

[@calebwitts1232]

Definitely seems more like you had to be there

[@smokemystogies9063]

​@@jeebuz6627yeah big time

[@easyandy95]

I wouldn't say I'm laughing my ass off but I'm definitely laughing my tits off

[@godonlyknows13]

Holy hell, it really takes a minute but watch for long enough and you're drawn to the inescapable conclusion that this man really is a comic genius...

[@animalmother5287]

Really? Boring as shit

[@YodasPapa]

Haven't seen much Kaufman, but watching this I gotta say I get why he's so highly regarded 100%. It's nearly fifty years later and this would be daring comedy even today

[@jdsalinger73]

I'm 51. Thanks to this video, I now understand Andy Kaufman a lot better. 😂

[@PokeWub]

I don’t think people realized that every single thing Andy did was completely staged and planned. It was so well acted, nobody could be certain. The guy he pours water on, the women he wrestles with, they're all plants. He was a magician of comedy.

[@tate3777]

It's the most brilliant thing I've ever heard of. Making people wonder if he's joking or not is why he did what he did, it was fun for him. I don't think he ever had a moment on screen that he didn't plan on. Making us wonder for years and years and years how genuine he really was, that's how he's a legend. Still keeps us guessing. Man on the Moon did a pretty good job showing that.

[@StinkFinger2023]

Chris Taylor the guy he pours water on is Bob Zmeda, a very close friend and one of the three people who took turns playing Tony Clifton... Andy's brother and Bob would take turns so occasionally and could appear while Tony was there

[@StinkFinger2023]

Tate Saywitz you got it... You hit it right on the head... He wasn't there to make people laugh. He loved to entertain people and keep them guessing end make a triple entendre of uncertainty... However he was there to make himself happy

[@tate3777]

Yep exactly. Just shows how much he kept all this up and the effort he put into it. In an interview with a reporter asking Jerry Lawler about Andy's death, Jerry was like "I don't know why you're asking me. We didn't like each other." and it's just so great how they kept that "feud" going... really a lot of effort

[@moalmaliki6354]

but it is not funny

[@solobo5823]

Andy blurred the lines between what was his act and reality. He could toy with your emotions in ways that you didn’t expect. He was an art form that we had never experienced before and have not since. Andy was an experience. He left us waiting for more and wondering what it could have possibly been. He lives in my imagination. What a beautiful mind.

[@Spruce_Bringsteen]

Just don't want him as your upstairs neighbor.

[@dantaylor333]

omg every thing he did was so unique. Even when you don't laugh you are laughing in your mind. I love him

[@davidmcclaskey342]

this is essentially what Tim Heidecker does in his standup, I feel. He of course has his own twist, but the spirit of it is very similar. Love this stuff

[@thosemonsters]

He wants to be Andy so bad it’s painful.

[@rudeboyjim2684]

@@thosemonstersTim is funnier for sure.

[@thosemonsters]

@@rudeboyjim2684 Tim isn’t funny at all. Andy is a comedy icon for a reason on the other hand. But you believe whatever you like kid.

[@bobdongsondongson53]

Tims funnier than Sam Hyde.

[@smokedubs]

Haha

[@VICELORD556]

Damn. He’s definitely groundbreaking for comedians pushing limits, i can’t remember laughing so hard at something lol, this shit is great! 😂

[@anotheryoutubeaccount9852]

I am amazed at how much of Andy Kaufman's career is based on the contents within this video.

[@BacchusFA]

This man had his own stratosphere of comic genius.

[@86ortega]

There is only 1 stratosphere not multiple.

[@wheinurcheez4182]

when you can make everyone in the room laugh in a made up language...you're a genius

[@itsgoubie]

Whei Nurcheez he didn't even have to speak to make the entire audience laugh. There's a video of him on Letterman and everybody cracks up while he only moves his eyes. Truly a genius!

[@truthmonster3290]

When you make a career of demeaning the Slav race that makes you a racist, not a genius, a racist

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Bloody weirdo if you ask me!

[@mrtambourineman6107]

@@truthmonster3290 what's the slav race? Please tell me as I'm the most woke person in my peer group and would just die if they knew I'd watched something racialist!

[@truthmonster3290]

Some Entitlement issues Europe has three main linguistic and racial groups, Germanic, Latin and Slav. Go get a refund from your "schools".

[@mikejohnzon]

First time seeing an Andy Kaufman video and am now a fan. True genius

[@bananabread6148]

Andy was such an absolute genius at comedic timing that he could get the crowd howling with laughter by speaking gibberish and making funny gestures. Lol

[@anarchy_79]

You mean exactly like a clown?

[@TheBelegur]

Other perormers that knew Andy Kaufman, upon hearing of his premature death, said to themsleves "good one Andy" and didn't believe he was dead until they saw him laid out at his funeral.

[@ClassicRidesPhilippines]

i saw the tony clifton act many many years ago on tv and I promise to god I tried looking for it over and over on the net and today I stumbled onto it. I actually thought it was eugene levy and searched it via his name! I can't believe I found it accidentally this way. This is very special for me I laughed my ass off then I'm still laughing now.

[@rusty823]

A man who was so far ahead of his time, he could pretend to be behind it and still be beyond it.

[@VeggieRice]

not really but tremendous talent all the same

[@anarchy_79]

That sounded way better in your head when you were high.

[@stevewright1539]

Rediscovering Andy again and thinking he may be the comic genius of all time. You have to go along for the ride with him and you are better for it.

[@florptytoo]

Indeed. You get it.

[@krisc2535]

"And if you order now you can get Muhammed Ali's greatest hit when he knocked out George Foreman *kchh* That was quite a wallop!" Brilliant. I love how he plays with audience reactions and intermittently pulls the rug from underneath them every now and then.

[@jeebuz6627]

People should stop calling him “the first troll” he was more than that guys.

[@theGreatDamnbino]

Yeah, he was more of a song and dance man, people are just addicted to their caps locks.

[@theitalianskunkwhisperer6843]

They're clueless morons to say that it doesn't even make sense.

[@spectralv709]

Because people on KZbin can only relate things to internet culture

[@docb4304]

He was a pos not a troll

[@theitalianskunkwhisperer6843]

Ggg

[@jamestheredd]

I love how he turned the tables on the audience and made them feel awkward when normally it’s the comedian that risks feel awkward on stage.

[@SkitzWallaby]

I’m honestly so blown away right now. Never heard of this guy before or seen an act anything like this. That was an incredible watch!

[@chrissyemert8781]

Watch "Man on the Moon" you'll get the jist of who he was

[@mrhyperbolic7455]

I saw him at MIU when I was 20 years old nearly 50 years ago. He made the entire movie theatre cry in laughter.

[@rosswatson9144]

It’s not just comedy…this is dada at it’s best… an original art form.

[@fujifilm5127]

I don't think Andy was pretentious enough to be a dada artist. He smart and well read, it the things that link everygreat ahead of their time comidean, they do things that amuse themselves, not the audence. Dada is just artists jacking off and blaming world alwar 2

[@growskull]

​@@fujifilm5127 fool detected lol as if dadaists were not smart or well read...

[@paulgibby6932]

@@growskull also Dada started before WW II

[@growskull]

@@paulgibby6932exactly!

[@Maartjevanz]

You have no idea how many times I've watched the conga part

[@MC-vh7go]

"If you wanna be a bad audiance, I'll walk right outta here, ok, you can have a strip show for all I care" Tony Clifton

[@nworbydnar]

A true comedy genius. We miss you Andy.

[@michaelcarrig627]

We wouldn't have Tim Robinson, Eric Andre, Conor O'Malley, Joe Pera, and Nathan Fielder if it weren't for this great man.

[@geminidefect]

we can live without eric andre . Bules rules!

[@nerderspree]

Eric Andre really owes everything to Tom Green. He basically just does his version of the Tom Green Show.

[@geminidefect]

@@nerderspreeback in the day, tom green raps... organized rhyme. "check the or"

[@MaceyTheWallflower]

Nah, you still would.

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

This guy was so brilliant that he turned his death into a routine.

[@DystopianUtopia8]

He had a lot of courage.

[@dextrosia]

Kinda sad, don't ya think... ?

[@RobOlshin]

I highly recommended the book written by his partner Bob Zmuda, who was Andy’s best friend and in on everything with him. It’s called Andy Kaufman Revealed. Behind the scenes on everything and lots of really interesting and surprising material about what Andy was really like and how he came up with his brilliant unique ideas for his comedy.

[@provetamin]

yeah it's called 'lost in the funhouse'.

[@RobOlshin]

@provetamin No that’s a biography of Andy written by author Bill Zehme but it’s not the book I’m talking about … I’m taking about a book called “Andy Kaufman Revealed” by Bob Zmuda who was Andy’s best friend and writing collaborator, he was in on all the stuff Andy did through the years and it’s his book about being Andy’s friend and partner.

[@jossypoo]

Bob Zmuda is the guy who introduced him at the beginning!

[@puertoriconnect4611]

So glad people seem to be rediscovering Andy again.

[@easyandy95]

Thank you I've been extremely lonely

[@Dakayto]

Here's to Andy Kaufman, the world's first troll in America

[@miapiare]

Damian Rice hardly.

[@jessicamisitano]

That’s exactly how I explain him to people 😂

[@anthonykehoe1773]

best description of him I have heard...a compliment really, as he made trolling into art and entertainment at a higher level.

[@joshuachaffin1858]

Damian Rice trolls go back to the dawn of time

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Haha yeah!

[@johnf120]

People always point out his “anti-comedy” and performance art skills, but Kaufman was also a really talented joke writer with great timing and punchlines. That early Tony Clifton stuff was laugh-out-loud funny. 20:13 is almost like a young Andrew Dice Clay. Probably was an inspiration for his act

[@TC8787-yq7og]

Kaufman was light years ahead of Dice Clay, woeful hack comic

[@Claego]

Wow The invisible connection between Andy Kaufmann and the crowd, as a performer versus a gathering of real people, was tangible. It's like a relationship between two people, The Performer and The Crowd. I've seen it on Twitch from the chat when a big streamer is on. There's just something about human nature while gathered in a unified way to watch some goofball that makes our minds link up. And being able to direct that energy is a learned skill. An example off the top of my head is like how fighters in Dragon Ball Z can redirect energy and throw it somewhere else. People who can go up on stage and put on a fantastic show are like martial artists who can control the social vibes. Andy was one of the best of them, if a little odd.

[@ChazWick4]

I'm starting to think Reggie Watts had a huge influence by this man.

[@billybussey]

Yeah I thought that too, and Norm Mcdonald, Jim Carey, Galifanakis, Tom Green, etc...

[@MajickPalindrome]

Eric Andre

[@KaaneDragonShinobi]

For your health

[@karlsebastiansollenhag8802]

I was thinking the same thing when watching this, never thought about it before.

[@RobertCashman]

Nathan For You

[@musicjunkie421]

Andy Kaufman is the definition of "Thinking outside the box"

[@Danza-iy7ww]

👏🏼👏🏼 beautiful definition

[@anarchy_79]

But what is in the box? WHAT'S IN THE BOOOOX?

[@Rum-Runner]

But saying “Thinking outside the box” implies that he’s in the box. A more accurate analogy for Andy Kaufman is that he was several miles away, thinking about all the poor suckers that were still in the box.

[@davidlongoria8607]

Imagine the stuff he'd be doing today.

[@djackman4229]

Why do you assume it would be better? The world has gone backwards in a lot of ways since 1977.

[@hugh2hoob668]

@@djackman4229 sasha baren cohen ripped off him so just look at him

[@sleksei181]

how? he's not even alive

[@rodstiffingtonxyz]

theres a guy called sam hyde, some of his stuff is out there but he goes out and intentionlly bombs just like andy its great. he goes to an art school and its great

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Haha, like what?

[@pablofitzy]

When those two guys from the stage are waiting for him at the end 🤣🤣

[@thegreatreverendx]

Nothing-absolutely nothing-happens on the stage that is not rehearsed, planned, or anticipated. Andy knew exactly what he was doing and was in complete control of the audience at every second. He represented an intelligence that was at once removed, observant, and planned and also participatory and spontaneous. There’s never been anyone like him since.

[@OfficialElljay]

he’s on lsd

[@yardiemark]

This performance needs to be watched cold with no context. The confusion, the feeling of sympathy, irritation, anger, uncomfortable humor that Kaufman elicits from the crowd is legendary. Even today, many years after his death people are split over whether this is comedy. It's not "hard to understand" and it doesn't fly over anyone's head. It's just a particular kind of comedy that comes from his mind. The audience becomes the performer in this, because he depends on the reactions to make it work. It's a risky set but he pulls it off beautifully.

[@stuartculshaw5342]

You say there hasn't been anyone like him since and you may be right but I would recommend Stewart Lee. He often breaks his routine which he admits is medocre at best to lambast and criticise the audience for not being clever enough to understand the nonsense on stage, he's observation of the room is absolutely impecible and every apparent flaw in the performance is planned to perfection.

[@stuartculshaw5342]

@@donny303 You prefer dick jokes?

[@VetriVade]

Sam hydes standup is pretty close as hes obviously inspired by andy. Watch his drexel ted talk and youll see what im talking about

[@maynardsmoreland]

Damn, I miss Andy Kaufman. My teen years were a lot happier when I could watch him perform.

[@hoofhearted7445]

I never know wether to cry or laugh, thats how brilliant he was

[@Jema]

I wish Andy was around today.. Timeless classic!

[@danielcrocker9378]

He couldn’t exist in this world 2021

[@LizardoiL]

Kaufman was absolutely brilliant.

[@vegasgone07-dh4lb]

Andy was born for KZbin. Where you can be whatever you want to be. Hate him? He was a Comedy Legend.

[@mariogentile4326]

The not yet fully developed Tony Clifton. We're seeing the early stages of him. This is classic.

[@zboys4586]

The 70's original inner childish Andy needs to be watched like a innocent wide eye child just like Andy would want you to,

[@Harmonicaman1000]

Love that ❤🎉

[@miceskin]

this dude is fucking CRAZY, he makes zach galifianakis look tame.

[@aintgonnahappen]

The end is fkn genius. "If I've mad one person happy it's all been worth it...." LOL

[@treywest268]

And that one person that mattered to making "someone" was him. He brought a lot of others along on that ride though, including me. It didn't matter to him if people liked what he was doing. What he liked "doing" was doing what he wanted to. He just hoped others would too. Personally? I love what he did. He let me know that each and everyone of us need to be celebrated for our own unique talents.

[@aintgonnahappen]

@@treywest268 He was a brilliant man. All I know, as do so many millions of others, is that he was different and he was hilarious. I love what he did too; his work stands the test of time.

[@christianbaughn199]

Andy always makes me smile from ear to ear.

[@easyandy95]

That's really sweet of you to say christianbaughn199