[ARCHIVES] ANDY KAUFMAN INTERVIEWING HOWDY DOODY

[idontgetno]

I was half afraid Andy would treat Howdy like they treated Mr. Bill on SNL...or do some really obscene inappropriate Howard Stern / South Park kinda thing. Getting extremely cynical as I get older.

But he was a class act. God rest Andy, Buffalo Bob, and all who have gone on. may the memories, and our Inner Child, ever remain pristine.

[seethransom]

I think he has Schizophrenia. My armchair Dx.

[misscanadarain]

at what point did andy play with the filter?

[SteevDragon67]

That was adorable! But didn't Kaufman have one of the technical guys deliberately mess with the horizontal hold when they broadcast this to make people think their TVs were doing it? Great stuff!

[ChrisC11291980]

If I had an opportunity to do an interview like this it would be with the Muppets.

[hellreza]

i was expecting the vertical hold to go all funny.

[ProjectFlashlight612]

"Poignant" is the word

[killalllamas]

ANDY KAUFMAN reminds me of jason segel

[WatchVenusSpa]

I'm willing to bet that this wasn't even rehearsed. Just sublime stuff.

[DaGurlChuck]

i cry for mouths

[Giubarchetta]

I'll cry for weeks.

[flyingwombatperson]

this is the most genuine thing i've seen andy do, it's very odd...

[stewiedg97]

i love this this video so much :')

[1musiclvr]

I think a lot of us baby boomers felt the same way, deep down. I know I did. I remember seeing this clip on tv when it aired and could totally relate.

[dennisrayso]

the howdy doody puppet seems to be more intouch with reality than Andy himself

[txmomoftwo1]

@dennisrayso I'm sure that is what the joke was...think about it.

[ChrisC11291980]

If I'd written this sketch twenty or so years later it would have been me and Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear but otherwise I would have done pretty much the same sketch, because Jim Henson's creations are to me what Howdy Doody was to Andy.

[macy077]

this brings back SO many memories! =' )

[herasfolly]

Oh this made me cry!! You really felt Andy was sincere in his belief in this little puppet..and he actually spoke how felt about him..

Did anyone hear a catch in Howdy's oice (Buffalo Bob) when talking to Andy at the end?

[WindPilgrim]

I didn't think there was anything fake about this. This seems like pure Andy, but maybe I'm gullible.

[143AC]

I love "Howdy Doody"..but..I hate Andy Kaufman!

[TheEgg185]

@143AC agreed

[trashologist]

i love andy cz he was so true and original

and if i was ever in that position im sure i'd want to interview mr.spoon from button moon

[Indabaz]

they shoulda never gave you niggas money!!!!!

[ctmale1956]

This is sooooo damn funny! No one adword or "F-bomb".....

[TheEgg185]

@ctmale1956 thats what sucks about it. who here would rather watch family guy? this is the type of shit family guy would make fun of. this is like buzz killington.

[xvoy2002]

As much as I liked Andy,, this is plain weird.. I mean really, he's a grown man talking to a freakin' puppet! He even leans over to look into his eyes when talking to him,,, this is just plain strange, ,even for a comedic entertainer.

[WindPilgrim]

@xvoy2002

Hold on--the Muppet show was all adults working puppets, with adult guest stars talking to the puppets. It's actually pretty normal. 

[MissMopPop]

awwweeeen:)

[Bonobo3D]

Howdy at 3:06 hilarious!

[CourtneyxCourtney95]

Artsy fartsy crap, my arse! This stuff was amazing, touching and beautiful. I agree with tygersflowerz. It's sad he's not around anymore, and it hurts sometimes, but there's a reason he isn't! If he had him still, maybe we would've severed his head by now with all his crazy haters!

[xvoy2002]

ON this show, Howdy Doody is quite a bit shorter than I remember. But he certainly has aged well. Rumour had it that he had a conract dispute that led to his firing from the show. He tried doing some film work but when the studios found out about his prison record they stopped the deal.

[RedFox505]

Ep? Episode

[drawboy6x3]

Wow. This actually almost made me cry.

[marlemus]

@joni106 yeah what's wrong with this one? i can't hear a thing after initially playing it and its perpetually buffering after.

[thallassocracy]

Andy Kaufman is to comedy what Dmitry Salita is to boxing. American.

[drmoonrat]

This was really a beautiful moment. I'm glad I got to see this.

[ALittleBitOfGreen]

this is so awesome...

[inezvelasco]

I didn't really see Howdy Doody as a kid, I guess it was before I was born, so I just don't really understand this clip or how it would fulfil anybody's fantasy. Um, it's just boring isn't it? I mean, how can you meet a puppet, and if you did how could you tell if it was the real puppet or a copy?

[thallassocracy]

Who is the American and who is the dummy? Andy Kaufman had a monopoly of TV stupidity until George W. Bush took his crown.

[drmoonrat]

You don't seem to understand Andy Kaufman, George W. Bush or Dummies.

[4uimight]

This is just like a fantasy fulfilled for me. lmao! Andy is so serious,. he seems to be talking to a real person. And howdy seems like a real person other than Andy.

[slalomluke]

ToT

[CandyCaner]

The strange part (as I see it, anyway) is that Andy seems to be coming off as stonewall serious, whereas Howdy Doody is kind of blowing off the whole situation.

[cholerymorbilus]

Exactly-- the puppet seems more in touch with reality than Andy-- that's what's so brilliant about this.

[emokiller98]

I'm not sure I this. I could give it my own meaning but what was Andys?

Was this serious or a joke.

I personally think he just wanted to have Howdy Doody on his show and that there wasn't really anything that deep about it.

[AndysCoffin]

Yeah Andy was serious but he was completely aware of why people would laugh.

[emokiller98]

how do u know?

[AndysCoffin]

In Zmuda's book he talks about how Andy sincerely admired Howdy and how nervous he was to meet him.

There's points where Andy himself laughs

but most of it was completely sincere like the comment at 2:20.

[ALittleBitOfGreen]

that's why I love this clip... Howdy Doody was Andy's childhood hero and it meant world to him to get to meet this puppet. :)

[SenorZorrozzz]

Love Andy...Howdy forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nnneptune]

very very cool

[elvis316]

I find this somewhat disturbing, yet peaceful. I think that's how andy would have wanted it.

[elfilicious13]

What tv show is this on?

[klwewf]

His own (way back in 1977).

[hcvang]

It was a special he had complete control of... he didnt get another.

[ALittleBitOfGreen]

really touching meeting!!

[sadhouse]

Can we see the episode with Andy as a Child ? I was in the Peanut Gallery and related , freaked me out when I saw the strings and old dudes smoking Cigarettes and pulling the strings but like Andy still loved that show .

Andy was a Master of HIS art.

[Hordur92]

where is that scene where he pretends that the tv is broken?

[GameBoyFreak14]

this was in 1977 right

[expardisi]

he seems like a little child, he's so sweeeet...and the most beautiful think is that andy was totally sincere on tv only with that puppet. I love him

[shigsho]

Yes, This was GREAT and thanks for posting. Andy was great as most have said but may I throw in that Howdy and Buffalo Bob Smith were "both" great entertainers and true legends. I loved them and along with Andy and miss them too. This was great.

[siltysand]

I just finished "Lost in the Funhouse" It's a great look at Andy's life. It's really a shame that he had to leave us so soon.

[ALittleBitOfGreen]

I am reading the book and I am a middle of it. Really interesting book..

[boojiboy1986]

anyone else cry?

[tygersflowerz]

I love how Andy seriously got excited over things like this. This video is so genuine because you can tell how sincere he is.  He reminds us to embrace the kid inside ourselves.

[TheEgg185]

@boojiboy1986 not me

[tygersflowerz]

Andy should still be around. Pisses me off... and makes me cry a little sometimes.

[292x1]

@tygersflowerz Andy Kaufman...a very creative man. Miss him too.

[7beers]

Penn Jillette: I remember when he did the TV special that had him interviewing Howdy Doody. Teller came to me afterwards saying how he was just sobbing uncontrollably, how it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, the love for Howdy Doody and the way he was willing to completely capture dealing with Howdy Doody as a real person when you're a child. With no apology and nothing to protect him. It was just so moving to Teller.... continued....

[7beers]

... continued... I dont think there's a month that goes by when Teller doesnt mention the interview with Howdy Doody as the only moment on television that really moved him.

[madsixtian]

That was so beautiful!!!!!!!!! My sentiments exactly, Andy....my sentiments exactly.

[tscotwv]

According to the book his friend Bob Zmuda wrote, Andy was very nervous about meeting the puppet. In fact, he claims the original puppet wasnt brought at first, but rather one called Photo Doody that was used for props. Zmuda said Andy literally screamed and stormed into his dressing room. The guy that brought the puppet was shocked that Andy could tell the difference. The original was then brought in afterwards. There has been criticism of the book though, including from the Kaufman family.

[tygersflowerz]

Yeah, the only one I'd take seriously is "Lost In The Funhouse" because it was endorsed by Andy's family. I just ordered it and am waiting for it to arrive in the mail. I haven't read Zmuda's book yet, but I'm a little disappointed that his best friend wouldn't write a memoir that at least his family would endorse.

[klwewf]

After all this time, I would imagine some of the "loyalty" went out the window. The only person that really believed in Zmuda's writing / producing prowess was Andy (he was solely responsible for any success Zmuda had before & after his death. He is now cashing in any way he can. Plus, that book (which I have read) is probably a test in "what is real, what is not - what do you believe" stuff. The things Andy taught him.

[tygersflowerz]

There is a new book coming out in October by Lynne Margulies and Bob Zmuda called "Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts." I think it's that hate mail book that Andy always wanted to write. I can't wait for it to come out. :-) I have to admit, Lynne's continued association with Bob confuses me some, since he seems slightly sleazy these days. But remember how Paulie in the "Rocky" movies is always trying to make a buck off Rocky, yet still clearly loves him? Maybe it's a bit like that.