That Time a Michael Richards & Andy Kaufman Sketch Led to a Brawl on Live TV | The Rich Eisen Show

[@walkingstick6655]

I remember watching Richards on Fridays, playing a sort of maniac kid playing with army men in a sandbox. Sounds weird, it was weird, but very amusing.

[@tomlewis9207]

"Battle Boy" was the ongoing skit. It was hysterical. Fridays was a highly underrated show. The also had better musical guests than SNL did at that time

[@johncopple6479]

I also remember the Battle Boy skits on Fridays. They were out there and weirdly funny! You are correct way better musical acts i.e. First time I heard of and saw the Plasmatics. Also the dude who said " Take a Pill !"

[@gschaub9]

Battle Boy was surreal, the first thing my friends and I talked about at school Monday morning. Also, the Devo performance was EPIC.

[@michaelkeefe8494]

and the Reggae Chef... and Drugs R' Us... Fridays was poppin'

[@CosmicCircus1971]

The world would have forgotten about that sketch if Andy hadn't turned it into classic chaos.

[@brendansheehy8124]

Yep the premise of the sketch was super lame…Andy’s hijinks are the only thing that made it memorable.

[@zufgh]

Richards himself seems so much more at ease and comfortable in his own skin now. I remember watching interviews of him on Letterman (not that one lol) and Leno way back in the day and him seeming so uncomfortable and awkward. In this interview he was pretty cool. I wish he'd stop apologising for the incident though. Fgs it was nearly 20 years ago and all he did was say a bad word a few times. He's apologised enough already.

[@maturin1919]

The concept of a 'bad' word is ridiculous anyway.

[@obh4197]

Michael Richards is one of my favorite comedic actors. LOVE Kramer!!🤘🤘

[@joeharris3878]

The musical guests on Friday were impressive.

[@privatepenguin3137]

I remember the Kaufman skit very well! A groundbreaking comedy moment!

[@Micke12312]

Well, it was part of "man on the moon"

[@vilekyle3000]

I've always called BS on Richards claiming he was in on that in anyway. It you've watched outtakes of Richards performing, he was always super serious. Him angerly dropping the cue cards fit exactly how he would have acted if Kaufman was pranking him.

[@curlyb]

Lol

[@brendansheehy8124]

Hard to know. The Producer of Fridays said the week after the episode that it was somewhat planned but most of the cast and crew were not informed to get real reactions. I’d give Richards the benefit of the doubt here although he was really convincing at being pissed off at Andy.

[@ahhhmedia8749]

I'm rewatching the skit now. When andy breaks he's looking at Michael and it looks like they've got an inside joke going. But I kinda also doubt Michael because he doesn't mention him and andy laughing about it later on. Maybe they never met up but to me. If 2 people ranked the world, they'd meet up at some point to laugh about it. Though if it's true and it's all a set up then rewatching it. It looks like it could be so.

[@chadk2525]

All the worlds a stage.

[@DeanMk1]

It was a restaurant scene. I remember watching that episode like it was yesterday. A real shocker at the moment it was happening.

[@ltjoseph9042]

You don't know the scene was completely planned and staged??

[@DeanMk1]

@@ltjoseph9042 Not at the time it was originally broadcast. No one did. That was the point. They wanted to try and go back to the old days of live tv, when whatever happened, was broadcast. Eventually, it became known that it was a staged event, but at the time of the original broadcast, that was not known to anyone except the cast and crew of the show.

[@CaptainMiserable-gv1ts]

Andy Kaufman and Jack Burns came up with the the stoned restaurant skit meltdown. Michael Richards had no idea. Watch the skit, and you can find it on KZbin, Kramer had no idea what was going on. Its so easy to say you were a part of something when the people that created it are dead now. Its such a small thing but tells you a lot about his character or lack there of.

[@mystery1932]

Yeah I was very skeptical of this.

[@chrisarseneault5617]

I guess you know what Richard's knows/knew.

[@MrZombiejoe]

Norm Macdonald Played this Role of Michael Richards, with Jim Carry in "MAN ON THE MOON". 🤣🤣🤣

[@MattChewycat33]

Carrey- yeah, I remember you stopping by Norm. Norm- "yeah I was also in the film." 😆

[@MrZombiejoe]

🤣🤣🤣 That’s right, I remember that Clip from Norm’s Show.

[@andrewsafarik5060]

Andy took comedy to a place it had never been and where it is yet to return from

[@NEIL-CURCIO]

just like Curly Michael is one of the best physical comics ever

[@NEIL-CURCIO]

@jamesscottselfdefense47 🤣

[@miketreker944]

When Michael did Fridays, he was the funniest man in the universe. I never laughed so hard. He was brilliant in Seinfeld and helped make the show. He is a creative genius.

[@desertrat77]

I remember watching this very skit on Fridays. I could never figure out if it was all planned or if it was a real fight.

[@BoBo0807]

Both.

[@RaiderTatum]

Rich knows talent,,,,Richards a legend!

[@chrislom5288]

I was an 18 or 19 y-o TV production student living in Altadena. The Standards & Practices lawyer for FRIDAY'S -- who Micheal R. here would probably remember -- "Bruce H." -- brought me to the studio a few times and they let me hang out in the control room. Big deal for me. On the 4th or 5th time I went, this "fight" happened. I wasn't in front where the director/TD were, but some staff that I could see seemed to not know what was going on. I also got to come back for the A.K.'s crumple-up-the-paper "apology" awhile later. (I also had a huge crush on Melanie Chartoff!)

[@carloslozada470]

At least Friday had some good music acts live

[@privatepenguin3137]

They REALLY DID! This was during a real downtime for SNL....plus, Fridays was done in LA, so they had all the artists right there in their backyard.

[@MrGordonGartrelle]

King Crimson!

[@jsamc]

@@MrGordonGartrelle Elephant Talk ! And also Devon!!

[@imaslob6168]

One of the best physical comedy actors in the business!!!!

[@acitoneroyal6002]

Fridays blew SNL outta the water.

[@bryede]

With every story I hear about Kaufman, I'm both impressed and oddly unsettled.

[@maturin1919]

Exactly as he'd want it.

[@BoBo0807]

Thanks a lot for this - it answers a question I've had for many, many years: "Was Michael in on it?" I always suspected he was. Now I know!

[@warthogA10]

"555-37..." I loved Fridays 🤣

[@PaNNgz]

On Fridays, one of my favorite skits he'd did was the Atomic Boy. Mercilessly playing with G.I. Joes. I think he set's one on fire? I saw this on the tube and laughed so hard, that was so me when I was a kid.

[@mrchopsticks3]

Fridays getting canceled was a crime against humanity. It would be ABC’s tentpole show had it stayed on.

[@robertmadrigal6783]

Andy and Bill Hicks. My favorite two

[@jimlassiter749]

Fridays, Richards & Chartoff.... Oh Melanie.....

[@geovannyveras712]

Mi amigo sacamoro,Eres El mejor❤❤❤❤❤,Kramer todos tenemos momentos dificiles con los humanos,sigue adelante ,me haces feliz

[@gordonhall9871]

watch friday's all the time -- great music guest also

[@labenbrittenum6934]

WOW am I getting old!..i’d forgot all about the show FRIDAY and when they went crazy and started that brawl..remembering correctly the incident made national news..KAUFMAN was so far ahead of his time

[@danhendrickson7708]

Melanie Chartoff tells a different story. She said that her and the other three actors all knew what was going to happen to some extent but the crew did not anything about it and thought it was real.

[@sanfranman4919]

If anyone knows the answer to my question or perhaps read the book and it's revealed, I'm wondering " what was the reaction of the cast after Michael revealed it was scripted?" Id imagine some would be pissed that Michael and Andy took it upon themselves to hijack a scene they all worked on for I guess hours if not days.

[@BoBo0807]

If I recall correctly, the producers OKed it in advance. But I don't remember where I'd heard that.

[@grawakendream8980]

i wish michael richards would just admit that the entire thing was andy's idea completely, and in the absence of andy kaufman, it would have just be any other show

[@mikerios1065]

I would like to see Michael Richards career take off again. He should collaborate with actors and comedians like Kevin hart, Dave chappelle, etc. Maybe have a funny part in the next Tyler Perry movie.

[@sirbarnabyst.johntoffingto9017]

Was he asked about the "stand-up incident" ?

[@ClintBoston]

Andy invented trolling

[@Fakename70]

The first time I saw Richards on Seinfeld I knew I recognized him as the guy from Young Doctors In Love (“they put tubes up my wang”).

[@jessedorsettii9988]

Andy lived and breathed comedy / drama / reality t.v. all at once, all the time.

[@elrealamericanhero]

I’m surprised he didn’t tell his famous tree joke again.

[@checkdown3774]

Greatest stand up in history. 😂 he cooked the homies.

[@dockennedy8091]

Haha love it!!

[@JClaus1221]

Andy loved nothing more than making people as uncomfortable as possible. That was comedy to him. The breakdown of the sketch and antics afterward were like heroin.

[@anthonywatkins]

Oh that comedy gem was Richards' idea, not Kaufman's?...I doubt it.

[@bryanjensen2614]

Same as with Kaufman and Jerry Lawler...all staged but so so well done.

[@BoKoz60]

So, No footage of the skit? LAME!!!

[@TheRoomfull]

It's here on KZbin. Find it yourself.

[@blotfd]

right? that was odd. it's implied by the thumbnail.

[@MeditativeHandle]

hide the pitchfork😂

[@helenmachelen4200]

Go Michael!

[@pooldude317]

Andy was a crazy genius. A PIPS (Sheepshead Bay)alum...

[@quarantinebored1427]

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say the lines, he didn’t want to be play a guy that was high on weed.

[@grawakendream8980]

"andy and i came up with that" give me a break man.

[@nevernevermind88]

how Psychotic of this guy to try to rewrite it where he and Andy cooked it up together

[@mukmuk775]

exactly. revising his absurd reaction.

[@mikesternmike]

Friday's was a great show yes a lot of the skits were making light of drugs but it was good writing they had a nice run until it fizzled out

[@Grrnal-d4q]

Of course Richards was in on it.. if he is truly being put on the spot… we all KNOW what his go to move is so…😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@rizzolovesryan]

He’s a neighbor!

[@RicO-xg4ju]

What is the main focus of the Rich Eisen Show?

[@AndyKaufman-k9u]

Hello it me andy yes I did it all and yes I'm alive and well and thank you very much

[@DanKirchner5150]

now he can join papa john

[@raincloud7817]

As much as I like Andy Kaufman, I really wish he hadn't made fun of the Christian faith.

[@frankcastle6003]

battle boy

[@robertriteman3227]

Matzhai !!!!

[@ltjoseph9042]

It was completely staged, it was all part of the skit.

[@mattp4079]

That night in the comedy club, Michael said what most of civilized society is thinking and he was vilified.

[@echoguitarist]

No he didn't

[@homestuffstream9425]

Very great insightful interview! However, don't look up in the rafters because there's a N......

[@Happy-Honkey]

Andy Kaufman was only kind of funny. Overrated in my book.

[@jrue305]

Wait a minutes Rich got so upset when Kyrie Irving posted a book that was being sold Amazon and went on a rant about him spreading at. Now he has this guy on his show?!?!

[@homestuffstream9425]

Because they are both the same (((tribe)))

[@horatiohornbie7395]

Andy Kaufman was NOT funny in the slightest.... The Emperor is naked, folks.

[@tbracerx]

ive seen Michael Richards on many interviews and he is not a good interview

[@capitalfik579]

We will never forget what you said, Kramer! 🤨

[@owless4]

That was also a bit 😳 😉🤣.

[@davidrobbins8941]

Mike kinda looks like he'd be good in some scary movies these days. 👍 New character for him

[@yuvgotubekidding]

That’s what I didn’t like about Andy Kaufman. He wasn’t always funny. How funny is it when you’re the only one in on the joke? Are you entertaining the people or yourself. 👎

[@zorkestar]

Sounds stupid to me, and certainly not funny.

[@user-hf8ie8mf3n]

I sort of remember the skit, but I was a teenager and I thought it was staged…maybe. 👍🤪🏳️‍🌈

[@royr7046]

I hope I'm not alone BUT I did not find Andy Kaufman the least bit funny.

[@PaidFamCap]

You and 3 people agree

[@dreport5621]

3-2 in a comment no one give af about😂 this is why you don’t find Kaufman funny! You’re just not smart enough!🤣

[@faulmannpictures]

I don’t believe Richards for a minute, that he was in-on Andys schtick.

[@StillWaterView]

Richards is a punk.

[@Strategory76]

Richards seems off, like he's not comfortable with the interview.

[@WISTERIAHALLOFFICIAL]

Don’t see that

[@mojo9291]

I thought the opposite.

[@ricarleite]

He is always like this. Look for interviews of him in the 90s.

[@zufgh]

Nah he seems way more relaxed and laid back than he ever did when he was younger.

[@ricknofzinger]

Eisen is a terrible interviewer. How did he get a show?

[@blotfd]

in group preference

[@BIGM-gg9ln]

Too bad your career is still over.

[@noahschmartz2354]

how is yours going?

[@sampahumeoli]

he was on drugs and that's not funny, i mean andy

[@BoBo0807]

Andy didn't do drugs.

[@paulaitix77]

his racist tirade exposed who he really is

[@ricarleite]

What is your problem

[@paulaitix77]

@@ricarleite shove it dope

[@JohnNavarromodels]

He’s a very funny man. And you are?

[@ricarleite]

@@paulaitix77 You are the racist

[@ricric9521]

Yup racist tirade on film. look it up. A warranted cancellation. He was great on Fridays and Seinfleld but that is the actor/comedian. Doesn't tell you how he and who he really is. They say, don't idolize your idols. They are just human.

[@sirpudge241]

Andy Kaufman was one of the most overrated “comedians”. Had his last name been Smith instead of Kaufman he wouldn’t of gotten the any screen time.

[@ddewittfulton]

Are you saying it's because he has a German last name that get got greenlights?

[@finch2213]

He wasn’t a comedian, at least he never thought of himself as one. He was a performance artist. Comedians go for laughs. Andy Kaufman went for lots more than that…, anger, joy, confusion, doubt, and wonder.

[@sirpudge241]

@@flounderrrrrrighttt

[@margarinetaintedgreen8140]

Meanwhile, you write “wouldn’t have” as “wouldn’t of” and say that his last name was the reason for his acquisition of screen time.

[@carloslozada470]

Friday was horrible the Andy thing was fake

[@Steve-q6k]

Ask him about the time at laugh factory

[@95youngtom]

Bullshit! He hated Andy!

[@smokedsalts4441]

Rich really having this guy on? 😖🤮

[@christiancasper2291]

Can you move on from the past. Forgiveness, try it.

[@JohnnyPerth]

Been a decade, move on

[@193ksp]

He’s a legend.

[@sj4632]

@@JohnnyPerth 2 decades almost

[@193ksp]

@@flounder very well said!