Andy Kaufman's First Appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" - 1977

[ronbos60]

Elvis died in 1977,same year as this.

[xammas1245]

The brilliant thing about this is that he was in the "Latka" character all during the interview before this.

[gigantes1966]

"Trolling" is a pretty piss-poor way of describing Andy's work, but if that's the only way for kids to understand it, then so be it.

[AlexDiss]

@gigantes1966 Amen!



[ralphredimix]

ahaha somethings wrong with my lip!!! ahahaha!!!

[TheLONEWOLFETA]

GREAT

[riverstory87]

I jumped on the Kaufman band wagon after seeing, "Man on the Moon",sorry guys.

[kurtcomeback]

andy the man 

[Bak3dB3an]

Trolling since 1977.

[danielmbcutler]

love it

[honeyscrack]

what are the actual elvis songa called

[trolltwins]

@honeyscrack "Love Me" and "Blue Suede Shoes".

[TheCagedBulldog]

WHAT A LEGEND!!!

[myfriendangel1]

lol anybody just has to be amazed at andys talents

[atacrew]

Andy did this on Midnight Special in 1973 what Elvis was still alive. Elvis stated Andy was his favorite Elvis impersonator.

[kittyfreek]

dreadful curtains

[Philb5000]

I am from the island of Caspiar in the Caspian Sea. It sunk. XD

[eaks52]

@tony26531 Not the best Elvis impression ......but if you put in in context (months before Elvis died) with the rest of his act ....it is brilliant

[surfinaway10afly]

this sucks shit

[edwoodjr999]

andys elvis was 1000 percent better than jim carrys

[Hoodinski]

Jim Carrey is made for comedy but IMHO he didn't pull off Andy. His Andy was too sad, and frankly, too real at times (the Letterman incident). I knew nothing about Kaufman until I saw 'Man on the Moon' and my first reaction to that film was 'what a creep'. Now I watch Andy's sketches avidly and gotta say- he had the most brilliant feeling of the comedy. A true diamond among performers.

[Brocktoon68]

With all due respect, Jim Carrey couldn't pull off the Elvis impression since he couldn't sing in the baritone range. 

[TheMk1138]

*****

[sabreyow]

saw this live when i was a kid,loved andy ever since..a masterpiece..elvis said that andy was his favorite elvis impression

[ROCKYBLUEDOGS]

Brilliant Elvis though.

[dioGob436]

Miss you Andy...yes everybody is so stupid.

[cosmicforums]

"Chaa Chaa Chaa!"

[comedylaff]

Johnny's drummer keeps hitting the tympany at the wrong times.

[someonezmom]

the genius of Andy Kaufman escapes me....can someone please explain why some consider him a "genius?" sure at times he was smile worthy...but his characters were two-dimensional at best. I am sincerely sorry if this offends some

[RicoshetSC]

@someonezmom this is 1977 this guy was so far ahead of his time it's not even funny but if i had to explain it to someone who doesn't know a thing about him id say hes the first troll ever

[someonezmom]

@RicoshetSC that's actually a very good way of describing him. I did like Tony Clifton I fould that character most entertaining.

[ElvisMan35]

@RicoshetSC Trolls rarely, if ever, entertain you like Andy Kaufman could. He infuriated the simple-minded, and entertained the rest of us in the most subversive, audaciously hilarious ways possible.

The man is missed.

[RicoshetSC]

@ElvisMan35 It's funny, you just agreed with me but didn't realize it.

[ElvisMan35]

@RicoshetSC Actually, I didn't.

Andy Kaufman was much too intelligent to ever be a "troll". Which was my entire point.

[holdem5180]

@ElvisMan35 he was so ahead of his time, johnny didn"t even get it

[beowulflokison]

@ElvisMan35 But trolling is a art

[mukkohaha]

@RicoshetSC This is just called childish humor, Playing stupid, doing NOT funny things, and then in reverse land they will seem funny. Me and my friends did this a lot when we were 11 years old also, i guess we were ahead of our time as well

[mukkohaha]

@RicoshetSC but we could'n sing and dance like Elvis on the other hand ;)

[ElvesseTube]

@someonezmom aw..I'm someone's mom too, cute. This is very hard to put into words for you, have you ever seen the art of Marcel Duchamp or Salvador Dali? There are visual concepts in their art that show their genius we are still catching up to. As a performance artist, AK was like that, ahead of the audience, "Is this where we laugh?" They didn't know for sure. "Is it comedy?" Maybe you're asking? Use your brain, ask questions of yourself, and...voila! Genius on tv

[sabreyow]

@ElvesseTube your so right,i remember this when i was a kid and his snl mighty mouse skit and that got me started.i would try to do the elvis like him to no avail..lol..he actually out elvised elvis..

[ElvesseTube]

@sabreyow I think it's extremely fascinating how much he brought to his Elvis impersonation, it's not like any other impersonation, it's original, it's not an exact copy, it's almost scary it's so alive with VITAmIN E!

[debluemonkey]

@someonezmom Have you seen him read The Great Gatsby?

[someonezmom]

@debluemonkey thanx I just found it on YT...um...I still challenge the "genius" title...a tad ahead of his time I grant you..humourous sure...but genius? I liked him in the 70's but no nevermind maybe it just goes over my head. :)

[ElvesseTube]

@debluemonkey Who? Andy Kaufman? Send me a link please? I'd love to see that

[debluemonkey]

@ElvesseTube It's on Youtube

[iowarailroader]

this is great

[MsWatchy]

His whole schtick was based on making fun of foreigners. Get over the nostalgia. This is not funny.

[LT1HILLINGHOE]

@MsWatchy Making fun of foreigners is very funny. Always has been, always will be. Get over your bs. This is very funny.

[xHATEBEEZYx]

amazing. him and jerry the king

[ApplesRSexxy]

Andy Kaufman was trolling America b4 it was cool

[sinjin88]

He ripped that act from Kenny Everett.

[tyler4ford]

I don't know who I love more... Kaufman, or Elvis??? haha

[ELVIS4221]

WHAT A METAMORPHOSIS. FROM ARCHIE TO ELVIS. I LOVED HIM SO MUCH. THIS GREATEST COMIC OF ALL TIME. SO MANY REVOLUTIONARY ROUTINES.

[icyustare]

Elvis had stated once that Andy's impersonation of him was his favorite. Only the good die young. God bless the King and God bless Andy...

[wan2bvader]

somewhere in heaven Andy is annoying Elvis by doing Elvis better than Elvis. So sad we lost such a genius so young.

[amitus8]

Is this cack?

[eminence18]

that was unreal

[TrojanGuy2010]

I always wondered why Jerry "The King" Lawler had a feud with Andy Kaufman.

[Galactis]

@TrojanGuy2010 Because he started to wrestle women instead of men but it doesn't matter anyway, it was all staged to begin with lol

[race2run]

I saw this while living with ex-husband. We lived in a housing project apt., he was an alcoholic lazy bum, wouldn't work and almost beat me to death. Johnny Carson was the high-light of my life, besides my job. I loved him and watched him always. One night I was watching TV and Andy blew me away. I couldn't believe it. All the irritating, "thank you very much" and then he showed he really had talent. As I sit here, divorced since 1988, I have this huge grin on my face when I watch this.

[weapons33]

@race2run wh did u stay so long in pain,,,hope you found peace now.

[race2run]

@weapons33 Was with him for 15yrs. Low self esteem. He told me I was ugly and stupid every day. He ended up in the state mental hospital for 2 mos. and deemed dangerous after almost killing me. I was in the hospital, stitches, broken bones, surgery, etc. more than once. After 12 yrs. of counseling, I live a Christian life and have found peace. God is good. One day I will remarry when God sends the right person.

[ElvesseTube]

@race2run aw...keep on rockin' woman!

[race2run]

@ElvesseTube Thanks!!

[BigDaddyDJD]

after the show baby

[srairmand]

Did Elvis know about him?

[milcookful]

@srairmand Yes he loved him!!!!

[TheRonnie63]

THE BEST ELVIS R.I.P ANDY I LOVE U

[Bonecutterinthe419]

johnny is the shit

[Bonecutterinthe419]

and or borat...

[Bonecutterinthe419]

laydies and gentlemen...nick cage.

[JimCampbell777]

People think this crap is funny???

[macklincaruso]

@JimCampbell777 hey Jim you're a prick

[bottleracket]

Fucking Genius

[TheCobalt100]

This was a splendid imitation of that big prick, Elfus.

[asdf123454444]

@TheCobalt100 really? he was a prick?



[WestVirginiaRebel]

Andy Kaufman said he saw himself as a performance artist instead of a comic. You could say nobody got the joke because he was so ahead of his time...

[CusterFlux]

The level of talent it takes to pull that off is seismic.

[race2run]

@CusterFlux I completely agree that he had talent to do this. That's what blew me away because he had to sing, dance around and have good timing. To pull it all together with the comment, "after the show baby". I realized how much it took for him to pull this off.

[TheRonnie63]

andy was a talented man shame he had to die so soon love and the best ELVIS PERSONATORE OF AL TIMES!!!!!

[groeneveldp]

Palestine trees bear a strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root, Palestine bodies swinging in the breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the olive trees. Pastoral scene of the palestine land, The bulging eyes and a cramped hand , Scent of olives, oily and fresh, Then the sudden smell of burning flesh. Here is fruit for the crows to pluck, For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop, Here is a strange and bitter crop.

[philipsidney]

Back in the days when an Elvis-imitation was groundbreaking material... Now it's about as funny as a pie fight.

[leonari]

@philipsidney And you are as original as a stick. Fool. Kaufmans imitation is brilliant. Not the same thing as going to Vegas and watching some random impersonator.

[elsandobottoms]

Andy was a gift to all us crazies - gone way too soon.

[ohgee1]

Skip all the stupid stuff and forward to 3:09

[valconstantin]

omg I laughed my ass off, in a coma!

[tklokker]

I saw this when I was 8



[DonRMB]

Damn... Sacha Baron Cohen and Zach Galafianakis are HEAVILY INFLUENCED by Andy.

[cainocrodrigue]

After the show Baby LMFAOO Great job Andy R.I.P

[LanaBanana130]

Johnny didn't like it though.

[piatoscanoangel]

@LanaBanana130

Say what? Johnny absolutely adored Andy Kaufman. That is until he came back on the Tonight Show in August.

Andy dropped out of Foreign Man character, and chatted as Andy with Johnny. He was only brought back on once after that, and that was with guest host Steve Martin.

[klwewf]

@LanaBanana130 So, why did he have him on the show? And, why did he invite him back several times? Come on, Troll, let's hear your excuses and silly theories......

[LanaBanana130]

@klwewf I read somewhere that if Johnny liked you he either gave you the OK sign or called him over to him. If he didn't do that it meant he wasn't a fan. I wasn't saying I didn't like it or it was bad. A troll would just say it was bad, not that Johnny didn't like it. I'm a fan of Andy's it's just something I noticed. You shouldn't be so sensitive.

[kurtmanerz1]

@LanaBanana130 Carson himself said that most of the time when he didn't call someone over it was because they were out of time, and I'm sure that's what happened in this case.

[drewditty]

Genius absolutely genius

[ThaDudesAvlogger]

When I watch this, I feel like I'm still watching Man on the Moon and the whole thing is just acting for a movie (I mean, I know it's an act, but the audience is real, the TV show is real, etc). When I remembered this is a real life thing, and not just a movie, I actually realized how good it actually is.

[MoldytoasterMedia]

just a few months before Elvis died. RIP

[MarkArandjus]

2:05 was that collar pop amazing or what?

[zoomerlawns]

I love how he set up his jokes. The whole performance was one long joke ending with the best punchline ever, "Thank you veddy much.".

[bobbywendy]

Awesome!



[jacobborges]

Elvis died the same year

[hendrixgroupie23]

0 dislikes!? finally a video that they have it right!

[darktooth347]

@hendrixgroupie23 Annnnnnd now there's 5

[The22American]

@hendrixgroupie23 spoke too soon

[nsdalton]

@hendrixgroupie23 Oh no! Your provoked the dislikers!!!

[directacinemactor]

@hendrixgroupie23 you just asked for 10 dislikes, heh heh

[mkcustodio]

OMG genius at work. He was so gifted. Another person who was gone to soon.

[MisterNifty]

This fellow was born performing and died performing. When his family was visiting during his last dies in the hospital, he had everyone act out role reversals.

[thecartmans]

awesomeness. especially how his elvis collar just flaps up. *FLAP*

[sherilyn1977]

Hey This guy is a real scream. Love him.

[KingKook]

His Elvis is better than Elvis!!! Seriously!!! I'm so serious!!! Really I am. I AM, DAMMIT!!!!... I'm serious... Serious as a heart attack. Serious as infant cancer. Serious as a nun with Aids. That's serious, aye? Damn serious...

[Beardown2020]

@KingKook Ive seen more serious

[KingKook]

@Beardown2020 Seriously?

[SweetDave93]

Andy may have been an oddball but his Elvis is spot on, just incredible.

[ethanaverelle07]

my favorite

[53njt]

GREAT TALENT!!

[szqsk8]

@BJCobbledick

I'm from Southern California. I would never set foot on the South.

[RichLOAguy]

gotta watch whole thing... dont miss elvis impersonation! Thumbs up if you agree it is awesome!

[fffreddie]

This was the first time I saw Andy Kaufman. It's the BEST!!!!!

[szqsk8]

Andy Kaufman was a douche and not funny in the least.

[saadaftab2005]

@szqsk8 cant agree more

[BJCobbledick]

@szqsk8 You're from the south.

[allisonthecat]

OK a few typing mistakes, but I think you know what I'm saying about the first character he did being so geeky, and is next one, EP being really sexy, lol. But my suggestion that I could very much see Andy doing is that King is coming bit, and tease us into a different character, like he often did before going into EP, lol. But he might have had a better idea than I do, because he was the boss so to speak, lol.

[allisonthecat]

I love how geeky he was in the foreman and then turned into the manly EP in a split seconded, lol. Love the side remark, “After the show baby,” lol, so much like The Vegas King. He was pretty much and ETA in a comedians clothing. Not saying I don’t like his act because it was very unique. I just wish he didn’t throw away his EP act when he got famous because lord knows how he could tease us ladies with saying The King is coming and have him be some other character and then change into EP.

[myfriendangel1]

the messed up part is andy was a die hard elvis fan so this is actully a sweet thing he does

[MisterMisterFun]

How fucking crazy is it that Elvis Died 5 months later...

[jagvocate]

Melted my face with comic genius.

[ReklawLah]

Brilliant!

[sampson1959]

again,the joke was on us!genius at work

[lordmaldad]

I've been looking for Kaufman on Carson clips for a long time. Thanks for uploading!

[queenrocks77]

I know the past couple of generations don't "get" Andy, but. this is pure comedic genus.

[unfortunatebeam]

this was just a few months before elvis died.

[nikorocksdotcom]

We miss you, Andy.

[symonizer11]

he's the best for doing Elvis!!  I miss Andy!

[DrewBludd]

This was good.