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Andy Kaufman (1949-1984), Performance Artist, Entertainer, and Comedic Actor


DonRocks

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Andy Kaufman is someone I describe as a "Performance Artist," and is one of the most polarizing personas in all of show business. Nevertheless, to anyone who insists he didn't have aspects of comedic genius (and I'm the first to admit his acts could turn out to be failed mind fucks), I present to you, "Mighty Mouse":

 

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You need to put a question mark after "1984"! He's out there somewhere laughing at us.

He is (or to doubters, was) a genius. I loved watching him make an audience feel uncomfortable. So often they didn't know what to make of him, whether it be earnestly reading "The Great Gatsby" out loud and at length, wrestling women on stage, or an awkward interview with his former girlfriend Elaine Boosler.

 

 

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His humor was unique and unsettling.  It was often difficult and confusing to experience in the moment yet tolerable now - I suppose because now we know the ending.  

We don't see that kind of humor (is it really humor?) much anymore.   FWIW, I'll offer this short film as an example that it does still exist.   "Thunder Road" won the 2016 Sundance Music festival's "Short of the Year" chosen from over 8,700 entrants.   For me, it twists a person up the way Kaufman did, and like a good knuckleballer does.  Enjoy

"Thunder Road" on vimeo.com

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1 hour ago, jayandstacey said:

His humor was unique and unsettling.  It was often difficult and confusing to experience in the moment yet tolerable now - I suppose because now we know the ending.  

We don't see that kind of humor (is it really humor?) much anymore.   FWIW, I'll offer this short film as an example that it does still exist.   "Thunder Road" won the 2016 Sundance Music festival's "Short of the Year" chosen from over 8,700 entrants.   For me, it twists a person up the way Kaufman did, and like a good knuckleballer does.  Enjoy

"Thunder Road" on vimeo.com

This was great!

dracisk asked what was funny about "The Big Lebowski," and I think this has that same type of humor.

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6 hours ago, DonRocks said:

This was great!

dracisk asked what was funny about "The Big Lebowski," and I think this has that same type of humor.

Glad you liked it

Two interesting side notes about that film: First, it was a single shot.  Not typical.  Second, the filmmaker paid Springsteen for royalties ($7K) but they didn't include online use.  That would have cost about $50K.  The film won Sundance and he wanted to take it to SXSW...who demanded the online use rights be bought.  The guy couldn't afford it so he wrote an open online letter to Springsteen, pleading his case.  Springsteen then approved the online use without any more $.  So...now we get to see it!

The filmmaker, who's also the writer, is also the star. 

I just watched the Big Lebowski for the first time a few weeks ago.  Yeah, same kind of thing - the humor derives from the absurdity and our ability to step back and remind ourselves..."It's just a movie...just a movie..." and laugh on that basis and that basis alone. 

Kaufman didn't even give us that much rope.  Still doesn't.   

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