MovieChat Forums > Man on the Moon (1999) Discussion > Kaufman was an overrated self indulgent ...

Kaufman was an overrated self indulgent creep

posted 18 years ago by tgilpin427
43 replies | jump to latest

I have worked in sketch comedy for 20 years and do not profess to have kaufman's vocal talent or occasional burst of originality. The Latka characterization was funny so was his Mighty Mouse sketch which I saw live- But the reality is he was only one more egotistcal "performance artist" more interested in mocking an audience than actually deigning to entertain them. I saw the FRIDAY sequence live in college and it was the most painful, embarrasing and UNFUNNY moment I have seen live or on TV.
Like most of his work it was a delusional self indulgent exercise that amounted to Intellectual mastubation.
Dying is easy Comedy is hard. As Olivier Said " the highest form of drama"
requiring hard work and discipline
To truly look for innovation and *beep* funny comic performers check out
Bill Cosby
Steve Martin
Mort Sahl
Eddie Murphy
Bob Hope among others
Then try to imagine any of them sinking into the self-indulgent mire that Kaufman did

[–] JellyFish19 11 years ago

Have to agree. It was an interesting movie, sure. But no idea how any of his stuff could have raised a smile.

[–] strawberrymilkandgin 11 years ago

you say i should check out bill cosby, steve martin, eddie murphy & others? wow! thank you for that info. i will definitely check those guys out.

by the way, have you ever heard of bill murray, richard pryor or chevy chase? those guys are great too!

(spoiler)

[–] strawberrymilkandgin 11 years ago

there's also this guy named rodney dangerfield (most people haven't heard of him) you should check him out though. he's really quite funny.

also don rickles, lily tomlin, george carlin, lenny bruce.. all funny!

(spoiler)

[–] strawberrymilkandgin 11 years ago

do you read mad magazine? i heard there's this new show mad t.v., which is kind of like another show called saturday night live. ever heard of either of those?

(spoiler)

[–] Mr-mojo-risin 8 years ago

Then you didn't get Andy, and I doubt you work in sketch comedy.

[–] Mr-mojo-risin 8 years ago

Then you didn't get Andy, and I doubt you work in sketch comedy.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

Bob ticking HOPE?! Who HIRED HIS (alleged) JOKE WRITERS?!

Bob “I never met a war I didn’t like” Hope?!

No. No. A thousand times no.

[–] Darren (1459) a year ago

I agree. I have never found Andy Kaufman funny, and I absolutely despise how he abused the indulgence of his audience. When you are an entertainer, you have a contract of sorts with your audience (of the handshake variety, not the written variety). That contract is: you pay me your money, and give me your time, and I will try to entertain you. This is important. Your money is valuable, and your time is even more so -- no amount of money will buy back a minute of wasted time. Every minute of your life is an irreplaceable commodity. Once it's gone, it's gone and there's no getting it back.

Kaufman presented himself as a comic, but he wasn't. He was a "performance artist" (something I'm inclined to regard as inherently self-indulgent), and was as satisfied with a hostile reaction as a happy one. This is not a good thing; it means you're just an attention whore. You're not happy unless you are the center of attention, whether good or bad.

Again, there was that contract: give me your money and time, and I will try and entertain you. Kaufman welshed on his end of the deal. He took your money and time, but didn't even try to entertain. He was as pleased just to piss you off. This isn't some comic genius at work, it's just an asshole. That sums him up better than anything: Andy Kaufman was a fucking asshole.