Andy Kaufman
Anti-comedian who blurred performance and reality.
Andy Kaufman was an American entertainer and performance artist, often labeled an "anti-comedian" for his refusal to tell traditional jokes. He once stated that his only promise to an audience was to try to entertain them as best he could, rather than to make them laugh. Born in New York City on January 17, 1949, he grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Great Neck, Long Island, the oldest of three children. His mother was a homemaker and former fashion model, his father a jewelry salesman. Kaufman began performing at children’s birthday parties at age nine, playing records and showing cartoons. He spent much of his youth writing poetry and stories, completing an unpublished novel at sixteen. After a visit from Nigerian musician Babatunde Olatunji to his school, he took up the congas. Following high school in 1967, he studied television production at Grahm Junior College in Boston, where he hosted his own campus show, *Uncle Andy’s Fun House*. In 1969, he hitchhiked to Las Vegas to meet Elvis Presley, and soon after began performing at coffee houses and writing a one-man play. After graduating in 1971, he performed stand-up at small East Coast clubs. His breakthrough came with the character Foreign Man, who spoke in a meek, high-pitched, accented voice and claimed to be from a fictional island. As Foreign Man, he would stand still, lip-sync the theme from *Mighty Mouse*, tell intentionally poor jokes, and perform deliberately inept celebrity impressions before suddenly launching into a convincing Elvis Presley imitation. Parts of this act aired on the first season of *Saturday Night Live* in 1975. From 1978 to 1983, he played the Foreign Man–based character Latka Gravas on the sitcom *Taxi*. He also performed as the obnoxious lounge singer Tony Clifton. A frequent guest on *Late Night with David Letterman*, he staged a planned altercation with wrestler Jerry Lawler in 1982, the true nature of which was not revealed for over a decade. Kaufman died of lung cancer on May 16, 1984, at age 35. Persistent rumors that he faked his death persist, fueled by his career-long use of elaborate pranks. He is remembered for his varied characters, counterintuitive approach to comedy, and willingness to provoke confused or negative audience reactions.
- died
- May 16, 1984, age 35
- field
- Entertainer, performance artist
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Foreign Man/Latka Gravas, Tony Clifton, anti-comedy, staged wrestling feud with
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Kaufman's act included singing the Mighty Mouse theme song and refusing to tell conventional jokes. His Foreign Man character would put on a rhinestone jacket and do a dead-on Elvis impersonation, tricking the audience. He caught the eye of talent agent George Shapiro, who signed him and landed him a role on Taxi, which Kaufman secretly hated. He created the villain character Tony Clifton with his creative partner Bob Zmuda. Kaufman decided to become a professional wrestler, wrestling only women (hired actresses) and declaring himself "Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion". He feuded publicly with Jerry Lawler, who challenged him to a "real wrestling match". Lawler appeared to seriously injure Kaufman with a piledriver. Kaufman and Lawler were actually best friends and staged their feud as a joke. Kaufman disclosed he had been diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer. He arranged a booking at Carnegie Hall, his dream venue, culminating with inviting the entire audience out for milk and cookies. He died on May 16, 1984 at the age of 35. At his funeral, loved ones sang along to "This Friendly World" with a video of Kaufman. One year later, Tony Clifton appeared at Kaufman's tribute, performing "I Will Survive".
Reader's Guide
Andy Kaufman's significance lies in his radical redefinition of comedy as performance art. By refusing to tell jokes and instead creating characters that blurred the line between reality and fiction, he challenged audience expectations and often elicited confusion or hostility. His Foreign Man and Tony Clifton personas, along with his staged wrestling feud, demonstrated a commitment to maintaining character even offstage. Kaufman's work influenced later comedians and performance artists who explore discomfort and meta-humor. His legacy is preserved in the continued respect for his variety of characters, his counterintuitive approach, and his willingness to provoke negative reactions. The persistent rumors of a faked death underscore how thoroughly he merged his life with his art.
Did You Know?
- Kaufman's Carnegie Hall 'milk and cookies' performance actually occurred in 1979, five years before his death and well before his cancer diagnosis.
- The film Man on the Moon is deliberately ambiguous over whether Kaufman actually died or if this was a hoax as some fans believe.
- Kaufman and Jerry Lawler were actually best friends and staged their public feud as a joke.
- During filming of Man on the Moon, Jim Carrey and Jerry Lawler got into an altercation that led to Carrey being hospitalised with 4 compressed vertebrae.
- The film's title comes from R.E.M.'s 1992 song 'Man on the Moon', originally written in honor of Kaufman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Andy Kaufman?
Andy Kaufman (1949–1984) was a New York-born American performance artist who rejected stand-up conventions in favor of confrontational, reality-bending live shows. He is best remembered for his TV roles as Foreign Man on SNL and Latka Gravas on Taxi, as well as his abrasive lounge-singer alter ego Tony Clifton.
What is anti-comedy and how did Andy Kaufman practice it?
Anti-comedy, as Kaufman practiced it, meant deliberately provoking hostility, confusion, or silence from a crowd rather than eliciting laughter. He would interrupt his own set, argue with spectators, or simply refuse to perform, treating each live event as an unpredictable confrontation rather than a sequence of routines.
Who is Tony Clifton?
Tony Clifton was Kaufman's loud, crude lounge-singer persona, complete with a distinctive voice, garish wardrobe, and a sycophantic manager (played by Paul Shaffer) who fielded all press interaction. The character served as a deliberate foil to Kaufman's public image and became the vehicle for his most confrontational pranks.
What happened in the Andy Kaufman vs. Jerry Lawler wrestling feud?
In 1983, Kaufman staged a months-long fake wrestling rivalry with WWE champion Jerry Lawler, culminating in a match where he was thrown through a table and suffered a broken jaw. The incident was later revealed to be a carefully orchestrated bit, though Lawler has maintained his own version of events differs.
How did Andy Kaufman die?
Kaufman was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1982 and, after undergoing surgery and radiation, passed away on May 16, 1984, at the age of 35. His death cut short a career that had already left a lasting imprint on performance art and comedy.
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