Andy Kaufman genius or idiot?

[Gnat91]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

 

[okinburg1]

Both

 

[artsandletters]

Idiot

 

[LionJim]

Neither, actually. He was no genius but he was a unique artist, no idiot.

 

[Gnat91]

Not getting the love for Lenny Bruce. I know every comic today praises him. I've seen some of his stuff...not really funny. I guess it's the breaking down barriers with him but I just don't get it. At least Kaufman makes me laugh sometimes.

 

[NittPicker]

To this day there are people who think Kaufman died from breaking his neck in a professional wrestling match. Genius or idiot, I don't know. I do know he made a name for himself by messing with peoples' heads. When most other comedians are doing a gig their personalities show through. Kaufman rarely did anything which gave an insight into him as a person.

 

[NewEra 2014]

To this day there are people who think Kaufman died from breaking his neck in a professional wrestling match. Genius or idiot, I don't know. I do know he made a name for himself by messing with peoples' heads. When most other comedians are doing a gig their personalities show through. Kaufman rarely did anything which gave an insight into him as a person.

To this day, there are people who think Andy Kaufman is still alive and faked his death. These people think that Kaufman will come back someday to complete the greatest bit he has ever done. Given Kaufman's persona, it could be something he would do.

 

[Art]

Dead.

 

[PSUBuddha]

Liked him as "yatka" or whatever his name was on Taxi. Never liked anything else he did. Always seemed like he wanted to be different or controversial instead of funny, so I vote idiot ☺️

 

[psuro]

I liked Vic Ferrari.

 

[Mack_Daddy]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

His multiple personalities remind me of me.

 

[Art]

Liked him as "yatka" or whatever his name was on Taxi. Never liked anything else he did. Always seemed like he wanted to be different or controversial instead of funny, so I vote idiot ☺️

"Latka," or potato pancake, depending on the dialect.

 

[LionJim]

I liked Vic Ferrari.

The split-personality story arc on Taxi was brilliant. One show in particular had Latka become Alex, one of the greatest thirty minutes ever.

 

[psuro]

The split-personality story arc on Taxi was brilliant. One show in particular had Latka become Alex, one of the greatest thirty minutes ever.

That. Was. Hilarious.

 

[Leo Ridens]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

He was not so much a comic as a performance artist whose modus operandi was to take audiences out of their comfort zone. As he alienated mainstream audiences like SNL, he aimed his work at other professionals. He had to keep escalating the absurdity until he had nowhere else to go. His death was in a sense the culmination of his art. I halfway hope (but doubt) that he faked his death as his ultimate performance. In my opinion, he was a genius sui generis.

 

[bwifan]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

Genius ... how many years after his death are we still talking about him

 

[LionJim]

That. Was. Hilarious.

Yes, Layla as Alex ready to reveal the secrets of Alex's life to Alex himself before switching back to Latka at the moment of revelation, with Alex in agony.

 

[Roar More]

I think he was a bit of a sadist,

 

[TheGLOV]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

Absolutely the biggest IDIOT and worst comedian ever.

I loved it when the wrestler kicked his ass.

 

[Gnat91]

Glov....you know that was a set up right?.... All part of the act. I'm starting to lean towards genius.

 

[TheGLOV]

Glov....you know that was a set up right?.... All part of the act. I'm starting to lean towards genius.

Yes, it was a 'staged event' however the wrestler took it way to far and let him have it. Kaufman's' pain was real.

 

[chipb]

It depends on how you view comedy

 

[tgar]

Comedian so genius. Crazy as well.

 

[L.T. Young]

Not getting the love for Lenny Bruce. I know every comic today praises him. I've seen some of his stuff...not really funny. I guess it's the breaking down barriers with him but I just don't get it. At least Kaufman makes me laugh sometimes.

Bruce sacrificed his sanity. It got really ugly near the end.

How to talk dirty and influence people was a letdown IMO.

He had potential, but it swallowed whole by his battle for free speech.

 

[L.T. Young]

Andy Kaufman was a genius. The problem is most of the time his audience was the punchline.

The real Andy Kaufman was basically a cross between a comedian and a professional wrestling heal.

Say whatever you want about professional wrestling and it's fans. There's nothing in the world that comes close to giving a performer the kind instant payoff that it does.

 

[marisa45]

Genius but could be over the top sometimes. Goes with the territory. The brightest flames burn out the quickest.

 

[wbcincy]

Genius ... how many years after his death are we still talking about him

If that's the measure, a lot of insane idiots of history are now geniuses.

 

[TheGLOV]

Andy Kaufman was an ass.

OJ was a murderer.

Andy Kaufman was an ass.

OJ was a murderer.

Michael Jackson was a pedophile.

Amanda Knox was guilty as hell.

Truth hurts.

Deal with it.

 

[rumble_lion]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

 

[voltz99]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

Idiot. He was not funny.

 

[voltz99]

Andy Kaufman was an ass.

OJ was a murderer.

Andy Kaufman was an ass.

OJ was a murderer.

Michael Jackson was a pedophile.

Amanda Knox was guilty as hell.

Truth hurts.

Deal with it.

Knox is innocent.

 

[Carl Spackler]

View embedded media

Yes, early in his career he did a great Elvis take off from a comedy sketch.

 

[massimoManca II]

Yes, it was a 'staged event' however the wrestler took it way to far and let him have it. Kaufman's' pain was real.

Word of advice: when you're calling-out someone for being an idiot, the air comes right out of your argument the moment you botch the usage of to vs. too

** sad trombone **

 

[hagberg]

Loved him in taxi. Would have hated him if I went to one of his shows and he just read a book.

Why are those the only choices? How about "annoying self-absorbed performance artist?" He was a comedic actor at times, but not a comedian.

 

[TheGLOV]

Knox is innocent.

That's what you think. God probably has a different opinion.

 

[TheGLOV]

Word of advice: when you're calling-out someone for being an idiot, the air comes right out of your argument the moment you botch the usage of to vs. too

** sad trombone **

Hahahaha! Good one. I still go with it sir. Andy would agree.

 

[denniskembala]

Kaufmann = unfunny idiot.

Years later, Jerry "The King" Lawler admitted he and Kaufmann faked the whole broken neck piledriver and concocted the story line together.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Nowhere near a genius but quite the spectacle. I did like "Tony Clifton" and his crude ways. Here is a clip of Tony with Dinah Shore...
Jim Carrey did a tremendous job with Tony's character in Man on the Moon...

 

[voltz99]

The split-personality story arc on Taxi was brilliant. One show in particular had Latka become Alex, one of the greatest thirty minutes ever.

It was not funny. It is only brilliant if it is funny.

 

[massimoManca II]

It was not funny. It is only brilliant if it is funny.

Earth to voltz, Kaufman was brilliant.... Bob Dylan, Harry Nilsson, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, for the most part don't appeal to me - but I can't deny how great each are... #youprobablythinkbigbangtheoryishilarious