Andy Kaufman on Letterman Part 1

[rangers1919]

I agree he was a comedic genius. Even if someone doesn't find him funny, or doesn't get it I don't see how they could stop watching him. He is such a great performer, and so engaging--you just cannot look away.

[Chesterton7]

fantastic

[TheFreeAdviceMan]

I am always astounded to know that Andy Kaufman and I talked about things while we played "Galaga" and "Tron" video games at "Seventh Avenue South" jazz club (Greenwich Village, NYC) various times between 1981 and 1983. It may have been a total of only a couple of hours, but they will last an eternity. He inspired many of us. Thank You Andy.

[jaibhakti]

Great to see someone practicing yoga who actually used it as the spiritual tool it is...

Andy was a genius...I would love to have seen Frank Zappa interview Andy and vice versa. haha! That would have been classic. :)

[Gnillob802]

Aren't we having some fun now. And yes this is where the Naked Cowboy stole his act.

[Gnillob802]

Aren't we having some fun now. 

[fosponomot]

LMFAO

[Longetty]

as Jerry Seinfeld's mother says, " How could anyone not like this ? "

[ededketra1]

the one and only Andy Kaufman

[wspring2]

@karaokevox: He didn't risk his vocal cords - it's a trick sword, called a "gaff". There's a trigger in the handle that enables the blade to retract and curl up inside the little knob at the end of the handle. When he pulls it out again, you can see him gripping the blade with his teeth so it can be extracted to its original length. It's vintage AK smoke and mirrors - mind games with the audience, but brilliantly executed as always.

[hawanja]

@wspring2 You'll also notice it's not the same length when he pulls it out.

[karaokevox]

I've never seen this before until now, thanks for Youtube and njolnir.

Think about it. You just risk your life and VOCAL CHORDS doing a dangerous stunt on live television. What would be the song YOU would pick to rejoice the fact you did not mess up and can still SING?

[karaokevox]

I've never seen this before until now, thanks for Youtube and njolnir.

Think about it. You just risk your life and VOCAL CHORDS doing a dangerous stunt on live television. What would be the song YOU would pick to rejoice the fact you did not mess up?

[mackeymkay]

Fucking brilliant.

[jamesbondaygee]

He was actually a pretty good singer...

[brotherleroy64]

phil gordon

[3296856]

You know, when he did that thing with the sword, i couldn't gulp... i was afraid to

[balkanigerle]

GENIUS, DYNAMITE! Thanks for posting.

[SuperBlindguy]

His singing voice in this one reminds me a bit of Ryan Gosling's.

[StoneyMcJuicyBuds]

Andy Kaufman was never funny and had zero talent

[tiktokz1]

@StoneyMcJuicyBuds  like you

[utson13]

@StoneyMcJuicyBuds I wish youtube had a dick filter.....

[djcrowbar]

@StoneyMcJuicyBuds HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[lessthanpinochet]

@StoneyMcJuicyBuds Hahahaaha, i get it. Awesome joke, bro!

Because actually he's hilarious and was an absolute genious but you're like...NOT! Haha!

You would've made Andy proud with that one.

[Picardy]

The secret about the yodel in the song, is start off singing it in a much lower key than usual, in order to reach the vibrato, which is the break in your voice - known as yodelling. e.g. on the word Rose. You go up on the "ose". I was singing in my normal key when I started to yodel, and it works better for me to start lower.

[2ndAsstJizzMopper]

funny how similar that song is to "One More Kiss, Dear" from the Blade Runner soundtrack.

[aakkoin]

I think here he was mocking the idea of being an "entertainer". You must degrade yourself and do circus tricks and stuff.

[assiconda]

my hero.. a slim whitman inspired too lol

[assiconda]

my hero..

[UMadUJelly]

Master troll.

[kkomw]

he's sooo harry...

[TwiPrime]

@kkomw He's harry like Harry and the Hendersons! He's just that harry! :D

[TwiPrime]

@kkomw Y'know what, though? Going by John Travolta or Alec Baldwin standards, he's really not all that harry. Those guys are *obscenely* harry! I'm not being sarcastic. I like spelling it your way better! :) Plus, I stand by these statements about the varying levels of harriness. Gotta love Andy, sparking thoughtful observation, discussion and connections between people. Have a great 2011.

[ElanaVital83]

He would have made a perfect Willy Wonka!

[zentrader123]

What a Mind F___. Not sure whether to die of laughter or sadness seeing him perform. All you haters are entitled to your opinions. This is part of his genius to elicit so many divergent opinions; just as he would have liked it.

[ElanaVital83]

@zentrader123 I know. He would've loved trolling/being trolled on You Tube.

[jennbeez]

Can he SING or what?? I know he did it for yuks, but he's efffing good.

[mgsolidsmoke]

Alot of people think of Andy kaufman as a comedian - when truly he just loved entertaining people.

[vellisper]

haha... the audience is SILENT while he sings- (he's good!)

But just in case ... Andy would never have taken himself so seriously as to sing in a respectable costume, so he dons a swami turban ... brilliant.

[campaz83]

thumbs up if you're crazy!!

[avlisk]

The Naked Cowboy's inspiration?

[thekrameoj1]

andy kaufman is still alive! he changed his name to nicholas cage!

[subsamadhi]

@thekrameoj1 Wow, so he ruined his perfectly good career as a genius comic to come back as a Z list crappy action star. All this time I was under the impression that Andy Kaufman was a genius.

[thekrameoj1]

@subsamadhi HAHA!

[iangordoncraig]

He sings that song so well.

[spermdotcom]

the Mustache makes him look like Pablo Escobar

[jugg2000]

@spermdotcom For real... he really does look like Pablo Escobar.

[mongolenpup]

the way he dances looks fucking retarded, yet strangely awesome lol

[sirlonghair]

funny and he can dance

[Krittikas]

One word: AMAZING!

[MillaHead]

why did he need the fake moustache.... lol

[SuckItLily]

@MillaHead same reason he held a guitar in his hands :-D

[sirlonghair]

@MillaHead to make you ask

[Kayyoooo]

genius.

[kraig7777]

Everything he did was an act, and he was a genius.

[carey1982]

i have the pleasure of only going through andys stuff recently, stunning !! there is truly nothing like him before, during or after his career ....stunning

[Kangsryche]

Andy was a crackhead, just like Steve Martin, Robin Williams, and many other not funny so called "comedians (as well as the female version)" who thought drugs were the way to handle pressure. Congrats to all whom have received the Andy Kaufman award of the year---it means you are not funny and you are an asshole. I said my piece, . .and I thank YouTube for it.

[MarkII69]

@Kangsryche You didn't have to say your piece.....we all know that your a piece.

[Kangsryche]

@MarkII69 Thanks.

[Floatingworlds7]

@Kangsryche. It is a widely known fact that Andy did not use drugs.

[Kangsryche]

@Floatingworlds7 It is a widely known fact that they were all sitting around high on the late night show "Fridays" when he lost it and started tripping out. That's why he was sitting there talking about he felt like an idiot because he was sitting in front of hundreds of thousands of people as he was stoned and nothing to say. Maybe he should just jumped up and started flapping his arms around i.e. Robin Williams style--Oh wait a minute, he did!!! You really couldn't tell that they were high???

[krienkeb]

@Kangsryche Not true. That was also staged by him. Man on the Moon

[Kangsryche]

@krienkeb Well my friend, . .you know what is true? What is true is that his own family admitted that Andy did drink and smoke. Check out Wikipedia. They admitted it, because when the doctors were trying to find out what was killing Kaufman, it could not been denied that he was an abuser. Who would have thunk it? So is everyone going to call Andy's family a bunch of liars now?

[tipslowbanghard]

uh oh truffle shuffle wit da boogaloo now hold up

[martywhitevan]

thank you so much for posting...he was the greatest!

[PAULFC93]

Some people are just funny without even trying

[gigantes1966]

Unreal. My jaw is on the floor, and in a good way.

[jayjayjigsby2]

Talk about someone who just didn't care what anyone thought of him. We could all take something from genius Andy Kaufman.

[emildude92]

but he really did care a great deal what everyone thought of him....probably more than any entertainer in the world....that was part of his genious

[theothertroll]

@jayjayjigsby2 - genius? LOL! he was just a crazy ass hole.

[jayjayjigsby2]

@theothertroll Yea, that's probably more accurate. Point taken. But a funny crazy asshole.

[1ngjoxsh]

@theothertroll

Andy Kaufman was the poppa troll, you know that haha

[MFBueno63]

@jayjayjigsby2

if u want to see a real comedian who didn;t give a fuck about what others thought of him and was actually funny and intelligent in the process, i suggest u look into Bill Hicks.....Kaufman was no genius, he was a crazy hack.....

[theRADteepee]

@MFBueno63 that was his stage persona. He had a separate life. Andy Kaufman was in constant stage mode, that's what made him great

[heartandsoul1988]

@MFBueno63 dont use bill hicks to be a cunt bill and andy were both great

[TeenCretin]

@MFBueno63 Bill Hicks SUCKS DICKS. He was an overated Sam Kinison clone

[goldsmithstudent]

That was great miss u andy

[ApeWithBone]

that was fucking killer! Great vid

[fosponomot]

he should have coughed on the blade and spit up fake blood.

[darksideka]

At 0.24 when Dave mentions NBC Taxi theres a hissing noise that cracks him up. Was this Andy's distain for the sitcom?

[7beers]

Andy Kaufman once borrowed $5 from me and he never paid me back

[WARPALORPA]

so that's the reason he faked his death. the cheap bastard.

[UneducatedGenius]

what for?

[theRADteepee]

@7beers YES!

[tictixtiv]

@7beers Really, If So Than Thats Cool Or Is It Just I Joke I Dont Get.

[TwiPrime]

@7beers What year did he borrow it????

[therealuptheass]

@7beers The same thing happened to me. Although, he borrowed $500 from me. I know that bastard faked his own death and I will get my money sooner or later.

[berryhill88]

@7beers He said he would be back after 20 years after his death, I'm sure he's just late.

[7beers]

@berryhill88 He's pregnant????????

[MadeXinXtheX90s]

Hes a genius and so very beautiful!

[shaithinshoe]

he's a good singer !

[cshargeit]

it was a time when doing shows in vegas was the biggest sell out.

[kendconcerto]

He likes to give audience a full mix feelings, and shines his multiple talents of different personality.......Wonderful ! R.I.P Kaufman :)

[LonelyVagabond]

You want to know how much of a rare talent he was? You don't see this type of comedy anymore.

[intothetopcorrupt]

this amanzgh

[noiui]

He was a good singer, never knew, quite a versital character, and now I see why Jim Carey was chosen to potray him in Man on the Moon.. only jim could pull it off, very similar in their physical comedy!

[noiui]

he was gorgeous.

[RazaSiddiqui]

that was a trick sword, notice how he uses the tip of his tongue putting it in, and then his teeth to pull it out! might be obvious to some but I was baffled for a second!!

[TedyBere]

They don't make them like this anymore.

[Zel1g050]

look at paul shafer at 5:56 he cant believe what he just heard ... great vid

[mikeyes11]

You know Andy wrote that introduction for Dave to read,,haha...

[CHATMOSSMAN]

For me, Andy singing this song is everything. His voice is melancholic, beautiful, not perfect and the the better for that. The beauty of his voice juxtaposed with the absurdity of his dress seems to speak to me about life and eternity.

[andrewtheman19]

Well said :-)

[ozzyrules66]

as for any and nicklos cage please andy could atleast act

[dhammakaveros]

Genious... Amazing... I'm speechless

[minks1968]

Andy left us much to soon

[ButterOnCorn]

not really

[LukeLegere]

ANDY didnt die, he's now living quite comfortably as nicholas cage

[meloearth]

OMG, I was just here breaking my brain to remember what actor had that exact face... Yes!!!

[bellsonrich]

Is this one of the last times he was on letterman?

[kf932009]

He is a very good singer

[tygersflowerz]

I know, I wish he would've done something musical. (Like released an album or something.)

[tygersflowerz]

p.s. It's strange, but I'd even go so far as to say he is one of my favorite singers. He just has a nice voice I like listening to.

:-)

[TripleDubFishing]

Genius.

[bluebanshee3]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha­hahahahahahahahaha

it's impossible to take anything he does out of context, because basically---there isn't one.

[ColbyPictures]

He kept his health a secret and people must have been shocked to hear that he died at 35. Since the day after his death was reported people said his death was the ultimate stunt/hoax. Kaufman said if he ever faked his death he would return 20 years later and in 2004 there was a welcome home party his friends threw for him which he did not attend. So, he really died in 84' of of lung cancer.

[Pallindrom27]

Maybe he changed his mind about coming back?

[ButterOnCorn]

what if his death was the ultimate illusion

[ColbyPictures]

Andy would agree but he is dead.

[ButterOnCorn]

or not

[L3g3ndHasIt]

Sword-swallowing, while impressive, is far from his best illusion.

For a morbidly good time, check out FOUND IN THE FUNHOUSE: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ANDY KAUFMAN @

w w w. f o u n d i n t h e f u n h o u s e. b l o g s p o t. c o m

(without all the letter spaces)

[tambam89]

He looks like Gene Wilder.

[guitarzan2010]

this is one of the funniest and most impressive things I've ever seen

[stimpp]

criticize all you want - the song is beautiful and Andy nails it.

[blueboydogs]

For the one who likes the song: Rose Marie was a make over by Slim Whitman who Andy liked very much (a Country artist), the song is from a 1924 musical comedy originally sung by Jeanette MacDonald..try listening to Slim, you will also see Andy introducing Slim on a clip "I remember you"

[HelterSkelter085]

i like the song

[Zel1g050]

this video is awesome, andy come out in a nappy an tubin and those idiots in the crowd think they kno what theyre in for then bam the starts singing and hear them shut up lol... even paul shafer is freaking out at the end

[shaggywann]

GENIUS

By FAR, the best Song-And-Dance Man to ever exist.

[ssballs]

What a talent!

[fuzsionboy]

im sorry, but for me, its just boring..

[fuzsionboy]

boring...

[Jangofat1]

shithead

[VideoDetectionUnit]

I hop[e he makes his comeback soon. I'm getting old.

[BigOleEric]

Why do people insist that he is alive?

[ramslak]

because we need genius people like him, 12 in a dozen entertainers these days :S

[Pallindrom27]

Look up AndyKaufmanTV and his videos here on youtube then look up The NathanMcCoy on Twitter if you're REALLY interested.

[ButterOnCorn]

because he is

[aliciaj0303]

@VideoDetectionUnit hes dead

[Racktos19]

@VideoDetectionUnit  he's dead!!!

[Digitaaliklosetti]

A professional douche, no less.

[AndyOnLetterman]

I just uploaded the full version of this interview on my account.

[cliffvsbuffalo5]

Wouldn't it be the most amazing thing to be able to go on national television and perform a song you love? Astounding well, too. That's the impression I get from this. Lucky bastard.

[CharlieMcCotton]

Hahaha! What a showman! I love the outfit and the part when he puts on the mustage and plays a countrysong.. :-) Didn`t see that coming..

[ipmoic]

When Kaufman was like this, he was everyone's favorite little boy. What a lovely bit--we miss you Andy.

[brynathen]

Can anyone tell me the name of the song they begin playing at the end as they go to commercial break? Many Thanks.

[thinlizzynut]

i love the slim whitman bit !! hahahahaha

[solostrategies]

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Ron Jeremy.

[mwp62]

Andy does Gunga Din!

[Pallindrom27]

I'm tired of waiting for him to come back.

Anticipation is ONE thing but THIS is ridiculous!

;)

[moreaxe]

Arabs are only associated with turbans in the minds of morons. Tell me where in the world arabs wear turbans? For christ sake rascism is in lack of knowledge.

[Gerogiancounty]

my question is where in the world do you see arabs wearing diapers ???

[pa20002000]

About 500 years ago in Baghdad...

[Gerogiancounty]

its sinbad ! no kidding !

[wingedhamham]

What if Kaufman played Willy Wonka?

:O

[syykoe]

perfect!

[cookiesonsteve]

YES!!!

[kentroberts]

kaufman vs. horatio sanz for best snl performer of all time! ha. click on me if you dig andy kaufman.

[pa20002000]

ur an unbelievable tit...with too much time on their hands

[guitarzan2010]

pretty impressive swallowing a sword and then singing

[WeasleyOurKing]

Isn't this act a bit insensitive to arabs?

[Alfrunk]

Only if you equate arabs to turbans and diapers, bigot.

[WeasleyOurKing]

I'm not, jerk. I'm not racist at all.

Arabs are associated with turbans, so I was just wondering if it could be deemed offensive.

[cookiesonsteve]

indians not arabs

[cwegers1]

Seiks wear turbans, maybe there are some arab sieks.

[emoly1994]

Sikhs*

[cwegers1]

thanks

[tygersflowerz]

No I think it's insensitive to Jews. lol j/k

[SnoocheeBoochees]

i don't know why tygersflowerz comment was voted -6 and marked as spam. He or she was telling the truth.

[tygersflowerz]

I know why... I'll tell ya in a minute. :-)

[imaselhazona]

can you tell me too ?