Andy Kaufman genius or idiot?

[LionJim]

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

Oh, good grief. I was laughing my ass off while watching it. That is the general indication that something is funny. Who died and made you the Culture Commissioner on the McAndrew board? Take your wet blanket and go away.

 

[voltz99]

Oh, good grief. I was laughing my ass off while watching it. That is the general indication that something is funny. Who died and made you the Culture Commissioner on the McAndrew board? Take your wet blanket and go away.

You were the only one. Everyone else was laughing at Chris Lloyd and Danny Devito.

 

[LionJim]

You were the only one. Everyone else was laughing at Chris Lloyd and Danny Devito.

Read what Ro had to say about that particular episode. God, you are truly a pill, always got to have the last word on every God damn thing. I guess winning arguments on BWI is what makes living worthwhile for you. SMH.

 

[NITTANYJGK]

Some of these comments touting Kaufman are unbelievable. Andy Kaufman was a total zero. Zilch.

 

[TheGLOV]

Some of these comments touting Kaufman are unbelievable. Andy Kaufman was a total zero. Zilch.

I agree.

He was a non funny a$$ of the highest order.

 

[Nitt1300]

 

[Roar More]

He was funny when he had a script, but otherwise, he was an asshole. Case in point:

 

[Gnat91]

That video...is EXACTLY why Kaufman was a genius. If you can't see it you're blind. He was basically a nobody working with seasoned actors on a show that at the time was one of the most watched shows in it's time slot and he dictated what was happening with his nonsense.....

 

[Roar More]

The video shows him to be a self-indulgent creep who likes to get his jollies by pissing off other people and wasting their time. Would you like to work with a genius like that?

 

[L.T. Young]

The video shows him to be a self-indulgent creep who likes to get his jollies by pissing off other people and wasting their time. Would you like to work with a genius like that?

He got studio executives to come watch a completely unknown actor, a fictional character he created, get fired.

That's genius.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

His act was to create mayhem and confusion. That's it. Once you understand the point of it, you can then ask yourself if it was genius. I would say no.

he did a good Elvis impression, but it was not as good as he thought it was. The Mighty Mouse thing was not that funny. The Tony Clifton character may have been the funniest thing he did. Tony Clifton was a grouchy character in a funny costume. So Andy came out in disguise (or had Zmuda do it) and played a funny character. That was brilliant?

 

[voltz99]

That video...is EXACTLY why Kaufman was a genius. If you can't see it you're blind. He was basically a nobody working with seasoned actors on a show that at the time was one of the most watched shows in it's time slot and he dictated what was happening with his nonsense.....

Was anyone standing in line to give Kaufman his own show? Everyone must be blind.

 

[denniskembala]

Kaufmann was about as funny as a wet phart.

 

[voltz99]

Robin Williams was not funny either. He was good when he played it straight as a serious actor actor but he was a horrible comedian. Mork from Ork might have been funny for a second but 40 years later it was not funny.

 

[Gnat91]

Robin Williams was not funny either. He was good when he played it straight as a serious actor actor but he was a horrible comedian. Mork from Ork might have been funny for a second but 40 years later it was not funny.

So we know what you DON'T find funny. Just curious as to what you Do find funny..and it better not be "Friends".....

 

[TenerHallTerror]

Kaufman was both. wrap your head around that.

 

[voltz99]

Oh, good grief. I was laughing my ass off while watching it. That is the general indication that something is funny. Who died and made you the Culture Commissioner on the McAndrew board? Take your wet blanket and go away.

I prefer the title Commissioner of the Universe.

 

[Elwood Blues]

I think Andy was unique in this regard - his audience was himself. I really think he just wanted to amuse himself. Sometimes the bit was funny to others, sometimes not so much.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

I think Andy was unique in this regard - his audience was himself. I really think he just wanted to amuse himself. Sometimes the bit was funny to others, sometimes not so much.

This is exactly what Kaufman and Zmuda were doing. They were self proclaimed geniuses amusing themselves. They thought it was brilliant because they thought they were brilliant. Other than the narrative that they were creative, there is no evidence that they were that creative. Honestly, Adam Sandler and David Spade were funnier than these guys. It is not "genius" to imitate Elvis, or a foreign accent, or a Vegas lounge singer.

 

[Obliviax]

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

I liked some stuff he did. Other's not so much.

I admire these men and women who put it out there to be criticized. I doubly admire Andy for doing it because he knew he was going to get double barrels. I would imagine its hard because you get so much criticism and adoration (from being a celebrity) you'd lose your mooring. Not so tough as a full grown adult, but as a young man it would be tough. And that leads to crazy behaviors, carnage and eccentricities.

as an adult, you get to the point where you figure you are an adder or a subtractor. You, then, let that guide you. I don't think he ever made it to that level of maturity.

In the end, I think he was just making fun of us, collectively. I think he was saying "you idiots, you admire me and spend money to see me and I am just an idiot like you but have no boundaries". I get the same feeling from Sacha Baron Cohan. I get the feeling he is just gaming us.