Tony Clifton Tells a Hilarious Joke

While Andy Kaufman beams with pride in the audience. (From "The Midnight Special with Andy Kaufman.")

[@Ryuhza]

I love the crazed look in his eyes right when he introduces Tony Clifton. Andy knows _exactly_ what he's about to unleash.

[@zoewells3160]

And so he should, he owes his career to that guy!

[@therenewedpoet4292]

@@zoewells3160 lol

[@xtspin6141]

Now I know where Nicolas Cage got it...

[@yourstruly9312]

@@xtspin6141 I thought same exact thing 😅🤣

[@evhvariac2]

The only thing unleashed is an imbecile in a pink jacket

[@jowabro]

The shot of Andy laughing is crucial.

[@brianfergus839]

2:20

[@GeorgeTropicana]

Crucial to what

[@brianfergus839]

@@GeorgeTropicana selling the idea that it’s not AK on stage

[@nicolasbraun2642]

@@brianfergus839 it was Zmudina that night. They both played Tony equally well and it added to the confusion also

[@brianfergus839]

@@nicolasbraun2642 awesome… still getting me in 2021 👏

[@M1ggins]

The greatest troll of all time, pure genius.

[@joeytrimble1558]

exactly i don't expect them not to get it or the generation right this ..but by now we're very familiar with irreverant trolling nutty dry jokes .. like it's imbedded deep into comedy now it's got it's own sub culture ... i could see andy kaufman/ tony clifton whatever be much more famous version of otto and george

[@mcmlxii4419]

@@joeytrimble1558 *its own

[@user-pq6mr6op3p]

No...That honor goes to me.

[@andywinslow9638]

Damn right

[@jayrussell3796]

​@@user-pq6mr6op3pI highly doubt you're the greatest

[@jfjvhgsieofl]

A performance is rarely more intense or gripping than when it's going badly. The audience empathizes with the performer, and holds their breath, waiting to see what will happen next. Andy Kaufman understood this, and created something completely new. In any medium, that's extremely rare.

[@ebsenraptzski9522]

like eyeball cancer, rare...and just as useful

[@depaola63]

I loved it !! I remember it so well.....40 years ago almost !!

[@DarkAngelEU]

The eighties seemed so sick compared to today. New kids on the block think they're so edgy while in reality they're corporate hive minded bourgeoisie.

[@cynamonstudio]

@@depaola63 that says it all. I saw it like 10 years ago, and come back to see it again every couple of months. Amazing.

[@jamessilver6429]

@@DarkAngelEU FU#K SNL FU#K THE DEM PARTY FU#K MSM FU#K JOE BIDEN

[@ganimber3]

his jokes are mind fucking. it's for the third party watching the whole scene, audience and andy, like a movie. in fact, we the viewers on youtube, are the ones really watching the comedy, that was recorded years ago. mind fuck.

[@juliandunn8412]

What are you talking about? These are obviously edited scenes with Andy playing different characters. I missed the punch line and don't understand what you find so "mind fucking" about this. It's just poor comedy imo.

[@pukika88]

Julian Dunn today it is obvious but back then people watching tony in tv really asked themselves if he was real or not. even show hosts and actors working with andy wasn't sure about it. he was never out of character, you could never know if he was serious or not. his jokes by themselves weren't that funny i give you that. the whole andy kaufman/tony clifton phenomenon was what made him funny.

[@bmortloff]

Julian, it's not a mind fuck, it's a bait and switch. Most people who don't appreciate anti-humor just don't understand it.

[@thechessstick]

bmortloff His delivery and timing were so sh*tty that it was actually great. I really miss seeing Andy and Tony.

[@EroticWhale]

thechessstick Yea some people are so confined to the normal parameters of what comedy is and anti comedy is so rarely done(and done well) that it's almost a lost art...

[@dudedudeson6869]

Basically if Wario did Stand-up.

[@ChrisHakes89]

This is fucking hilarious. I just read this and almost fell out of my chair. 10/15/2019

[@peepawghost]

Hahahaha haha!

[@petercampbell7330]

Dude Dudeson brilliant!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@corey-bird3489]

@@ChrisHakes89 This is a clever joke and all you can do is use unnecessary profanity, tsk tsk.

[@evaneibach]

Haha that’s hilarious

[@jimbertido7762]

People say he's insane but it was all an act. he was just revolutionary.

[@toasty138]

it was an act only Zmuda and Kaufman knew about... the rest didnt know what to think.. i remember seeing all of this as a kid adn man it was insane..

[@jimbertido7762]

+Father Otoole bob zmuda his writer normally played Kaufman

[@Steely_Fran]

In this performance it's Andy. If you watch the entire program, Bob Zmuda is the guy that comes up on stage and messes up the clapping in "If You're Happy and You Know It".

[@Moethelock]

A genius a head of his time for sure!

[@moalmaliki6354]

it was shit

[@mmojorissen]

Andy wanted the audience to "feel" the anxiety of a performance purported to be real. He could make an audience feel uneasy with character performance or make them laugh hysterically with non-verbal facial expressions or eye movements only. He was leading the audience by entertaining them as well as casting the audience as the performers while he was being entertained- the synergism of the human need to entertain with entertaining to be needed. AND he often blurred the line. WHAT A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING!!

[@thomsmith9394]

I didn’t ask you

[@andrewdeangelo1]

I didn't ask you!

[@costcoexecutivemember]

Ain’t nobody reading all dat

[@brianbogosian5845]

I saw this guy in the grocery store who looked and acted just like Tony Clifton. I think Kaufman captured a type.

[@elenchus]

tony is basically a burnt-out third rate Vegas lounge act from the '70s

[@MrAhhh33]

I once played in a Tony Clifton Tribute band.. that was the craziest shit I’ve ever been a part of.

[@adabofeverything7120]

Please say you guys did the song "Thats life" lmao

[@BayAreaMike99]

Please tell me you did. I will survive.😂

[@WytZox1]

Tony Clifton is a great parody of unfunny nightclub comics. ☺

[@77-ty7gb]

Tony Clifton was a real performer, a protege of Andy's. Not a parody...get it straight!

[@kamuelalee]

Raging Bull action

[@themaestro3034]

Tony Clifton in a genius, you’re just jealous of his success.

[@adonaiyah2196]

@@77-ty7gb okay but seriously what

[@aedressler]

Clifton is Belushi

[@notdrivingaminimetro]

Bob Zmuda sometimes played him as well to add to the illusion. Kaufman created the character

[@johnerwin9024]

thank you 'Tony Clifton' -

[@krisscanlon4051]

or did he ??? what a gag and goof.

[@Plexpara]

andys brother played clifton too sometimes...i am not sure who is it here..

[@magichands135]

@@Plexpara Ive seen Tony on his full stand up, on Letterman and here. None of these are the same guy.

[@shivasirons6159]

Andy's brilliance has rarely been equaled, to this day im blown away!

[@drjitters]

You said it, pal.

[@rolltide9547]

He was terrible not funny at all.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

Norm Macdonald had flashes of Andy in him.

[@ploppyploppy]

I keep watching his videos hoping I just missed something. Nope - not funny.

[@bigTrhodes]

Bob? Bob what? Up n down in the water? lmao

[@navy4181]

"I din ask yoo!"

[@Lucky_Male_Bee]

I just found out in another video, that on top of Andy & Bob doing the Tony Clifton character, Andy's brother, Michael Kaufman played him as well. I wish we still had an Andy Kaufman, the greatest at never breaking character! Even in death people think its a big joke or put on!

[@andyz9793]

The little gesture he does with his arms when he says "Then it'd be cold colder!" is so fucking good

[@DoctorBlankenstein]

I love how he cuts to and from himself... Really messes with peoples heads. Andy was the greatest TV troll ever

[@yaboileeroy3038]

DoctorBlankenstein More like the greatest troll in human history. And Andy looked more like he was paralysed from the fear caused by the realitization that Tony was possibly the worst stand-up comic to ever step foot on any stage, not beaming with pride.

[@Freshwaterboy]

That was Bob Zmuda playing Tony.

[@2DclanSnipingTeam]

Andy's brother Michael and Bob Zmuda also played Tony Clifton at times.

[@fitzerelli1]

Trolls are annonymous assholes he had talent.

[@TheRafaelBond]

are you stupid? its not him

[@user-up5oh1uo9d]

I dont know why but I find him adorable. Like he's Mr.Grumpy and he just needs a hug :)

[@MerkinMuffly]

Borat couldn't hold Tony's jock strap.

[@gotocustudiofilmsthecheapb3802]

he could but he prefers putting his nose rt up against the naked jock lolz

[@tonkadriver1833]

Tony -"What's your name? Audience member -"Bob" Tony -"What's your last name, up and down in the water?" Audience member -"Bob...Bob Zagorski".... Funniest part of the whole movie

[@brettbewley5798]

"Then it would be cold colder" That actually is funny.

[@maximize3377]

@I AM THE YEAST It act actually is.

[@Greg042869]

Man, that is square squared.

[@jamesyjamesik715]

@I AM THE YEAST HEAT - > HEATER COLD - > COLDER

[@criztu]

@@jamesyjamesik715 oh, I get it now, it would be called colder

[@Pazernator]

So, it's a very well executed, convoluted multi actor troll?

[@tyrstrength4583]

Andy, Tony, and Bob were revolutionary. And in my opinion invented trolling!

[@_scabs6669]

I thought of that when I was a kid. You put on lots of coats when it's cold, then you come inside and you have to take them off. If they kept it cold inside, you could just wear your coats.

[@WytZox1]

When we 1st saw Andy on SNL we believed he was some goofy foreign character the producer dragged in off the street but then he did the Elvix Presley and blew us away. ☺

[@jorhay1]

I just don’t understand why it’s 2018 and there’s only a few people who get the genius of this character.

[@Cody_Cigar]

Because loud and obnoxious humor is more appealing to the masses than stuff they actually have to use their brain for

[@stuffsomedumb5665]

As far as I know this is pretty much the invention of “anti-comedy”

[@WastingTime1878]

@@Cody_Cigarhow is this any good? Its horrible and crap. I guess he got away with a lot of things because he knew people would find something in any of his terrible performances. Not saying I dont think he had a talent, he had the talent of marketing himself well. Pretty horrible and painfully unfunny most of the stuff I have watched

[@Cody_Cigar]

​@@WastingTime1878 I think it's just personal preference really, I'm sure you won't like Norm Macdonald either but he found great success with it. This type of anti-humor is not meant to be mass consumed and I definitely get when people say it's not for them. When I'm on construction site and it's freezing I often think of this bit by Tony Clifton and some other Kaufman shit and I just start laughing, always lightens my mood no matter the weather. Maybe we have a 'broken' sense of humor but wouldn't it be sad if we all found the same things funny? Some people like the really unfunny shit because it's bad comedy on purpose, it's a fine line between parodies/caricatures/anti humor and just being bad at comedy and Kaufman drew that line.

[@croplaya]

This is actually hilarious. Because like he said imagine people going inside to get warm and they walk into a building of ice cold ac. They get even colder

[@kimmolaine8069]

Tony Clifton is a very dear friend to Andy.

[@opannefrank1986]

"I thought of something funny. What if, what if they put air condition in the building instead. Then it'll be cold, colder". I can't stop laughing.

[@labenbrittenum6934]

i remember a lot of that stuff and it would start out funny then turn so crazy it wouldn't be funny but that's why it was funny...pure genius!

[@phyllischarpentier4585]

Will miss you Andy 4 ever. Great talent. Hillarious! XOXOXOXO

[@JonathanRingo]

As a youngster it has been said Tony Clifton was "hired muscle" for the Lucchese Family and would also do the occasional "Hit" just for kicks.......Allegedly.

[@chrisvellner3922]

I wouldn't doubt it. Did you notice how athletic Tony was back then?

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

JohnnyRingo I never understood the murderous brutality of Tony. I just don't get it.

[@burns1210]

I'd be more worried if you did get it

[@kongfeet81]

or so the Germans would have us believe....

[@johnoman6617]

Think that was Chuck Barris.

[@OhJaniceWhyOhWhy]

This is Bob Zmuda...check out his performance on Letterman 1982. Andy did play Tony, but Bob was the master of Tony.

[@phxmarker]

2:09 AC will make the cold colder! Hilarious!

[@VideoAssaultSaturday]

I've never seen Andy act like a normal human before, it's creepy xD

[@_artorical_]

He lets his defenses down in his interview with Orson Welles.

[@vestibulate]

This guy had everything, until that feud with Bobby Bittman. For those who don't know, Bobby's kid brother Skip was hosting an awards dinner at the Julius LaRosa Auditorium over in Glens Falls. Suddenly Tony Clifton walks up on stage and slaps the kid, something about bald-headed and a wig, I really don't know what set him off. It was a joke, that's all. Then, Clifton wouldn't leave because he was scheduled to receive the humanitarian award, so he gets up there again an hour later to give his thank you speech, and he ends by slapping Skip a second time, "for luck". Naturally, Bobby hears about this. People in Vegas. Hollywood. Everyplace. The word is out. Don't hire this guy. If you do, Bobby and his friends- Maudlin, Lola, the whole crowd- they'll never set foot in your club. So what does Tony do? Does he reach out to Bobby and Skip? Does he try to set things right? Here's what he does. He takes out a quarter page ad in the Hollywood Reporter to tell the world that the Bittman brothers and all their playmates can "целуни ме по". It was downhill from there. And it was a tragedy. Because this was one talented guy. He just wouldn't listen to advice. In a way, Tony Clifton got too big before he even got big.

[@user-zd9yn5mz1f]

Love the way he goes for a drink only moments after telling a lame joke. Like his mouth is parched. We miss you, Andy!

[@rriqueno]

Andy makes laugh so much. Such a genius. If you want to laugh watch him in Tennessee doing wrestling. Its masterful. Pure gold!

[@johnerwin9024]

Tony was an American treasure; underappreciated - -

[@monerz1]

The Andy Kaufman Show aired from May 1979 to December 1986.

[@jimbosc]

I get the parody that was Tony Clifton - but the story of Tony Clifton actually getting fired from the set of Taxi can only be explained by Andy being completely nuts.

[@jeebuz6627]

Jim Wichert no it was an act. He’s a genius

[@brianconnell8531]

What happened

[@mouse059]

@@brianconnell8531 He made a scene. Actually why don't we just let Danny DeVito tell the story kzbin.info/www/bejne/bainfWuHlNOkibs

[@brianconnell8531]

@@mouse059 thank you.great story that I didn't know

[@The_Joker_]

Andy was an Absolute genius.

[@SOAD861]

lmfao tim heidecker takes so much from this character in his standup its great!

[@willw.1466]

NY Devil aw poor baby’s hero isn’t a racist like him. very sad

[@skipintroux4444]

Will Wakefield but Tim and Eric joked about child sex slaves, so that’s cool.

[@WahDahTa]

@@skipintroux4444 lmao wtf are you talking about

[@skipintroux4444]

Kyle child clown outlet.

[@WahDahTa]

@@skipintroux4444 how is that "child sex slavery"? You have a fucked up mind if that's what you thought of

[@TexasLionVF]

“I didn’t ask u. I didn’t ax ju!” Hilarious

[@scarlettbittle3898]

andys shit starting grin is the best part of this

[@mauricewascom658]

Yep INDEED !! "Clifton" hit the nail on the head - if it were colder indoors it wouldn't be so hard to deal with the outside temperature !! LOL 🤣

[@jsusna1972]

When my boys were young and complained that the house wasn't warm enough, I'd have them go outside without a coat and count to 30 and come back inside. It was suddenly warm in the house.

[@mauricewascom658]

Thanx 4 Reply ❗☺️👍🏼

[@jaredmarshall9439]

when Andy is just laughing I lose it.

[@andyz9793]

thanks

[@kevinhope8279]

Bob Zmuda you can tell the difference when he’s tony and when Andy is Tony

[@barbarathomas7338]

And andy was very innovative you never know what he's going to do from one moment to the next

[@datnobodyking13]

If that was Andy Kaufman in disguise, it's like all the masculinity and assertiveness that he didn't have in his daily life magically came out in Tony Clifton.

[@bruno3]

Kaufman wasn't funny most of the time, but he wasn't ordinary either. There was a mysterious quality about him very hard to define. Even if you didn't like what he did, you couldn't stop watching. You'd watch the whole thing, you'd find the whole thing extremely awkward and not that funny but you wouldn't feel indifferent. That's why he's still so popular decades after his death. There was something special about him. He wasn't a comedian, he was a performance artist. He didn't try to make you laugh, he tried to have an emotional impact on people.

[@depaola63]

Is that Bob Zamuda ? " Tony Clifton" was a classic!!

[@russsnyder2026]

Looks exactly like my late uncle, even down to the sunglasses he used to wear

[@GermanHorrorStories]

He was Don Vito before Don Vito was Don Vito

[@zenmasterdan902]

Haha that so was Andy. You can see some of his features. They both did a great Tony Clifton but Andy was better at the meanness lol that's what I've noticed anyway

[@mrchopsticks3]

The guy in the audience Tony gets mad with is Bob Zmuda who also played Tony Clifton on occasion.

[@kylehagerman418]

Bob zmuda and Kaufman would switch playing Clifton. ..thats how Andy's there also..

[@danielscissorhands]

Kyle Hagerman Andy's brother also played Clifton sometimes, apparently.

[@msmith3407]

Exactly. Zmuda still breaks him out once in a while.

[@Greg042869]

@Master Of Puppets I hear a touch of Ladka at 2:00.

[@jamesfowler5100]

I was just thinking about that.

[@williggg]

Bob Zmuda did play Tony Clifton occasionally, but I can hear Andy Kaufman’s unique vocal characteristics in “this” Tony Clifton. The video cuts to Kaufman in the audience was done with video editing, and done very intentionally (“See, I’m not Tony Clifton!”).

[@haamishmcgarry]

Hahaha when Andy is cracking up at the end. Priceless

[@vika0194]

It’s a fake laugh. Andy was always in character

[@ItWILLbeWONDERFUL_THERE]

This guy was NUTS. Tony was one of the wildest creations! The SCARIEST thing was that part of the character was inspired by a writer Bob Zmuda worked with. In the book Andy Kaufman Revealed, he's called Mr. X. In real life, his name was Norman Wexler. If Bob was telling even HALF the truth, that guy was NUTS! And a portion of that real life lunacy was worked into Tony. WOW!!!

[@tonyclifton265]

"a name to respect! a name to fear!"

[@neonzapper2894]

Tony Clifton was Andy’s spoof on Lounge Entertainers who wear clown clothes, display a bad attitude, no singing ability, tell lousy jokes, and have no act.

[@apothecurio]

The first time people see Tony Clifton, at least for me, realize that they have seen him before.

[@limzog9]

Even his voice is really funny 🤣

[@ThefightingCelt]

This is definitely Andy Kaufman playing Clifton this time .

[@elvismorales7741]

How is Andy in the audience at the same moment Tony Clifton is on stage ? He is a Magician.

[@cass0nvadegenerate383]

I WOULD NOT BE ME OR DOING MY ACT IF I NEVER MET TONY CLIFTON AND BOB ZMUDA. THANK YOU

[@onefoot7]

Proving Tony was not Andy as he is in the audience

[@FoggyBadger]

LOL I love the look on Andy's face at the end!

[@Scorch1028]

I like how easily irritated Tony Clifton is. 😆

[@dangouger4915]

bob zmuda was the actual genius behind the whole Andy kaufman thing. people on the inside know this.

[@booradley9640]

you mean people with wikipedia ... also not true it was all a split effort at comedic diversion.. the fact that it was sometimes zmuda and sometimes Andy and never any clear split between the men and the characters was the genius of Andy's comedy.. the confusion this created is all Andy

[@dangouger4915]

@@booradley9640 actually, Andy kaufman's dad confirmed that bob zmuda was responsible for all the "weird stuff." so did sam Simon. I love Kaufman, he was a great performer, but zmuda deserves credit for creating the spectacle.

[@drwierd]

Andy Kaufman is Ted bundy minus the serial killing

[@stephena1196]

Not heard of Tony Clifton before, I've not missed anything.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Dude if Tony Clifton was opening for Andy Kaufman he was a really great entertainer. Not a lot of people know this but Andy actually ripped Tony Clifton off and stole TONS of material from him! That's why Tony hated him so badly and I don't blame him. Tony was a legend in the entertainment industry and Andy was a Johnny Come Lately compared to him but everyone gave Andy all the kudos and not nearly as many people knew about Tony Clifton. That's the actual fact of the matter.

[@Lastkingof33]

hope you're joking. It's the same person.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Lastkingof33 That's what Kaufman WANTED you to believe! Tony was great but Andy just stole all his material. I have no idea what you're talking about.

[@user-dx7ob7yc8p]

Best joke ever made

[@regplasma7906]

The greatest alter ego of all time.Genius.

[@flatplant]

It's a brilliant idea, if you make it even colder inside once you go out side it will seem relatively warm

[@Fnidner]

wtf..

[@nathanwanner..44]

The enigma that is tony cifton

[@MikeyMike-uu3fe]

Andy got Human Phycology That’s why he did so well in wrestling messing with humans emotions Genius 🤜🤜

[@fredhebshie5525]

Andy, u were an absolute genius, lol. I miss u so much

[@BNL07604]

My brain may hurt now, but I had a good giggle.

[@JohnSmith-xn4yr]

2:17 the cut to andy laughing lol

[@JumbleTasteSpinning]

Andy was so ahead of it's time

[@jimi4906]

😂😂😂🤣 The guy has a point 👏👏👏🤣

[@robfriedrich2822]

Andy Kaufman impersonated Tony Clifton initially and when they discovered it, he brought the proof, that he can't be this. By sitting in the audience as himself and let Zmuda do.

[@deansheridan]

Where is the full version of this

[@thechessstick]

LOL. That is hilarious. Imagine a freezing person going into t building to get warm and the air conditioning is on! I really miss his humor. It seems that when Andy died Tony just couldn't go on. Too, bad. He was such a talent. Not only was he funny, he was also a great dancer and singer.

[@docjohn4350]

+thechessstick wtf

[@Crunch_Buttsteak]

thechessstick Yeah I know, such a wasted talent. He was a badass too, if he would've kept goin maybe he would've been cast in Casino instead of Joe Capiche by Maynard Scorsman.

[@chadhero37]

thechessstick hopefully you are just trolling. You know Tony is Andy right? So it would be impossible for him to go on after Andy's death

[@Scyllax]

thechessstick Bob Zmuda, Andy's writing partner, appeared as Tony Clifton for years after Kaufman's death. He was Tony Clifton in the movie, and some of Clifton's appearances while Kaufman was alive were by Zmuda, enabling them to be in two places at once.

[@keymaster430]

Crunch Buttsteak, that would've been awesome. He would've gotten along great with Roberto Danroe and Ron Pickles.

[@ferencgobor749]

Mr Tony Clifton never die!!!!!!!!!!

[@Therap1ssed]

While Andy plays Clifton so straight, this character must have influenced or inspired Gregg Turkington's Neil Hamburger.

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

Kaufman looks exactly like Q from Impractical Jokers.

[@BrendanJSmith]

Tony Clifton feels like a John Belushi SNL character!

[@vantheman1234]

You’ve got to be there!

[@krisscanlon4051]

I wonder who he actually modeled the voice and mannerisms on...maybe an amalgamation of people he knew. Loved it. Muddles together words...so do i lol

[@marcususa]

1:11 "I just came back from ___" Where? Sounds like he was saying something like "ha mean" , the subtitles read "rob police", LOL

[@masonrose6754]

Back from East. Like the East Coast

[@aluminumzirconium]

Kaufman and Zmuda were all about chaos

[@nwo4life708]

Terry tibbs, talk to me

[@internziko]

Andy was the master of the strategic bomb. Lol

[@derjazz2280]

My Uncle every thanksgiving Dinner

[@mygoogleemail2063]

Comedians talk about what it's like to bomb a show. There's a certain reverence for the guy who can power through it.

[@jamesfowler5100]

He was Andy both on stage and in the audience at the same time? Did he do magic as well?

[@SuperStormyNormy]

To this day it seems like a mystery who played Clifton.

[@SnowDaulphin]

Norm Rohrer explained in the Carrey biopic....was that inaccurate?

[@FreddieHg37]

It was played by a few people throughout the years, mostly by Kaufman, that's why it was puzzling when Kaufman was right by "Tony" or was in the audience since people couldn't tell who he was and it was part of an elaborate scheme by Kaufman, some people were stunned since they thought all the time it was played by Andy but he further confused people by making contradictory statements, he was a comedy genius…

[@thechessstick]

Check out the guitar player in the background cracking up at the end.