@@AaronMitchell79 It's subversion of expectation. You expect a comeian like you're used to, some anecdotes, a few jokes sprinkled around, maybe a parody preferably of somebody well known. Kaufman puts it all on its head, with all the faux spontaneity of late night television, this is much more real than most acts ever even attempts to be. Kudos to Johnny for not breaking "character" which somehow heightens the surreal quality. If it helps you think of it more as a commentary or a piece of performance art. but you do not have to like it, it's subversion :)
People PRETEND to get it. Let's face it , if you were sitting in a theater and Kaufman opened up a novel and started reading you would be bored to death after the first five minutes.
It banks on a decent audience reaction to set it up which he didn't really get, a lot of his comedy revolved around reaction and sometimes it wasn't there so some skits didn't seem to work. Like the cannon ball story and the "no wait, wait" section which didn't seem to fit as not that many laughed prematurely.
@@FLASHAHOLIC_TV Exactly, and that was why it was so brilliant. It made it so much more funny. If the audience in fact would have laughed a lot before the "no wait, wait", it would have been much less funny.
Kaufman somehow managed to get booked as a "sit down" guest as a comedian on his first appearance. Very rare for that to happen. Most just got to do their stand up.
I remember watching this as a little kid when it aired and I really felt sorry for him because I thought people were making fun of him. I was too young to realize it was part of his act. He was one of a kind.
@jg769 It's very sweet of you that, even as a small child, you thought so kindly about someone who was often really laughed at. 💓 Andy Kaufman was such a lovely person, at least when he performed.
We honestly had no idea how good we had it in the 70’s and 80’s. Comedians, musicians, etc. There was so much talent and originality before technology killed everything! I will forever wish we could go back to life before 1990.
The straight man in vaudeville was known as the first banana, because he set up the jokes for the second banana to finish. The straight man always got top billing. Always.
@@gato7908 Banana, not fiddle. Example... First banana sez, "Who was that lady I seen you with last night?" Second banana sez, "That was no lady; that was my wife." Ka-ching bump.
@@stevehorn646 Craig Ferguson, Graham Norton and Conan O'Brien are/were the best chat show hosts ever. Interestingly, they all have a strong Irish connection.
Of course he was! But I think that kind of interview would still make most hosts uncomfortable. Andy subverts the show's premises and Johnny goes with it. It's great.
Ya lol. I forget when it was but he was on a talk show and everyone laughed for 4 minutes straight. He didn't say one word. Just facial expressions. I miss the old days. True genius. He was one of a kind.
Amazing how he took that imitation thing several notches higher when he would imitate two or three people in that Latka voice and then do ELVIS PRESLEY pretty much PERFECTLY! I was expecting to see that here but I guess he perfected that a little bit later. THAT took his act and hit it out of the park!!
He's still around knocking about with elvis listening to man on the moon and love me tender, epic man for his time very similar to Tommy Cooper, it's sad that we rarely have great people these days to reflect on, anyway I'm depressing myself now 😢 a good comment always creates a comment cheers for that.
Who was that one comedian who used to get under David Letterman's skin? Reminds me of Kaufman a bit. He spoke in a monotone voice. He would always get the better of Letterman and annoy the hell out of him.
Andy was a definitely a one-of-a-kind comedic talent and he was ahead of his time. I loved it when he became a professional wrestler. That was hilarious :)
I really never knew what to comment about this guy. All I know is that he made me laugh. He had brilliant, almost mystical like comedic timing...not overacting like Jim Carrey. You would catch YOURSELF laughing..The joke really didn't matter. It was the way he drew you into his insanity... that's the only way I can describe it.
"I have to start all over again, I lose my place" as he starts Ed Sullivan impression near 7:55... proceeds to repeat whole performance from start. This was where I cracked up & couldn't stop.
@@kidwave1 in this skit Kaufman brought to light the uncomfortable insecurities that most people have when they are trying to perform / talk / communicate especially in front of many others. And he did so with his character being innocent, confident and just sweet. His material was totally original and the themes hadn't even been touched yet in other comedians materials of those times.
I don't think so.. This is a character. This is NOT Andy. He was ill... most can't tell the difference. Whoreywood uses ill people for their own pleasure. It's sad really.
Cynthia Ahern I have to disagree, I never thought his schtick comedy was funny... Wanna see a true genius of comedy check out Foster Brooks while on the Dean Martin Roasts...
One of them. I think you have to include Don Novello and his books starting with "The Lazlo Letters" where he wrote letters to famous and not so famous people in the person of Lazlo Toth - American and then published the responses.
Hannah gadsby explains (in her smash hit award winning show “Nanette”) how to build tension deliberately, how to break it with something ‘unfunny’ and how people will laugh from relief. Comedians as psychologists! Andy knew this in his bones. It was like his secret power. Who wouldn’t want to push it as far as you could.
@Loaded Music. Maybe Hannah Gatsby was doing a brilliant kaufmanesque parody of an insufferable feminist comedian all along and we were just too stupid to get it.
Man on the moon my favourite karaoke song. I'm quite good ya know,, it's a mad world, funnily enough i can sing that too 😉👍Andy is still here you just can't physically see the blessed guy.
that is the book i learned to read from and it looks like he really has THE little book. 📕 how can reading those lines be so cute and funny. he just had a terrific talent.
@@bellavia5 The absolute beauty of that audition is that when they ask him to do it again, he does it exactly like before, showing it was oh so calculated all along. Balls and geniality.
I didn’t understand him when I was younger but rediscovered him after Jim Carrey played him in a movie. Now i think he was a comic genius! He was so creative no one could pull his material off without being booed off the stage.
@@gargantuaism I agree... this guy was NOT funny... like ever. Not sure why the cult following but whatever. I also don't get why people like The Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia (of The Grateful Dead) once said "our music is like licorice; only a few people like it, but the people who do REALLY like it." Same could be said for Kaufman I guess.
This man was a comedic genius, blurring so many lines. The surreal part here is that he's on the same show as Florence Henderson, who is sitting next to him and looks anxious and confused.
@@TS-qq7vr is that why cohen has been irrelevant for 10 years? and andy improvised on the spot all the time and probably fooled more ppl than cohen has
The courage commitment and creativity of this guy is unrivaled.
Comedy Kamikaze.
You either get it or you don't, I don't unfortunately.
@@AaronMitchell79 It's subversion of expectation. You expect a comeian like you're used to, some anecdotes, a few jokes sprinkled around, maybe a parody preferably of somebody well known. Kaufman puts it all on its head, with all the faux spontaneity of late night television, this is much more real than most acts ever even attempts to be. Kudos to Johnny for not breaking "character" which somehow heightens the surreal quality. If it helps you think of it more as a commentary or a piece of performance art. but you do not have to like it, it's subversion :)
Xmas movie ed with Warren Christie sndhenry wimklerj
@@LordMarlle
@@LordMarlle Well said. 👏👏👏
Kudos to the GREAT Johnny Carson for actually GETTING IT and helping to promote Andy!
People PRETEND to get it. Let's face it , if you were sitting in a theater and Kaufman opened up a novel and started reading you would be bored to death after the first five minutes.
He wouldn't make it these days. Insult comedy is all you see now. Andy is awesome. 😅😅😅😅
I don't get it
The "I lost my place and have to start over" bit is a really sophisticated use of comedy technique. Incredible talent, this guy was.
It banks on a decent audience reaction to set it up which he didn't really get, a lot of his comedy revolved around reaction and sometimes it wasn't there so some skits didn't seem to work. Like the cannon ball story and the "no wait, wait" section which didn't seem to fit as not that many laughed prematurely.
@Ignacio Bentley instablaster :)
@@FLASHAHOLIC_TV Exactly, and that was why it was so brilliant. It made it so much more funny. If the audience in fact would have laughed a lot before the "no wait, wait", it would have been much less funny.
@@ignaciobentley8747 "Don't look at me!"
He certainly was and may the force be with you.
No matter how often I watch Andy Kaufman, he never gets old.
Timeless !
It's a video. His age is not going to change.
Yes, he did tragically die at a very young age
Just dead
@@sergioacosta8970🤦
Johnny is still the gold standard. I love how he is patient with Andy allowing him to do whatever he wants.
Kaufman somehow managed to get booked as a "sit down" guest as a comedian on his first appearance. Very rare for that to happen. Most just got to do their stand up.
I’m sure people or johnny were just genuinely interested to hear what such a unique man would have to say
"Her cooking...it's so bad it's terrible."
Underrated punchline
He was. True genius. Greatly missed. The Heckler with Bob Zamunda is superb. No pre-rehearsals like modern talk shows. He pushed the envelope. 😅😅😅😅😅
I understand this guy so well , i consider him the most amazing guy that has ever lived , a mystic , a comic and a legend all molded into one
I agree 100 percent!!
Johnny's facial expression when he started the book was great.
I remember watching this as a little kid when it aired and I really felt sorry for him because I thought people were making fun of him. I was too young to realize it was part of his act. He was one of a kind.
Yes! When I was little, I thought, what a strange man.. a comic who isn't funny 🤣🤣 !
@jg769 It's very sweet of you that, even as a small child, you thought so kindly about someone who was often really laughed at. 💓
Andy Kaufman was such a lovely person, at least when he performed.
I haven't laughed like that for a long time
I love Andy Kaufman so much
It was great to see Johnny still cracking up while doing the promo
What I liked about Andy was I could never tell if he was joking or serious. Genius.
His main schtick was, "Yeah, I fooled you. And I'm going to fool you again. And again...."
I give Carson a lot of credit for putting this post-modern acid performer on the Tonight Show.
You have to wonder what Carson thought of Andy. He seemed to play it straight, but he had to know what Andy was really up to.
With andy you never know lol
He was on the Dick van Dyke show too. It was funnier there.
I mean… a talk show hosts wants to stay relevant.
Ooohh. That explains why he’s not funny. I’m not on acid. Just weed. Oh, well……
Andy was a comic genius. Thank you for all the laughs. Rest in peace.
One of a kind... the only comedian that made his audience feel like they're walking on a tightrope
he was dancer and singer, not a comedian
He was very talented I would even go as far as to say he was my favourite Jim Carrey portrayed him very well in man on the moon
@@AngryNotSoOldHippy yeah
@@jachymjez4055 ummmm. I beg to differ. Dude had comedic genius on several levels. Absolutely brilliant comedian
Fearless
His was a different kind of act to say the least. He always succeeded in making me uneasy. That was his goal. It worked every time.
We honestly had no idea how good we had it in the 70’s and 80’s. Comedians, musicians, etc. There was so much talent and originality before technology killed everything! I will forever wish we could go back to life before 1990.
@Vanasse1 How right you are!
I really long for that time and am glad that I am very old now.
Dang, Johnny gave him a lot of time. Quite an honor.
Johnny recognized the appeal. Behold the jagoffs here that STILL dont get it
having to deal with peoples problems at work ,just watching anything of Andy's act just brings me back up .
Andy did a wonderful Satire of a Stand up comedy thats why it’s so hilarious 😆
🤣🤣🤣
He was pure GOLD!!!
Johnny playing second banana - straight man - no one was better.
Craig Ferguson was much better
The straight man in vaudeville was known as the first banana, because he set up the jokes for the second banana to finish. The straight man always got top billing. Always.
@@gato7908 he's not funny
@@gato7908 Banana, not fiddle. Example...
First banana sez, "Who was that lady I seen you with last night?"
Second banana sez, "That was no lady; that was my wife."
Ka-ching bump.
@@stevehorn646 Craig Ferguson, Graham Norton and Conan O'Brien are/were the best chat show hosts ever.
Interestingly, they all have a strong Irish connection.
Extraordinary how Andy makes people squirm and laugh at their squirming, and extraordinary how gracious Johnny is throughout the joke.
Johnny was in on it
Of course he was! But I think that kind of interview would still make most hosts uncomfortable. Andy subverts the show's premises and Johnny goes with it. It's great.
carson definitely got andy
he only let comics he liked sit on the couch
and he gave him almost 11 minutes
amazing
Next level comedy. Truly one of the greats
Only andy kaufman could be hysterically funny without telling a single joke
The whole performance is the joke
It was ONE joke. Everything was a set up for ONE joke. And, it was hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's all jokes
mr Bean, Kramer etc.
Ya lol. I forget when it was but he was on a talk show and everyone laughed for 4 minutes straight. He didn't say one word. Just facial expressions. I miss the old days. True genius. He was one of a kind.
Amazing how he took that imitation thing several notches higher when he would imitate two or three people in that Latka voice and then do ELVIS PRESLEY pretty much PERFECTLY! I was expecting to see that here but I guess he perfected that a little bit later. THAT took his act and hit it out of the park!!
@voicetube My impression was that Andy played Elvis perfectly.
I was impressed as rarely and it was a pleasure to watch him dance.
He is brilliant and outrageously funny. On Taxi, as Elvis, as the wrestler as well as his manager… and yes, as a standup.
Genius, just pure genius. Only one Andy Kaufman. RIP Sir, and if you're still alive then hats off to you!
He's still around knocking about with elvis listening to man on the moon and love me tender, epic man for his time very similar to Tommy Cooper, it's sad that we rarely have great people these days to reflect on, anyway I'm depressing myself now 😢 a good comment always creates a comment cheers for that.
you say genius, I say moronic lol
Timeless. If he can't make you smile, you must be missing a face.
@@dosmundos3830 there was certainly moronic behaviour from some of his characters... and that's why its genius. because it triggers people like you.
@@Mikebuster you seem to be an expert on morons, you must be their leader with the capital M lol
I love that the audience completely got the genius they where witnessing
They probably prompted them alorr to applaud and laugh and clap
Andy Kaufman was so off the wall.. no one before (that I know of), or since has taken comedy to the places Andy took it... A true one of a kind..
Who was that one comedian who used to get under David Letterman's skin? Reminds me of Kaufman a bit. He spoke in a monotone voice. He would always get the better of Letterman and annoy the hell out of him.
Docwho10th o
An INCREDIBLE talent. Greatly missed
@@docwho10th88 Probably it was Kaufman.
@@peternemeth1777 No..this guy was partially bald on top and the hair he did have was red and curly.
Andy was a definitely a one-of-a-kind comedic talent and he was ahead of his time. I loved it when he became a professional wrestler. That was hilarious :)
There will never be another like him. True original genius!
"I have to start again I lose my place" *starts entire routine again* 😂
I really never knew what to comment about this guy. All I know is that he made me laugh. He had brilliant, almost mystical like comedic timing...not overacting like Jim Carrey. You would catch YOURSELF laughing..The joke really didn't matter. It was the way he drew you into his insanity... that's the only way I can describe it.
Well described.
True
I felt the same way about Donald Trump and his policies! What a hoot Donald was!
@@markanthony1920 TDS is real.
He was incredibly talented, intelligent and original. Andy Kaufman.
People, to this day, think he is still alive. Perfection.
Oh my god, what a genius Andy was!
lol
Trollin folks before the term was ever phrased. Thank you Andy.
Pure comic genius.
Unpredictable and dangerous. Sometimes I think he felt more comfortable as Latka. Florence is completely baffled.
Thank you so much Andy!!
So sad everyone on there has passed away 😢😢😢😢 All great talents too
Andys in the white house look into it. Check out the movie “Dave” as well
Doc Severinsen is still alive and well.
Kevin Meerschaert check this out th-cam.com/video/WTy_eS5XmPY/w-d-xo.html
Carson's demeanor is great here too!
The world still isn't ready for Andy Kaufman.
They are more not ready than ever. We are going backwards in comedy, and the arts.
Quite possibly one of the greatest but misunderstood comic geniuses of our time.
We are watching genius. Thank you for posting.
Yep. Knew it at the time. Even now you see the morons posting about how it isn't funny. . LOL
"I have to start all over again, I lose my place" as he starts Ed Sullivan impression near 7:55...
proceeds to repeat whole performance from start.
This was where I cracked up & couldn't stop.
He was pure comic genius. RIP.
Hardly.
he sucked big time here
Sure wish they were all still here. 😇😇😇😇
Tank you veree much Andy. You are missed.
✌🌹💕😊
A first time impression that lasted a lifetime - Latka Gravas Forever.. He was one of a kind - Thank you very much. LOL !
He was one of my all time favorites
Just a phucking genius. The first of his genre, copied but never bettered! A sad loss at an early age.
to each his own
@@tippingtoastmedia i was gonna write an elaborate response but i'm just gonna say that kaufman is a genius
He has grown on me immensely..at first, I wasn't sure what I was experiencing..but the nuances..and Johnny really was a master
I've always felt like Bronson Pinchot came the closest to him when he did Balki on Perfect Strangers.
7:36
He summed up Don Rickles's entire career.
You've got to wonder how many people watching that night had no idea it was all an act. The man was genius.
Andy Kaufman was such a genius at comedy
Tell me why? Or are you just parroting some fool. Usually , comedy makes you laugh.
@@kidwave1 in this skit Kaufman brought to light the uncomfortable insecurities that most people have when they are trying to perform / talk / communicate especially in front of many others. And he did so with his character being innocent, confident and just sweet. His material was totally original and the themes hadn't even been touched yet in other comedians materials of those times.
@@cynthiaahern9081 blah blah blah
I don't think so.. This is a character. This is NOT Andy. He was ill... most can't tell the difference. Whoreywood uses ill people for their own pleasure. It's sad really.
Cynthia Ahern I have to disagree, I never thought his schtick comedy was funny...
Wanna see a true genius of comedy check out Foster Brooks while on the Dean Martin Roasts...
Ladies and gentlemen, you have just witnessed the origin, and the art, of the modern day troller
One of them. I think you have to include Don Novello and his books starting with "The Lazlo Letters" where he wrote letters to famous and not so famous people in the person of Lazlo Toth - American and then published the responses.
I saw him live at the University Of Georgia in 1983 or so. He was one of a kind.
I feel like he almost broke after the cooking joke, cuz he saw and heard johnny bust out
A comedian that could exist in his time and none other.
Hannah gadsby explains (in her smash hit award winning show “Nanette”) how to build tension deliberately, how to break it with something ‘unfunny’ and how people will laugh from relief. Comedians as psychologists! Andy knew this in his bones. It was like his secret power. Who wouldn’t want to push it as far as you could.
Never thought I'd read Hannah Gadsby and Andy Kaufman in the same sentence.
Seriously?!
OI WAS ROIPED YEAH?
- Hannah Gadsby
@Loaded Music. Maybe Hannah Gatsby was doing a brilliant kaufmanesque parody of an insufferable feminist comedian all along and we were just too stupid to get it.
Thank you very much.
Man on the moon my favourite karaoke song. I'm quite good ya know,, it's a mad world, funnily enough i can sing that too 😉👍Andy is still here you just can't physically see the blessed guy.
Carson was king!
He had the kahuna's to bring on Andy. The most Avant-Garde comedian of the day. and make it to the comercial. LOL!
Imagine what Kaufman could have done with the internet.
He could have become president.
One theory is that he is using the internet on TH-cam as a channel parodying conservative views and controversial opinions called Alan Terry.
Would have killed his career. Social media sucks!
@@dp-mo5jh I AGREE
People wouldn't like it. Today's people want low-life scumbags on Instagram.
So far ahead of his time.
💯
that is the book i learned to read from and it looks like he really has THE little book. 📕 how can reading those lines be so cute and funny. he just had a terrific talent.
Another Andy as Don Rickles,
“Hey you, Italian guy. You hockey puck.”
Lol
He always had a surprise.
He's totally pranking all of them. So ahead of his time.
he wasnt pranking Carson. duh..:-)
Johnny knows
What is mind-wreckingly brilliant about this appearance is that Taxi had not yet started as a show.
The day after Jimmy Carter's inauguration and about a week before Freddie Prinze's death.
Florence Henderson! Such a delight.
She was a fox
How many people could go on THE premier entertainment show -act like this -and get away with it?
Nobody...not even Andy.
@@HM-fn2xe Right
He auditioned on SNL with a deliberately bad performance. Balls...
@@ingvarhallstrom2306 Don't know as I'd call it "bad"- rigged maybe.
@@bellavia5 The absolute beauty of that audition is that when they ask him to do it again, he does it exactly like before, showing it was oh so calculated all along. Balls and geniality.
Clearly a big influence on Sacha Baron Cohen.
cohen owes it all and more to kaufman, no comparison
true its a great influence to him, both got same sense humor and comedy
@@Ashoko83 andy was more of an artist
And to think some people claim Cohen is a genius. Now thats funny!
@@jamesbd45 Cohen's a profiteer. Andy's an artist
I didn’t understand him when I was younger but rediscovered him after Jim Carrey played him in a movie. Now i think he was a comic genius! He was so creative no one could pull his material off without being booed off the stage.
i was watching johnny that night and i distinctly remember his act because it was so strange
I have to start all over again . . ., LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The genius, Andy Kaufman.
I had to pause it a couple times because I was laughing too hard.
Comedy gold. Love your work Andy, wherever you may be....
Best comedian ever!!
It is VERY hard to tell a bad joke on purpose and make it funny.
It's also very hard for many people to admit most of the time he wasn't that funny.
@@gargantuaism nah he’s pretty stellar. The fact he doesn’t break once and l his mannerisms are all perfect is amazing and hilarious.
@@gargantuaism I agree... this guy was NOT funny... like ever. Not sure why the cult following but whatever. I also don't get why people like The Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia (of The Grateful Dead) once said "our music is like licorice; only a few people like it, but the people who do REALLY like it." Same could be said for Kaufman I guess.
He was mostly just irritating, not funny. His cult said that was point, he was testing how much torture the audience would put up with.
Norm Macdonald has entered the chat.
His Elvis impersonations are the best.
Carson plays along so well.
Andy was a genius way ahead of his time. I would have loved to see what he would have come up with if he had lived a little longer
ive been watching so much old andy sruff. he was legendary! would have ruled snl and had multiple movies.
I see where Borat got its inspiration. Reminds me of the suitcase in the elevator scene.
That audience roaring when he said he lost his place and had to start over
That was good when he said he lost his place and had to start over and starts from the beginning of his act..hahahah..genius.
Two,One of a kind people; Andy Kaufman and Johnny Carson.
ANDY KAUFMAN was the originator of Reality TV....
To this day I quote it as the "Andy Kaufman Syndrome" 😎👍🏻
Love it!!!
This man was a comedic genius, blurring so many lines. The surreal part here is that he's on the same show as Florence Henderson, who is sitting next to him and looks anxious and confused.
I was there, first row.
Was amazing.
Wait, no that was a rush concert.
Both were stoney.
rush sucks
Pure Genius 🙏❤️❤️❤️
Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat) owes a lot to this pioneer.
no they are completely different....borat wishes he was andy...
Andy had about 20 minutes of material in 9 years and everyone knew it was a bit. Cohen improvised on the spot and actually fooled people.
@@TS-qq7vr is that why cohen has been irrelevant for 10 years? and andy improvised on the spot all the time and probably fooled more ppl than cohen has
Unparalleled talent
This made my day. I laughed so hard. 😂😂😂
wish I had your sense of humor.