Andy Talks Tony Clifton with Merv Griffin

Andy Kaufman talks with Merv Griffin about mistaken identity.

[@johntomasik1555]

To this day when I watch these old clips of him, I still can't tell when he's screwing around and when he's being serious. The guy played his audience perfect.

[@coyotehinderstein37]

what if i were to say that andy kauphman as you know him was just as much of a character as tony cliffton

[@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.

[@robertmoldafsky9343]

he is the ultimate troll!

[@Machtyn]

I don't think he was ever not screwing around. He was quite serious about that. The only time he was serious was his cancer announcement.

[@meekeeboy]

Never serious in the way you are asking. Always serious as a performer

[@jeebuz6627]

He’s wearing Tony’s jacket 😂😂

[@lionslingshotwmd8711]

Tony's jacket had a design that looked like couch upholstery and black trim, andy just liked the salmon colored jackets

[@mikeypl7]

No he’s not

[@kattrakee]

Jeezbug : Just FYI : Clifton’s jacket has black trim on it .

[@mynameisnotyours888]

😂😂😂he’s the greatest I mean besides Groucho n chaplin

[@jonbon7219]

Oh!!! Whoa WHoa whoa!!!!

[@amyntut]

It's a shame that so many people back then didn't get what Andy was doing. Pure genius. His impersonation of Elvis was so great that even Elvis himself said that it was the best he'd ever seen.

[@infinitejest441]

He got all the mannerisms perfect

[@greg55666]

"I'd rather wrestle a woman." That is the most brilliant answer I've ever heard.

[@Surgicalsensei]

what makes it so brilliant?

[@CandiceJoergan]

DaZ316x You have to have a sense of humor to realize that it was absolutely brilliant. Unfortunately, people like you...don't.

[@Surgicalsensei]

Just because you don't think it's brilliant doesn't mean you have no sense of humor. Like I said, What exactly makes it so brilliant? You can't even explain because it makes no fucking sense.

[@greg55666]

DaZ316x You seriously don't understand why "I'd rather wrestle a woman" is funny? How will explaining it to you help you? You surely know that you've already sucked the humor out of it, so explaining it to you isn't going to make you think it's funny. Nor is my explaining humor to you generally going to somehow teach you to have a sense of humor. But anyway, since you asked. Andy was doing this stupid thing wrestling women. Merv Griffin takes him all seriously and asks him a serious question, hoping for some kind of serious philosophical or psychological discussion or something, "tell me, Andy, what is it that makes you prefer to wrestle women?" And everyone listening is thinking, oh this will be good, Andy will explain himself for a change. Except, of course, it is actually the stupidest fucking question you've ever heard. It's normal to want to wrestle MEN? So Andy answers the question seriously and it is hilarious because you immediately realize what a stupid question it is and how funny it is that Andy takes the question as seriously as Merv, and gives a serious answer, except that the answer in a way is as stupid as the question. Then of course there's the tone and the timing and all that stuff that makes any comedian great because they just hit you in the funny bone with the surprise. Most humor comes from the surprise, the unexpected turn. On top of which Andy is completely missing the point of the question--Merv's asking why wrestling? Why women? But Andy acts like it's completely normal that he would want to wrestle, the only question is why women, but that question is of course dumb because of COURSE women. PLEASE don't respond with something about how you don't think it's funny. I don't CARE. You asked why it's funny; I told you.

[@greg55666]

Pasu suel I agree with everything you say here, except that I am not entirely sure that Merv was not in on the joke.

[@leokimvideo]

Andy is so clever in his comedy it often takes years to fully understand exactly what he's up to.

[@adamgardiner5869]

I never laugh out loud at Andy Kaufman he's not quite my taste in comedy, but goddamn he was an absolute genius...undeniable genius performer and artist.

[@ebsenraptzski9522]

he was really a jag

[@josiahcole3186]

He never aimed to make people laugh…just wanted to confuse people and make people think "how did this guy get on tv?"

[@vickidunn5770]

Laughed when he was on Taxi.

[@fransmith8992]

@@ebsenraptzski9522 yes

[@sarahsilverlight6161]

What's a "jag?"

[@jn2050]

I didn't get Andy at first, now I think he's a genius

[@alexsmith5606]

i don't see it. he is interesting, but not funny

[@rayjr62]

He was a dybbuk.

[@NoWay-vz9xw]

@Silverbreaker , much*

[@NoWay-vz9xw]

@Silverbreaker, Definition of mutch. chiefly Scottish. : a close-fitting cap (as of linen or muslin) often worn by old women or babies.

[@anotheryoutubeaccount9852]

@@alexsmith5606 His main goal was your opinion of him - although, he was fine with people feeling he was funny.

[@dharmabeachbum6330]

Merv Griffin should let people answer questions before he asks them another. He wouldn't let Andy finish a sentence.

[@otisandspauiding]

Andy was an absolute genius. Tony Clifton may be my favorite character of all time. Andy was decades ahead of his time. He was the godfather of messing w people. May you rest eternally knowing that generations later are still laughing.

[@r.roberts]

So well said. Decides beyond our time as well, imho.

[@williambeatty5779]

Andy was a Genius. His ability to talk total fakery with total sincerity was hilarious until Politicians began to emulate it.

[@lorncampbell4943]

100% genius

[@RodCornholio]

Listen to Tony Danza talk about working with Kaufman where he tells the story of Clifton getting fired from the Taxi show. Here we are, close to 40 years later, and laughing about a REAL life performance. His humor extends beyond the grave. Genius. He made everything a joke. Even making people wait to see if he showed up after his death. Method comic unlike anyone before or after, who pushed the boundaries beyond the bleeding edge.

[@ebsenraptzski9522]

his jagoffism extends beyond reality

[@buzzkill808raven2]

you may be laughing but the whole time I'm yawning, eye rolling, and thinking of how sad and attention starved andy was, and how I doubt very much he could take what he dishes out

[@Homelesshater]

@@ebsenraptzski9522 we get it, u missed the plot

[@lorncampbell4943]

Just watched that interview with Tony D. The recent snub Tony did made me look him up. Tony tells a great story and Andy sure left his mark on this world. A genius.

[@CusterFlux]

Zmuda must've been at home watching, pissing his pants laughing: as for how Andy managed to keep a straight face - that's what got him on Merv in the first place.

[@DocToxicTF2]

Zmuda and Kaufman both must have had a fucking good time just by planing all this shit they did.

[@assmane999]

The way he keeps a straight face with a because he was able to convince itself it was true. He says it like a fact.

[@themoviedealers]

God bless Linda Lavin for playing along. :-)

[@shitchops]

she could have said "yes i seen them both on the stage at the same time" :D

[@kevinlynch523]

She's not really playing along. In the Carnegie Hall show, Andy and Tony DID appear on stage at the same time (though she might not have seen that part). In that and the other instance Kauffman references here, Kaufman had his partner Bob Zmuda take on the role of Tony Clifton (dressed in a very convincing Tony Clifton disguise) and surprise the audience by coming on stage and picking a fight with Kaufman, just to add an extra layer to the charade. That was a brilliant stroke by Kaufman, and he was very smart not to lean on that trick too many times, lest the ruse become transparent.

[@malahammer]

It looks like absolutely everyone did :)

[@vickidunn5770]

@@kevinlynch523 Andy Kaufman always did things very purposefully. Whether people liked what he did or not, it was always well thought out.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Tony Clifton is probably the single greatest character of all time. Man I love him.

[@jackleeper6310]

I dunno... Foreign man is pretty great...

[@Paracelsus23]

I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

[@madpriest7822]

same

[@wes11bravo]

I heard he can rhyme any word.

[@richardpowell3259]

I agree. The way he sold Tony as legit. A terrible singer who has an attitude and thinks hes it. Its genius. His manager dresses like Tony to sell the illusion of 2 diff. people.

[@swaninabox1488]

You see.. Applause wasn't what Andy wanted. He thrived off of the bemused looks on peoples faces. I have to love Nick Nolte even more for absolutely buying into it. When he is getting ready to be Elvis in those live shows, it has me in stitches.. He makes the audience wait for so long it is incredible, but you know he is going to give this wonderful performance. I swear he even manages to work in the hisses and pops from the vinyl he copied, more like a mynah bird than an impressionist. I'd say he listened to those records a million times.

[@michaellavery4899]

Thanks for that. I wondered if the pops and hisses were on the recording i was listening to.

[@josephkolozi9364]

He can be dead serious and hilarious at the same time.

[@jimmyjennings4089]

This man had so many people fooled and I even heard an interview with Danny devito and he said that even when Andy died he and others thought he was joking and it was a stunt, even the girl that played his wife when he was ladka, I think her name on the show was simka she went up and actually poked Andy's body in the casket at his funeral, when I heard that I knew this man was a comedic genius.

[@TyDie85]

Yea, Carol Kane played his wife. I saw that interview as well. I loved the entire talk/interview.

[@flaviuscountry]

I love Andy so much! So soft spoken. I’d love more people like him on earth. Tony was such a jerk!

[@351cleavland]

The timing of this is brilliant! Not just Kaufman but Merv as well. It has room for disbeleif, reactions from all and thinking. This was such a different time : D

[@depaola63]

Classic times !! * I am 55 this year and remember ALL this !!

[@alanw505]

We are still dealing with the phenomena that was Andy Kaufman to this very day.

[@sleightofmind2016]

This never gets old to me.

[@SparkySINN]

Tony Clifton is a great creation. Wonderful.

[@zippyoffrainbow8174]

There’s a saying “you can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time” Kaufman broke the mould.. legend

[@butcherboy2008]

Linda Lavin's improv skills are underrated.

[@roccomarciano6099]

Andy Kaufman was a genius.

[@glasgowgee5323]

Years ahead of his time , honestly wish he was still around to share his genius today

[@evhvariac2]

Funniest part of the video: Nick Nolte "I don't know Tony"

[@almasmemmedov865]

R U alive?

[@Clark.Griswold]

Andy never died, he went on to play bass for Nirvana and changed his name to Krist Novoselic.

[@jedipayton]

Krist is about 6'4", Andy was very short. Try Again!!

[@JohnDoe-op8nn]

Adam Henshel you try again you don't know shit about shit you little shit

[@linkbiff1054]

And grew a few inches

[@markmartinez8990]

Krist Novoselic is 6'7. A friend of mine joked about Krist looking like Andy in Nirvana.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

don't compare that moron to Krist!

[@greg55666]

Jesus, Nick Nolte looks amazing! And Linda Lavin looks great too!

[@AnnaZombi]

Oh, that's Nick Nolte, I thought it was Gary Busey and that I'd discovered the reason he went mad.

[@gavinbrando8255]

@@AnnaZombi 😂🤣

[@chipperprime]

It is amazing the guests that Merv could line up for daytime TV.

[@ALRULZ1965]

Nick Nolte sitting there wondering, "can I go back and do a line yet?"

[@jameszahendrix8697]

He’s the man that made trolling into an Art

[@fredsalfa]

Hes got everyone confused - Hahaha

[@buzzkill808raven2]

Uhm, no he doesn't

[@boat6float]

This is so great! Andy is in all his glory

[@trollskullkid69]

I like Andy's smirk at 2:18. I've seen that "I fooled them" smile loads of times before

[@mikeodonovan9299]

Tony Clifton was the greatest lounge singer that has ever lived

[@Mike1614b]

and Bill Murray

[@r.roberts]

So much so that I told my kids I wanted Tony C. to officiate my funeral. If only that were possible.

[@unclesporkums]

Thanks for posting this footage of Andy, I've only read about this interview in "Lost in the Funhouse".

[@michaelsix9684]

Merv was great, did so many great shows and can't believe he isn't mentionned today

[@chrisnalina1755]

Why are his old shows not on every night like Carson and Cavett?

[@frankbonini9128]

Andy May Not Be the Greatest Comedian Ever ... But, He Might Just Be Amongst the Greatest Performance Artists Ever

[@culwin]

"I'd rather wrestle a woman" - same

[@user-co7kx6jc8k]

It makes me happy to see that I am one of many that love Andy. I often felt like I was the only one that got it.

[@michaelduncan298]

Tony Clifton still owes me $86 from a loan in gave him in 72'. That jerk has been ducking me for 47 years.

[@issy_b_onair]

I adore the moment at the 2:12 mark when he smiles when the woman turns her head. He's so enjoying listening to her corroborate his tale! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kevinbirge2130]

Subscribed. No hesitation. I miss you, Andy.

[@richardsiciliano7117]

No one played a room, or a crowd, like Andy Kaufman did. No one.

[@eddietavaresjr.4773]

A legend and a genius is born Mr. Andy Kaufman the master of making people laugh.

[@r.roberts]

Andy Kaufman was unique, a once in a lifetime entertainer. I don't think anyone ever really understood him; Kaufman appeared to love being a riddle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in enigma. He lived in a universe much different than ours: His universe intersected at times with ours, we only could catch a glimpse of him When Kaufman allowed us to pear into his universe. When we lost Andy Kaufman we lost a true genius.

[@oilersridersbluejays]

Andy Kaufman was a genius. A lot of people didn't and still don't get him at all, and the rest only really have the jist of him. The guy would just say or do something to see what the reaction would be. He would play on people's minds and have a blast out of it. He and Bob Zmuda were complete lunatics. Unfortunately, Andy really is dead. He's ultimate prank was to die but leave an air of mystery about it where people would always question his death. He died but pretended to be alive but pretended to be dead if that makes any sense. RIP Andy. Genius...

[@GreatIntellect13]

I'd say he was definitely ahead of his time, I love the way he talks to people, though. They don't tend to get HOW he talks to them and it's hilarious when they take him seriously.

[@s1sters118]

Can't agree, I love some of his stuff but so much of what he did was really pranking people or being an ass hat as you rightly say to provoke a reaction , sorry but that's not comedy genius

[@jeneraljax29]

@@s1sters118 pranking people is hilarious actually

[@STC987]

One of the most creative and intriguing personalities of all time.

[@RossenContent]

2:13 I may be wrong, but it looks like Andy cracked an out-of-character smile right there

[@mandysowell7622]

"How come you never blink?" Lmao

[@madpriest7822]

hahahahaha

[@avlisk]

Blinking shows deception. Andy obviously telling the truth.

[@director7685]

Tony Clifton was my neighbor in Albany New York and he is a real person. Merv is acting as if Kaufman was a liar.

[@r.roberts]

A D+ try.

[@hotdog7988]

Much love to all comedians, Thanks for the laughs and the interest.

[@marjeune]

The Tony Clifton was the ultimate character that Bob Zmudo and Andy Kaufman made up.

[@zoewells3160]

Made up? What are you talking about? This video clearly states that he’s real!

[@supertouring22]

@@zoewells3160 Andy Kaufman was a character played by Tony Clifton, everyone knows that

[@AsherBarkin]

@@supertouring22 lol

[@josejoven4202]

One of my favorite comedians.

[@user-ct4im4nd6r]

This is why he was genius His bits carry on every where he went They were ongoing with every show It was magnificent

[@h0m3rj5]

bloody brilliant. on of a kind. truly.

[@marjeune]

I think Nick Nolte knew the gag but he don't want to wreck Andy's act.

[@TS-qq7vr]

Nolte should've half Nelsoned Merv when the camera was switched. Quit being a putz, Merv.

[@theseeker3771]

The way he looked at that laughing woman was brilliant..... but knowing Andy that was probably one of his plants....

[@eluberimabib4070]

So unbelievably brilliant.

[@StevenTorrey]

He ends up sounding like a friggen lunatic....

[@A2Z83]

"Wjhy don't you ever blink?" I remember blinking used to be known as a sign that you are lying.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Love Andy...thank God for Andy...genius 👽💆

[@jacksandler35]

Brilliance!!

[@ytb441]

Hahaha the funniest part is that he wears tonys jacket

[@Kohntarkosz]

The part that makes is brilliant is when Linda Lavin jumps in, it's like she's being drawn into Andy's routine, without Andy even trying.

[@storkonstage]

So once in a while a get totally hooked on Andy Kaufman. I think the most genius comedian ever. So clever. And always he got my tears out. Laughing and crying. Cookies and milk. The second most genius in this terrain is Jim Carrey. Man on the Moon is epic. Treasures of life.

[@BomChickyBowWow]

God level trolling.

[@greyeyed123]

What's so brilliant about this is that his "act" is not just him, but you, too. Sometimes you know you are part of it, and sometimes you don't...but you are always a part of it! Because you can't help yourself.

[@ButterOnCorn]

Kaufman wrote a screenplay for a Tony Clifton biography. In the screenplay Clifton dies at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from cancer.

[@_maryade]

yay!! great vid!!

[@Mdg897]

Is that Gary Busey or Nick Nolte? I swear, THOSE two are the same dude. Nevermind Kaufman/Tony Clifton being the same person.

[@E3E--]

Pretty sure that's Nick Nolte, but yeah. I understand what you mean. Very similar guys, but Nick has that drunkard drawl way of speaking. I love it.

[@WanagiAkicita]

Busey's teeth are bigger. Busey looks crazy now, because a motorcycle accident warped the shape of his head. Shattered skull, it didn't form back the same way. One of his eyes is higher and bigger than the other.

[@LVCID777]

Just brilliant

[@Rainbownites]

Dude is amazing to keep straight face!

[@pmacc3557]

Judge Tony is ferocious!

[@dimitreze]

Only Andy and Sacha Baron Cohen can do such a thing.

[@alexsmith5606]

yes, but Sasha is funny. not sure what Andy is going for here. i honestly don't. It's funny only to him

[@oilersridersbluejays]

He's trolling. Way ahead of his time but nowadays most people get it.

[@alexsmith5606]

we get the he is trolling, but he is not funny (and apparantly a lot of his "trolls" were staged where people where in on it)

[@1qwasz12]

Andy thought his calling was to be famous. But that gets boring for a genius. Throughout his career, Andy could be talking to giants like Merv, Carson, and Letterman; he always left them guessing about his reality via television. Kaufman, like David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, became an auteur by manipulating the medium itself. Intelligent people are fond Andy for his courage and likeability. Most of the rabble are trying to find a "comedian" that doesn't exist in the modern and post-modern world.

[@joegrennon]

Sacha Baron Cohen is not funny...he's an unsophisticated twat.

[@Lyric1235]

what a performance..amazing

[@MsMaggyW]

Maybe Kaufman's a real good liar, but the presenter is still being kinda rude, telling him to his face, I mean... I didn't really like how he was treating him in this interview...

[@inthefade]

I just think it is too bad that he's spoiling the fun.

[@Riza31417]

Merv Griggin was always rude to everyone.....

[@greg55666]

Hm. I wonder if it's part of the act. Let me think about that one.

[@MsMaggyW]

I disagree, I think genuinely-interested-interviewer = real. I used to do interviews for a radio station, and I NEVER prepared my questions in advance. If it was somebody I didn't know, I'd check out their official website, or fb page, or read up on them just a bit to get a general idea, but it's so much easier to ask questions when you actually want to know the answer and don't know it yet. You don't need to be rude; you just need to know the surface of what a person does and be interested in digging deeper.

[@MsMaggyW]

***** I don't think the show airs anymore... this was several years back. But, some people I interviewed did say they had more fun on that show than on CTV Montreal, or similar tv stations, because they weren't being interviewed to a person with a fake smile plastered on, always reading the same questions off a list lol!

[@1stnspc]

I'm not old enough to appreciate this when it was all happening, but I love Kaufman's sense of humor.

[@HiIamQ]

This is marvelous...

[@TheBigScat]

You know this is all a hoax, and yet Kaufman actually makes it sound believable. And Linda Lavin is unwittingly helping perpetuate the scam. Beautiful.

[@aedan2063]

TheBigScat I think it was because him and bob zmuda was playing tony Clifton as well

[@SOS-School_Of_Survival]

Kaufman and other brilliant comedians, like Norm MacDonald, are beyond the understanding of the plebes

[@colmwhateveryoulike3240]

Pretty sure she was playing along lol.

[@bubbadano1508]

I swear I saw Tony Clifton this past Saturday at the grocery store parking lot.

[@TelecasterLPGTop]

Kaufman was a genius, he made them all look like FOOLS.

[@Powertuber1000]

He was a true F-ing genius...

[@valuecalc]

He was just Latka from Taxi to many.

[@valuecalc]

Alfred, neither did the Taxi fans who saw Andy only as Latka.

[@josha.8290]

How did he make them look like fools? And what makes him a genius? I've heard alot of people say they think he's a genius. I don't really see it. Definitely had his own style.

[@josha.8290]

harooni22 But how does that make him brilliant? It's quite easy to say random shit and confuse the hell outta people. It's also quite easy to act nervous and shit like that. I'm not hating on the guy but I'm not seeing the brilliance of his act.

[@benjaminallan-clark174]

The time that he wrestled Tony Clifton on The Hollywood Palace TV show proved that Andy wasn't Tony. That night. (Good luck finding that clip on KZbin, folks.)

[@alanw505]

Throwing eggs at Diana Shore back then would be like throwing eggs at Betty White today. Ha! I love Andy Kaufman.

[@ronyeahright9536]

when Andy and Tony were together on stage, the rumor is that it was his agent that was dressed up as Tony Clifton.

[@leobrussel9471]

I love how he just sits there making stuff up. One lie after anothet, weaving a seemingly plausible tapestry of an alternate universe.

[@johnnybirk7890]

It's probably the best live comedy ever in history

[@Rammshtyn]

Nick Nolte, Rhoda, and Andy. What a mix of guests.

[@shimatetsuo2019]

Brilliant in the sense that, even though Merv proclaims out loud he doesn’t buy it, Andy has a way of making Merv doubting himself by the end

[@rcoles82]

Hahahaha so good, what a legend !

[@americafirst2291]

Tony Danza said it best he was way ahead of its time thanks Andy

[@StingWolfpack]

lol Nick Nolte adds very much to the story "I dont know him"

[@anotheryoutubeaccount9852]

Nick Nolte - "I don't know Tony". That was one of the best Kaufman support comments ever.

[@alexr9650]

Holy shit lmao. Literally 5 seconds in and I’m laughing. That look andy gives at the audience.

[@peaceofmind9965]

I knew Merv. Truth. Rest in peace buddy.

[@chrissullivan40]

I like how the lady played along.

[@WELLZY_]

This was freaking genius lmao

[@77-ty7gb]

Definitely NOT a genius.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

I appreciate what he's trying to do but please explain how this is genius?

[@jpmnky]

Fucking genius.

[@zoewells3160]

Andy Kaufman was dedication incarnate