Hey Letterman KZread channel - you forgot that Andy was on the previous day's show. He was clean and showbiz jovial but after a couple of minutes Dave cut the interview short because Edwin Newman had to read the morning news. So Dave invited him to come back the next day. (This clip). This is what makes the joke so brilliant Andy is in the same clothes as the previous day ! His downward spiral happened in one day! Please post the two days together

@hughtub

Жыл бұрын

LOL! That makes this so hilarious, didn't know that.

@allendracabal0819

Жыл бұрын

Greenblatt ftw

@bravebeard6225

6 ай бұрын

Wow that makes it so much funnier😅😂😊😂😂😂

@nimbydimby

6 ай бұрын

That's great insight. Never knew that!

@THX-vb8yz

6 ай бұрын

He was a true comedic genius....

Telling the audience not to laugh was brilliant.

@janorhypercleats

Жыл бұрын

I've never heard a comedian ask the audience not to laugh! Really strange!

@glenndouglas8822

Жыл бұрын

@@janorhypercleats The wry little smile he gives as he says it. Genius

@anotheryoutubeaccount9852

Жыл бұрын

@@janorhypercleats many people didn't understand Kaufman and his work. I was one of the lucky ones. I got everything, 100 percent.

@jacobbaranowski

11 ай бұрын

He was trying to tell the audience about his lung cancer

@fuzzy7644

5 ай бұрын

@@janorhypercleats The only other time I seen it happen before was when Jerry Seinfeld told an audience on a talk show to not laugh when Micheal Richard was trying to apologize for his...little rant that one time. It's very surreal hearing someone who's job is to make people laugh telling them not to and to take something serious. The only difference is unlike with Kaufman here, Jerry was being serious. He really didn't like people laughing which...I'll be honest, makes it funnier to me.

He was fearless! It’s so uncomfortable and hilarious

He almost lost it at, “Can I get you a mint?” Gold!

@devilsforkdigital1490

3 ай бұрын

Yup, there was a little twinkle.

@simonnoon3228

2 ай бұрын

Supressed a little smile there. :D Letterman always wanted to take risks, hence this calabre of guest. Wonderful.

@St.petersEye

2 ай бұрын

He broke character so many times was unprofessional. He was no NORM macdonald

Andy Kaufman: life itself as both art and performance.

Andy Kaufman doesn't really say a word till the 2-minute mark and completely crushes the room, then has the balls to amplify all that nervous tension and kill the vibe in service of a gag. Such an innovator

@atomatman3104

6 ай бұрын

YOU IDIOTS ARE SENSELESS HE WAS VERY TROUBLED WITHIN HIMSELF....ANY LIFE SENSITIVE BEING WOULD KNOW THIS.THIS WORLD NEVER KNEW ANDY......I AM ANDY

@AiVaultGuy

6 ай бұрын

he's not a comedy genius its' just ackward not funny at all

@ScottMcMaster-er4xj

6 ай бұрын

he died 4 years later of an illness. This performance is so convincing that I wonder if he quietly was aware of his illness already and that it may have been part of the reason that he left Taxi and was not working as much. If so, then its all the more amazing that he delivered this gag in that state.

@ccricc

5 ай бұрын

@@AiVaultGuy To each their own I guess. But I feel sorry for you that you can't enjoy Andy Kaufmans brilliant style of comedy.

@AiVaultGuy

5 ай бұрын

@@ccricc sorry his comedy is not for me, Im more into eddie murhpy, richard prior and dave chapelle stuff. Im sure that in a top 10 or even 20 list of best comedian ever Andy Kaufman doesn't have a place

I believe he was the first to do this style of comedy - make it weird and awkward for the audience and never break character. Keep the “joke” going by getting the audience to that uncomfortable place. Letterman always got Andy Kaufman. So brilliant. Both Kaufman and Letterman.

@BAGAKOOS

Ай бұрын

sort of like the original Nathan Fielder

@sicidamara7061

Ай бұрын

I'll never understand what's "brilliant", "genius" or entertaining about that. Any kid making troll videos could be considered a brilliant genius if making people uncomfortable for no reason is the gold standard of entertainment and intelligence

@michael-4k4000

Ай бұрын

Probably the first to be recorded.

@funguy8801

26 күн бұрын

@@sicidamara7061 ... Don't worry, you're not missing anything. It's pathetic.

@stanleyhunter4382

10 күн бұрын

@@sicidamara7061 Exactly. People will call a man with a new schtick "genius" at the drop of a hat.

Andy was so far ahead of his time, TO THIS DAY, no one can match him. Showing up on a talk show to announce you're out of work and struggling is so counter to the whole concept of talk shows you had to be genius to notice the humour there, let alone pull it off with a straight face.

@bravebeard6225

6 ай бұрын

So true, there still isn't anyone that has come close to Andy, 100 years ahead of his time easy.

@nicholasgivens5991

5 ай бұрын

a little man named tim heidecker. just look up tim and eric's clown town debuts on broadway, it's a colbert show interview. absolutely fantastic

@anarchycastro

5 ай бұрын

What exactly was so good about his routines though? I just watched this and was bored. The coughing was over the top.

@dariosusu1529

5 ай бұрын

@@anarchycastro hard to explain i guess, as jokes tend to be. to me it was hilarious, i love his control over the awkwardness. but i can see most of my friends not smiling once during this video. it's a matter of taste

@grabble7605

4 ай бұрын

@@anarchycastro Who asked if you were bored or not?

Amazing how this man could put on a dramatic act like this, almost like a character study. He wasn't just a comedian, he was a performer on many levels.

They say it takes a genius to play a fool. Einstein of comedy.

@dash-underscore_name.

2 ай бұрын

Trying to convince yourself you’re not dumb.

@goligogo923

2 ай бұрын

@@dash-underscore_name. I'm not educated beyond my intelligence nor intelligent beyond my understanding. I wonder...what YOUR trying to say? I'm sure your just great ;)

@dash-underscore_name.

2 ай бұрын

@@goligogo923 no exactly what it means.This is KZread it’s nothing personal.

@ChaoticAphrodite

Ай бұрын

It genuinely does, but what do I know.

To me this is easily his best appearance. When his hand comes up for money at the end I laugh so hard.

@tubby6339

Жыл бұрын

Yes he was. His wife filed for divorce, got the house, the kids, and all of his money. Well, most of his money

@hamsandwichson

Жыл бұрын

@@tubby6339 thanks! That's crazy. He wasn't acting here! 😂 Gonna take that out of my comment 👍

@therevolution91

Жыл бұрын

I also laughed damn hard when he died: on 🫁 ♋️ 🤣

@ronniechilds2002

Жыл бұрын

You might be right. The subtle stuff he does here is very impressive. An awful lot of people fell for it. It wouldn't totally surprise me if he re-appeared even now, in 2023, as an old man, having pulled the ultimate performance art gag.

@toreckman8899

Жыл бұрын

Agree. How letterman kept it together I have no idea.

Andy was probably the most fascinating complex comedian of all time

To his credit in the first few minutes of this in particular Letterman is also absolutely brilliant, reads the audience reaction perfectly, and gives Andy time to work.

@noblemaremilker

3 ай бұрын

Totally, the tension and laughs come from Letterman trying to get Andy to break

@exclamationpointman3852

3 ай бұрын

Absolutely. I think Dave is underrated at that. He lets people shine and steps in when needed. I just found out recently that Dave said Andy always tipped him off where he was going so Dave had an idea how to work, Joaquin let him know too; but Dave still gave it a real impression about it and sold the act.

@user-pw8qo1gm3k

3 ай бұрын

he broke within the first 10 seconds. 1 on a snot/ tissue joke.. and the other at a bad breath joke... "do you want a mint" literally the 2 things he broke at. Dudes as amateur as it gets..@@noblemaremilker

@Beeti1

3 ай бұрын

Nah, they would have laughed no matter what he did and how he did it.

@devilsforkdigital1490

3 ай бұрын

@@user-pw8qo1gm3k You must be watching the wrong video. Or just not understand much about breaking, comedy, what amateur means, or anything else.

Genius! The King of awkward situation comedy.

The meow at 6:20 was brilliant!

@shannononefield

2 ай бұрын

Obviously Stupid Pet Tricks was waiting in the wings...

I bumped into Andy last year in Mexico, nice guy

@paulm9706

2 ай бұрын

Andy's dead!

@BeatleVerse

2 ай бұрын

Andy died in 1984, please learn to lie better lmao

@chainsawteddybear

2 ай бұрын

@@BeatleVerseis he really though hahaha

@dmrr7739

2 ай бұрын

@@BeatleVerseyou fell for that? This is one of his bits.

@BeatleVerse

2 ай бұрын

@@dmrr7739 I mean I was trying to go for sarcasm, but I guess it didn't work out lol

I'm a Brit, never seen this guy before but this skit cracked me up, especially when he was bumming loose change from the audience. Top class. How he kept a straight face is beyond me. Ten out of ten.

@ExtremePainGames

4 ай бұрын

Well you need to see man on the moon. Jim Carey plays Andy Kauffman. The REM song man on the moon is loosly based on Kaufman but what makes Jims attachment so so weird is for the months filming Man On The Moon Jim refused not even for a seconds for all the months to be spoke to as Jim Carey he stayed in character the entire time. That movie in the end changed Jim CAREY for the rest of his life. He stopped being a bigtime movie star and was trasnformed if you will spiritually because of Andy's style and there was then a documentary made of Jim being Andy called Jim & Andy : The Great Beyond. If you liked this spare change clip you havent lived until you see man on the moon.

@douglaslang2218

3 ай бұрын

He was a one of a kind. Please watch the movie Man on the Moon with Jim Carey

@douglaslang2218

3 ай бұрын

Did anyone see Bob Zmuda in the audience?

@captaincat1743

2 ай бұрын

@@ExtremePainGames Thanks for the info. I am definitely going to look at the film and documentary that you suggested to me

@manonthestreet1703

27 күн бұрын

He made a few appearances on letterman, each one he plays a different character. My personal favourite is where he appears with his mom and dad and pretends to be a little kid. Then there's one where he appears with 3 random dudes claiming they are his adopted sons lmao

andy kaufman's talent is unmatched. he can make people laugh with the smallest gestures. no one has ever matched his delivery.

@AiVaultGuy

6 ай бұрын

completely overated he's not a comedy genius its' just ackward not funny at all and it wouldn't work with today's audiences

@Joseph-nh6in

5 ай бұрын

@vault The audiences of the 70s were 500 times more refined and cultured than the audiences of today. The audiences of today gobble up trash that wouldn't even make it onto the radio in the 70s.

@stephaniecoomey2356

5 ай бұрын

@@AiVaultGuylmao okay so it wasn’t a typo you actually spell like that.

@johnringoo756

5 ай бұрын

​@@AiVaultGuydefinitely overrated

He’s doing the exact opposite of everything you are supposed to do. He does the interview in his stand up and the standup in the interview haha. The cough is great too.

@abbadabbba232

4 ай бұрын

Unfortunately the coughing was real. It was the beginning stages of the lung cancer that killed him.

@faysalkhodr7695

3 ай бұрын

Cough was real

@Beeti1

3 ай бұрын

@@abbadabbba232 - No, it wasn't real. It was clearly part of the act. That he happen to have lung cancer has nothing to do with it. People don't necessarily go around coughing all the time, because they have beginning lung cancer.

@illustriouschin

3 ай бұрын

​@@Beeti1Lung cancer diers don't cough y'all.

@Beeti1

2 ай бұрын

@@illustriouschin - Wow, not very impressive logic you have there. You equate "don't necessarily go around coughing all the time" with "don't cough".

Andy is an example of a sad clown paradox. His deadpan humour and how he brought things got people in stitches even if he did not wanted to.

I bump into Mr. Kaufman at Walmart every now and then. He self-proclaims that this is the longest running practical joke in history, and he is so proud of it.

He brings comedy to another level. No one has surpassed him till today

@BlastinRope

7 ай бұрын

the mainstream today doesnt facilitate people like this, even back then letterman would pull from outside of the mainstream. but like theres no kaufmans, theres no lettermans either. they exist, you just wont find them on network television or mainstream streaming services.

@AiVaultGuy

6 ай бұрын

he's not a comedy genius its' just ackward not funny at all and it wouldn't work with today's audiences

@JV-ll1cu

6 ай бұрын

I think he started as a comedian but in later years he just wanted to confuse people

@jonokerr5094

5 ай бұрын

I think the only person who can close with the same style of controlling the audience would be Sacha Baron Cohen

@spoons2183

5 ай бұрын

what happened today?

at the 5:32 mark you see him almost break, he has a quick slight smile after he tells the audience not to laugh lol

@jimothybikael

Жыл бұрын

Good catch!

@nomoresunforever3695

3 ай бұрын

Same when Dave asks him if he wants a mint

Kaufman was a comic genius, and Letterman was a genius for recognizing this, as well as giving Norm MacDonald a platform.

@samsmith4216

Жыл бұрын

These guys all hung out at the same comedy clubs. I'm sure they were like a club and being unsaid but observed...if one makes it big and can help the other it's on.

@Mo_Taser

Жыл бұрын

@@samsmith4216 Yep. Like me, did you ever wonder, is Kaufman doing a comedy bit or is he serious? I think most people wondered about that and that was part of Kaufman's genius. Is this MF'er serious or is he playing with me? 😂

@Mo_Taser

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. I wondered that too.

@Mo_Taser

Жыл бұрын

@Josh Traffanstedt I don't think many people got that at first, but yes, absolutely he was.

@anotheryoutubeaccount9852

Жыл бұрын

You had to ruin it, by mentioning Norm M.

I can’t stop watching this video. The world needs Andy so bad right now.

@Cheeseiest1

2 ай бұрын

Right, another troll is definitely what the world needs right now 🙄

@ZYXWVUQ992Q

2 ай бұрын

@@Cheeseiest1 hahahaha you’re a troll

@Cheeseiest1

2 ай бұрын

@@ZYXWVUQ992Q it's what Kaufman would want

Being hilarious without saying a single word. That's real comedy genius. One of a kind

Kaufman: The OG “social media” prankster.

Andy's been gone almost 40 years now, and it still feels too soon.

@loupasternak

Жыл бұрын

Not gone.

@nataliezementbeisser1492

Жыл бұрын

he will come back in 10 years

@allendracabal0819

Жыл бұрын

​@@nataliezementbeisser1492 They said that ten years ago.

@nataliezementbeisser1492

Жыл бұрын

@@allendracabal0819 This time it will be different. Talk to me in 10 years.

@allendracabal0819

Жыл бұрын

@@nataliezementbeisser1492 Last time they said this time will be different. Anyway, I just added it to my calendar.

You know that fight scene with the wrestler - I totally bought it for years. He yet lives on as: 'laugh after death'...

No comic alive today could pull this off. Andy made this style of comedy look so natural but people don’t tend to realize how hard it is to fake sincerity. With Andy you never really could tell if he was being for real or if it was an act, and that was the beauty of it - the audience was the punchline.

@cedricwilford

4 ай бұрын

Check out Joe Pera. Not quite the same, but he warps sincerity in a really fun way and takes crowd risks big time. A lot of fun.

@XakTerrible

4 ай бұрын

No one would even get close. This was fantastic.

@user-sn3rv1zc5z

4 ай бұрын

Sort of a metaphor for life itself..should we be taking this seriously?..Is this some kind of joke?…🧐

@potato9832

2 ай бұрын

Funny thing about Joe Pera. He puts on a character voice when he's doing his schtick. However, when you hear his actual natural voice it's 98% the same voice. @@cedricwilford

@danzai

Ай бұрын

borat comes very close

Hasn't even spoken and the audience is already applauding! He was a genius!

@evanman1011

Жыл бұрын

They always do that anyway

This guy and Peter Sellers were on a different plain then the rest of us.

@heroinmom153

5 ай бұрын

Don't forget Norm

When you think of all the comedians who've left their marks on our hearts and in our minds, none did it quite like Andy Kaufman. He was one-of-a-kind in his field. Nobody before, or since, has ever managed to pull off the same kind of comedy that he did. With Andy, you never quite knew for sure who was in on the joke, or to what extent. You'd often find yourself laughing as much from awkwardness as you would from delight. That's why, even after he died, it took a while for people to actually accept that he was dead, because faking his own death is exactly the sort of thing Andy would do to get a laugh.

@jackfrosterton4135

4 ай бұрын

Making a reappearance 40 years later is something he would do too

3:07 the moment Andy got the idea to ask the crowd for money.

This is absolutely fabulous!

Everybody always comes on and talks about how great they’re doing and all the projects they’re working on. Andy comes on destitute, can’t get any work, his wife took the kids and he needs money 🤣 I applaud Letterman for being able to play off such a weird bit so well

@BCC288

3 ай бұрын

so good

One of the greatest 20th century comedians. Still making us laugh today long after he is gone. That’s pretty great. Lol he does such an EXCELLENT job of seeming socially anxious and awkward!….

The way the scene is posed when he sits on the stool how his feet just dangle there in those damn wrinkled yellow pants its just a 10/10 for sure.

There would be no Tim and Eric or Eric Andre without Andy.

@axebomber2108

5 ай бұрын

Or Andre the Giant.

@user_kH9bw3ns1

Ай бұрын

like tim dying playing the recorder in that one sketch of talented musicians, hosted by a dude outside a va

@LucidRecluse

Ай бұрын

Tim and Eric are trash. Tom Green, Sam Hyde and Mike David are 20 times better than those fools.

Letterman was the king of Late Night talk shows. By far the best and most entertaining. Andy's performance is so well delivered here, that I have to wonder, if he had been diagnosed already or had some idea that he was not well. It would be 4 years later that he would die of his illness. Maybe part of the reason he left Taxi was that he quietly was aware that he was ill.

@user-yr7vh7zh8x

5 ай бұрын

This is what I was thinking and with Andy you just never know❤

@pyramidschema8668

5 ай бұрын

This cough is fake, his real cough didn't start until 3 years later in November '83. Just a tragic coincidence.

Wonderful. We need more of this.

Thanks for this. So great. I'd forgotten about how innovative AK was. Also to mention, this was Letterman's first TV show, a summer daytime TV show replete with real news, seriously read by Edwin Newman, the NBC News stalwart. Dave was only beginning to become "Dave" at this time, and his instincts were dead on here to encourage Kaufman, even though he, like the audience, may not have gotten it right away. You can see Kaufman enjoying the bit so much he almost laughs a couple of times.

And Kauffman was a classic Dadaist, with a bit of surrealism

This is just fantastic.

Wow. Never seen that before. What an amazing talent!!

Breaking moment when you see the guy pat him on the back as they walk through the door. I love this.

Andy came close to cracking a couple of times

@thebigragu9952

11 ай бұрын

Right 5:33 there

@maggiejohnson5891

5 ай бұрын

During the snot scene as well.

@ezekielbrockmann114

5 ай бұрын

3:46 also

@jameschristopher2540

5 ай бұрын

Well Maggie mentioned 0:44 and 1:19... personally I think mines are the best

Can you imagine Andy trying this with Jimmy Fallon? He’d be giggling and unable to do it, making it about him. Dave was a great straight man for him.

@poorboysadventures4636

4 ай бұрын

Fallon blows

he's bewildered that after all this time and all those gags he can still confound them. He knew this deep down and he knew he was making comedy for the distant future.

@jonisafreak3

4 ай бұрын

His stuff is so brilliant it’s not even meant for the 21st century. The guys comedy is otherworldly.

He tries not to break by coughing. Pure genius!

@DazUK81

5 ай бұрын

He died of lung cancer

@tylery85

5 ай бұрын

​@@DazUK81 more like andy coughman

@rccrispy2024

4 ай бұрын

@DazUK81 yes I know and he used it in his act. Like they do in wrestling which is called "Kay Fabe"

@Beeti1

3 ай бұрын

@@DazUK81 - And? The cough was part of the act and had nothing to do with his cancer.

Good comedians make you laugh. Great comedians also make you think. Thank you for the video. Sweet sorrow.

This is one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever seen on KZread.

This could never be on network TV today. Amazing stuff.

I knew it was going to happen but i still found it hilarious when he begged for money. I laughed so hard I fell off my chair and nearly broke my glasses.

legit......no words needed

I ❤️ Andy Thank you very much!

genius at his peak. unforgettable.

@tomsckay7point0

7 ай бұрын

😂😂😂😂lowest possible bar for genius

@angelodicandia

7 ай бұрын

@@tomsckay7point0 so for comment, dear ;)

@tomsckay7point0

7 ай бұрын

@@angelodicandia hurt dear?

@angelodicandia

7 ай бұрын

@@tomsckay7point0 how could you do so!

@tomsckay7point0

7 ай бұрын

@@angelodicandia it was terrible of me, i just can't help being honest

Anything that makes Dave look uncomfortable works for me .

@josephtravers777

Жыл бұрын

Andy was the best at making people uncomfortable. It was a brilliant set-up to produce tension that he could release in a second w/ the right move. A master.

@osiris5315

5 ай бұрын

Dave plays along perfectly, that what makes it so funny. They both know exactly what they’re doing.

A perfect example of Andy Kaufman's genius. To all intents and purposes he seemingly and realistically appears to be going through a personal hell. He stays committed to this premise and manages to make not being funny downright hilarious 😂

My god, this is hilarious. A human treasure.

Rest in peace Andy Kaufman 🥀🧸😭🙏🤘

omg. i'm rolling from this.

Can't believe Jeffery Dahmer gave him money in audience. 😂

Used to watch this in the morning...yes it was on that time of day...amazing

@dancingcross

3 ай бұрын

Letterman used to air in the morning? I dont understand.

@thehelpdesk4051

3 ай бұрын

@dancingcross it came on mid-morning....yes strange but true I guess I'm kinda old

@dancingcross

3 ай бұрын

@@thehelpdesk4051 Soo letterman was on during the day, before he was on at night? Or he had both day and night shows?

@thehelpdesk4051

3 ай бұрын

@@dancingcross Google the David Letterman show 1980

Kayfabe the world, Andy. 🌎

absolute legend

See him pat Andy on the back right before the door closed? That was fantastic.

OMG, this is Gold

You could see him starting to brake at the beginning had me rolling even harder 😅😂😂

@qtip919

3 ай бұрын

b r e a k

A total genius

Andy you are missed. RIP.

@TheAbsurdist86

Ай бұрын

Andy should be in the wwe Hall of fame

CLASSIC!

Dave's expression at the 8 m 2 s mark is priceless. As a great stand up comedian himself he knew how to play the perfect straight man.

This is more of a masterfully executed performance art piece than a 'skit'. It's no wonder avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson was drawn to him back in the day.

I love grandma

Legend

Comedy gold 🤣🤣

This has to go down as one of the greatest talk show appearances of all time.

The first two minutes where Andy doesn't talk had be laughing my ass off

He was such a cutie pie. RIP Andy

Is there anyone better at the comedic pause than Gene Wilder or David Letterman?

Genius

Good ole days

I was thinking about this the other day lol

I love those yellow trousers.

Truly there was no one like Andy. Many did not get his humor, which I can understand. He was an "acquired taste" as one person (forgot who) said.

I start crying with laughter at 1:20 and don't stop.

You can see the smile in his eyes when he’s close to breaking character

Made me tear up. R.I.P.

i think this is one of his funnier moments because it almost feels like hes actually letting you in on the joke more than usual .. just my personal opinion tho... like someone said, when his hand comes up at the end, what a kill... so funny.... also, love that the camera caught the pat on the back from the stage hand as they left

The word is overused, but Andy really was a comedic genius. And Dave did a great job playing the straight man for him.

Yellow pants runny nose panhandling LOL that took balls

Andy showed incredible restraint not bursting out laughing. He left that to everyone else.

I am so glad I watched it before knowing the title. Hahahaha

He almost breaks character when Dave asks if he wants a mint lol

@arthurdent5357

2 ай бұрын

A lot of people saying it but I disagree. It is his character and a huge part of why it makes us laugh.

This phoenix and crispin glover just genius

The man was a vibe of the room devastating genius at improv comedy

There's no way on God's clean Earth that I would be able to hold back the laughter had I been in the audience! 🤣🤣🤣

amazing

Theres a particular audience member with a particular laugh at 3:38 that nearly makes him break