1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:42,939 --> 00:00:44,182 [static sounds] 4 00:00:44,285 --> 00:00:47,633 Okay, my movie, it begins, 5 00:00:47,737 --> 00:00:50,429 it begins with the climax. 6 00:00:50,533 --> 00:00:55,434 [laughing, screaming, drumming] 7 00:00:55,538 --> 00:00:58,265 And you zoom out, and then it says, 8 00:00:58,368 --> 00:00:59,818 "The End," and then the credits. 9 00:00:59,921 --> 00:01:02,579 [applauding] 10 00:01:02,683 --> 00:01:05,341 And then you have some blank space, 11 00:01:05,444 --> 00:01:07,619 like about a minute of black. 12 00:01:16,352 --> 00:01:19,320 - [footsteps] - Shh. 13 00:01:19,424 --> 00:01:22,151 And you know what then happens? You got the climax again. 14 00:01:22,254 --> 00:01:26,327 [singing, chaos] 15 00:01:26,431 --> 00:01:27,915 And then it says, "The End" again. 16 00:01:28,018 --> 00:01:29,951 - [applauding] - [flute playing] 17 00:01:30,055 --> 00:01:31,229 And then the climax again. 18 00:01:31,332 --> 00:01:34,715 [wrestling, chaos] 19 00:01:34,818 --> 00:01:37,304 But each time there's a little something different, 20 00:01:37,407 --> 00:01:39,133 and it tells a story. 21 00:01:39,237 --> 00:01:40,686 So it's a whole, you know, it's like 22 00:01:40,790 --> 00:01:42,723 you thought you saw the climax already, 23 00:01:42,826 --> 00:01:44,483 but then when you finally see it, you see 24 00:01:44,587 --> 00:01:46,451 there's more to it than that. 25 00:01:49,730 --> 00:01:51,801 - [woman 1] No. - No? 26 00:01:51,904 --> 00:01:54,700 [static sounds] 27 00:01:55,736 --> 00:01:58,980 [tense music playing] 28 00:01:59,084 --> 00:02:00,948 I know very little about you, 29 00:02:01,673 --> 00:02:04,572 [Tom] but I'd like to find out a little bit if I may. 30 00:02:04,676 --> 00:02:07,334 [cymbal sounds] 31 00:02:10,716 --> 00:02:13,443 I always believe in being honest. 32 00:02:13,547 --> 00:02:15,411 I always believe in telling the truth. 33 00:02:15,514 --> 00:02:19,346 - [waves crashing] - [static sounds] 34 00:02:20,070 --> 00:02:22,970 [Charlie] Is there any controversy about his death? 35 00:02:23,073 --> 00:02:24,558 I didn't believe it. 36 00:02:24,661 --> 00:02:26,180 I thought it was another of his pranks. 37 00:02:26,284 --> 00:02:27,699 [static sounds] 38 00:02:28,941 --> 00:02:31,254 [Bob] This messing with reality, 39 00:02:31,358 --> 00:02:34,257 is everything that Andy's about. 40 00:02:34,361 --> 00:02:38,192 [tense music accelerates] 41 00:02:40,884 --> 00:02:42,300 Release the energy. 42 00:02:43,163 --> 00:02:44,336 Bum! 43 00:02:47,132 --> 00:02:48,961 [cars honking] 44 00:02:50,894 --> 00:02:53,242 [reporter] If you're a struggling comedian or comic actor 45 00:02:53,345 --> 00:02:55,382 trying to break into movies or television, 46 00:02:55,485 --> 00:02:57,660 this is the place to start. 47 00:02:57,763 --> 00:03:01,215 - [crowd whistling, applauding] - [slow music playing] 48 00:03:06,462 --> 00:03:09,603 [Budd] A fellow who owned a club in Great Neck, Long Island, 49 00:03:09,706 --> 00:03:12,882 called and said he had a comedian he'd like me to see. 50 00:03:12,985 --> 00:03:14,435 We chatted for five minutes, 51 00:03:14,539 --> 00:03:16,817 and introduces himself as Andy Kaufman. 52 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:18,612 "I am here to perform for you tonight." 53 00:03:18,715 --> 00:03:20,545 And I said, "Great, where you from?" 54 00:03:20,648 --> 00:03:24,134 And he says, "I am from an island in the Caspian Sea." 55 00:03:24,238 --> 00:03:26,447 You know, okay. 56 00:03:26,551 --> 00:03:29,139 - [crowd laughing] - [pants] I... 57 00:03:29,243 --> 00:03:32,695 There was two penguins 58 00:03:32,798 --> 00:03:34,455 on a piece of ice, 59 00:03:34,559 --> 00:03:37,389 and they loved each other very much. 60 00:03:37,493 --> 00:03:40,185 - [crowd continue laughing] - So, uh... 61 00:03:40,289 --> 00:03:43,361 So one day the ice is broken, 62 00:03:43,464 --> 00:03:46,364 and so the two penguins are crying. 63 00:03:46,467 --> 00:03:47,779 They are crying 64 00:03:47,882 --> 00:03:50,816 because they're never to see each other again. 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,372 So they go away, you know, away from each other, 66 00:03:54,475 --> 00:03:58,997 and one day they, to see each other. 67 00:03:59,446 --> 00:04:02,069 So they get closer and closer, 68 00:04:02,172 --> 00:04:05,072 and one of them say... 69 00:04:05,175 --> 00:04:08,351 - [gibberish] - [crowd laughing] 70 00:04:10,042 --> 00:04:13,183 You know, because they never see each other again. 71 00:04:13,287 --> 00:04:15,013 [crowd laughing] 72 00:04:15,116 --> 00:04:16,394 Thank you very much. 73 00:04:16,497 --> 00:04:18,292 [crowd applauding] 74 00:04:18,844 --> 00:04:22,192 [Bob] You know, the first time I saw Andy Kaufman, 75 00:04:22,296 --> 00:04:24,194 I went to the Improv. 76 00:04:24,298 --> 00:04:28,302 [Andy] Right now I would like to do some imitations for you. 77 00:04:28,406 --> 00:04:30,270 [Bob] And I don't know, and I think it's real. 78 00:04:30,373 --> 00:04:32,237 "Thank you very much" with this guy. 79 00:04:32,341 --> 00:04:33,928 [Bob] He's got his hair plastered down, 80 00:04:34,032 --> 00:04:36,724 and he looks like some foreign guy that's just got off the bus. 81 00:04:36,828 --> 00:04:41,626 I would like to imitate my Aunt Esther. 82 00:04:41,729 --> 00:04:43,766 [crowd laughing] 83 00:04:43,869 --> 00:04:47,597 "You come into the house right now, put on your coat, 84 00:04:47,701 --> 00:04:50,082 and eat everything that's on your plate." 85 00:04:50,186 --> 00:04:52,430 - [crowd laughing, applauding] - Thank you very much. 86 00:04:52,533 --> 00:04:53,879 [Bob] And Budd's sitting in the back 87 00:04:53,983 --> 00:04:55,674 and people are coming up and saying, 88 00:04:55,778 --> 00:04:57,607 "Get this guy off. This is terrible." 89 00:04:57,711 --> 00:04:59,333 I'm convinced this is how the kid talks, 90 00:04:59,437 --> 00:05:01,231 and he's doing he's act, and getting laughs. 91 00:05:01,335 --> 00:05:02,647 I said, "That's a little silly." 92 00:05:02,750 --> 00:05:04,545 Not exactly my cup of tea. 93 00:05:04,649 --> 00:05:07,099 Last but not to be the least, 94 00:05:07,203 --> 00:05:09,757 I would like to imitate 95 00:05:09,861 --> 00:05:11,276 the Elvis Presley. 96 00:05:11,380 --> 00:05:14,590 [crowd cheering] Yeah! 97 00:05:15,522 --> 00:05:18,973 [dramatic music playing] 98 00:05:21,942 --> 00:05:24,945 [crowd laughing] 99 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,441 He looks just like Elvis Presley, 100 00:05:38,545 --> 00:05:41,824 and you're waiting for that "thank you very much" voice. But instead... 101 00:05:41,927 --> 00:05:43,446 [imitates Elvis] Thank you very much. 102 00:05:43,550 --> 00:05:45,137 ♪ Well it's one for the money ♪ 103 00:05:45,241 --> 00:05:46,449 ♪ Two for the show ♪ 104 00:05:46,553 --> 00:05:47,588 ♪ Three to get ready now ♪ 105 00:05:47,692 --> 00:05:49,107 ♪ Go, cat, go ♪ 106 00:05:49,210 --> 00:05:50,315 ♪ But don't you step on ♪ 107 00:05:50,419 --> 00:05:53,111 ♪ My blue suede shoes ♪ 108 00:05:53,214 --> 00:05:55,182 ♪ Well you can do anything But lay off ♪ 109 00:05:55,285 --> 00:05:57,011 ♪ Of my blue suede shoes ♪ 110 00:05:57,529 --> 00:05:59,082 - Let's go cat! - [crowd cheering] 111 00:05:59,186 --> 00:06:00,532 [Bob] We the audience now 112 00:06:00,636 --> 00:06:03,293 are hit with a baseball bat. Like, what? 113 00:06:03,397 --> 00:06:05,882 [crowd cheering] 114 00:06:09,714 --> 00:06:12,164 - Thank you very much. - [crowd applauding] 115 00:06:17,998 --> 00:06:19,965 Could I please have my thing back? 116 00:06:20,069 --> 00:06:21,484 [crowd laughing] 117 00:06:21,588 --> 00:06:22,623 [Bob] I wait around after. 118 00:06:22,727 --> 00:06:24,901 I'm very confused about this. 119 00:06:25,005 --> 00:06:26,040 And I see him 120 00:06:26,144 --> 00:06:28,077 getting into this car. 121 00:06:28,180 --> 00:06:30,700 And he was crying, he was, this man who was in tears. 122 00:06:30,804 --> 00:06:33,116 I felt very bad. I went over and I said, 123 00:06:33,220 --> 00:06:35,429 uh, "Can I help you?" And he says, he said... 124 00:06:35,533 --> 00:06:37,845 I knew it was Andy. He says, he says, "Yeah." 125 00:06:37,949 --> 00:06:39,606 He says, you know, "My arm hurts 126 00:06:39,709 --> 00:06:41,504 and I can't pick up that luggage." 127 00:06:41,608 --> 00:06:43,989 And he's going on like this, so I take it. 128 00:06:44,093 --> 00:06:45,888 He has the congas and I'm lifting all this stuff. 129 00:06:45,991 --> 00:06:47,614 [Bob] I'm lifting all this crap for him. 130 00:06:47,717 --> 00:06:49,478 I no sooner get everything in 131 00:06:49,581 --> 00:06:51,376 and he closes the trunk, 132 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,758 and he turns to me, he says, 133 00:06:53,861 --> 00:06:55,622 "Thank you very much, sucker." 134 00:06:55,725 --> 00:06:57,934 [laughs] 135 00:06:58,038 --> 00:07:00,868 Just like that, he gets in the car, 136 00:07:00,972 --> 00:07:02,249 and he drives off. 137 00:07:02,352 --> 00:07:04,838 This is my friend, Bob. Say hi, Bob. Bob's my writer. 138 00:07:04,941 --> 00:07:06,978 Bob's my writer. He writes all my stuff. 139 00:07:07,081 --> 00:07:09,152 I gave him a job. Ah, get out of here 140 00:07:09,256 --> 00:07:11,983 you disgusting... [laughs] Crawl! 141 00:07:12,086 --> 00:07:14,779 Bob Zmuda was a kindred soul, you know? 142 00:07:14,882 --> 00:07:17,644 They're hard to find when you're Andy Kaufman and you're weird. 143 00:07:18,092 --> 00:07:20,716 [Bob] Besides being Andy's writer, you know, 144 00:07:20,819 --> 00:07:22,511 Andy and I were best friends. 145 00:07:22,614 --> 00:07:24,858 - I can't take it! - Get out of here! 146 00:07:24,961 --> 00:07:26,549 - No, I can't take it! - No, no, no, no! 147 00:07:26,653 --> 00:07:28,689 - I was only fooling. - Put the knife away. 148 00:07:28,793 --> 00:07:31,381 [Bob] But let me kind of reel it back in here a little. 149 00:07:31,485 --> 00:07:34,695 The question always comes up, "Who was the real Andy Kaufman?" 150 00:07:34,799 --> 00:07:37,042 Oh, yeah, it's always good to be yourself and go out there 151 00:07:37,146 --> 00:07:39,735 and show the people who you really are. 152 00:07:39,838 --> 00:07:41,909 - [male announcer] Andy Kaufman. - [crowd cheering] 153 00:07:42,013 --> 00:07:44,567 [Dick] And now here is the real Andy Kaufman. 154 00:07:44,671 --> 00:07:46,880 - [crowd cheering] - [Steve] So that was really 155 00:07:46,983 --> 00:07:48,985 you out there, and what are you doing now? 156 00:07:49,089 --> 00:07:51,022 - Right now this is really me. - Oh. 157 00:07:51,125 --> 00:07:53,438 So now are you are speaking as you really speak. 158 00:07:53,542 --> 00:07:55,751 Because this show is interested 159 00:07:55,854 --> 00:07:57,304 - in the truth. - [crowd laughing] 160 00:07:57,407 --> 00:07:58,995 Really, I'm only fooling. 161 00:07:59,099 --> 00:08:01,619 This is really me, and everything else... 162 00:08:01,722 --> 00:08:04,276 What I was just doing before was just a character. 163 00:08:04,932 --> 00:08:08,833 [Bob] So he's an artist, and his art form was his act. 164 00:08:09,212 --> 00:08:10,697 That's who he is. 165 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,114 I would like to imitate eh... 166 00:08:15,425 --> 00:08:18,083 [crowd chuckling] 167 00:08:18,774 --> 00:08:21,017 [Bob] And what the act is all about... 168 00:08:21,121 --> 00:08:22,709 [crowd laughing] 169 00:08:22,812 --> 00:08:24,780 [Bob] ... was embarrassment. 170 00:08:25,470 --> 00:08:28,231 That premise of a guy that really shouldn't be there. 171 00:08:28,335 --> 00:08:29,854 [crowd laughing] 172 00:08:29,957 --> 00:08:32,753 I don't understand one thing. 173 00:08:32,857 --> 00:08:34,755 [crowd continue laughing] 174 00:08:34,859 --> 00:08:38,276 No, seriously. Why everyone is... 175 00:08:39,415 --> 00:08:41,762 going "Boo!" on, like, the jokes 176 00:08:41,866 --> 00:08:43,695 when I tell some of the jokes. 177 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,180 And then when I don't want you to laugh, you're laughing. 178 00:08:46,284 --> 00:08:48,079 [crowd laughing] 179 00:08:48,182 --> 00:08:51,185 Like right now. I don't understand. 180 00:08:51,289 --> 00:08:53,567 [crowd stop laughing] 181 00:08:57,537 --> 00:08:59,677 It's not working, so... 182 00:08:59,780 --> 00:09:01,471 [crowd start laughing again] 183 00:09:01,575 --> 00:09:02,783 I think... 184 00:09:05,096 --> 00:09:07,305 so I think, um, thank you very much. 185 00:09:07,408 --> 00:09:11,516 And I'm sorry, and there's other acts, and so, 186 00:09:11,620 --> 00:09:13,587 I really shouldn't have done this. 187 00:09:21,940 --> 00:09:23,321 [sobs] 188 00:09:25,047 --> 00:09:28,153 You know, I'm not trying to show any talent. 189 00:09:28,257 --> 00:09:30,742 I'm not trying... All I'm trying to do is have some fun. 190 00:09:30,846 --> 00:09:33,780 This is like when I get together with friends and we go home 191 00:09:33,883 --> 00:09:35,402 and have some fun, 192 00:09:35,505 --> 00:09:38,647 and I wanted to believe we were friends having fun. 193 00:09:38,750 --> 00:09:41,408 [sighs] It doesn't work. 194 00:09:41,511 --> 00:09:43,859 I have no business being here and I wanna thank you all 195 00:09:43,962 --> 00:09:45,723 for showing me where I'm at. 196 00:09:45,826 --> 00:09:47,103 [crowd laughing] 197 00:09:47,207 --> 00:09:49,416 You really showed me where I'm at tonight. 198 00:09:49,519 --> 00:09:50,969 [sobs] 199 00:09:51,073 --> 00:09:53,385 I was just trying to do my best... 200 00:09:53,489 --> 00:09:56,630 [goofy sob] but you ruin everything. 201 00:09:56,734 --> 00:10:00,876 [goofy sob] Every time I've tried, it goes wrong. [goofy sob] 202 00:10:00,979 --> 00:10:03,085 I'm trying to do my best. [goofy sob] 203 00:10:03,188 --> 00:10:06,157 [goofy crying turns into rhythmic beat with drums] 204 00:10:07,227 --> 00:10:09,609 [drums playing] 205 00:10:12,025 --> 00:10:14,924 [crying, drumming in beat, clapping along with the crowd] 206 00:10:23,657 --> 00:10:26,971 Working for Andy was almost like working for Harry Houdini. 207 00:10:27,419 --> 00:10:29,801 [Bob] These were illusions. 208 00:10:29,905 --> 00:10:32,597 We wanted the audience to leave the room and say, 209 00:10:32,701 --> 00:10:35,704 "Was that for real?" That's it. 210 00:10:35,807 --> 00:10:37,119 That's all we want. 211 00:10:37,222 --> 00:10:38,948 I followed him a couple of times. 212 00:10:39,052 --> 00:10:41,088 It was always interesting to walk into the vortex 213 00:10:41,192 --> 00:10:43,539 left after him, 'cause people are like this. 214 00:10:43,643 --> 00:10:45,058 The audience would all look like deer 215 00:10:45,161 --> 00:10:46,887 in front of a Peterbilt, like... 216 00:10:47,301 --> 00:10:49,545 They had that stunned look like you right now. 217 00:10:49,649 --> 00:10:51,512 That very special kind of... 218 00:10:51,616 --> 00:10:52,859 He sings, he dances, I don't know 219 00:10:52,962 --> 00:10:54,136 what he'll do tonight. 220 00:10:54,239 --> 00:10:55,413 Here's Andy Kaufman. 221 00:10:55,516 --> 00:10:58,519 [crowd cheering, applauding] 222 00:10:58,623 --> 00:11:00,383 [Steve] All comedians had to think, 223 00:11:00,487 --> 00:11:01,937 "What's new?" 224 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,387 And I think that's what Andy Kaufman did. 225 00:11:04,491 --> 00:11:07,736 [gibberish] 226 00:11:07,839 --> 00:11:09,738 He might've thought, "This is not even weird." 227 00:11:09,841 --> 00:11:13,017 [gibberish] 228 00:11:14,190 --> 00:11:15,813 [Bill] Comedy became less jokey 229 00:11:15,916 --> 00:11:17,849 right around then. That was the new generation. 230 00:11:17,953 --> 00:11:18,954 He was right in on that, 231 00:11:19,057 --> 00:11:20,576 and his stuff was even stranger. 232 00:11:20,990 --> 00:11:23,613 [Bill] It wasn't something Johnny Carson would understand. 233 00:11:23,717 --> 00:11:25,201 Where are you from originally? 234 00:11:25,305 --> 00:11:28,135 From Caspian. 235 00:11:28,757 --> 00:11:31,345 - It's an island. Yeah. - [Johnny] Caspian? 236 00:11:31,449 --> 00:11:32,622 Caspian Island. 237 00:11:32,726 --> 00:11:35,798 [crowd laughing] 238 00:11:35,902 --> 00:11:37,973 [Bill] He wasn't really a stand-up comic. 239 00:11:38,076 --> 00:11:40,561 It was something that he kind of invented. 240 00:11:40,665 --> 00:11:43,288 [singing and hitting cymbals] 241 00:11:47,465 --> 00:11:49,432 [Andy] When I was starting, comedians would go up 242 00:11:49,536 --> 00:11:51,918 and do 20 minutes of joke-telling, usually. 243 00:11:52,021 --> 00:11:55,576 I never did that. I've never told a joke in my life really. 244 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:58,856 - [continues singing] - [crowd laughing] 245 00:11:58,959 --> 00:12:01,134 [crowd applauding] 246 00:12:01,721 --> 00:12:03,101 [Bob] Actually, he was more excited 247 00:12:03,205 --> 00:12:05,690 if he could get them upset and leave. 248 00:12:05,794 --> 00:12:08,141 That's what The Great Gatsby was about. 249 00:12:08,693 --> 00:12:10,557 - Chapter one. - [crowd laughing] 250 00:12:10,660 --> 00:12:11,972 [clears throat] 251 00:12:12,076 --> 00:12:14,078 "In my younger and more vulnerable years, 252 00:12:14,181 --> 00:12:16,563 my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over 253 00:12:16,666 --> 00:12:18,151 in my mind ever since." 254 00:12:18,254 --> 00:12:19,739 [Lorne] Andy readThe Great Gatsby , 255 00:12:19,842 --> 00:12:21,741 and that was it. 256 00:12:21,844 --> 00:12:23,604 It wasn't that he read The Great Gatsby 257 00:12:23,708 --> 00:12:25,710 and then he fell into a hole. 258 00:12:25,814 --> 00:12:29,818 [Lorne] That was it. And so it was conceptual and it was pure. 259 00:12:29,921 --> 00:12:31,578 I wish I could say it was popular. 260 00:12:31,681 --> 00:12:33,580 - [crowd booing] - Wait. Now hold on. 261 00:12:33,683 --> 00:12:36,203 - If I hear any more... - [crowd laughing] 262 00:12:36,307 --> 00:12:37,584 I want it quiet. 263 00:12:37,687 --> 00:12:39,103 Literally, four or five hours later, 264 00:12:39,206 --> 00:12:40,690 he's reading that damn book. 265 00:12:40,794 --> 00:12:42,900 If I hear one more sound I'll close this book 266 00:12:43,003 --> 00:12:44,004 and forget the whole thing. 267 00:12:44,108 --> 00:12:45,695 [Bob] It's torture. 268 00:12:46,110 --> 00:12:47,663 Just as much torture if you tied somebody 269 00:12:47,767 --> 00:12:50,735 to a chair and you were cutting them, with a razor blade. 270 00:12:50,839 --> 00:12:52,461 That's it. Good night. I'm closing it, 271 00:12:52,564 --> 00:12:53,703 forgetting about the whole thing. 272 00:12:53,807 --> 00:12:55,395 [crowd cheering] 273 00:12:57,742 --> 00:13:00,710 I... No, I'm only fooling. I wouldn't do that to you. 274 00:13:00,814 --> 00:13:02,229 [crowd laughing] 275 00:13:02,954 --> 00:13:05,025 [Pagani] He's say, "I don't care if it's positive or negative. 276 00:13:05,129 --> 00:13:07,372 I just want it to be real." 277 00:13:07,476 --> 00:13:09,719 [Pagani] And that's okay. A what-the-fuck-is-he-doing 278 00:13:09,823 --> 00:13:11,549 reaction is okay. 279 00:13:11,652 --> 00:13:13,033 - [melodic music] - [crowd applauding] 280 00:13:13,137 --> 00:13:15,035 [Pagani] Everybody thinks you're nuts, 281 00:13:15,484 --> 00:13:18,349 but, Andy would always say to people like... 282 00:13:18,452 --> 00:13:21,041 - "They laugh at us. - [all laughing distortedly] 283 00:13:21,145 --> 00:13:22,594 [Pagani] We laugh at them. 284 00:13:23,492 --> 00:13:25,045 Everybody laugh." 285 00:13:25,149 --> 00:13:26,633 [chuckles] That's like, 286 00:13:26,736 --> 00:13:28,048 it's like a fortune cookie thing. 287 00:13:28,152 --> 00:13:30,430 It's like, you know, a Zen koan. 288 00:13:30,533 --> 00:13:31,811 [music stops] 289 00:13:31,914 --> 00:13:33,191 [static sounds] 290 00:13:33,295 --> 00:13:36,436 - [piano notes playing] - [footsteps] 291 00:13:36,539 --> 00:13:38,852 Isn't this fun? See how much fun? See how-- 292 00:13:38,956 --> 00:13:40,233 [static sounds] 293 00:13:40,336 --> 00:13:41,648 - [cheerful music] - [announcer] From Hollywood, 294 00:13:41,751 --> 00:13:43,477 the dating capital of the world, 295 00:13:43,581 --> 00:13:46,756 - it'sThe Dating Game . - [crowd cheering] 296 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:50,070 [Jim] We grabbed the first man we saw hanging out on Hollywood Boulevard 297 00:13:50,174 --> 00:13:51,692 and threw him into chair number three. 298 00:13:51,796 --> 00:13:53,522 We know virtually nothing about this man, 299 00:13:53,971 --> 00:13:56,559 only that he calls himself Baji Kimran. Baji, 300 00:13:56,663 --> 00:13:58,838 - welcome to The Dating Game. - [crowd applauding] 301 00:13:58,941 --> 00:14:01,461 - [sighs] - [director] It's amazing. 302 00:14:01,564 --> 00:14:04,602 "The Dating Game" is, 'cause nobody knows who he is. 303 00:14:04,705 --> 00:14:06,707 Bachelor number three, 304 00:14:06,811 --> 00:14:09,814 it's the holiday season and I'm Santa. 305 00:14:09,918 --> 00:14:13,093 You're on my lap. Little boy, take it away. 306 00:14:13,197 --> 00:14:15,716 - What? - [crowd laughing] 307 00:14:15,820 --> 00:14:17,960 [Andy] Wait a minute. Wait. I don't know 308 00:14:18,064 --> 00:14:19,859 what, what she looks like. 309 00:14:19,962 --> 00:14:21,412 - Could I see? - [Jim] No, you can't. 310 00:14:21,515 --> 00:14:23,414 - You can't, number three. No. - Oh, all right. 311 00:14:23,517 --> 00:14:25,278 [Jim] That's the game. You just have to sit 312 00:14:25,381 --> 00:14:26,831 - and answer as best-- - What's he doing now? 313 00:14:26,935 --> 00:14:28,902 Oh, he's playing with the medium. 314 00:14:29,006 --> 00:14:30,939 [Jim] Patrice didn't choose you, Baj. 315 00:14:31,042 --> 00:14:33,389 But I answered all the questions the right way. 316 00:14:33,493 --> 00:14:35,357 [Jim] Come on. Come on over, Baji. 317 00:14:35,460 --> 00:14:37,048 - No! - [Jim] She'll give you a kiss. 318 00:14:37,152 --> 00:14:39,223 - No! I did not lose. - [crowd laughing] 319 00:14:39,326 --> 00:14:41,881 - I won this fair and square. - [Jim] He doesn't want to meet you. 320 00:14:41,984 --> 00:14:43,813 Let me tell you something about the bachelor. 321 00:14:43,917 --> 00:14:45,815 Oh, here he comes. Come on, Baj. 322 00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:47,300 [crowd laughing] 323 00:14:47,403 --> 00:14:49,785 [Jim] Aww, give him a hand. Did a great job. 324 00:14:49,889 --> 00:14:52,512 [crowd applauding] 325 00:14:54,169 --> 00:14:56,792 I answered all the questions the right way. 326 00:14:56,896 --> 00:14:58,656 - [Jim] There is no right. - [static sounds] 327 00:15:01,970 --> 00:15:03,454 [cameraman] Okay, Andy, we're recording, 328 00:15:03,557 --> 00:15:06,146 and if you'd like to say a few things, we're ready. 329 00:15:08,528 --> 00:15:09,978 And you're on. 330 00:15:11,324 --> 00:15:13,913 [muffled and wacky pronunciation of final words of each line] 331 00:15:14,016 --> 00:15:16,674 Faster than a speeding bullet. 332 00:15:17,157 --> 00:15:19,677 more powerful than a locomotive. 333 00:15:20,195 --> 00:15:23,198 able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. 334 00:15:23,301 --> 00:15:27,271 Look. Up in the sky. It's a bird. 335 00:15:27,374 --> 00:15:31,931 It's a plane. No. It's Superman. 336 00:15:32,034 --> 00:15:34,416 Yep. Superman. 337 00:15:34,795 --> 00:15:36,659 Strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth 338 00:15:36,763 --> 00:15:40,284 with powers and abilities far beyond a mortal man. Super... 339 00:15:40,387 --> 00:15:43,666 [Dick] I saw Andy, and from the beginning I was amazed. 340 00:15:43,770 --> 00:15:46,980 I mean, he'd been working certain parts of his act 341 00:15:47,084 --> 00:15:49,396 for quite some time, and they were really polished. 342 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:52,054 Fights a never-ending battle for truth, 343 00:15:52,158 --> 00:15:54,574 justice and the American way. 344 00:15:54,677 --> 00:15:56,334 [Dick] I didn't even know what the show was 345 00:15:56,438 --> 00:15:58,336 but I told Andy he'd be on the first show. 346 00:15:58,440 --> 00:15:59,786 [crowd laughing] 347 00:15:59,889 --> 00:16:02,478 [music playing] 348 00:16:03,065 --> 00:16:05,033 [male announcer] NBC's Saturday Night! 349 00:16:05,136 --> 00:16:06,931 [crowd cheering] 350 00:16:07,035 --> 00:16:08,933 [male announcer] Here's Andy Kaufman! 351 00:16:09,037 --> 00:16:11,211 [crowd applauding] 352 00:16:19,254 --> 00:16:20,980 [record crackling] 353 00:16:21,083 --> 00:16:23,672 ["Mighty Mouse Theme Song" music playing] 354 00:16:25,398 --> 00:16:29,126 ♪ Mr. trouble never Hangs around ♪ 355 00:16:29,505 --> 00:16:33,164 ♪ When he hears This Mighty sound ♪ 356 00:16:33,751 --> 00:16:36,581 - [mouths] - ♪ Here I come to save the day ♪ - [crowd laughs] 357 00:16:36,685 --> 00:16:38,825 - [crowd clapping] - ♪ That means That Mighty Mouse ♪ 358 00:16:38,928 --> 00:16:41,103 ♪ Is on the way ♪ 359 00:16:41,207 --> 00:16:43,485 Everything would shift. 360 00:16:43,588 --> 00:16:45,625 It's like when you look at one of those things 361 00:16:45,728 --> 00:16:48,766 for a while, and all of a sudden it goes like... 362 00:16:49,801 --> 00:16:52,183 It's art. It's performance art. 363 00:16:52,287 --> 00:16:53,598 I was like, "Whoa!" 364 00:16:53,978 --> 00:16:56,153 [Steve] There's two things that are really funny about it, 365 00:16:56,256 --> 00:16:58,465 that are very hard to do in a comedy routine. 366 00:16:59,018 --> 00:17:02,021 One, "Here I come to save the day!" 367 00:17:02,124 --> 00:17:03,470 [laughs] 368 00:17:03,574 --> 00:17:05,334 ["Mighty Mouse Theme Song" music playing] 369 00:17:05,438 --> 00:17:07,854 [Steve] But he's also funny while he's waiting. 370 00:17:07,957 --> 00:17:10,512 [tense music playing] 371 00:17:13,756 --> 00:17:17,691 [Melanie] The audacity he had to burn up stage time 372 00:17:17,795 --> 00:17:21,730 drinking a glass of water, listening to a Victrola. 373 00:17:21,833 --> 00:17:24,077 He didn't care about boring 374 00:17:24,181 --> 00:17:25,768 or making the audience uncomfortable. 375 00:17:25,872 --> 00:17:28,806 In fact, I think he really relished taking us prisoner. 376 00:17:33,742 --> 00:17:36,952 [Pamela] There was a sense of suspension in time. 377 00:17:37,056 --> 00:17:40,128 What is he doing? Why is he doing it? 378 00:17:40,231 --> 00:17:42,371 And in that moment of silence, 379 00:17:42,475 --> 00:17:44,718 you go to a deeper part of yourself. 380 00:17:46,513 --> 00:17:48,032 [Pamela] You're not so caught up 381 00:17:48,136 --> 00:17:50,448 in the thinking mind, 382 00:17:50,552 --> 00:17:53,313 and he lets things percolate. 383 00:17:54,625 --> 00:17:56,799 [laughing] 384 00:18:01,942 --> 00:18:05,222 [Lynne] Everyone tries to project this thing on him of what a... 385 00:18:05,325 --> 00:18:08,432 and he was a genius, but he was just having fun. 386 00:18:08,535 --> 00:18:11,020 - [crowd applauding] - Hi, Little Red Riding Hood! 387 00:18:11,124 --> 00:18:12,125 [high-pitched] Hi, Andy! 388 00:18:12,229 --> 00:18:14,472 [gibberish] 389 00:18:14,576 --> 00:18:16,267 - [crowd laughing] - Oh, really? 390 00:18:16,371 --> 00:18:18,027 [Lynne] I don't know if it was conscious 391 00:18:18,131 --> 00:18:20,858 that he was trying to retain his childhood, 392 00:18:21,410 --> 00:18:25,449 or if it was just a natural thing that happened to him. 393 00:18:25,552 --> 00:18:29,729 - [grunts] Ah! - [Lynne] Escaping into these happy characters 394 00:18:30,316 --> 00:18:33,112 was his way of staying a child. 395 00:18:33,215 --> 00:18:35,424 - [crowd laughing] - My next guest 396 00:18:35,528 --> 00:18:37,806 was one of the first television personalities 397 00:18:37,909 --> 00:18:39,221 ever on television. 398 00:18:39,325 --> 00:18:41,672 His show was on from 1947 399 00:18:41,775 --> 00:18:44,226 to 1960, and for me, 400 00:18:44,330 --> 00:18:45,986 he was the first star 401 00:18:46,090 --> 00:18:48,575 that I was ever aware of in my whole life. 402 00:18:49,024 --> 00:18:50,267 Ladies and gentlemen, 403 00:18:50,370 --> 00:18:52,959 it is my honor and privilege to present 404 00:18:53,062 --> 00:18:55,755 the original, yes, the original, 405 00:18:55,858 --> 00:18:57,066 Howdy Doody. 406 00:18:57,170 --> 00:18:59,310 [crowd cheering] 407 00:19:00,311 --> 00:19:02,106 Ever since he was a little kid, 408 00:19:02,210 --> 00:19:05,144 he was living in this kind of fantasy world. 409 00:19:05,247 --> 00:19:08,181 - Hi, Howdy. - Ho, ho! Well, hi, Andy! 410 00:19:08,285 --> 00:19:09,700 He never let it go. 411 00:19:09,803 --> 00:19:13,290 So like, you're the first friend I ever had, 412 00:19:13,393 --> 00:19:15,568 and probably the closest, I think. 413 00:19:15,671 --> 00:19:18,467 I always wanted to meet you, and now I finally am. 414 00:19:18,571 --> 00:19:22,368 Well, Andy, I... I'm glad to meet you, too. 415 00:19:22,471 --> 00:19:24,749 [children singing distortedly] 416 00:19:24,853 --> 00:19:28,097 [Andy] I was once in your peanut gallery when I was five years old. 417 00:19:28,201 --> 00:19:31,204 [heavenly music playing] 418 00:19:31,308 --> 00:19:34,449 [Andy] I was kind of depressed seeing what everyone was like 419 00:19:34,966 --> 00:19:36,278 when they weren't on camera. 420 00:19:36,382 --> 00:19:37,417 And I could see the man 421 00:19:37,521 --> 00:19:39,212 who was working your strings. 422 00:19:39,316 --> 00:19:41,904 And I must say, even though I could, you know, 423 00:19:42,008 --> 00:19:44,700 even though I could see your strings and everything, 424 00:19:44,804 --> 00:19:47,462 to me you're just as real as anyone else who's on this show. 425 00:19:47,565 --> 00:19:50,258 I feel like I'm really talking to a real person. 426 00:19:50,706 --> 00:19:52,674 He was part magician. He was part comedian. 427 00:19:52,777 --> 00:19:54,227 He was part actor. 428 00:19:54,710 --> 00:19:56,298 [Dennis] And then when he could 429 00:19:56,402 --> 00:19:59,198 allow other people into that fantasy, 430 00:19:59,301 --> 00:20:00,958 it was a world that he controlled. 431 00:20:01,061 --> 00:20:02,339 Is there anything you'd like to say 432 00:20:02,442 --> 00:20:03,719 to all the boys and girls? 433 00:20:03,823 --> 00:20:05,721 Well, I just want them to know that 434 00:20:05,825 --> 00:20:08,241 even though they're all grown up now, 435 00:20:08,345 --> 00:20:13,798 they'll always be a place for them in my heart. 436 00:20:16,870 --> 00:20:19,735 [Pamela] He never really felt safe in the world. 437 00:20:20,115 --> 00:20:24,706 He had the ability to evoke emotion in other people, 438 00:20:24,809 --> 00:20:27,674 but he didn't really quite understand 439 00:20:27,778 --> 00:20:31,816 the complexity of his own emotional life. 440 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,094 [Laurie] I think we all wanted to analyze Andy. 441 00:20:34,198 --> 00:20:38,375 Like, what kind of parental damage was done to this boy? 442 00:20:38,478 --> 00:20:41,101 [Bob] That is the million-dollar question. 443 00:20:41,619 --> 00:20:44,035 What kicks this off in Kaufman? 444 00:20:45,174 --> 00:20:46,762 Where does it come from? 445 00:20:46,866 --> 00:20:49,455 [spatial sounds] 446 00:20:51,698 --> 00:20:54,218 [Steve] You know, it's like if you're looking at the universe 447 00:20:54,322 --> 00:20:55,633 and it's all exploded. 448 00:20:55,737 --> 00:20:57,463 and then you go, "Let's go backwards." 449 00:20:58,636 --> 00:21:00,397 [Steve] And it shrinks down to the sort of 450 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:02,778 -' Big Bang focal point'. - [rewind sounds] 451 00:21:04,608 --> 00:21:06,368 [Steve] I see that as his bedroom. 452 00:21:06,472 --> 00:21:08,681 [slow music playing] 453 00:21:15,584 --> 00:21:17,966 [Bob] And he's a normal kid at first, 454 00:21:18,518 --> 00:21:21,349 'till he's about four, five years old. 455 00:21:21,832 --> 00:21:24,593 [Andy] I started standing in the living room, 456 00:21:24,697 --> 00:21:26,319 and I would stare out the window, 457 00:21:26,837 --> 00:21:29,426 just stare, and I would be very sad. 458 00:21:29,529 --> 00:21:31,807 [Tom] Do you remember what you were sad about? 459 00:21:34,534 --> 00:21:37,226 [Bob] His best friend is his grandfather 460 00:21:37,330 --> 00:21:38,952 they called Papu. 461 00:21:39,677 --> 00:21:42,473 And he loved this little boy to death, 462 00:21:42,922 --> 00:21:45,718 and the little boy loved him to death. 463 00:21:46,097 --> 00:21:48,237 They were always joking around, 464 00:21:48,341 --> 00:21:50,239 singing songs, this and that. 465 00:21:50,826 --> 00:21:54,865 [Bob] And one day, the grandfather doesn't show up anymore. 466 00:21:54,968 --> 00:21:58,075 And Andy started asking the parents, 467 00:21:58,178 --> 00:22:00,008 "Where's Papu? Papu?" 468 00:22:00,111 --> 00:22:02,597 The grandfather had died, 469 00:22:02,700 --> 00:22:04,357 and they thought a little boy 470 00:22:04,461 --> 00:22:06,463 could not deal with the concept of death. 471 00:22:06,566 --> 00:22:09,880 So they lied, and they made the greatest mistake. 472 00:22:09,983 --> 00:22:12,986 They said, "Well, he went traveling out of the country." 473 00:22:13,090 --> 00:22:15,403 [Andy] So I'd say, "Why didn't he take me with him?" 474 00:22:15,506 --> 00:22:16,956 If he was my friend, you know? 475 00:22:17,059 --> 00:22:18,716 - Then I pictured-- - [Tom] "If he loved me... 476 00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:20,304 - Yeah. - ...he'd have taken me." 477 00:22:21,029 --> 00:22:23,997 But it turned out that that might've been the wrong thing 478 00:22:24,101 --> 00:22:25,792 to tell someone like Andy, 479 00:22:25,896 --> 00:22:29,209 because Andy kept looking for Papu Sy to come back. 480 00:22:29,313 --> 00:22:33,282 And I suspect maybe that's why he was looking out the window, 481 00:22:33,386 --> 00:22:35,768 and maybe that's why he was sad. 482 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:39,427 And this is where it all starts. 483 00:22:39,530 --> 00:22:42,464 There'd be no Andy Kaufman if it wasn't for this. 484 00:22:42,568 --> 00:22:46,295 And think of the pain of that, okay? 485 00:22:46,399 --> 00:22:49,298 The pain of rejection. 486 00:22:49,402 --> 00:22:52,060 [tense music playing] 487 00:22:54,442 --> 00:22:56,133 [Bob] Embarrassment. 488 00:22:57,410 --> 00:22:59,964 - Rejection. - Oh. 489 00:23:00,068 --> 00:23:02,001 [Bob] This is the magic ingredient 490 00:23:02,104 --> 00:23:04,072 that happened as a youth. 491 00:23:07,109 --> 00:23:09,733 And at that point, that little boy then, 492 00:23:09,836 --> 00:23:11,666 just gets closeted in his room. 493 00:23:11,769 --> 00:23:13,737 [male announcer] "Uncle Andy's Funhouse!" 494 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:15,221 ["In My Little Corner Of The World "playing] 495 00:23:15,324 --> 00:23:18,949 ♪ Oh come along with me ♪ 496 00:23:19,674 --> 00:23:22,262 ♪ To my little corner Of the world ♪ 497 00:23:22,366 --> 00:23:23,643 [Andy] I'd lock myself in my room, 498 00:23:23,747 --> 00:23:25,334 and I'd imagine that 499 00:23:25,438 --> 00:23:27,475 there was a camera in the wall. 500 00:23:27,578 --> 00:23:29,304 And I used to really believe I was putting on 501 00:23:29,408 --> 00:23:32,687 a television show and it was going out to somewhere 502 00:23:32,790 --> 00:23:34,827 in the country or in the world. 503 00:23:34,930 --> 00:23:37,554 I had about four hours of programming every day. 504 00:23:37,657 --> 00:23:40,557 - [Jim chuckles] - I called my station Channel 5 505 00:23:40,660 --> 00:23:42,973 because the street address was five. 506 00:23:43,422 --> 00:23:44,664 [Andy] When I got older, 507 00:23:44,768 --> 00:23:46,425 my mother really began worrying, 508 00:23:46,528 --> 00:23:48,357 and she said, "You cannot do this anymore 509 00:23:48,461 --> 00:23:50,256 unless you have an audience." 510 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:51,499 What are we gonna do this week? 511 00:23:51,602 --> 00:23:54,087 Well, today, I'm gonna teach you 512 00:23:54,191 --> 00:23:55,468 - the hula dance! - Oh. 513 00:23:55,572 --> 00:23:56,676 [Stanley] Unknownst to us, 514 00:23:56,780 --> 00:23:59,127 Andy put in his own ad 515 00:23:59,230 --> 00:24:01,198 in the local PennySaver 516 00:24:01,301 --> 00:24:04,132 [Stanley] telling people that he would entertain 517 00:24:04,235 --> 00:24:05,892 at children's parties. 518 00:24:05,996 --> 00:24:08,136 [Bob] He's doing magic acts, puppets, 519 00:24:08,239 --> 00:24:10,310 and he's singing songs. 520 00:24:10,414 --> 00:24:11,829 And he said, "I would only be happy 521 00:24:11,933 --> 00:24:13,900 when I would start doing my act, 522 00:24:14,004 --> 00:24:16,144 because then it was fun, and I was happy, 523 00:24:16,247 --> 00:24:18,940 and I wasn't sad anymore." 524 00:24:19,043 --> 00:24:21,011 ♪ So welcome ♪ 525 00:24:21,114 --> 00:24:26,430 ♪ To my little corner Of the world ♪ 526 00:24:26,534 --> 00:24:29,675 - [Andy's mom] Andy! - [Andy] What? 527 00:24:29,778 --> 00:24:31,987 - [Andy's mom] Come upstairs! - No! 528 00:24:32,091 --> 00:24:34,714 [Andy's dad] Andy, you hear your mother call you? 529 00:24:34,818 --> 00:24:38,235 - You get up here right now! - Okay! 530 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,720 What do you want? I'm in the middle of a show 531 00:24:40,824 --> 00:24:42,239 for 22 million people. 532 00:24:42,342 --> 00:24:43,827 I want to eat dinner. I'm hungry. 533 00:24:43,930 --> 00:24:45,414 Everything's getting cold. 534 00:24:45,518 --> 00:24:47,175 Dinner's getting so cold. 535 00:24:47,278 --> 00:24:49,971 [spatial music playing] 536 00:24:51,420 --> 00:24:54,251 [Simmons] In high school, there was one afternoon 537 00:24:54,354 --> 00:24:56,598 where there was kind of a group gathered around him, 538 00:24:56,702 --> 00:24:58,324 and he was doing an Elvis impersonation. 539 00:24:58,427 --> 00:25:01,948 And I was like, "Oh, Andy, please, no. Don't do it." 540 00:25:02,052 --> 00:25:03,847 I just felt so... 541 00:25:05,020 --> 00:25:06,712 [Simmons] I felt like everyone was just 542 00:25:06,815 --> 00:25:08,610 finding him strange and weird. 543 00:25:11,164 --> 00:25:14,236 When you grew up in Great Neck, it was very hard 544 00:25:14,340 --> 00:25:15,617 to be different. 545 00:25:16,169 --> 00:25:18,309 [Simmons] There was a pressure to conform. 546 00:25:18,413 --> 00:25:21,416 Well, you know, you can't please all the people all the time. 547 00:25:22,037 --> 00:25:24,557 [Standley] Andy and I had difficulty 548 00:25:24,661 --> 00:25:26,525 in talking to each other. 549 00:25:27,422 --> 00:25:32,703 [Stanley] I would make a point about a factual situation, 550 00:25:32,807 --> 00:25:35,257 indisputable in my mind, 551 00:25:35,844 --> 00:25:38,226 [Stanley] and I'd say, "For crying out loud, 552 00:25:38,329 --> 00:25:39,814 one and one is two!" 553 00:25:39,917 --> 00:25:41,609 And he'd look at me and he'd say, 554 00:25:41,712 --> 00:25:43,576 "Not necessarily." 555 00:25:47,546 --> 00:25:51,308 When Andy was about 16 or 17 years old, 556 00:25:52,309 --> 00:25:53,759 Andy ran away from home. 557 00:25:55,174 --> 00:25:57,210 [Bob] And this is for, like, a year. 558 00:25:57,314 --> 00:26:00,110 He's living in the city park for a year, 559 00:26:00,213 --> 00:26:02,319 underneath a park bench. 560 00:26:03,803 --> 00:26:06,219 [Andy] I used to drink very, very heavily, 561 00:26:06,323 --> 00:26:08,083 smoking marijuana every day, 562 00:26:08,187 --> 00:26:11,362 taking DET, LSD, DMT, 563 00:26:11,466 --> 00:26:13,986 Dexedrine, all kinds of things. 564 00:26:15,643 --> 00:26:17,230 We were scared stiff. 565 00:26:17,334 --> 00:26:18,715 [piano notes] 566 00:26:19,163 --> 00:26:21,510 Jack, uh, I got a couple of square questions, 567 00:26:21,614 --> 00:26:22,891 but the answer may be interesting. 568 00:26:22,995 --> 00:26:25,342 How long did "On the Road" take to write? 569 00:26:25,445 --> 00:26:26,723 - Three weeks. - [Allen] How many? 570 00:26:26,826 --> 00:26:28,725 - Three weeks. - [Allen] Three weeks? 571 00:26:28,828 --> 00:26:31,555 That's amazing. How long were you on the road itself? 572 00:26:31,659 --> 00:26:34,385 - Seven years. - [Allen] Seven years. 573 00:26:35,283 --> 00:26:38,631 [Stanley] This was Andy's bible. And Andy, he asked me, 574 00:26:38,735 --> 00:26:41,772 "Dad, please, I'd like you to read this book." 575 00:26:42,739 --> 00:26:45,465 [Stanley] And I remember very vividly 576 00:26:45,569 --> 00:26:47,122 in the middle of the afternoon, 577 00:26:47,226 --> 00:26:50,712 the sun streaming in the bedroom window, 578 00:26:50,816 --> 00:26:53,508 I came across a passage 579 00:26:54,095 --> 00:26:57,581 that was very, very moving. It was a story 580 00:26:57,685 --> 00:27:01,343 that related to a father and son relationship, 581 00:27:01,827 --> 00:27:03,587 [Stanley] and I started to cry. 582 00:27:04,001 --> 00:27:06,832 And the tears are streaming down my face, 583 00:27:06,935 --> 00:27:08,592 and at that moment 584 00:27:08,696 --> 00:27:11,906 Andy came into the bedroom and he saw me. 585 00:27:12,009 --> 00:27:14,425 And he knelt down beside me, 586 00:27:14,805 --> 00:27:17,394 and we started reading together, 587 00:27:17,497 --> 00:27:19,638 and we both started to cry. 588 00:27:21,087 --> 00:27:25,713 [Stanley] I had a tremendously increased understanding 589 00:27:25,816 --> 00:27:29,233 of what Andy was trying to say. 590 00:27:30,027 --> 00:27:33,652 He was right. One and one isn't necessarily two. 591 00:27:35,515 --> 00:27:37,932 [Stanley] It depends on what you're talking about. 592 00:27:44,352 --> 00:27:47,148 [trumpets playing] 593 00:27:48,701 --> 00:27:50,945 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 594 00:27:51,048 --> 00:27:53,430 is a simple man with a simple message. 595 00:27:53,533 --> 00:27:56,916 He is a guru, a teacher of a technique of meditation 596 00:27:57,020 --> 00:28:00,644 based on traditions originated thousands of years ago. 597 00:28:01,334 --> 00:28:03,889 Much has been written and said about the involvement of people 598 00:28:03,992 --> 00:28:05,753 like The Beatles and Mia Farrow 599 00:28:05,856 --> 00:28:07,962 with this Eastern philosophy. 600 00:28:08,065 --> 00:28:09,860 His teachings are totally opposed 601 00:28:09,964 --> 00:28:12,691 to the so-called mind-expanding drugs. 602 00:28:12,794 --> 00:28:15,935 The prospective meditator is given a mantra, 603 00:28:16,039 --> 00:28:18,420 one of a number of key words or sounds 604 00:28:18,524 --> 00:28:21,458 to aid in achieving a transcendental state. 605 00:28:21,561 --> 00:28:24,047 I didn't know you were into transcendental meditation. 606 00:28:24,150 --> 00:28:26,083 Oh, yeah, I started a few years ago 607 00:28:26,187 --> 00:28:28,810 and I found it to be a very helpful to me. 608 00:28:28,914 --> 00:28:31,468 [Andy] The last time I took any drugs of any type 609 00:28:31,571 --> 00:28:33,677 was November 20th, 1968. 610 00:28:33,781 --> 00:28:36,542 That was 15 days before I started meditating. 611 00:28:37,370 --> 00:28:40,132 [George] If not for TM, Andy would be on drugs, 612 00:28:40,235 --> 00:28:42,410 he'd be an alcoholic, he'd be in jail, 613 00:28:42,513 --> 00:28:45,378 he'd be in a loony bin, or he would be dead. 614 00:28:45,482 --> 00:28:47,864 [waves crashing] 615 00:28:49,279 --> 00:28:51,522 [Pamela] The surface of the ocean, 616 00:28:51,626 --> 00:28:53,766 is very rough with the waves, 617 00:28:55,250 --> 00:28:57,356 but as you get deeper and deeper, 618 00:28:57,459 --> 00:29:01,118 there's a kind of silence at the bottom of the ocean. 619 00:29:02,188 --> 00:29:03,949 And he liked that experience. 620 00:29:04,052 --> 00:29:06,020 That's why he continued doing it. 621 00:29:06,123 --> 00:29:09,092 It wasn't like he was meditating for a goal. 622 00:29:09,195 --> 00:29:11,715 The goal was the process itself. 623 00:29:11,819 --> 00:29:14,097 [happy music playing] 624 00:29:14,511 --> 00:29:17,410 [Buzz] Andy's a little unusual in that he's actually a teacher of TM. 625 00:29:17,514 --> 00:29:20,448 That's where I first met him, on my teacher training course 626 00:29:20,551 --> 00:29:23,244 when he and I both were studying with Maharishi directly. 627 00:29:23,347 --> 00:29:24,866 [indistinct talking] 628 00:29:24,970 --> 00:29:26,868 [Buzz] The way that course was structured 629 00:29:26,972 --> 00:29:28,767 is there were several thousand people 630 00:29:28,870 --> 00:29:30,699 hearing Maharishi lecture every night. 631 00:29:30,803 --> 00:29:34,289 And to ask a question, you'd often have to stand in line 632 00:29:34,393 --> 00:29:35,704 sometimes for days. 633 00:29:36,567 --> 00:29:39,985 [Buzz] It was rare that anybody would ask a frivolous question. 634 00:29:40,986 --> 00:29:43,160 So when Andy got up to the mic, 635 00:29:43,264 --> 00:29:44,852 he began to ask Maharishi about, 636 00:29:44,955 --> 00:29:47,302 he was concerned about, uh... [static sounds] 637 00:29:52,307 --> 00:29:53,446 Mm. 638 00:29:53,550 --> 00:29:54,931 Andy's angle, obviously, 639 00:29:55,034 --> 00:29:57,312 was one that not many people had mined. 640 00:30:14,605 --> 00:30:18,402 - [crowd laughing] - Huh? 641 00:30:23,787 --> 00:30:26,376 [crowd laughing] 642 00:30:32,831 --> 00:30:34,142 [crowd laughing] 643 00:30:34,246 --> 00:30:37,283 At that point then Andy began asking about 644 00:30:37,387 --> 00:30:41,287 what the nature of comedy is. And the way 645 00:30:41,391 --> 00:30:43,496 he posed the question, he said, "Well, what if--" 646 00:30:45,326 --> 00:30:47,121 [crowd laughing] 647 00:31:05,484 --> 00:31:07,624 - [tranquil music playing] - [waves crashing] 648 00:31:07,727 --> 00:31:09,591 [Maharishi] 649 00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:17,323 [Buzz] The primary source of life is in the gaps 650 00:31:17,427 --> 00:31:20,154 between one creative event and another. 651 00:31:20,844 --> 00:31:23,536 This is basically what Maharishi's whole teaching was. 652 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,124 The origin of thought. 653 00:31:25,745 --> 00:31:28,127 [Buzz] I think it's something he thought about deeply 654 00:31:28,231 --> 00:31:29,991 for a lot of his career. 655 00:31:30,474 --> 00:31:34,478 He became very sensitive to creating that great contrast. 656 00:31:35,134 --> 00:31:38,034 But where does the contrast come from? 657 00:31:40,968 --> 00:31:42,279 [Roth] Silence. 658 00:31:44,419 --> 00:31:46,111 Meditation doesn't make you all the same. 659 00:31:46,214 --> 00:31:49,355 Meditation makes you more of who you are. 660 00:31:51,254 --> 00:31:56,259 To transcend means to go beyond ordinary human limitations. 661 00:31:58,502 --> 00:32:01,678 I think Andy was a vehicle for the transcending. 662 00:32:01,781 --> 00:32:03,231 [exhales] 663 00:32:03,335 --> 00:32:06,303 He didn't take you out. He took you in... 664 00:32:07,270 --> 00:32:10,066 to sort of go for the Andy ride. 665 00:32:11,101 --> 00:32:12,447 Did that answer your question? 666 00:32:12,551 --> 00:32:15,105 - [tranquil music playing] - [waves crashing] 667 00:32:17,970 --> 00:32:20,214 [Maharishi] 668 00:32:22,699 --> 00:32:24,701 [static sounds] 669 00:32:24,804 --> 00:32:27,083 [drums playing] 670 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,396 [Andy] I went to college, and I said to myself, 671 00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:32,088 "What do I want to do with my life?" 672 00:32:32,191 --> 00:32:33,641 Do I wanna keep getting stoned? 673 00:32:33,744 --> 00:32:35,919 Which I don't really enjoy all that much. 674 00:32:36,023 --> 00:32:37,231 Or really do something with my life? 675 00:32:37,334 --> 00:32:39,336 You know? I wanna be on television. 676 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,131 I wanna be successful at what I do. 677 00:32:43,306 --> 00:32:47,034 [Bijan] I went to Grahm Junior College in Boston. 678 00:32:47,620 --> 00:32:51,486 Andy Kaufman was studying television performance, 679 00:32:51,590 --> 00:32:54,938 and I was studying television production. 680 00:32:55,042 --> 00:33:00,495 I was probably the only friend, you know, he had at that time. 681 00:33:00,599 --> 00:33:04,430 You would not believe that I came from Goodwell stock, 682 00:33:04,534 --> 00:33:08,331 that I was purer-blooded than the white trash here, 683 00:33:08,434 --> 00:33:11,058 and of more direct lineage than the New Englanders 684 00:33:11,161 --> 00:33:13,543 and Virginians of Spoon River. 685 00:33:14,993 --> 00:33:17,892 [Bijan] Living in America at that age, 686 00:33:17,996 --> 00:33:22,621 coming from Iran, not knowing so much, you know, English, 687 00:33:23,070 --> 00:33:25,279 [Bijan] it was very difficult. 688 00:33:25,382 --> 00:33:28,316 I had difficulty talking with people, 689 00:33:28,420 --> 00:33:33,183 and it was difficult for them to wait, 690 00:33:33,287 --> 00:33:36,255 to learn, what I'm saying. 691 00:33:37,118 --> 00:33:40,708 [Bijan] But he always helped me. He always listened to me. 692 00:33:41,122 --> 00:33:48,267 This is the most important part of my relationship with Andy. 693 00:33:48,371 --> 00:33:49,889 - [director] Why? - Well, 694 00:33:49,993 --> 00:33:52,444 because I asked him, "You know, Andy, 695 00:33:52,547 --> 00:33:55,757 what are you gonna do after you know, you finish Grahm?" 696 00:33:55,861 --> 00:33:59,106 He said, "Well, I'm going to be a comedian." 697 00:33:59,865 --> 00:34:02,626 I said, "Andy, if you want to be a comedian, 698 00:34:02,730 --> 00:34:05,836 a comedian has to have a unique character." 699 00:34:05,940 --> 00:34:07,562 I said, "Imitate me." 700 00:34:07,666 --> 00:34:09,702 [TV host] He calls himself Baji Kimran. 701 00:34:09,806 --> 00:34:11,118 And what do I do? 702 00:34:11,221 --> 00:34:12,740 And that's what he did. 703 00:34:13,189 --> 00:34:15,053 [Bijan] But after that, he never mentioned 704 00:34:15,156 --> 00:34:17,572 what he wanted to do with my accent. 705 00:34:17,676 --> 00:34:19,609 - Welcome, Andy. - Thank you very much. 706 00:34:19,712 --> 00:34:21,749 [Bijan] He would say, "Thank you very much." 707 00:34:21,852 --> 00:34:24,890 But I wouldn't say that. I would probably say, 708 00:34:25,339 --> 00:34:28,480 - "Thank you... verymuch." - [mysterious music playing] 709 00:34:28,583 --> 00:34:31,448 [Orson] Where did you find that original voice? 710 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:33,623 I don't know. I grew up in New York, 711 00:34:33,726 --> 00:34:35,832 and you hear a lot of different voices there. And-- 712 00:34:35,935 --> 00:34:38,490 - [Orson] You don't hear that one. - [crowd laughing] 713 00:34:38,593 --> 00:34:42,218 [Bijan] Andy Kaufman's character is me. 714 00:34:42,321 --> 00:34:46,291 I am the real Latka Gravas. 715 00:34:46,394 --> 00:34:48,879 [director] So are you saying he stole your identity? 716 00:34:50,191 --> 00:34:52,814 No, it was a gift from me to him. 717 00:35:00,098 --> 00:35:01,616 [male reporter] In the TV series Taxi , 718 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:03,549 Kaufman drew widespread attention 719 00:35:03,653 --> 00:35:06,173 as an immigrant mechanic who fractured English 720 00:35:06,276 --> 00:35:08,175 and logic all at the same time. 721 00:35:08,623 --> 00:35:12,524 - Hello. I am Latka Gravas. - [crowd laughing] 722 00:35:12,627 --> 00:35:16,010 I went to the Comedy Store, and Andy was doing Foreign Man, 723 00:35:16,114 --> 00:35:20,704 which was the sweetest comedy you ever saw in your life. 724 00:35:20,808 --> 00:35:25,468 [gibberish] 725 00:35:26,262 --> 00:35:27,987 [scoffs] [gibberish] 726 00:35:28,091 --> 00:35:31,336 He had the part immediately. He had it before he had a read. 727 00:35:31,439 --> 00:35:34,753 He was so sweet and kind of, he had those huge eyes. 728 00:35:34,856 --> 00:35:36,686 - [crowd laughing] - Oh! 729 00:35:36,789 --> 00:35:38,791 [Marilu] And that delivery that he had... 730 00:35:38,895 --> 00:35:41,208 [speaking made-up language] 731 00:35:41,311 --> 00:35:44,487 [speaking made-up language] 732 00:35:44,590 --> 00:35:48,801 Oh. That's the sweetest thing anybody ever said to me. 733 00:35:48,905 --> 00:35:51,183 - [crowd laughing] - I think. 734 00:35:51,287 --> 00:35:53,047 Even though he was always a little oddball 735 00:35:53,151 --> 00:35:54,600 and his rhythms were really different... 736 00:35:54,704 --> 00:35:57,396 [sobs] I, I've been looking forward 737 00:35:57,500 --> 00:35:59,018 to seeing you all day. 738 00:35:59,122 --> 00:36:00,261 [Marilu] I mean, he was just, 739 00:36:00,365 --> 00:36:02,229 [laughs] he was adorable. 740 00:36:02,815 --> 00:36:06,025 [Danny] First day ofTaxi. First day, okay? 741 00:36:06,129 --> 00:36:08,545 Down at the end of the table was Andy sitting all alone, 742 00:36:08,649 --> 00:36:11,548 sitting there like this. Got a tape recorder in front of him. 743 00:36:11,652 --> 00:36:15,794 Got a headset on. Going like this. 744 00:36:15,897 --> 00:36:18,797 So I'm looking at the guy. 15, 20 minutes, 745 00:36:18,900 --> 00:36:21,662 he's sitting there all alone. And to break the ice, 746 00:36:21,765 --> 00:36:24,458 I say, "Hey, Andy, what kind of music are you listening to?" 747 00:36:24,561 --> 00:36:26,563 Right? He gives it to me, the headset. 748 00:36:26,667 --> 00:36:28,531 - This is what I hear. - [Charlie chuckles] 749 00:36:28,634 --> 00:36:33,743 - [speaking made-up language] - [Charlie laughs] 750 00:36:34,399 --> 00:36:36,159 "Thanks, Andy." I give it back to him. 751 00:36:36,263 --> 00:36:38,265 - Now, you go two ways. - [Charlie] Right. 752 00:36:38,368 --> 00:36:40,370 You say he's a consummate actor, 753 00:36:40,474 --> 00:36:43,408 sitting down there, studying the lines that he's created 754 00:36:43,511 --> 00:36:46,376 for this character of Latka, the Foreign Man. 755 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,345 Or he's sitting down there for 20 minutes 756 00:36:49,448 --> 00:36:51,174 waiting for some sucker to ask him 757 00:36:51,278 --> 00:36:52,865 what kind of music he's listening to. 758 00:36:52,969 --> 00:36:54,764 [cheerful music playing] 759 00:36:54,867 --> 00:36:57,491 [James] When you gave him a note, it'd be Latka startled 760 00:36:57,594 --> 00:36:59,113 there was a guy in show business 761 00:36:59,217 --> 00:37:01,046 giving a note for what? 762 00:37:01,149 --> 00:37:03,013 [James chuckles] You know? Just... 763 00:37:03,117 --> 00:37:05,395 It was like the real person existed. 764 00:37:05,499 --> 00:37:07,397 [speaking made-up language] 765 00:37:07,501 --> 00:37:11,470 [speaking made-up language] 766 00:37:11,574 --> 00:37:13,369 You know Latka's language? 767 00:37:13,472 --> 00:37:15,094 [Marilu] What was the country song? 768 00:37:15,198 --> 00:37:17,407 [singing in made-up language] 769 00:37:17,511 --> 00:37:19,202 Something like that. I don't know. 770 00:37:19,306 --> 00:37:23,827 [both singing in same made-up language] 771 00:37:23,931 --> 00:37:26,416 [crowd laughing] 772 00:37:28,142 --> 00:37:29,971 [happy music playing] 773 00:37:30,075 --> 00:37:34,562 [Marilu] Andy was the breakout star that first year. 774 00:37:34,666 --> 00:37:37,047 Everybody loved Latka. Come on. You know? 775 00:37:37,151 --> 00:37:39,360 [mimics Latka] 776 00:37:39,464 --> 00:37:42,605 All the shit that he was doing. 777 00:37:42,708 --> 00:37:44,986 [Lorne] Now remember that Andy is the strangest thing 778 00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:47,472 onSaturday Night Live in that first year, 779 00:37:47,575 --> 00:37:49,474 and the following year, he's in a sitcom. 780 00:37:49,577 --> 00:37:50,682 No! 781 00:37:50,785 --> 00:37:53,409 Now, remember what a leap that is. 782 00:37:53,512 --> 00:37:55,307 [Lorne] You can't get him on television, 783 00:37:55,411 --> 00:37:57,413 and then they want him in prime time. 784 00:37:58,897 --> 00:38:01,451 [exciting music playing] 785 00:38:03,211 --> 00:38:05,179 [Bob] In the height of this, 786 00:38:05,283 --> 00:38:08,458 he decides to take on a busboy job 787 00:38:08,562 --> 00:38:10,736 over at Jerry's Deli. 788 00:38:11,530 --> 00:38:13,532 Latka? Latka? 789 00:38:15,948 --> 00:38:18,779 The way I can describe Andy Kaufman, basically, 790 00:38:18,882 --> 00:38:22,403 is excellent, hard-working, very serious in his work. 791 00:38:22,852 --> 00:38:24,957 [Andy] Sometimes in show business there's a separation 792 00:38:25,061 --> 00:38:27,028 between the performer and the public. 793 00:38:27,132 --> 00:38:30,135 They don't get to walk around among people, 794 00:38:30,825 --> 00:38:33,794 and being a busboy keeps me in touch with people. 795 00:38:33,897 --> 00:38:36,417 - [director] Why do it? - [Howard] People contact. 796 00:38:36,521 --> 00:38:38,246 See how they react. See what they do. 797 00:38:38,350 --> 00:38:40,835 [Howard] And also look for people like myself saying, 798 00:38:40,939 --> 00:38:44,011 "Is he for real? What is he doing? Why is he doing that?" 799 00:38:44,114 --> 00:38:45,081 Finished? 800 00:38:51,225 --> 00:38:55,988 Okay, um, um... 801 00:39:04,031 --> 00:39:06,861 I would still like to know who the real Andy is. 802 00:39:06,965 --> 00:39:08,518 [cheerful music playing] 803 00:39:08,622 --> 00:39:10,555 Do you mind if I get to the head of the line? 804 00:39:10,658 --> 00:39:12,073 I only have one piece of cheese. 805 00:39:12,177 --> 00:39:13,558 - Go to the back. - Excuse me, lady. 806 00:39:13,661 --> 00:39:15,594 I'd like to pay for this cheese right now, okay? 807 00:39:15,698 --> 00:39:17,078 - No. - I'd like to pay for this cheese! 808 00:39:17,182 --> 00:39:19,529 I would like to pay... Get your hands off me! 809 00:39:19,633 --> 00:39:21,566 You're not getting in front of me. 810 00:39:21,669 --> 00:39:24,120 I got the feeling that Andy was almost always performing. 811 00:39:24,223 --> 00:39:27,641 [Geogre] He did all these bits with Bob Zmuda, 812 00:39:27,744 --> 00:39:29,539 pretending to be different characters 813 00:39:29,643 --> 00:39:31,783 even in his leisure time. 814 00:39:31,886 --> 00:39:33,854 I'm sorry about, I'm sorry about all that. 815 00:39:33,957 --> 00:39:36,028 I apologize for all those people. 816 00:39:36,132 --> 00:39:37,961 Okay. Swiss cheese. 817 00:39:38,065 --> 00:39:40,550 - $1.72. - Okay, thank you. 818 00:39:43,035 --> 00:39:45,244 Thank you. I don't have any money. 819 00:39:46,176 --> 00:39:49,525 He would say to Lynne Margulies: "Let's make-believe we're fighting." 820 00:39:49,628 --> 00:39:52,079 [Lynne] We'd pull up in a car next to someone 821 00:39:52,182 --> 00:39:54,150 and he'd reach over and start choking me. 822 00:39:54,253 --> 00:39:57,636 And I would reach over and I'd go, "Help me, help me!" 823 00:39:57,740 --> 00:39:59,293 And the car would speed off. 824 00:39:59,397 --> 00:40:00,674 Are you finished 825 00:40:00,777 --> 00:40:02,365 - with your salad? - No, I'm not. 826 00:40:02,469 --> 00:40:04,850 Are you finished with your salad? 827 00:40:05,264 --> 00:40:07,646 He used to have some really crazy ideas we'd talk about. 828 00:40:07,750 --> 00:40:09,545 One time, we were talking and he asked me, 829 00:40:09,648 --> 00:40:11,685 "Do you think you could rent the Atlantic Ocean?" 830 00:40:11,788 --> 00:40:14,066 Did he really think anybody could possibly...? 831 00:40:14,170 --> 00:40:17,000 But he talked about what he wanted to do if he could. 832 00:40:17,104 --> 00:40:19,796 [Pamela] What drove people crazy, the one thing was, 833 00:40:19,900 --> 00:40:23,110 was the Baskin and Robbins. The 30 flavors. 834 00:40:23,213 --> 00:40:25,353 [Pamela] They would give you the taste test. 835 00:40:25,457 --> 00:40:27,701 Andy would stand there forever. 836 00:40:27,804 --> 00:40:30,324 He would get a taste of every ice cream 837 00:40:30,428 --> 00:40:33,810 and infuriate everyone who was behind him in line. 838 00:40:33,914 --> 00:40:36,882 Our very first Thanksgiving, Judd and I were doing publicity 839 00:40:36,986 --> 00:40:38,746 in New York, 840 00:40:38,850 --> 00:40:41,231 [Marilu] and we were walking down the street in the Bowery. 841 00:40:41,335 --> 00:40:44,925 And all of a sudden he said, "Is that Andy panhandling?" 842 00:40:45,028 --> 00:40:48,756 And he was on the street corner panhandling, you know. 843 00:40:48,860 --> 00:40:51,587 And it was like, "Andy? Andy?" And he was like, 844 00:40:51,690 --> 00:40:54,624 "Oh, hi. Marilu and Judd. Oh, hi, yeah." 845 00:40:54,728 --> 00:40:57,213 "What are you doing?" "Oh, I'm getting money." 846 00:40:57,316 --> 00:40:59,111 You know, he was just... [chuckles] 847 00:40:59,215 --> 00:41:02,218 [crowd cheering] 848 00:41:02,321 --> 00:41:04,392 [George] He always said, "I'm not a comedian. 849 00:41:04,496 --> 00:41:06,464 I'm a song and dance man." 850 00:41:06,567 --> 00:41:08,604 So he always dreamed of doing Carnegie Hall. 851 00:41:08,707 --> 00:41:10,951 [male announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, 852 00:41:11,054 --> 00:41:12,608 Andy Kaufman! 853 00:41:12,711 --> 00:41:15,127 [crowd cheering] 854 00:41:15,231 --> 00:41:17,405 That's why he did Taxi. Because he said, 855 00:41:17,509 --> 00:41:19,028 "Hey, man, with fame and money, 856 00:41:19,131 --> 00:41:21,099 I can do all this other stuff now." 857 00:41:21,202 --> 00:41:22,238 He was really having fun 858 00:41:22,652 --> 00:41:23,998 doing what he was doing. 859 00:41:24,102 --> 00:41:26,380 Whether they got it or not was up to them. 860 00:41:26,484 --> 00:41:29,245 - [crowd cheering] - [upbeat music playing] 861 00:41:31,937 --> 00:41:32,904 Oh. 862 00:41:35,113 --> 00:41:39,289 ♪ Oooooo-klahoma where the...♪ 863 00:41:39,393 --> 00:41:40,739 [inaudible] 864 00:41:43,915 --> 00:41:48,229 ♪ Oooooo-klahoma Where the wind comes...♪ 865 00:41:50,508 --> 00:41:52,786 [cheerful music playing] 866 00:41:52,889 --> 00:41:54,304 [Greg] For a non-rehearsed show, 867 00:41:54,408 --> 00:41:56,134 it came off without a hitch. 868 00:41:56,237 --> 00:41:59,689 I'm sure it's the craziest show that was ever at Carnegie Hall. 869 00:42:00,138 --> 00:42:01,726 [Pagani] And there was a homeless guy 870 00:42:01,829 --> 00:42:03,451 that Andy met in Times Square. 871 00:42:03,555 --> 00:42:06,040 On the corner of 45th Street and Broadway, 872 00:42:06,144 --> 00:42:08,042 I saw a crowd of people in a circle, 873 00:42:08,146 --> 00:42:10,769 and they were all watching this one man, 874 00:42:10,873 --> 00:42:12,495 and he's with us tonight. 875 00:42:12,599 --> 00:42:13,669 And the guy was singing 876 00:42:13,772 --> 00:42:15,084 - this song... - Happy New Year! 877 00:42:15,187 --> 00:42:17,086 - Happy New Year! - [crowd] Happy New Year! 878 00:42:17,189 --> 00:42:20,399 - Happy New Year! - [crowd] Happy New Year! 879 00:42:20,503 --> 00:42:21,815 [George] Later on, he brought a lady 880 00:42:21,918 --> 00:42:24,093 that was a dancer in the '30s 881 00:42:24,542 --> 00:42:26,474 and she had a heart attack on stage. 882 00:42:26,578 --> 00:42:29,547 [crowd laughing] 883 00:42:29,650 --> 00:42:31,479 Am I supposed to laugh at that? 884 00:42:31,963 --> 00:42:33,965 [Pagani] 'Cause that's real shit. 885 00:42:35,829 --> 00:42:38,279 [Bob] Is there a doctor in the house? Seriously. 886 00:42:38,659 --> 00:42:40,661 Is there a doctor in the house? Please. 887 00:42:40,765 --> 00:42:42,560 Will you shut these lights off? 888 00:42:43,043 --> 00:42:46,633 Teddy, will you shut the side lights off here, please? 889 00:42:49,463 --> 00:42:51,223 [George] And I guess she died. 890 00:42:52,121 --> 00:42:55,296 And the next day the headlines were all overThe Times. 891 00:42:55,780 --> 00:42:58,299 Forgot about that. That's a. ... 892 00:42:58,403 --> 00:43:00,578 How do you know this isn't part of their show? 893 00:43:00,681 --> 00:43:01,993 Maybe this is part of the show. 894 00:43:02,096 --> 00:43:03,581 - [static sounds] - A few years ago, 895 00:43:03,684 --> 00:43:05,583 when I was starting in show business, 896 00:43:05,686 --> 00:43:08,137 I said "Grandma, one day I'm gonna 897 00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:10,553 be playing at Carnegie Hall." She said, "Oh, come on." 898 00:43:10,657 --> 00:43:12,520 I said, "Yup. Grandma, I promise you. 899 00:43:12,624 --> 00:43:14,177 And when that day comes, 900 00:43:14,281 --> 00:43:16,939 I'm going to give you the best seat in the house." 901 00:43:17,042 --> 00:43:18,526 [crowd laughing] 902 00:43:18,630 --> 00:43:20,183 So anyway, there's my grandma. 903 00:43:21,978 --> 00:43:24,049 [Robin] I played his grandma once on stage, 904 00:43:24,153 --> 00:43:26,396 in full makeup. And I got to sit there 905 00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:27,777 for an hour and a half 906 00:43:27,881 --> 00:43:29,952 as his grandmother while he abused people. 907 00:43:30,055 --> 00:43:33,024 I mean, he played with people. You could think of us as objects 908 00:43:33,127 --> 00:43:37,684 in a sandbox and Andy was sort of getting people to do things. 909 00:43:37,787 --> 00:43:39,755 [crowd cheering] 910 00:43:39,858 --> 00:43:42,240 After the show was over, he comes out on the stage. 911 00:43:42,343 --> 00:43:44,725 He says, "Now, there's something special. 912 00:43:44,829 --> 00:43:46,520 We're gonna go out. When you walk outside..." 913 00:43:46,624 --> 00:43:48,936 [Andy] I'd like to take you all out for milk and cookies. 914 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:51,007 So, if you'll all, please, in an orderly manner, 915 00:43:51,111 --> 00:43:53,769 there's 20 buses waiting for you outside. 916 00:43:53,872 --> 00:43:56,288 Seriously? You walk outside, and sure as shit, 917 00:43:56,392 --> 00:43:58,808 there's, like, ten buses lined up on 57th Street. 918 00:43:58,912 --> 00:44:00,292 Come on, everybody. 919 00:44:00,741 --> 00:44:02,363 [George] And they got in the buses. 920 00:44:02,467 --> 00:44:05,021 Andy led everyone in like the Pied Piper. 921 00:44:05,746 --> 00:44:08,956 [Dennis] He was like a magician. He wanted you 922 00:44:09,060 --> 00:44:12,304 to not see it coming, and then all of a sudden, wow. 923 00:44:12,408 --> 00:44:15,100 [exciting music playing] 924 00:44:17,344 --> 00:44:19,898 [Pagani] He told me he lost 40 grand on that. 925 00:44:20,692 --> 00:44:22,073 For milk and cookies. 926 00:44:23,074 --> 00:44:24,454 [Pagani] He said, "I don't care. 927 00:44:24,558 --> 00:44:26,146 It's what I wanted to do." 928 00:44:26,629 --> 00:44:29,701 It's no restraint, just like a kid has when they're playing. 929 00:44:30,668 --> 00:44:32,808 "Today, I'm a cowboy." 930 00:44:33,222 --> 00:44:36,259 [Pagani] It's about that. It's being in the moment 931 00:44:36,363 --> 00:44:38,779 and really feeling what you feel. 932 00:44:39,297 --> 00:44:41,713 Tomorrow, the show will be continuing, 933 00:44:41,817 --> 00:44:44,336 one o'clock at the Staten Island Ferry. 934 00:44:44,440 --> 00:44:46,476 [crowd cheering] All right! 935 00:44:48,824 --> 00:44:51,240 [waves crashing] 936 00:44:51,343 --> 00:44:53,691 [happy music playing] 937 00:44:53,794 --> 00:44:55,969 [Olatunji] The relaxation of the mind 938 00:44:58,592 --> 00:45:00,732 is total commitment. 939 00:45:00,836 --> 00:45:03,424 [two drumbeats] 940 00:45:06,393 --> 00:45:12,986 The reality of the beauty of the rose is the sap. 941 00:45:13,089 --> 00:45:16,506 And how do we find this reality of rose? 942 00:45:16,921 --> 00:45:19,613 By going deeper into the petal. 943 00:45:19,993 --> 00:45:23,375 When we arrive at the level of the sap, 944 00:45:24,066 --> 00:45:27,448 [Maharishi] there we find the reality of this rose. 945 00:45:27,552 --> 00:45:31,314 - [waves crashing] - [Danny] Latka! Latka! Latka! 946 00:45:31,418 --> 00:45:38,528 [coughs] 947 00:45:38,632 --> 00:45:40,047 So anyway, um, 948 00:45:40,496 --> 00:45:43,499 I was doing all these far-out things on television shows but 949 00:45:43,602 --> 00:45:46,605 when Taxicame along, it was just one character, Latka, 950 00:45:46,709 --> 00:45:49,160 and I kind of felt inhibited by it, that, 951 00:45:49,263 --> 00:45:52,025 you know, I was just able to do the one character. 952 00:45:52,128 --> 00:45:54,027 I wanted to have more freedom creatively 953 00:45:54,130 --> 00:45:56,132 to do these other things like I used to do 954 00:45:56,236 --> 00:45:58,514 on Saturday Night Live and stuff, 955 00:45:58,617 --> 00:45:59,722 - and um... - [Bob] Taxi. 956 00:45:59,826 --> 00:46:01,448 He didn't want to doTaxi , 957 00:46:01,551 --> 00:46:02,587 'cause it was a sitcom. 958 00:46:02,690 --> 00:46:04,071 They say, "Don't look at me" 959 00:46:04,175 --> 00:46:05,866 with the cannon. "Don't look at me." 960 00:46:05,970 --> 00:46:07,937 They think I talk like that, you know? 961 00:46:08,041 --> 00:46:10,802 Little do they know, huh? Little do they know. 962 00:46:10,906 --> 00:46:13,391 They think I'm this lovable, wonderful guy. 963 00:46:13,494 --> 00:46:14,910 [giggles] 964 00:46:15,013 --> 00:46:16,566 [Bill] He didn't want to be a slave 965 00:46:16,670 --> 00:46:18,914 to the TV grind. 966 00:46:19,017 --> 00:46:21,192 So he fashioned his own deal. 967 00:46:21,295 --> 00:46:23,850 Andy had it in his contract, that, 968 00:46:23,953 --> 00:46:26,162 if he agreed to play Latka, 969 00:46:26,266 --> 00:46:30,408 the character of Tony Clifton would have to be in one episode. 970 00:46:30,511 --> 00:46:32,099 [upbeat music playing] 971 00:46:32,203 --> 00:46:34,792 Now you are probably asking yourself right now, 972 00:46:34,895 --> 00:46:37,139 who is Tony Clifton, right? 973 00:46:37,242 --> 00:46:38,934 Hey, you look like a good crowd. 974 00:46:39,037 --> 00:46:42,178 [unintelligible] 975 00:46:42,282 --> 00:46:44,663 [male reporter] But the people here at Harrah's swear 976 00:46:44,767 --> 00:46:46,804 that Tony Clifton is a big name. 977 00:46:47,390 --> 00:46:50,428 I mean, after all, they put his name up on the billboard. 978 00:46:50,877 --> 00:46:55,088 ♪ Jambalaya, catfish pie Chicken gumbo ♪ 979 00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:59,057 ♪ 'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my maraschino ♪ 980 00:46:59,161 --> 00:47:01,094 [male reporter] How can an act this bad 981 00:47:01,197 --> 00:47:03,441 get into the lounge of Harrah's? 982 00:47:03,544 --> 00:47:06,099 Well, there are some people who will tell you that this man, 983 00:47:06,202 --> 00:47:09,412 Tony Clifton, is actually Andy Kaufman. 984 00:47:09,516 --> 00:47:11,449 ♪ If you're happy And you know it ♪ 985 00:47:11,552 --> 00:47:14,072 - ♪ Clap your hands ♪ - [clapping sounds] 986 00:47:14,176 --> 00:47:16,937 [male reporter] He also sometimes makes carrot juice. 987 00:47:17,041 --> 00:47:18,974 Honestly. No talking, no singing, 988 00:47:19,077 --> 00:47:21,390 just making carrot juice. 989 00:47:21,493 --> 00:47:23,910 Says it's good for his aging body. 990 00:47:24,013 --> 00:47:25,981 I really wasn't that impressed. 991 00:47:26,084 --> 00:47:29,467 I was expecting to see something with a little class. 992 00:47:29,570 --> 00:47:33,367 I can't see mass appeal, if that's what you're looking for. 993 00:47:33,816 --> 00:47:35,991 [reporter] I understand, you have a beef 994 00:47:36,094 --> 00:47:37,889 with a gentleman by the name of Andy Kaufman. 995 00:47:37,993 --> 00:47:39,822 Okay, that's it. Shut off the camera. 996 00:47:39,926 --> 00:47:41,065 [reporter] There's a lawsuit? 997 00:47:41,168 --> 00:47:42,411 Will you shut it off? 998 00:47:42,514 --> 00:47:43,722 Just shut off the camera. 999 00:47:44,102 --> 00:47:45,448 - [reporter] Okay. - Shut it off. 1000 00:47:45,552 --> 00:47:47,485 Then we'll discuss this with the camera off. 1001 00:47:47,588 --> 00:47:49,521 - [reporter] The camera off? - Shut it off. 1002 00:47:49,625 --> 00:47:50,695 [reporter] No cameras. 1003 00:47:50,798 --> 00:47:52,076 Go ahead. Cut it off. 1004 00:47:52,179 --> 00:47:53,974 - Is it off? - Okay. 1005 00:47:54,078 --> 00:47:55,217 I was under the understanding 1006 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:57,012 you were not to mention his name. 1007 00:47:57,115 --> 00:47:58,876 Well, it almost came out in the news today 1008 00:47:58,979 --> 00:48:00,360 about how you're filing suit-- 1009 00:48:00,463 --> 00:48:01,188 I'm suing him. Yes. 1010 00:48:01,292 --> 00:48:03,018 - I'm suing him. - Why? 1011 00:48:03,121 --> 00:48:04,985 Because he's using my name to get places. 1012 00:48:05,089 --> 00:48:06,780 - You're kidding. - You may want to film this. 1013 00:48:06,884 --> 00:48:08,713 Oh, turn the camera back on then. 1014 00:48:09,576 --> 00:48:13,891 I'd rather not talk about Tony. Wait, can you turn the... 1015 00:48:14,546 --> 00:48:16,376 [Tony] All the news media gather around me. 1016 00:48:16,479 --> 00:48:19,034 - [reporter] Yeah. - All the presses gather around me. 1017 00:48:19,482 --> 00:48:22,382 All the girls, all the chickaroonies gather around me. 1018 00:48:22,485 --> 00:48:25,074 So he goes round and he starts saying he's me. 1019 00:48:25,178 --> 00:48:28,560 He thinks, 'cause he can't get a girl on his own. 1020 00:48:29,147 --> 00:48:31,667 [Bob] Andy was a good, nice Jewish boy. 1021 00:48:32,254 --> 00:48:35,153 But when he started to embody these characters, 1022 00:48:35,257 --> 00:48:37,880 he would get stuff out of it. 1023 00:48:38,294 --> 00:48:41,573 Foreign Man allowed him to be a child. 1024 00:48:42,022 --> 00:48:45,198 Elvis allowed him to be sexy. 1025 00:48:45,301 --> 00:48:48,132 - But Clifton... - Get your own act together and mess it up! 1026 00:48:48,235 --> 00:48:52,170 - [Bob] allowed him to be an asshole... - Bozo! 1027 00:48:52,274 --> 00:48:53,931 ...which was great power. 1028 00:48:54,034 --> 00:48:55,380 - [snaps] - [Tony clearing throat] 1029 00:48:55,484 --> 00:48:57,141 Everybody has anger inside of them 1030 00:48:57,244 --> 00:48:58,866 - to some extent. - [man 1] Yeah. 1031 00:48:58,970 --> 00:49:00,661 And everyone has peace of mind, 1032 00:49:00,765 --> 00:49:02,801 inside of them to some extent. 1033 00:49:02,905 --> 00:49:04,458 I have both. 1034 00:49:04,562 --> 00:49:06,633 There is that serial killer to him. 1035 00:49:06,736 --> 00:49:09,739 [Bob] He's been injured deeply as a child, 1036 00:49:09,843 --> 00:49:12,190 so that's always underneath it. 1037 00:49:12,294 --> 00:49:13,916 You think you're gonna come and watch 1038 00:49:14,020 --> 00:49:16,194 a nice little show. Nuh-uh. 1039 00:49:16,298 --> 00:49:18,783 Yeah, I just came back from the east. 1040 00:49:19,335 --> 00:49:22,442 Let me tell you something, it was so cold there-- 1041 00:49:22,545 --> 00:49:24,685 [man 2] How cold was it? 1042 00:49:24,789 --> 00:49:28,034 I don't ask you. I didn't ask you. 1043 00:49:28,137 --> 00:49:30,139 Can we start this again? Hey, I didn't ask you. 1044 00:49:30,243 --> 00:49:32,970 - [crowd laughing] - I didn't ask you. 1045 00:49:33,625 --> 00:49:35,765 Come on up here. Why don't you come up here? 1046 00:49:36,628 --> 00:49:39,252 [Pagani] Tony Clifton is just, is just, you know, 1047 00:49:39,355 --> 00:49:41,944 just a complete piece of shit, horrible person. 1048 00:49:42,393 --> 00:49:44,878 It's very liberating, you know what I mean, 1049 00:49:44,982 --> 00:49:47,846 to go out there and portray someone who doesn't give a shit 1050 00:49:47,950 --> 00:49:49,779 what anybody thinks about what he says. 1051 00:49:49,883 --> 00:49:51,643 Most people have that constraint. 1052 00:49:51,747 --> 00:49:53,093 They can't tell their boss off. 1053 00:49:53,507 --> 00:49:55,130 [Pagani] This guy steps out and goes, 1054 00:49:55,233 --> 00:49:57,580 "You're all fucking idiots, you assholes." 1055 00:49:57,684 --> 00:49:59,997 It's psychotic. 1056 00:50:00,100 --> 00:50:01,895 But it's, wow, you know what I mean? 1057 00:50:01,999 --> 00:50:03,552 Where else do you get to do that? 1058 00:50:03,655 --> 00:50:06,210 You wanna see humor? Yeah, I'll show you humor. 1059 00:50:06,313 --> 00:50:08,074 - That's humor. - [crowd cheering] 1060 00:50:08,177 --> 00:50:10,973 That's humor, pal! That's humor! 1061 00:50:11,077 --> 00:50:13,769 Aww, everybody say, "Aww." Come on. Aww! 1062 00:50:13,872 --> 00:50:16,737 Well, I guess I'm what you call maybe a passionate man 1063 00:50:16,841 --> 00:50:18,670 because I don't hold back. 1064 00:50:18,774 --> 00:50:19,878 When I'm talking about anger, 1065 00:50:19,982 --> 00:50:21,225 - I become angry. - [man 1] Yeah. 1066 00:50:21,328 --> 00:50:22,778 And I won't try and disguise it. 1067 00:50:22,881 --> 00:50:24,124 I won't try and hold myself back, 1068 00:50:24,228 --> 00:50:25,194 or I'll get ulcers. 1069 00:50:25,298 --> 00:50:26,230 Then I'll die young. 1070 00:50:26,333 --> 00:50:28,163 [indistinct chatter] 1071 00:50:28,266 --> 00:50:30,751 [Marilu] His genius was he was both people, 1072 00:50:31,476 --> 00:50:34,721 that he was the provocateur and the sweet boy. 1073 00:50:34,824 --> 00:50:37,620 Nobody talks about that incredible yin and yang 1074 00:50:37,724 --> 00:50:41,624 that was constantly the two forces going on all the time. 1075 00:50:41,728 --> 00:50:43,626 [scatting] 1076 00:50:43,730 --> 00:50:46,905 [scatting] 1077 00:50:47,009 --> 00:50:51,289 ♪ There's nowhere else on earth That I would rather be ♪ 1078 00:50:51,393 --> 00:50:53,671 But here's what really got strange. 1079 00:50:53,774 --> 00:50:57,675 [Bob] When he got stressed out, like onTaxi and anything, 1080 00:50:57,778 --> 00:50:59,297 I'd get the phone call. 1081 00:50:59,711 --> 00:51:03,405 [Bob] "Hey, Bob, I'm leaving town for a few days 1082 00:51:03,508 --> 00:51:07,340 and Tony Clifton's going to be staying at my place." 1083 00:51:07,443 --> 00:51:09,687 I'd go over and Andy wasn't at that house. 1084 00:51:10,998 --> 00:51:12,724 [Bob] It was Tony Clifton. 1085 00:51:13,449 --> 00:51:17,074 ♪ Dance to the music Dance to the music ♪ 1086 00:51:17,177 --> 00:51:19,317 ♪ Dance to the music ♪ 1087 00:51:19,421 --> 00:51:21,906 [Bob] Andy never drank, never smoked. 1088 00:51:22,009 --> 00:51:24,633 Vegetarian, holistic medicine. 1089 00:51:24,736 --> 00:51:25,841 Clifton was the opposite. 1090 00:51:25,944 --> 00:51:27,705 [tense music playing] 1091 00:51:27,808 --> 00:51:31,985 [Bob] Steaks rare. Chain-smoker. Booze, 1092 00:51:32,089 --> 00:51:34,850 Jack Daniels. Wow. You know, heavy stuff. 1093 00:51:34,953 --> 00:51:36,334 [ball music playing] 1094 00:51:36,438 --> 00:51:37,853 [Bob] And Andy never got kinky, 1095 00:51:37,956 --> 00:51:39,165 whereas Clifton. ... 1096 00:51:39,268 --> 00:51:41,891 ♪ Sing the song!♪ 1097 00:51:44,273 --> 00:51:46,827 [crowd applauding] 1098 00:51:46,931 --> 00:51:48,070 [whistles] 1099 00:51:48,174 --> 00:51:49,899 [country music playing] 1100 00:51:52,039 --> 00:51:54,835 [Jim] The episode came where Tony Clifton appeared. 1101 00:51:54,939 --> 00:51:57,286 It was an episode where Tony was going to play 1102 00:51:57,390 --> 00:51:59,185 Louie De Palma's brother. 1103 00:51:59,288 --> 00:52:00,634 Your brother's coming into town? 1104 00:52:00,738 --> 00:52:01,946 Due in today. 1105 00:52:02,049 --> 00:52:03,534 I'm expecting him any minute. 1106 00:52:03,637 --> 00:52:05,191 - I told you about him. - Andy 1107 00:52:05,294 --> 00:52:07,814 is Tony Clifton, 1108 00:52:07,917 --> 00:52:09,643 but it's not Andy. 1109 00:52:10,023 --> 00:52:11,680 It's Tony Clifton. 1110 00:52:12,612 --> 00:52:14,131 Okay. What? 1111 00:52:14,234 --> 00:52:16,340 - [upbeat music playing] - [Danny] And suddenly 1112 00:52:16,754 --> 00:52:19,377 the fucking door opens and in comes. ... 1113 00:52:19,860 --> 00:52:24,865 [Danny] this fucking makeup, like, pounds of makeup on. 1114 00:52:24,969 --> 00:52:26,867 Like... [blehs] 1115 00:52:26,971 --> 00:52:29,076 [Danny] He's got two hookers. 1116 00:52:29,180 --> 00:52:31,631 Dressed to the nines, their ... 1117 00:52:31,734 --> 00:52:34,289 Two prostitutes who were the most on-the-nose casting 1118 00:52:34,392 --> 00:52:36,912 casting ever to take place on that stage. 1119 00:52:37,015 --> 00:52:38,396 And he smells! 1120 00:52:38,776 --> 00:52:41,641 [Danny] It's like when you're in an elevator with, like, 1121 00:52:41,744 --> 00:52:45,300 "What the fuck is this?" Holy shit. 1122 00:52:45,403 --> 00:52:48,165 That room suddenly became like... [whoops] 1123 00:52:49,718 --> 00:52:51,582 [wheals] 1124 00:52:51,685 --> 00:52:53,342 And we're all, like... [squeals] 1125 00:52:53,446 --> 00:52:55,448 [music abruptly stops] 1126 00:52:55,931 --> 00:52:58,209 ...looking at this thing. 1127 00:52:58,313 --> 00:53:00,384 And I go out there and start rehearsing. 1128 00:53:01,454 --> 00:53:03,628 And, it's not gonna work. 1129 00:53:03,732 --> 00:53:06,838 [mimics Tony] "Yeah, you're big stars, are you? 1130 00:53:06,942 --> 00:53:09,703 You got a great show. Oh, wow, wow, wow. 1131 00:53:09,807 --> 00:53:13,535 Ooh, you're a big hit. You're a big, you're the best! 1132 00:53:13,638 --> 00:53:16,262 Oh, yeah, yeah. I got some notes. 1133 00:53:16,365 --> 00:53:18,125 And it, this shit..." 1134 00:53:18,229 --> 00:53:21,508 This is what kind of actor Tony Clifton was. 1135 00:53:21,612 --> 00:53:23,924 I remember the line, especially. It was like, 1136 00:53:24,028 --> 00:53:26,893 [mimics Tony] "You know Ma. Sometimes she's sad, 1137 00:53:26,996 --> 00:53:28,481 sometimes she's glad." 1138 00:53:28,584 --> 00:53:33,900 [mimics Tony] I mean, everything... 1139 00:53:34,003 --> 00:53:39,802 was talking... like that. 1140 00:53:39,906 --> 00:53:42,771 The cast will say, "We're getting our lawyers. 1141 00:53:42,874 --> 00:53:44,462 [Bob] Forget what's in the contract. 1142 00:53:44,566 --> 00:53:46,084 I'm not gonna look like an idiot 1143 00:53:46,188 --> 00:53:47,707 when we shoot this on Friday, 1144 00:53:47,810 --> 00:53:49,571 'cause Andy Kaufman's playing this character 1145 00:53:49,674 --> 00:53:51,297 and fucking everything up." 1146 00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:53,954 - [slow music playing] - And they were gonna kill him. 1147 00:54:06,001 --> 00:54:07,554 And now everybody's going, 1148 00:54:07,658 --> 00:54:10,971 "Wait a fucking minute. Are we gonna what?" 1149 00:54:11,386 --> 00:54:14,630 So we got Andy on the phone and explained to him 1150 00:54:14,734 --> 00:54:18,945 that it's just not working out. He can't act. He's just terrible 1151 00:54:19,048 --> 00:54:21,706 [George] Andy says, "I'll tell you what, you could fire Tony, 1152 00:54:21,810 --> 00:54:24,157 if you do it in front of everybody." 1153 00:54:24,261 --> 00:54:27,091 [James] To fire him live. 1154 00:54:27,194 --> 00:54:30,059 I knew that a bunch of it was a setup. 1155 00:54:30,163 --> 00:54:31,371 Some of it had to be. You know, 1156 00:54:31,475 --> 00:54:33,028 I was called and told to be there. 1157 00:54:33,131 --> 00:54:34,132 "Bring your camera." 1158 00:54:34,236 --> 00:54:35,582 Something was gonna happen. 1159 00:54:40,346 --> 00:54:42,279 [James] Ed came in and said 1160 00:54:42,382 --> 00:54:44,384 to Andy as Tony, 1161 00:54:44,488 --> 00:54:47,007 - "You're fired." - But he calls him Andy. 1162 00:54:47,111 --> 00:54:49,803 [Bob] And Clifton goes berserk because he's not Andy Kaufman. 1163 00:54:49,907 --> 00:54:52,496 [Danny mimics Tony] "I don't like Andy Kaufman at all!" 1164 00:54:52,599 --> 00:54:54,429 And Tony refused to go. 1165 00:54:54,532 --> 00:54:56,707 [mimics Tony] "I'm not leaving." 1166 00:55:00,331 --> 00:55:01,367 [car starting] 1167 00:55:01,470 --> 00:55:03,196 [Bob] Security is called. 1168 00:55:03,300 --> 00:55:05,509 They haul him off the set. 1169 00:55:25,529 --> 00:55:27,185 [Marilu] So we were a huge success. 1170 00:55:27,289 --> 00:55:29,360 This was a huge opportunity to us, 1171 00:55:29,464 --> 00:55:31,017 and then all of a sudden, 1172 00:55:31,120 --> 00:55:33,537 we have this insane situation, 1173 00:55:33,985 --> 00:55:35,780 [Marilu] totally giving into somebody 1174 00:55:35,884 --> 00:55:37,989 that we love and adore. And it's like, 1175 00:55:39,163 --> 00:55:41,234 "Why is..." [stutters] 1176 00:55:41,338 --> 00:55:42,477 Why? 1177 00:55:42,994 --> 00:55:45,825 I think it's to fuck me up, maybe. I don't know why. 1178 00:55:46,308 --> 00:55:49,553 [Bob] And by now, all the press is like, "Andy Kaufman 1179 00:55:49,656 --> 00:55:51,900 has lost his mind." 1180 00:55:52,003 --> 00:55:54,799 [Lorne] I couldn't really penetrate whether it was 1181 00:55:54,903 --> 00:55:57,526 what Tony wanted, what Andy wanted, 1182 00:55:57,630 --> 00:56:00,529 but the pictures were good, and I thought 1183 00:56:00,633 --> 00:56:03,843 his sense of humor about it was great. 1184 00:56:05,120 --> 00:56:07,225 - [director] Thanks. - Remember those photos? 1185 00:56:07,329 --> 00:56:09,193 - [Bob] Absolutely. Yeah. - It was like, 1186 00:56:09,296 --> 00:56:10,746 [Lorne] yeah, I know, and I'm going, 1187 00:56:10,850 --> 00:56:12,472 so you wanna show me these pictures, 1188 00:56:12,576 --> 00:56:14,163 but Tony got into trouble 1189 00:56:14,267 --> 00:56:16,649 and he got thrown off the lot. But are the hookers real? 1190 00:56:16,752 --> 00:56:18,478 - [Bob] Yeah, they were. - [Lorne] I'm sure. 1191 00:56:18,582 --> 00:56:20,238 But I'm saying, "But, Andy, did you, 1192 00:56:20,342 --> 00:56:22,758 did you know you were in Tony's body when this happened?" 1193 00:56:22,862 --> 00:56:23,897 [laughs] 1194 00:56:24,001 --> 00:56:25,520 [mysterious music plays] 1195 00:56:26,728 --> 00:56:29,213 [Laurie] Around 1978... 1196 00:56:29,869 --> 00:56:33,424 I met the comedian Andy Kaufman. 1197 00:56:33,528 --> 00:56:35,426 We became friends, 1198 00:56:35,909 --> 00:56:41,777 and I acted as Andy's straight man in clubs, and field trips. 1199 00:56:41,881 --> 00:56:43,503 We would go to Coney Island 1200 00:56:43,607 --> 00:56:45,954 to try out some of Andy's theories 1201 00:56:46,057 --> 00:56:47,921 on cutting-edge comedy. 1202 00:56:49,371 --> 00:56:52,132 We'd stand around the test your strength games, 1203 00:56:52,236 --> 00:56:55,239 the one with the big sledgehammer and the bell, 1204 00:56:55,688 --> 00:56:58,725 and Andy would make fun of all the guys 1205 00:56:58,829 --> 00:57:00,762 who were swinging away. 1206 00:57:01,279 --> 00:57:04,800 Finally, Andy would step up to the big thermometer 1207 00:57:04,904 --> 00:57:05,974 and take a swing. 1208 00:57:06,595 --> 00:57:09,356 Pong! And it just goes up like this. This far. Like, 1209 00:57:09,460 --> 00:57:14,292 [sizzles] "Try again, weakling." And he's like, 1210 00:57:14,396 --> 00:57:15,949 "This is rigged. I wanna see the manager." 1211 00:57:16,053 --> 00:57:17,813 And I was like, "Oh, God. This is so great." 1212 00:57:17,917 --> 00:57:19,712 [chuckles] And I'm just like, 1213 00:57:19,815 --> 00:57:22,059 "I know. The manager. Get the manager." It was, 1214 00:57:22,162 --> 00:57:23,612 [Laurie chuckles] 1215 00:57:23,716 --> 00:57:26,753 he was like the angel of opportunity. 1216 00:57:26,857 --> 00:57:30,723 Andy always chose the perfect moment to make people 1217 00:57:30,826 --> 00:57:32,379 squirm. 1218 00:57:32,932 --> 00:57:37,143 A cyst, in case you don't know, is a sort of collection of, 1219 00:57:37,246 --> 00:57:39,801 - it's a collection of pus. - [crowd laughing] 1220 00:57:39,904 --> 00:57:41,975 But for those in the audience who are just curious 1221 00:57:42,079 --> 00:57:44,599 or who doubt, I'm gonna give you all a chance, 1222 00:57:44,702 --> 00:57:46,739 those who would like to, to come up here 1223 00:57:46,842 --> 00:57:48,326 and you can touch the cyst. 1224 00:57:48,430 --> 00:57:50,674 [crowd laughing] 1225 00:57:52,365 --> 00:57:53,815 [Laurie] He wasn't looking for, 1226 00:57:53,918 --> 00:57:56,403 [claps] "Oh, wonderful. So smart." 1227 00:57:56,507 --> 00:57:58,267 He was looking for... 1228 00:57:58,371 --> 00:58:02,409 [making gross noises] 1229 00:58:02,513 --> 00:58:03,928 [Andy] Not too hard now. 1230 00:58:04,032 --> 00:58:06,137 - Just gently. - [woman 2] Squeeze it! 1231 00:58:06,241 --> 00:58:08,761 [Andy] No, no, no. Just gently, seriously. 1232 00:58:08,864 --> 00:58:10,694 [Laurie] He wanted a reaction, 1233 00:58:10,797 --> 00:58:12,109 to make them feel something. 1234 00:58:12,212 --> 00:58:14,042 Getting the opportunity to just go, uh, ah. 1235 00:58:14,145 --> 00:58:17,597 You know, "Let's see who you are and what you think, 1236 00:58:17,701 --> 00:58:19,461 and let me see if I can mess with it." 1237 00:58:19,565 --> 00:58:21,705 [Laurie] Are you for real? I mean, really. 1238 00:58:21,808 --> 00:58:23,292 - I mean, Is that real? - Okay. 1239 00:58:23,396 --> 00:58:24,570 [Laurie] Is that, I said-- 1240 00:58:24,673 --> 00:58:26,364 [woman 3] No! He's full of crap! 1241 00:58:26,468 --> 00:58:28,608 You're all full of crap, okay? 1242 00:58:28,712 --> 00:58:30,161 - [Laurie] I-- - Lady, you're full of crap. 1243 00:58:30,265 --> 00:58:32,232 Are you for real? Lady, are you for real? 1244 00:58:32,336 --> 00:58:35,891 [Laurie] The hardest part of working with Andy was in clubs 1245 00:58:35,995 --> 00:58:38,825 when I was the one who was supposed to be the heckler. 1246 00:58:38,929 --> 00:58:41,172 [Andy] What are you, women's lib? Look at that lady. 1247 00:58:41,276 --> 00:58:42,760 I should call her Women's Lip. 1248 00:58:42,864 --> 00:58:44,382 Always a lot of lip service. 1249 00:58:44,486 --> 00:58:46,557 I'm sitting there in the club just drinking whiskey 1250 00:58:46,661 --> 00:58:48,490 after whiskey, kind of working up my nerve 1251 00:58:48,594 --> 00:58:50,354 and hoping I would still hear the cue. 1252 00:58:50,457 --> 00:58:52,114 Want my respect? Earn it. 1253 00:58:52,218 --> 00:58:54,323 The day you can come up here and knock me down, 1254 00:58:54,427 --> 00:58:55,704 you'll get my respect. Till then, 1255 00:58:55,808 --> 00:58:57,257 stay in the kitchen. 1256 00:58:57,361 --> 00:59:00,502 That was my cue to get up... 1257 00:59:00,606 --> 00:59:02,435 I'd like to, okay. 1258 00:59:02,539 --> 00:59:05,507 ...and, you know, wrestle with him. 1259 00:59:05,611 --> 00:59:08,130 Get off the stage! Get off the stage. 1260 00:59:08,234 --> 00:59:10,167 - I'm not getting-- - Get off the stage. 1261 00:59:10,270 --> 00:59:12,272 Get off the... [scuffles] 1262 00:59:12,376 --> 00:59:15,103 - Oh - [crowd chattering] 1263 00:59:16,104 --> 00:59:19,003 I've always been attracted to bad boys, 1264 00:59:19,486 --> 00:59:22,800 [Laurie] and I also was attracted to the violence in Andy's work. 1265 00:59:22,904 --> 00:59:25,182 [Andy grunts] Just, why you, get... 1266 00:59:25,285 --> 00:59:28,219 Get out of here! Get your hands off me. Get your hands... 1267 00:59:28,323 --> 00:59:29,911 Get your hands off me. 1268 00:59:30,014 --> 00:59:34,329 We live in the most violent country in the world. 1269 00:59:34,432 --> 00:59:36,814 [crowd chattering] 1270 00:59:36,918 --> 00:59:39,783 [Laurie] So I really loved anybody 1271 00:59:39,886 --> 00:59:44,857 who would subvert this idea of this perfect American place. 1272 00:59:45,754 --> 00:59:47,238 He was a mirror. 1273 00:59:47,342 --> 00:59:50,310 [crowd booing] 1274 00:59:50,414 --> 00:59:53,382 And people didn't like what they saw a lot of the time. 1275 00:59:53,486 --> 00:59:56,972 [crowd cheering] 1276 00:59:57,076 --> 00:59:59,941 One day this happened. A woman, 1277 01:00:00,044 --> 01:00:04,393 postal service, walks in with a package for somebody. 1278 01:00:04,497 --> 01:00:06,223 And Andy all of a sudden 1279 01:00:06,326 --> 01:00:09,571 said, "Why are you taking that job from a man?" 1280 01:00:09,675 --> 01:00:12,022 "What, Andy? What, what, what?" 1281 01:00:12,125 --> 01:00:14,749 "Why are you, why? That's a man's job. 1282 01:00:14,852 --> 01:00:16,785 A man should be delivering packages. 1283 01:00:16,889 --> 01:00:19,270 You're putting some guy out of work." 1284 01:00:19,374 --> 01:00:22,791 He provoked her until he challenged her 1285 01:00:22,895 --> 01:00:26,830 to a wrestling match because she was, 1286 01:00:26,933 --> 01:00:31,006 should've been in the kitchen doing dishes. 1287 01:00:31,110 --> 01:00:33,699 What the fuck? 1288 01:00:33,802 --> 01:00:37,599 - [wrestling bell ringing] - [tense music playing] 1289 01:00:37,703 --> 01:00:39,774 [Andy] $10,000 to any woman 1290 01:00:39,877 --> 01:00:41,361 that can beat me in a wrestling match! 1291 01:00:41,465 --> 01:00:43,916 I'll take you right out of the audience. 1292 01:00:44,019 --> 01:00:47,367 - Get lost, baby. I'd beat you. - [crowd chattering] 1293 01:00:47,471 --> 01:00:51,648 You ever hear the screeching of tires on the car 1294 01:00:51,751 --> 01:00:54,305 and you listen to whether there's gonna be a crash? 1295 01:00:54,409 --> 01:00:57,032 [crowd cheering] 1296 01:00:57,136 --> 01:00:58,862 That's how it felt with Andy. 1297 01:00:59,621 --> 01:01:01,278 [crowd cheering] 1298 01:01:01,381 --> 01:01:03,383 [Andy] Before television, wrestlers used to go 1299 01:01:03,487 --> 01:01:06,317 from town to town and offer $500 to any man 1300 01:01:06,421 --> 01:01:08,699 that could last in the ring with him for three minutes, 1301 01:01:08,803 --> 01:01:10,667 but I couldn't challenge men in the audience 1302 01:01:10,770 --> 01:01:12,392 because I'd get beaten right away. 1303 01:01:12,496 --> 01:01:14,671 Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to wrestle tonight. 1304 01:01:14,774 --> 01:01:16,362 This is not a comedy routine. 1305 01:01:16,465 --> 01:01:17,846 [Andy] This is real. I am here 1306 01:01:17,950 --> 01:01:20,124 - to wrestle a woman. - [crowd cheering] 1307 01:01:20,228 --> 01:01:21,988 [Andy] So I figured if I challenge women, 1308 01:01:22,092 --> 01:01:24,232 there are enough women who are almost as big 1309 01:01:24,335 --> 01:01:25,958 or as big as me who they would have 1310 01:01:26,061 --> 01:01:28,029 a good chance to beat me. 1311 01:01:28,132 --> 01:01:30,756 Even if a woman was to train hard for a long time, 1312 01:01:30,859 --> 01:01:32,723 I don't think she'd be physically capable, 1313 01:01:32,827 --> 01:01:33,862 and also, a woman 1314 01:01:33,966 --> 01:01:35,519 isn't mentally capable to-- 1315 01:01:35,622 --> 01:01:37,555 - [crowd booing] - No, no, no, wait! 1316 01:01:37,659 --> 01:01:39,109 Because you really need a certain, 1317 01:01:39,212 --> 01:01:42,215 you really need a certain kind of way of thinking. 1318 01:01:42,319 --> 01:01:44,217 - [inaudible] - [crowd chattering] 1319 01:01:44,321 --> 01:01:46,564 [Andy] I'm not saying women are mentally inferior 1320 01:01:46,668 --> 01:01:48,463 to men because when it comes to things 1321 01:01:48,566 --> 01:01:51,604 like cooking and cleaning, washing the potatoes, 1322 01:01:51,708 --> 01:01:54,711 scrubbing the carrots, raising the babies, mopping the floors, 1323 01:01:54,814 --> 01:01:56,540 they have it all over men. 1324 01:01:56,643 --> 01:01:59,232 Let's get some competition here! 1325 01:01:59,336 --> 01:02:03,098 I have the brains. The man has the brains. 1326 01:02:03,616 --> 01:02:05,514 [wrestling announcer] Blatant kick in the stomach. 1327 01:02:05,618 --> 01:02:08,863 He spoke of his mother before. I wonder where she is now. 1328 01:02:08,966 --> 01:02:10,899 I'll send you back to the kitchen where you belong. 1329 01:02:11,003 --> 01:02:12,970 I'll have you scrubbing the potatoes and washing, 1330 01:02:13,074 --> 01:02:15,214 washing carrots... [imitates teasing sounds] 1331 01:02:15,317 --> 01:02:18,182 [continues making teasing sounds] 1332 01:02:18,286 --> 01:02:21,254 raising the little baby, because that's where you belong, ladies. 1333 01:02:21,358 --> 01:02:23,222 [wrestling announcer] It's sick. You gotta wonder 1334 01:02:23,325 --> 01:02:27,019 what kind of misogynist lurks inside this guy's mind. 1335 01:02:34,716 --> 01:02:36,028 - [Andy] Wanna see us dance? - Yeah. 1336 01:02:36,131 --> 01:02:37,443 - I wanna see that. - [Andy] Okay. 1337 01:02:37,546 --> 01:02:39,479 [slow music playing] 1338 01:02:42,344 --> 01:02:44,174 [Joe] A little display of affection from a man 1339 01:02:44,277 --> 01:02:47,246 who really and truly adores his grandmother. 1340 01:02:52,113 --> 01:02:53,735 [Bob] So now I'm gonna go back a little 1341 01:02:53,839 --> 01:02:55,737 to Kaufman's childhood again, 1342 01:02:55,841 --> 01:02:57,566 when he's a little boy. 1343 01:02:57,670 --> 01:02:59,327 His grandma Pearl, 1344 01:02:59,430 --> 01:03:01,225 [Bob chuckles] for some reason, this little, 1345 01:03:01,329 --> 01:03:04,677 this woman was into professional wrestling, 1346 01:03:04,781 --> 01:03:08,232 and she would take to him to Madison Square Garden. 1347 01:03:08,336 --> 01:03:10,027 [crowd cheering] 1348 01:03:11,201 --> 01:03:13,548 [Bob] Back then, when Andy was a little boy, 1349 01:03:14,031 --> 01:03:17,310 they made the audience believe that that was real. 1350 01:03:17,414 --> 01:03:18,795 Pin him, pin him! 1351 01:03:19,450 --> 01:03:22,764 [Bob] So Andy's first sense of theatrics, 1352 01:03:22,868 --> 01:03:25,146 is not a Broadway show 1353 01:03:25,249 --> 01:03:27,355 where there's that fourth wall, 1354 01:03:27,734 --> 01:03:29,288 you know? You believed it. 1355 01:03:29,391 --> 01:03:32,567 [wrestling announcer] In this corner, Buddy Rogers! 1356 01:03:32,670 --> 01:03:34,258 [crowd cheering] 1357 01:03:34,362 --> 01:03:37,089 [Lynne] You know, Andy, he idolized 1358 01:03:37,192 --> 01:03:40,678 this wrestler named "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. 1359 01:03:41,265 --> 01:03:45,028 [Lynne] Buddy Rogers was the bad guy wrestler 1360 01:03:45,131 --> 01:03:48,203 who would taunt the audience. He was just horrible. 1361 01:03:48,652 --> 01:03:51,517 I remember the frenzy that he brought to the crowd. 1362 01:03:51,620 --> 01:03:55,348 He was the most magnetic, energetic, exciting, 1363 01:03:55,452 --> 01:03:57,143 I've never seen a crowd 1364 01:03:57,247 --> 01:04:00,388 - get that worked up over a man. - [interviewer] Oh, they did. 1365 01:04:00,491 --> 01:04:02,183 [Lynne] He wanted to be that bad guy wrestler, 1366 01:04:02,286 --> 01:04:05,048 and the more anger he got from the audience, 1367 01:04:05,151 --> 01:04:07,050 the funnier it was to him. 1368 01:04:07,153 --> 01:04:09,224 - [imitates chicken clucking] - [music playing] 1369 01:04:09,707 --> 01:04:13,677 [Pagani] He was being a classic wrestling heel. 1370 01:04:13,780 --> 01:04:15,852 They get to go, and for a few hours, 1371 01:04:15,955 --> 01:04:17,784 they see a guy who's a monster. 1372 01:04:17,888 --> 01:04:19,234 - [siren] - [Pagani] He represents 1373 01:04:19,338 --> 01:04:20,960 everything they hate in the world. 1374 01:04:21,064 --> 01:04:22,099 [Andy] I am from Hollywood. 1375 01:04:22,203 --> 01:04:24,067 I'll sue you, baby! 1376 01:04:24,170 --> 01:04:26,138 [Pagani] And they get to boo the shit out of him. 1377 01:04:26,241 --> 01:04:27,622 - [bell ringing] - [crowd booing] 1378 01:04:27,725 --> 01:04:28,657 [Pagani] Andy tells me, 1379 01:04:28,761 --> 01:04:29,969 "It's the most 1380 01:04:30,073 --> 01:04:31,591 perfect thing I'll ever do." 1381 01:04:32,040 --> 01:04:33,835 You've got a crowd hanging on your every word. 1382 01:04:33,939 --> 01:04:35,975 Shut up! I'm talking right now! 1383 01:04:36,079 --> 01:04:37,839 What started out as a joke a few years ago 1384 01:04:37,943 --> 01:04:39,254 as part of my concert act 1385 01:04:39,358 --> 01:04:41,291 now has become such a serious thing. 1386 01:04:41,394 --> 01:04:43,638 I'm now the World Intergender Wrestling Champion. 1387 01:04:43,741 --> 01:04:45,916 - This is no joke. This is really true. - [crowd applauding] 1388 01:04:46,020 --> 01:04:48,505 - He's not kidding. This is molded plastic. - And I... [coughs] 1389 01:04:48,608 --> 01:04:50,956 - [crowd laughing] - No, it's real. It's real. 1390 01:04:51,059 --> 01:04:53,406 [tense music playing] 1391 01:04:53,510 --> 01:04:56,754 [Andy] You fans who started booing and hissing me tonight, 1392 01:04:56,858 --> 01:04:59,688 don't try that again! I am a star, 1393 01:04:59,792 --> 01:05:02,829 and the next time I come here, I want you all to get down 1394 01:05:02,933 --> 01:05:05,556 on your knees and bow down to me 1395 01:05:05,660 --> 01:05:07,041 and if I pass you by, 1396 01:05:07,144 --> 01:05:09,560 - kiss my feet. - [man 3] Come on. 1397 01:05:09,664 --> 01:05:11,286 And this was the time 1398 01:05:11,390 --> 01:05:13,599 when women's lib was exploding. 1399 01:05:13,702 --> 01:05:15,221 [news intro music playing] 1400 01:05:15,325 --> 01:05:17,154 [reporter] A new movement for women's liberation 1401 01:05:17,258 --> 01:05:19,639 is launched, and once again protesters 1402 01:05:19,743 --> 01:05:21,296 take to the street to support 1403 01:05:21,400 --> 01:05:23,574 their demands for total freedom. 1404 01:05:23,678 --> 01:05:27,613 God, man, woman, dog. 1405 01:05:28,338 --> 01:05:30,305 [director] Were you a fan of the wrestling? 1406 01:05:31,237 --> 01:05:32,445 No. 1407 01:05:32,549 --> 01:05:34,447 The fact that he'd always been such, to me, 1408 01:05:34,551 --> 01:05:36,242 a nice Jewish boy, 1409 01:05:36,346 --> 01:05:38,486 that he would be so violent with women 1410 01:05:38,900 --> 01:05:42,179 really shocked me. He was kind of breaking all the rules. 1411 01:05:42,283 --> 01:05:45,148 Was it feminist? Was it misogynistic? 1412 01:05:45,251 --> 01:05:47,978 - [Simmons] Was it humorous? - Hooray! 1413 01:05:48,082 --> 01:05:50,705 [Simmons] I think it's all of those things, 1414 01:05:50,808 --> 01:05:52,155 but I still didn't like it. 1415 01:05:52,258 --> 01:05:54,640 I think he's a stupid, little wimp weasel. 1416 01:05:55,123 --> 01:05:56,953 This guy's name is Andy Kaufman. 1417 01:05:57,056 --> 01:05:59,058 You may have seen him on Saturday Night Live 1418 01:05:59,162 --> 01:06:01,095 or in Taxi. He says 1419 01:06:01,198 --> 01:06:03,235 he can beat any woman at wrestling. 1420 01:06:03,338 --> 01:06:04,857 [male reporter] More than 900 females 1421 01:06:04,961 --> 01:06:06,376 from all over the country disagree 1422 01:06:06,479 --> 01:06:07,964 with the funny man, and are ready 1423 01:06:08,067 --> 01:06:09,517 - to take him on. - [thumps] 1424 01:06:09,620 --> 01:06:11,139 [man 4] This is from a current issue 1425 01:06:11,243 --> 01:06:12,934 of Rolling Stone about Andy's career. 1426 01:06:13,038 --> 01:06:15,212 Andy is a serious threat to the moral climate 1427 01:06:15,316 --> 01:06:16,731 of the United States of America. 1428 01:06:16,834 --> 01:06:19,665 They bought it hook, line, and sinker. They never thought, 1429 01:06:19,768 --> 01:06:21,115 "Oh, is this an act?" 1430 01:06:21,218 --> 01:06:23,462 This type of smut being on the airwaves. 1431 01:06:23,565 --> 01:06:26,672 This should never be shown on public network television. 1432 01:06:26,775 --> 01:06:28,225 [Andy] That was wrestling match. 1433 01:06:28,329 --> 01:06:30,641 Giving women an equal chance 1434 01:06:30,745 --> 01:06:32,333 to compete with a man. 1435 01:06:32,436 --> 01:06:33,920 [Lynne] If they thought it was an act, 1436 01:06:34,024 --> 01:06:35,715 they thought it was a terrible act. 1437 01:06:35,819 --> 01:06:37,372 I just thought he was misguided. 1438 01:06:37,476 --> 01:06:39,616 He's a real nerd. A real jerk. [laughs] 1439 01:06:39,719 --> 01:06:42,067 They wanted sweet Latka. 1440 01:06:42,170 --> 01:06:45,139 [crowd cheering] 1441 01:06:45,242 --> 01:06:47,348 And so they'd see this other stuff, 1442 01:06:48,590 --> 01:06:51,835 and they'd say, "Oh, my God. That's so awful." 1443 01:06:51,938 --> 01:06:57,254 I will pay $1,000 to any woman that will beat me in this ring! 1444 01:06:57,806 --> 01:07:04,158 And as an extra prize, she will get to marry me! 1445 01:07:05,400 --> 01:07:06,712 I think a lot of people got it, 1446 01:07:06,815 --> 01:07:08,817 but a lot of people didn't get it at all, 1447 01:07:08,921 --> 01:07:11,061 and they hated his guts. 1448 01:07:11,165 --> 01:07:12,856 [slow music playing] 1449 01:07:12,959 --> 01:07:16,722 [announcer] And now it's time for "The Going-Too-Far Corner." 1450 01:07:16,825 --> 01:07:18,827 [crowd applauding] 1451 01:07:18,931 --> 01:07:20,312 - Oh! - How are you? 1452 01:07:20,415 --> 01:07:22,762 - Nice to see you, Andy. - Nice to see you, too. 1453 01:07:22,866 --> 01:07:25,834 I've got a little thing I'm gonna show you here. 1454 01:07:25,938 --> 01:07:28,458 - Okay, you wanna do it for us? - Yes, it's just like... 1455 01:07:28,561 --> 01:07:30,770 - What is it? - It's eating eggs, 1456 01:07:30,874 --> 01:07:32,220 - you know? - Oh, it's a raw egg? 1457 01:07:32,324 --> 01:07:35,741 - Yeah, two of them. - Okay, let's see. 1458 01:07:35,844 --> 01:07:37,846 - [vomits] - [crowd disgusting] 1459 01:07:37,950 --> 01:07:40,815 - [crowd grossing out] - Oh... 1460 01:07:40,918 --> 01:07:43,128 [crowd laughing] 1461 01:07:44,060 --> 01:07:45,164 [vomits] 1462 01:07:45,544 --> 01:07:48,271 That's disgusting. He's gone too far. 1463 01:07:48,374 --> 01:07:51,446 - You could say that again. - Oh, no. I can't take this. 1464 01:07:51,550 --> 01:07:54,863 - [vomits] - [crowd grossing out] 1465 01:07:54,967 --> 01:07:57,452 Hi, I am Robin Kelly, 1466 01:07:57,556 --> 01:08:00,110 - AKA, the Red Snapper. - [music playing] 1467 01:08:00,214 --> 01:08:03,596 I was undefeated as a female mud wrestler. 1468 01:08:03,700 --> 01:08:05,391 [Robin] So I kind of had a following 1469 01:08:05,495 --> 01:08:07,531 when I walked in there to wrestle Andy. 1470 01:08:07,635 --> 01:08:11,156 Everybody knew that I was gonna be able to take him down. 1471 01:08:11,259 --> 01:08:13,917 Andy was a great wrestler. He was a fun wrestler. 1472 01:08:14,020 --> 01:08:16,471 He had the basics down. 1473 01:08:16,575 --> 01:08:19,405 [crowd cheering] 1474 01:08:19,509 --> 01:08:21,787 [Robin] If there's any doubt as to if pinned him or not, 1475 01:08:21,890 --> 01:08:23,547 just watch the clip. 1476 01:08:23,651 --> 01:08:26,309 [crowd cheering] 1477 01:08:27,310 --> 01:08:29,346 [Robin] The referee, Bob Zmuda, 1478 01:08:29,450 --> 01:08:32,177 came under considerable criticism 1479 01:08:32,280 --> 01:08:35,249 because it took him ten seconds to count to three. 1480 01:08:35,352 --> 01:08:36,629 She had her three minutes. Come on. 1481 01:08:36,733 --> 01:08:38,631 [woman 4] Fight, you goddamn asshole! 1482 01:08:38,735 --> 01:08:41,151 [crowd booing] 1483 01:08:41,255 --> 01:08:43,567 [Robin] At the time, I was a little upset 1484 01:08:43,671 --> 01:08:46,122 that Andy did not give me credit for pinning him. 1485 01:08:46,225 --> 01:08:47,675 But two days later, he called me 1486 01:08:47,778 --> 01:08:49,573 and we did some private wrestling. 1487 01:08:49,677 --> 01:08:50,988 [chuckles] 1488 01:08:51,644 --> 01:08:53,750 [Robin] So I got my payment out of him. 1489 01:08:53,853 --> 01:08:55,855 [hallow music playing] 1490 01:08:59,342 --> 01:09:01,551 [Robin] Wrestling is very sexual, 1491 01:09:01,654 --> 01:09:04,381 whether people wanna admit it or not. 1492 01:09:08,144 --> 01:09:10,456 You know, they got ass in their face. 1493 01:09:10,560 --> 01:09:12,941 [laughs] They got balls in their face. 1494 01:09:14,322 --> 01:09:16,255 Needless to say, a super turn-on. ... 1495 01:09:17,843 --> 01:09:21,398 [Robin] because it was all about control. 1496 01:09:21,502 --> 01:09:23,089 [wrestling announcer] His poor shoulder. 1497 01:09:23,193 --> 01:09:25,471 Look at the agonized look on his face. 1498 01:09:25,575 --> 01:09:28,750 [Robin] The reason that Andy only wrestled women was 1499 01:09:28,854 --> 01:09:32,340 because he knew for a fact it would get him laid. 1500 01:09:32,444 --> 01:09:35,757 I think that was genius, actually. [laughs] 1501 01:09:39,692 --> 01:09:43,351 You know, were we a couple? Were we dating? 1502 01:09:43,455 --> 01:09:47,493 I mean, I never, Andy was with a lot of women. 1503 01:09:47,597 --> 01:09:49,702 He was kind of a sex addict in a way. 1504 01:09:49,806 --> 01:09:51,773 [frenzy music playing] 1505 01:09:51,877 --> 01:09:55,121 [Pamela] He didn't have the ability to really be intimate. 1506 01:09:55,674 --> 01:09:57,469 I used to jokingly say to him, 1507 01:09:57,572 --> 01:10:01,507 "Andy, isn't there gonna be any intimacy after sex?" 1508 01:10:01,611 --> 01:10:04,924 And so Andy would look at his watch, and he'd say, 1509 01:10:05,028 --> 01:10:08,134 "Okay. I'm gonna give you a minute of intimacy." 1510 01:10:08,238 --> 01:10:09,653 And then he would say, 1511 01:10:10,033 --> 01:10:12,656 [Pamela] "My little creampuff, my little lampshade," 1512 01:10:12,760 --> 01:10:15,176 and he would just kind of mimic this character 1513 01:10:15,280 --> 01:10:16,557 who was giving intimacy. 1514 01:10:16,660 --> 01:10:18,386 And then he'd say, "Oh, minute's up. 1515 01:10:18,490 --> 01:10:21,009 - Let's go to breakfast." - [crowd cheering] 1516 01:10:21,113 --> 01:10:25,290 [Pamela] Andy had a way of getting his needs met. 1517 01:10:25,393 --> 01:10:29,259 He was playing out his psychological issues 1518 01:10:29,363 --> 01:10:32,193 and letting the chips fall where they may. 1519 01:10:32,780 --> 01:10:36,197 [Andy] For the last year and a half, 50 matches undefeated 1520 01:10:36,301 --> 01:10:39,373 against women from all over the country. 1521 01:10:39,476 --> 01:10:42,617 - [wrestling sounds] - [crowd cheering] 1522 01:10:42,721 --> 01:10:44,378 [male anchor] Kaufman says if he loses, 1523 01:10:44,481 --> 01:10:46,621 he will give the girls $1,000, 1524 01:10:46,725 --> 01:10:49,245 quit wrestling, and shave his head. 1525 01:10:49,348 --> 01:10:52,178 - Pat. - Oh, I just love a guy like that. 1526 01:10:52,282 --> 01:10:56,321 In Israel, a rabbinical court has ordered a 32-year-old man 1527 01:10:56,424 --> 01:10:59,841 to have sexual relations with his wife or pay 1528 01:10:59,945 --> 01:11:03,397 36 grains of silver a week until he does. 1529 01:11:03,500 --> 01:11:06,400 Should the husband disobey the three rabbi panel, 1530 01:11:06,503 --> 01:11:09,023 the woman would become eligible for a divorce. 1531 01:11:09,126 --> 01:11:11,991 Asked why he refuses to have relations with his wife, 1532 01:11:12,095 --> 01:11:15,063 the man told the rabbis, "I'm fed up with her." 1533 01:11:15,167 --> 01:11:17,928 [news outro music playing] 1534 01:11:18,377 --> 01:11:20,552 He was beginning to lose the power 1535 01:11:20,655 --> 01:11:24,694 to please us a little bit with his perverse tricks. 1536 01:11:24,797 --> 01:11:27,731 He was kind of desperately reaching for a new idea 1537 01:11:27,835 --> 01:11:31,183 or a new thought that would take him up to the top again. 1538 01:11:31,287 --> 01:11:33,875 [slow music playing] 1539 01:11:33,979 --> 01:11:38,224 He'd gone onto a whole other realm of alienating comedy. 1540 01:11:38,328 --> 01:11:40,054 [crowd laughing] 1541 01:11:40,157 --> 01:11:42,677 - Thank you very much. - [Bob] Thank you very much. 1542 01:11:42,781 --> 01:11:45,680 I am very happy to be here, 1543 01:11:45,784 --> 01:11:48,269 but one thing I don't like about New York... 1544 01:11:48,373 --> 01:11:50,961 - Is the traffic. - [Andy] is too much traffic. 1545 01:11:51,065 --> 01:11:52,860 And it was so much traffic 1546 01:11:52,963 --> 01:11:55,241 it took me an hour and a half to get here. 1547 01:11:55,345 --> 01:11:57,589 [crowd laughing] 1548 01:11:59,107 --> 01:12:00,246 - [Bob] Go ahead. - What? 1549 01:12:00,350 --> 01:12:01,282 If you did new material, 1550 01:12:01,386 --> 01:12:02,248 I wouldn't know what 1551 01:12:02,352 --> 01:12:03,388 you're gonna do next. 1552 01:12:03,802 --> 01:12:06,425 I have a lot of new stuff that I could do. 1553 01:12:06,529 --> 01:12:08,427 [Bob] Okay, fine, I'll shut up then. 1554 01:12:08,531 --> 01:12:11,050 Do something new. [chuckles] 1555 01:12:11,499 --> 01:12:12,811 [Andy] What do you... 1556 01:12:12,914 --> 01:12:14,916 [somber music playing] 1557 01:12:17,678 --> 01:12:18,955 I have nothing new. 1558 01:12:19,058 --> 01:12:20,922 [sobs] You know, 1559 01:12:21,026 --> 01:12:22,614 I was trying-- 1560 01:12:22,717 --> 01:12:25,306 [Bob] See, now this is the old crying routine, bombing. 1561 01:12:25,410 --> 01:12:28,067 I thought I would do my best today. 1562 01:12:28,171 --> 01:12:30,415 - [Andy] I just... - ...from my room. 1563 01:12:30,518 --> 01:12:32,313 - You've seen me do that? - [Bob] Yes! 1564 01:12:32,417 --> 01:12:34,591 People were losing their patience. 1565 01:12:34,695 --> 01:12:37,111 [Bob] Look, I don't consider wrestling women 1566 01:12:37,214 --> 01:12:39,700 to be funny, to be creative. 1567 01:12:39,803 --> 01:12:42,116 - [crowd applauding] - Okay. Let me just ask you-- 1568 01:12:42,219 --> 01:12:44,946 If Taxigoes off the air, what are you possibly gonna do? 1569 01:12:45,050 --> 01:12:47,052 - Many things. - [Bob] You can't do movies. 1570 01:12:47,155 --> 01:12:48,398 - [Andy] Why not? - Come on. 1571 01:12:48,502 --> 01:12:49,572 What was your last movie? 1572 01:12:49,675 --> 01:12:50,642 - Heartbeeps? - Yeah. 1573 01:12:50,745 --> 01:12:52,816 A piece of shit. That was a bomb. 1574 01:12:53,299 --> 01:12:55,025 Charm computes as an irrelevant exchange 1575 01:12:55,129 --> 01:12:56,475 of random data. 1576 01:12:56,579 --> 01:12:58,581 Therefore it cannot increase efficiency, 1577 01:12:58,684 --> 01:12:59,616 correct? 1578 01:13:01,377 --> 01:13:05,070 - It's about as thrilling as a cold potato pancake. - I think it's a terrible film. 1579 01:13:05,173 --> 01:13:07,659 [Andy] I was considered a very original comic. 1580 01:13:07,762 --> 01:13:09,868 [Bob] And "was" is the key word right there. 1581 01:13:09,971 --> 01:13:11,352 You said it yourself. 1582 01:13:11,732 --> 01:13:13,492 He did wanna be a success, 1583 01:13:13,596 --> 01:13:15,529 but he wanted to do it on his terms. 1584 01:13:15,632 --> 01:13:17,634 I can't imagine he didn't care about the fact 1585 01:13:17,738 --> 01:13:19,533 that it was coming apart at the seams. 1586 01:13:19,636 --> 01:13:22,605 [male announcer] Live from the Las Angeles Basin... 1587 01:13:22,708 --> 01:13:25,780 [Michael] This was Fridays. A late-night comedy show. 1588 01:13:25,884 --> 01:13:28,576 And Andy Kaufman was our guest star for the week. 1589 01:13:28,680 --> 01:13:30,820 You know, ladies and gentlemen, this is live, you know, 1590 01:13:30,923 --> 01:13:33,754 and I've never hosted a show live before, but, 1591 01:13:33,857 --> 01:13:36,584 but I just realized I can do anything I want up here 1592 01:13:36,688 --> 01:13:38,241 and they can't do anything to me. 1593 01:13:38,344 --> 01:13:40,830 - [laughs] - [crowd applauding, cheering] 1594 01:13:40,933 --> 01:13:42,348 [Melanie] At a certain point, 1595 01:13:42,452 --> 01:13:44,281 maybe out of desperation 1596 01:13:44,385 --> 01:13:45,938 or contempt, 1597 01:13:46,042 --> 01:13:47,457 he began to kind of 1598 01:13:47,561 --> 01:13:49,045 shit where he slept. 1599 01:13:49,563 --> 01:13:51,530 [Melanie] For example, the last sketch, 1600 01:13:51,634 --> 01:13:53,083 which took place in a restaurant, 1601 01:13:53,187 --> 01:13:54,464 we're sitting at the table. 1602 01:13:54,568 --> 01:13:56,604 [crowd laughing] 1603 01:13:59,020 --> 01:14:01,264 He had a line, and he wasn't delivering the line, 1604 01:14:01,367 --> 01:14:03,300 and we sat there for a while. 1605 01:14:03,784 --> 01:14:05,889 - [Michael] Just say it. - [all laughing] 1606 01:14:06,338 --> 01:14:07,615 I feel really stupid. 1607 01:14:07,719 --> 01:14:09,962 - You feel stupid? - Yeah. 1608 01:14:10,066 --> 01:14:11,585 [Melanie] We were Andy's prisoners, 1609 01:14:11,688 --> 01:14:13,379 and whatever he wanted to do with us 1610 01:14:13,483 --> 01:14:14,795 we would have to do. 1611 01:14:14,898 --> 01:14:16,452 - [tense music] - [waves crash] 1612 01:14:16,555 --> 01:14:18,592 [Melanie] I began to feel sorry for him. 1613 01:14:18,695 --> 01:14:21,974 I wasn't sure anymore who his audience was. 1614 01:14:22,078 --> 01:14:25,150 [crowd cheering, whistling, applauding] 1615 01:14:39,647 --> 01:14:41,580 Bobby, go to commercial, man! 1616 01:14:41,684 --> 01:14:43,962 What? Why do you have to be such a... 1617 01:14:44,065 --> 01:14:46,516 - What? What? What? - What? What? 1618 01:14:47,241 --> 01:14:48,794 Come on, man! 1619 01:14:51,072 --> 01:14:53,109 [Andy] I'd like to take on his lady right here. 1620 01:14:53,212 --> 01:14:56,077 Come on. Okay, come on. We'll move the cameras out. 1621 01:14:56,181 --> 01:14:58,424 What now? How else are you gonna wreck your career? 1622 01:14:58,528 --> 01:15:00,530 - [woman 4] Yeah! - [chuckles] 1623 01:15:00,634 --> 01:15:02,394 - It was all... [grunts] - [crowd cheering] 1624 01:15:02,498 --> 01:15:04,465 [Howard] You're making it difficult, Andy. 1625 01:15:04,569 --> 01:15:06,156 - Difficult. - [Danny] But 1626 01:15:06,260 --> 01:15:08,089 could she have been a plant? 1627 01:15:08,193 --> 01:15:11,507 [reporter] So which character is the real Andy Kaufman? 1628 01:15:11,610 --> 01:15:13,370 [Melanie] It was all real, 1629 01:15:13,785 --> 01:15:15,511 - but it was not in a. ... - [music stops] 1630 01:15:16,166 --> 01:15:18,997 - Everything he pulled off was real, - [music continues] 1631 01:15:19,100 --> 01:15:22,414 but it was just not a socially conventional reality 1632 01:15:22,518 --> 01:15:24,450 that we had all agreed to. 1633 01:15:24,554 --> 01:15:26,176 [exhales] It was wild. 1634 01:15:26,280 --> 01:15:28,247 Because back in 1981, 1635 01:15:28,351 --> 01:15:30,698 this was something that no one had ever done, 1636 01:15:30,802 --> 01:15:32,389 - broken the fourth wall. - [music ends] 1637 01:15:32,493 --> 01:15:33,667 Can I help you? 1638 01:15:35,013 --> 01:15:36,601 Oh, um... 1639 01:15:39,880 --> 01:15:42,399 - How much is this one? - It's about $900. 1640 01:15:42,503 --> 01:15:46,852 [whistles] Wow, that's, uh... 1641 01:15:50,580 --> 01:15:52,064 All right, I'll think about it. 1642 01:15:53,031 --> 01:15:54,757 [reporter] Have you ever got stuck 1643 01:15:54,860 --> 01:15:56,034 in one of your characters? 1644 01:15:56,137 --> 01:15:57,345 No. 1645 01:15:58,105 --> 01:16:00,659 And if I do get stuck [clears throat] in a character, 1646 01:16:00,763 --> 01:16:02,074 it's a wonderful thing. 1647 01:16:02,178 --> 01:16:03,420 [upbeat music playing] 1648 01:16:03,524 --> 01:16:04,905 You see? 1649 01:16:05,008 --> 01:16:06,872 [wrestling announcer] The winner, Andy! 1650 01:16:06,976 --> 01:16:08,702 [Andy] At the start, if you look closely, 1651 01:16:08,805 --> 01:16:10,393 you can see she was even taking advice 1652 01:16:10,496 --> 01:16:12,222 from the great Jerry Lawler. 1653 01:16:12,326 --> 01:16:13,741 Even with Jerry Lawler's advice, 1654 01:16:13,845 --> 01:16:15,087 she still couldn't do it. 1655 01:16:15,191 --> 01:16:17,365 - [crowd cheering] - [bell ringing] 1656 01:16:17,469 --> 01:16:20,610 [indistinct shouting] 1657 01:16:23,751 --> 01:16:25,270 [wrestling announcer] Wow, ha. 1658 01:16:25,373 --> 01:16:26,651 [Dennis] Like a jazz musician, 1659 01:16:26,754 --> 01:16:28,307 he had a plan, 1660 01:16:28,411 --> 01:16:30,102 but improvised 1661 01:16:30,206 --> 01:16:31,863 and changed like that. 1662 01:16:31,966 --> 01:16:34,279 So Andy did, he took it one step further. 1663 01:16:34,382 --> 01:16:35,970 You know what, Mr. Lawler? 1664 01:16:36,074 --> 01:16:37,454 I've heard what you've been saying 1665 01:16:37,558 --> 01:16:39,595 on television. You wanna wrestle me? 1666 01:16:39,698 --> 01:16:41,942 You wanna wrestle me Memphis style? 1667 01:16:42,321 --> 01:16:44,358 Well, Andy, I got news for you. I'm gonna show you 1668 01:16:44,461 --> 01:16:47,154 what it's like to be a real professional wrestler. 1669 01:16:47,257 --> 01:16:49,950 Because it's very different from climbing in the ring with women 1670 01:16:50,053 --> 01:16:51,745 when you're in the ring with me. 1671 01:16:51,848 --> 01:16:54,092 I'm gonna wipe the floor with you, Mr. Lawler! 1672 01:16:54,195 --> 01:16:56,750 I'll give you a little sample. This is what's gonna happen 1673 01:16:56,853 --> 01:16:59,925 when you and I wrestle each other in Memphis. 1674 01:17:00,857 --> 01:17:03,964 Come here. What's your name? 1675 01:17:04,067 --> 01:17:05,068 Susan. 1676 01:17:06,345 --> 01:17:07,657 How tall are you, Susan? 1677 01:17:07,761 --> 01:17:08,831 Six foot. 1678 01:17:08,934 --> 01:17:10,315 And how much do you weigh? 1679 01:17:10,418 --> 01:17:11,661 327. 1680 01:17:11,765 --> 01:17:13,974 327 pounds. 1681 01:17:14,077 --> 01:17:16,562 That's a lot more than you weigh, Lawler, okay? 1682 01:17:16,666 --> 01:17:18,288 Watch this. Let's go. 1683 01:17:18,392 --> 01:17:21,050 [wrestling noises] 1684 01:17:21,567 --> 01:17:25,606 [pants] 1685 01:17:25,710 --> 01:17:27,677 [pants] Come on, baby! 1686 01:17:27,781 --> 01:17:29,575 That's what's gonna happen to you, Lawler! 1687 01:17:29,679 --> 01:17:31,750 - See? Come on, baby! - You're hitting her head. 1688 01:17:31,854 --> 01:17:33,579 - Come on. - You're hitting her head. 1689 01:17:34,028 --> 01:17:35,616 Andy, I think you really hurt her. 1690 01:17:35,720 --> 01:17:37,135 It doesn't matter. She has no money. 1691 01:17:37,238 --> 01:17:39,102 - Are you okay? - She's poor. She can't sue me. 1692 01:17:39,206 --> 01:17:41,346 - [upbeat music playing] - [crowd cheering] 1693 01:17:43,106 --> 01:17:46,213 [Andy] Until I hear silence I do not get in the ring! 1694 01:17:46,316 --> 01:17:48,042 [indistinct shouting] 1695 01:17:48,146 --> 01:17:50,286 [Andy] I want complete silence 1696 01:17:50,389 --> 01:17:53,772 - right now! Complete silence! - [bell ringing] 1697 01:17:55,187 --> 01:17:56,844 [wrestling announcer] And here he comes. 1698 01:17:59,019 --> 01:18:03,161 He's going at it. He says he does this hours at a time. 1699 01:18:08,131 --> 01:18:09,029 Whoa, there. 1700 01:18:10,030 --> 01:18:14,068 He's gonna take it on a suplex. 1701 01:18:14,897 --> 01:18:17,520 And there goes Kaufman. 1702 01:18:17,623 --> 01:18:19,798 Only the second move by Lawler, 1703 01:18:19,902 --> 01:18:22,387 - and bang goes Kaufman. - [bell ringing] 1704 01:18:23,629 --> 01:18:24,976 Kaufman is talking 1705 01:18:25,079 --> 01:18:27,979 - but he is not moving. - [crowd shouting] 1706 01:18:28,082 --> 01:18:29,981 [woman 5] No wonder you wrestle women! 1707 01:18:30,084 --> 01:18:32,431 You can't handle it when it's a man! 1708 01:18:32,535 --> 01:18:34,330 [siren wailing] 1709 01:18:36,090 --> 01:18:38,058 [male anchor] Kaufman is in the intensive care unit 1710 01:18:38,161 --> 01:18:40,923 at St. Francis Hospital. He has had a battery of tests. 1711 01:18:41,440 --> 01:18:44,133 I always thought wrestling wasn't real. But apparently, 1712 01:18:44,236 --> 01:18:46,376 I guess, at this least one was. 1713 01:18:46,791 --> 01:18:48,689 [Lynne] He started to suck you in, 1714 01:18:48,793 --> 01:18:50,139 and even if you knew, 1715 01:18:50,242 --> 01:18:52,175 if something in your mind you're going, 1716 01:18:52,279 --> 01:18:55,178 "Nah, this is an act" he'd hold it long enough 1717 01:18:55,282 --> 01:18:58,768 that you're going, like, "Wow. Maybe, is he...?" 1718 01:18:58,872 --> 01:19:00,390 [crowd applauding] 1719 01:19:00,494 --> 01:19:02,116 [Andy] I didn't realize that some people 1720 01:19:02,220 --> 01:19:03,911 don't have a sense of humor. 1721 01:19:04,015 --> 01:19:06,120 I'm not really sure what I wanna do. 1722 01:19:06,224 --> 01:19:08,467 I just know not to wrestle anymore. 1723 01:19:08,882 --> 01:19:10,021 I don't know if I even want 1724 01:19:10,124 --> 01:19:11,885 to do anything. I don't know. 1725 01:19:11,988 --> 01:19:14,232 We're going to pause here for station identification. 1726 01:19:14,335 --> 01:19:16,959 - Get the hoses out here. No, no. - [crowd cheering] 1727 01:19:17,062 --> 01:19:18,270 - [slaps] - [music stops] 1728 01:19:18,374 --> 01:19:20,169 ["Be Not So Fearful" song playing] 1729 01:19:21,515 --> 01:19:22,792 [bus honking] 1730 01:19:33,630 --> 01:19:36,288 ♪ Be not so nervous ♪ 1731 01:19:36,392 --> 01:19:40,396 ♪ Be not so frail ♪ 1732 01:19:40,499 --> 01:19:46,574 ♪ Someone watches you You will not fail ♪ 1733 01:19:48,231 --> 01:19:52,235 ♪ Be not so nervous Be not so frail ♪ 1734 01:19:55,445 --> 01:19:59,518 ♪ Be not so nervous Be not so frail ♪ 1735 01:19:59,898 --> 01:20:01,658 [Lynne] I was living in this area called 1736 01:20:01,762 --> 01:20:03,868 Hat Creek up in the mountains. 1737 01:20:04,454 --> 01:20:06,940 But I moved back to LA, and the day I got to LA 1738 01:20:07,043 --> 01:20:08,355 in my little Volkswagen Bug 1739 01:20:08,458 --> 01:20:11,082 with all my belongings in the back, 1740 01:20:11,185 --> 01:20:13,670 my brother Johnny Legend was shooting this video 1741 01:20:13,774 --> 01:20:16,156 calledMy Breakfast with Blassie. 1742 01:20:16,259 --> 01:20:19,538 Have you read the latest article on herpes? 1743 01:20:19,642 --> 01:20:20,954 Uh, no, but I heard about it. 1744 01:20:21,057 --> 01:20:22,576 Christ. It's terrible, I tell you. 1745 01:20:22,679 --> 01:20:23,680 - Butter? - Yeah. 1746 01:20:23,784 --> 01:20:24,923 [Lynne] And I said, "Well, 1747 01:20:25,027 --> 01:20:27,236 I'll come help." You know, what the heck? 1748 01:20:27,823 --> 01:20:31,309 [Lynne] They put us at a table behind them as extras. 1749 01:20:31,412 --> 01:20:32,793 They said, "Don't talk to them. 1750 01:20:32,897 --> 01:20:34,519 Just don't say anything. Just eat." 1751 01:20:34,622 --> 01:20:35,796 [Andy] Have a seat. 1752 01:20:35,900 --> 01:20:37,694 - Sit down, honey. - Sit down. 1753 01:20:37,798 --> 01:20:39,110 [Lynne] But in the middle of filming, 1754 01:20:39,213 --> 01:20:41,008 Andy and Fred pulled me in 1755 01:20:41,112 --> 01:20:43,183 [laughs] and had me sit at their table. 1756 01:20:43,286 --> 01:20:46,565 So I actually met Andy on tape 1757 01:20:46,669 --> 01:20:48,291 in My Breakfast with Blassie. 1758 01:20:48,395 --> 01:20:50,880 [laughs] That was our first meeting. 1759 01:20:50,984 --> 01:20:52,848 ♪ Be not so fearful ♪ 1760 01:20:52,951 --> 01:20:57,473 - ♪ Be not so pale ♪ - [indistinct talking] 1761 01:20:57,576 --> 01:20:59,889 [Lynne] I had no idea who Andy Kaufman even was. 1762 01:20:59,993 --> 01:21:02,167 I didn't watch TV. But it turns out 1763 01:21:02,271 --> 01:21:06,033 that our sense of humor was identical. 1764 01:21:06,137 --> 01:21:08,725 A lot of the time, I will mention to someone 1765 01:21:08,829 --> 01:21:10,520 that Andy Kaufman was my boyfriend 1766 01:21:10,624 --> 01:21:11,728 and a lot of women would go, 1767 01:21:11,832 --> 01:21:13,454 "Oh, my God! 1768 01:21:13,558 --> 01:21:17,458 I hated him. That wrestling was so horrible." 1769 01:21:17,838 --> 01:21:19,840 I thought it was funny. [chuckles] 1770 01:21:20,496 --> 01:21:23,913 We were kind of inseparable after that.[chuckles] 1771 01:21:27,261 --> 01:21:29,574 [Gary] Tonight, you people at home 1772 01:21:29,677 --> 01:21:32,094 are going to have the opportunity to participate 1773 01:21:32,197 --> 01:21:34,613 in a unique television event. 1774 01:21:34,717 --> 01:21:38,203 For tonight, you will decide whether one man 1775 01:21:38,307 --> 01:21:40,378 will ever appear on this show again. 1776 01:21:40,481 --> 01:21:44,347 - [crowd laughing] - That man is Andy Kaufman. 1777 01:21:45,935 --> 01:21:48,420 [George] Andy and Dick Ebersol, who was producing the show, 1778 01:21:48,524 --> 01:21:50,388 agreed to have a vote to determine 1779 01:21:50,491 --> 01:21:52,769 whether theSaturday Night Live audience 1780 01:21:52,873 --> 01:21:54,944 would ban him from the show. 1781 01:21:55,048 --> 01:21:56,566 [Eddie] Should Andy Kaufman be allowed 1782 01:21:56,670 --> 01:21:57,843 onSaturday Night Live ? 1783 01:21:57,947 --> 01:21:59,604 My answer would be no. 1784 01:21:59,707 --> 01:22:01,640 Well, I think he's funny, 1785 01:22:01,744 --> 01:22:03,988 but I think he's obnoxious. 1786 01:22:04,091 --> 01:22:06,231 - I don't understand him. - He's sick. 1787 01:22:06,335 --> 01:22:07,888 He's great. He's wonderful. 1788 01:22:07,992 --> 01:22:09,441 He's a jerk. [chuckles] 1789 01:22:09,545 --> 01:22:11,133 I think he's really hot. 1790 01:22:11,236 --> 01:22:14,205 [Lynne] Andy assumed he would get voted off, 1791 01:22:14,308 --> 01:22:15,965 so the whole thing was this put-on... 1792 01:22:16,069 --> 01:22:18,036 I never want to see his face on TV again. 1793 01:22:18,140 --> 01:22:20,107 [Lynne ] ... between him and Dick Ebersol. 1794 01:22:20,211 --> 01:22:21,902 [crowd applauding] 1795 01:22:22,006 --> 01:22:23,455 Hi, I'm Dick Ebersol, 1796 01:22:23,559 --> 01:22:25,492 Saturday Night Live's executive producer 1797 01:22:25,595 --> 01:22:26,596 [Lynne] They'd agreed. 1798 01:22:26,700 --> 01:22:28,253 They were gonna have a vote, 1799 01:22:28,357 --> 01:22:30,014 and they were going to say: 1800 01:22:30,117 --> 01:22:32,361 "Oh, we're never having Andy back on the show again." 1801 01:22:32,464 --> 01:22:34,225 And then later on, he was gonna come back in 1802 01:22:34,328 --> 01:22:37,642 like as Tony Clifton, as a washerwoman or something. 1803 01:22:37,745 --> 01:22:39,023 And then pull his wig off and go 1804 01:22:39,126 --> 01:22:40,438 "Ha, ha, ha, ha!" You know? 1805 01:22:40,541 --> 01:22:42,819 But then in fact when that happened, 1806 01:22:42,923 --> 01:22:45,063 Ebersol really didn't like Andy anymore. 1807 01:22:45,167 --> 01:22:47,583 And in my opinion, Andy Kaufman is not funny anymore. 1808 01:22:47,686 --> 01:22:49,447 - [crowd cheering] Yeah! - And I believe you, 1809 01:22:49,550 --> 01:22:51,552 - the audience here, agree with me. - [man 4] Yeah! 1810 01:22:51,656 --> 01:22:54,486 [Stanley] Of all the people in the world 1811 01:22:54,590 --> 01:22:57,489 that I have an intense dislike for, 1812 01:22:57,593 --> 01:22:59,802 Dick Ebersol would be number one. 1813 01:22:59,905 --> 01:23:02,011 [Dick] And I hope this sets the record straight. 1814 01:23:02,115 --> 01:23:04,945 Ebersol is the guy who discovered Kaufman. 1815 01:23:05,049 --> 01:23:06,982 [Bob] It wasn't Lorne Michaels. 1816 01:23:07,085 --> 01:23:09,950 It was Ebersol who went into the Improv. 1817 01:23:10,606 --> 01:23:13,160 [Bob] So in a way, it's Frankenstein and his monster. 1818 01:23:13,264 --> 01:23:14,990 So Ebersol went, "You son of a bitch. 1819 01:23:15,093 --> 01:23:16,750 I created you. I'm gonna destroy you." 1820 01:23:17,164 --> 01:23:21,548 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1821 01:23:21,651 --> 01:23:25,931 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1822 01:23:26,035 --> 01:23:30,833 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1823 01:23:30,936 --> 01:23:32,835 [George] Also, the meditation people, 1824 01:23:33,249 --> 01:23:35,389 had a problem with Andy's wrestling 1825 01:23:35,493 --> 01:23:37,426 and all of those other stunts. 1826 01:23:37,909 --> 01:23:40,325 [Lynne] They were saying his wrestling was not becoming 1827 01:23:40,429 --> 01:23:42,189 of someone in the movement 1828 01:23:42,293 --> 01:23:44,640 and they didn't want to be associated with him anymore. 1829 01:23:44,743 --> 01:23:46,021 [crowd laughing] 1830 01:23:46,124 --> 01:23:48,575 [Lynne] That was his anchor, you know? 1831 01:23:48,954 --> 01:23:50,680 Kicked him out basically. 1832 01:23:50,784 --> 01:23:52,682 "Really? What does that mean? 1833 01:23:52,786 --> 01:23:54,960 I mediate. 1834 01:23:55,064 --> 01:23:57,377 How did they kick me out of that?" 1835 01:23:57,894 --> 01:23:59,793 ♪ Whoa oh ♪ 1836 01:23:59,896 --> 01:24:02,071 [crowd cheering, applauding] 1837 01:24:02,175 --> 01:24:06,558 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1838 01:24:06,662 --> 01:24:09,044 You don't have anything new to do. 1839 01:24:09,147 --> 01:24:10,942 He can't even do Elvis. He needs a wig now 1840 01:24:11,046 --> 01:24:13,393 'cause he's losing his hair, to do Elvis. 1841 01:24:13,496 --> 01:24:17,569 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1842 01:24:17,673 --> 01:24:18,881 Ladies and gentlemen, 1843 01:24:18,984 --> 01:24:20,986 the moment of truth has arrived. 1844 01:24:21,090 --> 01:24:23,058 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1845 01:24:23,161 --> 01:24:25,060 ♪ I trusted you, I trusted you ♪ 1846 01:24:25,163 --> 01:24:27,165 [Gary] To keep Andy, ladies and gentlemen, 1847 01:24:27,648 --> 01:24:31,583 169,186 votes. 1848 01:24:31,687 --> 01:24:34,207 - [crowd applauding] - To dump Andy, 1849 01:24:34,310 --> 01:24:36,519 - One... - [crowd applauding] 1850 01:24:36,623 --> 01:24:40,489 ♪ I trusted you, ah I trusted you, ah ♪ 1851 01:24:40,592 --> 01:24:43,802 It was nothing but a double-cross. 1852 01:24:43,906 --> 01:24:46,426 Period. Exclamation point. 1853 01:24:46,529 --> 01:24:49,912 Sorry, Andy, you'll never be on Saturday Night Liveagain. 1854 01:24:50,015 --> 01:24:51,465 - Goodbye. - [Gary] Yeah! 1855 01:24:51,569 --> 01:24:54,468 - [Andy shouting] - [crowd cheering] 1856 01:24:56,712 --> 01:24:59,922 Hi, I'm Andy Kaufman, and as you probably know 1857 01:25:00,025 --> 01:25:01,579 I've been banned from Saturday Night Live 1858 01:25:01,682 --> 01:25:03,995 because of a poll that was taken on the show. 1859 01:25:04,547 --> 01:25:08,448 The only way I can get back on the air during the showtime 1860 01:25:08,551 --> 01:25:10,691 is to buy commercial time at my own expense. 1861 01:25:10,795 --> 01:25:12,417 Well, I can't afford to do that on the network, 1862 01:25:12,521 --> 01:25:14,178 so I'm going around to individual cities 1863 01:25:14,281 --> 01:25:15,903 until I reach everyone, hopefully. 1864 01:25:16,007 --> 01:25:19,424 I can only hope that in the near future there'll be... 1865 01:25:20,908 --> 01:25:24,843 another show that might allow me on the air. 1866 01:25:26,397 --> 01:25:28,916 If and when that happens, I don't know. 1867 01:25:29,020 --> 01:25:30,366 But until we meet again. 1868 01:25:30,470 --> 01:25:31,816 - [static sounds] - [Bob] And then 1869 01:25:31,919 --> 01:25:33,990 Taxi is taken off the air. 1870 01:25:34,094 --> 01:25:36,545 Everything starts falling apart. 1871 01:25:37,097 --> 01:25:39,962 Destroyed. His career's being destroyed. 1872 01:25:40,065 --> 01:25:42,861 And he's loving every minute of it. 1873 01:25:42,965 --> 01:25:45,140 You're so stupid, you people! 1874 01:25:45,243 --> 01:25:48,212 - You're so stupid. [laughs] - [woman 6 shouting] 1875 01:25:48,833 --> 01:25:50,938 [Dennis] The happiest moments of his life 1876 01:25:51,042 --> 01:25:52,285 were when he did that stuff. 1877 01:25:52,871 --> 01:25:55,391 People would be angry at me. "Why don't you talk to him? 1878 01:25:55,495 --> 01:25:56,668 Why do you let him do that?," 1879 01:25:56,772 --> 01:25:58,325 "Oh, you think I have any control? 1880 01:25:58,429 --> 01:25:59,568 You do realize it's an act?" 1881 01:25:59,671 --> 01:26:01,397 They'd say, "No, I saw him and..." 1882 01:26:01,777 --> 01:26:04,400 You know, they would, like, oh, God. 1883 01:26:04,504 --> 01:26:06,471 [Pagani] I know it sounds insane, 1884 01:26:06,575 --> 01:26:09,025 but everything in America is wrestling. 1885 01:26:09,129 --> 01:26:11,683 - [crowd cheering] - [wrestling bell ringing] 1886 01:26:11,787 --> 01:26:13,168 [tense music playing] 1887 01:26:13,271 --> 01:26:14,583 You're performing for an audience 1888 01:26:14,686 --> 01:26:16,792 that doesn't know it's watching a show. 1889 01:26:16,895 --> 01:26:19,104 Matter of fact, that is why he hired me tonight 1890 01:26:19,208 --> 01:26:20,865 to come here and criticize him. 1891 01:26:20,968 --> 01:26:23,902 [Bob] Am I a plant? Is this another Kaufman put-on? 1892 01:26:24,351 --> 01:26:27,596 [Pagani] You can't trust anything in our society. 1893 01:26:27,699 --> 01:26:29,218 People will stand there and tell you, 1894 01:26:29,322 --> 01:26:31,634 "I am the most devout Christian in the world." 1895 01:26:31,738 --> 01:26:33,671 And you go, "You fucked a pornstar." 1896 01:26:33,774 --> 01:26:35,880 But I am here as a favor to get the ratings to go up. 1897 01:26:35,983 --> 01:26:38,123 If not for me, there'd be no ratings on this show. 1898 01:26:38,227 --> 01:26:39,435 [Pagani] Everything is an act. 1899 01:26:39,539 --> 01:26:41,334 [tense music accelerates] 1900 01:26:42,576 --> 01:26:45,545 [Pagani] They laugh at us, we laugh at them. 1901 01:26:45,648 --> 01:26:46,304 Boo! 1902 01:26:46,408 --> 01:26:48,168 Everybody laughs. 1903 01:26:48,272 --> 01:26:50,619 You will never be able to get rid of me! 1904 01:26:50,722 --> 01:26:53,173 You can't get, you see my face? You don't like it? 1905 01:26:53,277 --> 01:26:55,140 You don't like it? Try and turn it off. 1906 01:26:55,244 --> 01:26:57,384 Try and turn it off. You can't do it. 1907 01:26:57,488 --> 01:26:59,075 Because I'm gonna be on every show. 1908 01:26:59,179 --> 01:27:01,526 And even you old ladies out there that voted against me, 1909 01:27:01,630 --> 01:27:03,114 I'm gonna be on your soap operas. 1910 01:27:03,218 --> 01:27:04,288 on your quiz shows, 1911 01:27:04,391 --> 01:27:05,841 your variety shows, your com-- 1912 01:27:05,944 --> 01:27:06,945 [police actor] Kaufman, 1913 01:27:07,049 --> 01:27:08,464 this'll teach you a lesson. 1914 01:27:08,568 --> 01:27:10,294 Keep your warped sense of humor here 1915 01:27:10,397 --> 01:27:12,434 - for a few years, you bum. - [waves crashing] 1916 01:27:12,537 --> 01:27:14,298 [Bob] Then we started talking and I said, 1917 01:27:14,401 --> 01:27:16,161 "Andy, who knows? Your career's over. 1918 01:27:16,265 --> 01:27:18,509 You should have something that you could fall back on." 1919 01:27:18,612 --> 01:27:20,476 - [seagulls squawking] - Oh, no. 1920 01:27:20,580 --> 01:27:22,823 Yes, it was hard. You know, he was pissed. 1921 01:27:24,722 --> 01:27:27,587 [Bob] But then slowly he realizes, 1922 01:27:27,690 --> 01:27:30,969 if you can destroy your own life, 1923 01:27:31,073 --> 01:27:31,970 you're in control. 1924 01:27:32,074 --> 01:27:33,627 [music playing] 1925 01:28:05,107 --> 01:28:08,248 Think of that, faking his death. 1926 01:28:08,628 --> 01:28:10,802 Where did Andy get that premise from? 1927 01:28:10,906 --> 01:28:12,114 His parents! 1928 01:28:12,217 --> 01:28:14,737 - [drums playing] - [crowd cheering] 1929 01:28:15,359 --> 01:28:18,741 [Bob] They faked Papu's death! 1930 01:28:18,845 --> 01:28:21,399 They faked it! They said he didn't die. 1931 01:28:21,503 --> 01:28:24,091 ♪ Row row row your boat ♪ 1932 01:28:24,195 --> 01:28:26,266 ♪ Gently down the stream ♪ 1933 01:28:26,680 --> 01:28:31,167 The lie, the cherished lie, can change reality. 1934 01:28:31,271 --> 01:28:34,170 - ♪ Merrily merrily merrily ♪ - ♪ Life...♪ 1935 01:28:34,274 --> 01:28:37,795 [Bob] Reality can always be maneuvered 1936 01:28:37,898 --> 01:28:39,521 and controlled. 1937 01:28:39,624 --> 01:28:41,177 This is very important. 1938 01:28:41,695 --> 01:28:43,766 ♪ Merrily merrily merrily ♪ 1939 01:28:43,870 --> 01:28:45,630 Oh, my God. 1940 01:28:45,734 --> 01:28:47,874 - [coughs] - [interviewer] Shortly-- - [woman 7] Quickly. 1941 01:28:47,977 --> 01:28:49,565 - [interviewer] Shortly after... - Yeah. 1942 01:28:49,669 --> 01:28:51,809 [interviewer] ...Andy began to, 1943 01:28:51,912 --> 01:28:53,742 - what? What are you gonna say? - Became ill. 1944 01:28:53,845 --> 01:28:55,295 [interviewer] Andy became ill. 1945 01:28:55,399 --> 01:28:56,676 And we really didn't realize 1946 01:28:56,779 --> 01:28:58,436 how serious it was at the time, 1947 01:28:58,540 --> 01:29:01,370 but it turned out to be very serious. 1948 01:29:01,474 --> 01:29:03,027 [interviewer] Then we're out of there. 1949 01:29:03,130 --> 01:29:05,443 I think, I think, you know... 1950 01:29:07,790 --> 01:29:08,515 [coughs] So... 1951 01:29:08,619 --> 01:29:09,999 And uh... [coughs] 1952 01:29:10,103 --> 01:29:12,312 Okay, who else wants [coughs] to come up here? 1953 01:29:12,416 --> 01:29:15,488 He just had this cough that wouldn't go away. 1954 01:29:16,074 --> 01:29:19,492 [George] We went over to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, 1955 01:29:19,595 --> 01:29:22,253 and they told him he had lung cancer. 1956 01:29:22,702 --> 01:29:24,807 He had large-cell carcinoma, 1957 01:29:24,911 --> 01:29:26,982 which is an aggressive lung cancer. 1958 01:29:27,085 --> 01:29:29,536 [Lynne] They told him, "We can't do anything about it. 1959 01:29:29,640 --> 01:29:31,642 You're gonna die. You're gonna die. 1960 01:29:31,745 --> 01:29:33,506 You have maybe six months left to live." 1961 01:29:33,609 --> 01:29:36,612 He calls me and tells me, "I have cancer." 1962 01:29:36,716 --> 01:29:38,062 My first reaction was, "Bullshit. 1963 01:29:38,165 --> 01:29:40,547 You don't have cancer. Don't do this to me. 1964 01:29:40,651 --> 01:29:42,031 I don't need this." 1965 01:29:42,515 --> 01:29:43,930 [Danny] This guy didn't smoke or drink, 1966 01:29:44,033 --> 01:29:47,278 ate health food, did yoga, was a TM guy. 1967 01:29:47,382 --> 01:29:49,349 It's a knock-out. Talking about the guy 1968 01:29:49,453 --> 01:29:51,903 who's pulling the rug out from under everybody 1969 01:29:52,007 --> 01:29:53,940 getting rug pulled out from under him. 1970 01:29:54,043 --> 01:29:55,976 [slow music playing] 1971 01:29:56,080 --> 01:29:58,841 [Lynne] It never occurred to him that he couldn't beat it. 1972 01:29:58,945 --> 01:30:01,741 He almost lived in this magical thinking kind of universe, 1973 01:30:01,844 --> 01:30:03,087 like, "I've got cancer. Okay, 1974 01:30:03,190 --> 01:30:04,709 I've just gotta get rid of it." 1975 01:30:04,813 --> 01:30:06,815 [Lynne] And so some friend of his 1976 01:30:06,918 --> 01:30:08,920 had called him and told him about 1977 01:30:09,024 --> 01:30:11,854 these faith healers in the Philippines. 1978 01:30:11,958 --> 01:30:14,339 You know, and he just said, "That sounds good." 1979 01:30:14,443 --> 01:30:16,480 [tense music playing] 1980 01:30:16,583 --> 01:30:18,723 [car engine working] 1981 01:30:50,065 --> 01:30:51,929 [thunders striking] 1982 01:30:52,032 --> 01:30:55,415 [Lynne] It was the spiritual manifestation of disease 1983 01:30:55,519 --> 01:30:57,452 is what he was pulling out of your body. 1984 01:31:03,216 --> 01:31:04,735 I mean, it was chicken guts. 1985 01:31:04,838 --> 01:31:06,530 [Lynne] He palms them, and then 1986 01:31:06,633 --> 01:31:07,945 does this and says 1987 01:31:08,048 --> 01:31:10,499 it's the spiritual manifestation of disease. 1988 01:31:11,293 --> 01:31:13,813 [Lynne] And I just kept an open mind, you know? 1989 01:31:13,916 --> 01:31:16,298 If Andy believes it, then... 1990 01:31:16,401 --> 01:31:18,058 The doctors can't do anything 1991 01:31:18,438 --> 01:31:20,751 so what the hell, you know? 1992 01:31:20,854 --> 01:31:23,305 We stayed in touch, and then he came back, 1993 01:31:23,408 --> 01:31:25,445 they said they healed him, but, 1994 01:31:25,549 --> 01:31:26,481 you know, they didn't. 1995 01:31:26,584 --> 01:31:27,723 [static sounds] 1996 01:31:28,897 --> 01:31:30,968 [male announcer] Good evening, wrestling fans, 1997 01:31:31,071 --> 01:31:34,419 and welcome to the world-famous Nuart Theatre. 1998 01:31:34,523 --> 01:31:36,836 - [crowd applauding] - [slow music playing] 1999 01:31:41,392 --> 01:31:43,601 [sighs, sniffs] 2000 01:31:46,570 --> 01:31:49,883 The last time I saw Andy was 2001 01:31:49,987 --> 01:31:52,748 they were having a screening of his movie 2002 01:31:52,852 --> 01:31:54,647 My Breakfast with Blassie. 2003 01:31:55,095 --> 01:31:57,063 [Budd] Leave it to Andy, his hair was falling out 2004 01:31:57,166 --> 01:31:59,583 from the chemotherapy, so he had a Mohawk 2005 01:31:59,686 --> 01:32:00,860 down the middle. 2006 01:32:02,482 --> 01:32:04,242 My wife and I then, we just said, 2007 01:32:04,346 --> 01:32:07,176 "Why don't you bring all your friends over to the Improv? 2008 01:32:07,280 --> 01:32:08,592 We'll have a little party." 2009 01:32:08,695 --> 01:32:10,663 Now, what were you gonna say? 2010 01:32:10,766 --> 01:32:12,181 Just to say thank you very much 2011 01:32:12,285 --> 01:32:13,493 to everybody who came. 2012 01:32:13,597 --> 01:32:16,323 I'm glad that people like the movie. 2013 01:32:16,772 --> 01:32:18,533 [Budd] George Shapiro, his manager, told me 2014 01:32:18,636 --> 01:32:20,811 that it was the best night he had had 2015 01:32:20,914 --> 01:32:22,467 since he had gotten sick. 2016 01:32:22,571 --> 01:32:25,229 We plied him with chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream 2017 01:32:25,332 --> 01:32:29,854 which he loved, and it was a wonderful night 2018 01:32:29,958 --> 01:32:31,753 the last time we saw him. 2019 01:32:33,271 --> 01:32:37,690 [crowd chattering, cheering] 2020 01:32:37,793 --> 01:32:41,556 [Marilu] He was just so frail and vulnerable, 2021 01:32:41,659 --> 01:32:43,903 and you never felt that about Andy. 2022 01:32:46,250 --> 01:32:48,873 [sighs] You don't wanna lose your friend that way. 2023 01:32:48,977 --> 01:32:52,187 It's sad when someone dies, you know? 2024 01:32:52,290 --> 01:32:53,706 He loved me. 2025 01:32:53,809 --> 01:32:56,709 We'll wrestle our hearts out tonight, right? 2026 01:32:58,503 --> 01:33:01,230 [somber music playing] 2027 01:33:03,301 --> 01:33:07,236 [Melanie] He succumbed to a very virulent cancer, 2028 01:33:07,340 --> 01:33:09,963 and the sad thing was that a lot of people didn't believe it. 2029 01:33:10,067 --> 01:33:12,414 They thought it was just another trick he was playing, 2030 01:33:12,517 --> 01:33:14,140 that he would be back again. 2031 01:33:15,900 --> 01:33:19,628 [George] I got calls fromThe Washington Post 2032 01:33:19,732 --> 01:33:21,561 andThe New York Times , 2033 01:33:21,665 --> 01:33:24,288 these type of prestige publications, 2034 01:33:24,391 --> 01:33:26,635 asking me if this was a put-on. 2035 01:33:27,222 --> 01:33:32,917 [George] Andy had the world so confused by his actions. 2036 01:33:33,469 --> 01:33:36,162 [Danny] Carol Kane, she went to the funeral. 2037 01:33:36,265 --> 01:33:39,027 She said she went up to the casket and poked him. 2038 01:33:40,960 --> 01:33:44,170 Poked him. Because even at the moment, 2039 01:33:44,273 --> 01:33:47,173 [scoffs] she didn't think that Andy had gone. 2040 01:33:47,276 --> 01:33:49,140 That's how he had us. 2041 01:33:49,244 --> 01:33:52,661 [scoffs] That's how he had us. Yeah. 2042 01:33:53,248 --> 01:33:54,974 [waves crashing] 2043 01:33:55,077 --> 01:33:57,010 [heartbeats] 2044 01:33:57,114 --> 01:33:59,875 [Bob] So this is why I have to watch what I say, 2045 01:33:59,979 --> 01:34:01,981 guard myself here, because. ... 2046 01:34:03,879 --> 01:34:06,261 did Andy Kaufman fake his death or not? 2047 01:34:06,744 --> 01:34:08,504 [reporter] A few years ago, there were rumors 2048 01:34:08,608 --> 01:34:11,059 he was living in Taos, and in 2005, 2049 01:34:11,162 --> 01:34:13,648 a claim that Andy Kaufman was seen panhandling 2050 01:34:13,751 --> 01:34:15,822 at an Albuquerque Walmart. 2051 01:34:15,926 --> 01:34:18,342 One thing I do know, 2052 01:34:18,445 --> 01:34:20,965 [Bob] had Andy Kaufman not died, 2053 01:34:21,069 --> 01:34:22,898 what would he be doing? 2054 01:34:23,002 --> 01:34:24,797 He'd be faking his death. 2055 01:34:24,900 --> 01:34:26,695 We used to talk about it, like how many years 2056 01:34:26,799 --> 01:34:28,455 he would have to stay away, you know, 2057 01:34:28,559 --> 01:34:31,596 to really, and the years kept getting longer and longer 2058 01:34:31,700 --> 01:34:33,426 because one year wasn't enough. 2059 01:34:33,529 --> 01:34:35,462 Then it would be ten years. "Oh, maybe ten years. 2060 01:34:35,566 --> 01:34:38,155 Maybe, like, 20 years? What about 30 years?" Then it's like, 2061 01:34:38,258 --> 01:34:40,088 Will people still remember me in 30 years 2062 01:34:40,191 --> 01:34:42,124 if I come back?" And I would say, 2063 01:34:42,228 --> 01:34:45,507 "They will if you come back." [chuckles] 2064 01:34:45,610 --> 01:34:48,372 [hallow music playing] 2065 01:34:50,132 --> 01:34:52,928 [Pagani] It's almost 40 now, you know what I mean? 2066 01:34:53,032 --> 01:34:54,827 But on the other hand, God damn, 2067 01:34:54,930 --> 01:34:56,829 would I admire his commitment to the bit. 2068 01:34:56,932 --> 01:34:58,589 [laughs] You know what I mean? I'd go, 2069 01:34:58,693 --> 01:35:00,695 "Well, holy shit, dude, you hung in." 2070 01:35:00,798 --> 01:35:03,111 You know, I mean? "You sold that. 2071 01:35:03,214 --> 01:35:05,561 Jesus Christ, you sold that," you know? 2072 01:35:05,665 --> 01:35:07,632 - [crowd cheering] - To you folks at home, 2073 01:35:07,736 --> 01:35:08,910 please, I'm sorry you gotta go. 2074 01:35:09,013 --> 01:35:10,359 But we'll be here again next week. 2075 01:35:10,463 --> 01:35:12,361 And remember, here's the words of wisdom 2076 01:35:12,465 --> 01:35:15,986 for this week. And they are... 2077 01:35:16,089 --> 01:35:18,782 "Whatever is unknown is magnified." 2078 01:35:18,885 --> 01:35:20,715 So don't be afraid of what you don't know, 2079 01:35:20,818 --> 01:35:22,786 because remember it always seems 2080 01:35:22,889 --> 01:35:24,270 a lot worse than it really is. 2081 01:35:24,373 --> 01:35:26,375 [Andy's voice echoes] 2082 01:35:26,479 --> 01:35:28,792 [heavenly music playing] 2083 01:35:28,895 --> 01:35:32,071 [Lynne] After we had the premiere ofMy Breakfast with Blassie , 2084 01:35:32,485 --> 01:35:36,454 he looked at me, and he was very serious, 2085 01:35:36,558 --> 01:35:39,837 and he said, "Lynne, I want you to promise me 2086 01:35:39,941 --> 01:35:42,875 to keep my work alive. 2087 01:35:42,978 --> 01:35:46,257 I want my entire life to be seen 2088 01:35:46,361 --> 01:35:50,710 as one long, confusing, 2089 01:35:50,814 --> 01:35:53,471 beautiful performance. 2090 01:35:54,127 --> 01:35:56,958 Like if it was a pebble dropped into water, 2091 01:35:57,544 --> 01:35:59,926 it would ripple out and just keep rippling 2092 01:36:00,030 --> 01:36:02,757 and rippling and rippling and... 2093 01:36:03,309 --> 01:36:07,002 it never stops. It just never stops." 2094 01:36:07,106 --> 01:36:09,798 [crowd cheering distortedly] 2095 01:36:10,212 --> 01:36:14,216 [Stanley] I see him, I hear him, I hear about him. 2096 01:36:14,320 --> 01:36:18,289 I read about him. It's like he's here. 2097 01:36:20,050 --> 01:36:22,638 [Lynne] So we are all still wondering 2098 01:36:22,742 --> 01:36:24,433 whether it was real or not, 2099 01:36:25,503 --> 01:36:27,609 and that's the act. 2100 01:36:27,712 --> 01:36:30,405 Isn't it more fun to not know? 2101 01:36:31,130 --> 01:36:32,787 [Andy] What have you been doing since? 2102 01:36:32,890 --> 01:36:34,754 They just stored me in a box. 2103 01:36:34,858 --> 01:36:36,998 Well, that's terrible. 2104 01:36:37,101 --> 01:36:40,070 Oh. No, Andy, it's okay. 2105 01:36:40,173 --> 01:36:42,451 - You see, it's a regular box. - Yeah. 2106 01:36:42,555 --> 01:36:46,870 And I'm folded a certain way, and I just stay in the box. 2107 01:36:46,973 --> 01:36:49,596 The only thing, you see, when I'm in the box, 2108 01:36:49,700 --> 01:36:53,566 well, I, I look like this. 2109 01:36:53,669 --> 01:36:55,361 [crowd laughing] 2110 01:36:55,464 --> 01:36:57,225 But, yeah, but, Howdy, 2111 01:36:57,328 --> 01:36:59,883 - isn't it boring? - Oh, yeah, sure, 2112 01:36:59,986 --> 01:37:02,368 it's kind of boring, 'cause, well, there was nothing 2113 01:37:02,471 --> 01:37:04,680 for me to do for all those years, and, 2114 01:37:04,784 --> 01:37:08,063 that's why I really enjoyed being on your show tonight. 2115 01:37:08,167 --> 01:37:09,409 - Well we-- - In front of the lights 2116 01:37:09,513 --> 01:37:12,136 and seeing all the boys and girls again, 2117 01:37:12,240 --> 01:37:16,244 it's, oh, boy, it's really wonderful. 2118 01:37:16,347 --> 01:37:18,798 Well, it's really wonderful to see you again, too. 2119 01:37:19,178 --> 01:37:22,837 You know, I just always wanted to do this, you know? 2120 01:37:22,940 --> 01:37:24,631 I always wanted to meet you, and I have so much 2121 01:37:24,735 --> 01:37:27,600 that I'd like to tell you, and I wish you could talk more. 2122 01:37:27,703 --> 01:37:29,878 But, you know, 2123 01:37:31,121 --> 01:37:32,363 I want you to know that I love you, 2124 01:37:32,467 --> 01:37:34,918 and this is really something for me. 2125 01:37:39,474 --> 01:37:42,511 [happy music playing] 2126 01:37:43,788 --> 01:37:46,861 [crowd cheering, applauding, whistling] 2127 01:37:48,276 --> 01:37:50,519 [Andy] What'd I'd like to do for you right now, 2128 01:37:50,623 --> 01:37:53,039 it's called eating ice cream. 2129 01:37:53,143 --> 01:37:54,799 So I'd like to do it for you now. 2130 01:37:54,903 --> 01:37:56,146 [crowd laughing] 2131 01:37:56,249 --> 01:37:58,976 ["Rose Marie" song playing] 2132 01:38:02,359 --> 01:38:09,055 ♪ Oh Rose, my Rose Marie ♪ 2133 01:38:10,160 --> 01:38:16,614 - ♪ Oh Rose Marie, I love you ♪ - [clinks] 2134 01:38:17,995 --> 01:38:24,208 ♪ I'm always dreaming of you ♪ 2135 01:38:25,554 --> 01:38:31,491 ♪ No matter what I do I can't forget you ♪ 2136 01:38:33,286 --> 01:38:38,498 ♪ Sometimes I wish That I never met you ♪ 2137 01:38:38,602 --> 01:38:40,362 [crowd laughing] 2138 01:38:40,742 --> 01:38:46,023 ♪ Of all the queens That ever lived I choose you ♪ 2139 01:38:46,127 --> 01:38:48,681 ♪ Yes I choose you ♪ 2140 01:38:48,784 --> 01:38:55,550 - ♪ To rule me, my Rose Marie ♪ - [crowd cheering] 2141 01:38:56,758 --> 01:39:00,141 [crowd applauding] 2142 01:39:08,528 --> 01:39:11,566 [music ends] 2143 01:39:11,669 --> 01:39:14,569 [crowd chattering]