Andy Kaufman Plays Carnegie Hall

The idea of Andy Kaufman is more entertaining that Andy Kaufman. The same goes for the creation of the character: Tony Clifton. This cable / stage presentation was considered both Kaufman's final contribution to his work as well as the final nail in his coffin.A few good laughs doesn't make up for minutes and minutes of dead silence. Yes, Elvis is good, his foreign character is even better, but everything else is nothing more than leftovers. Bob Zmuda may be a brilliant comedian / producer, but he has marketed himself as Andy Kaufman's shadow. 25 years since Kaufman's death, Zmuda still is known for his friendship with Kaufman and nothing else. It was a nice surprise to see Robin Williams portray Kaufman's grandmother. This is one of very few 'great' moments in this show.

In this special, we get to see the virtuoso Andy Kaufman run rampid in Carnegie Hall where he applies much of his trademark stuff- wrestling random women (I think random women, maybe not), doing a Tony Clifton impression at the beginning, and doing a lot of other stuff he's famous for (playing the bongos for example). If you saw Man on the Moon (1999), you know plenty of what he does here, but here, we see the original special with an actual Bob Zmuda as referee, Andy's brother Michael as a doctor, and Andy's grandmother, who has a uncannily resemblance to Robin Williams (and is him). Any fan of Kaufman's work, or anyone looking for a laugh should pick this up and take a look at one of the master "song and dance" men. A

I knew Andy tangentially during his Improv days in NYC. Back then he introduced the comics and also did his immigrant character. He was one weird dude.

Later he was in a short lived Broadway play about wrestling with Debbie Harry of all people. I think it was called something along the lines of The Venus Fly Trap. Don't hold me to that.

If my memory was correct, it never even opened. I saw a preview and Andy decided to stand at the front doot welcoming guests. He wouldnt get out of character even tho he knew me.

Anyway, this filmed concert is legendary. Perhaps his humor doesnt translate today, but he certainly was an original. I always thought he was brilliant. Or was he just insane? Read about the Taxi stories and how difficult he was on set.

And then there was his fixation with wrestling women. I always thought he did that so he could feel them up.

A true original.

Andy and Bob Zmuda pull off an extraordinary show, unique on so many levels yet weaving in seamlessly, classic showbiz tropes that have worked since the Greeks. It is so creative and so well executed here, that they should have been given a special Tony award if you're into prizes for art, which I'm not. Love the Tony Clifton opening and how Tony threatens to launch into the mother in law paen. It is all simple genius and delightful entertainment. The cookies and milk finale works perfectly, yet knowing that Andy hadn't long to live makes any behind-the-scene footage precious and riveting watching, like the Zapruder film. I was almost waiting for some drugged out hippy in the crowd to bump off Andy while boarding the buses! A fascinating show. Just great. Thx Andy and Bob Z!