About Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman (January 17, 1949 - May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer and performance artist, sometimes called an "anti-comedian." He disdained telling jokes in the traditional sense, once saying, "I am not a comic, I have never told a joke." After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s, he reached a wider audience in 1975 when he performed portions of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live. His Foreign Man character, who claimed to be from a fictional island in the Caspian Sea, became the basis for Latka Gravas on the television show Taxi from 1978 to 1983, a role for which he received Golden Globe nominations. Kaufman also appeared as the abrasive lounge singer Tony Clifton and brought a professional wrestling villain act to Late Night with David Letterman in 1982. He died of lung cancer in 1984 at age 35, and persistent rumors have circulated that he faked his own death.
Videos (117)
Videos 73 to 96 of 117.
0:53Upgrade Your Thinking With One Simple Move
23 views
1:21Digital obesity cure is analog wellness
23 views
0:46Between Stimulus and Response You Have Space
22 views
0:47You’re Not Paid to Run a Project
22 views
0:54A Meditation App Won’t Fix Workplace Wellbeing
22 views
1:11Don't stay in bed
21 views
0:56Attention is the key
21 views
1:13Why the Best Job Candidate Doesn't Always Get Hired
21 views
1:24Why Hybrid Work Fails (And What Great Team Leaders Do Differently)
21 views
1:25Why Your Brain Keeps Playing It Safe (And Holding You Back)
20 views
0:40building social confidence
20 views
1:13You have more experience than you might think
19 views
0:57Shifting to a Strategy Navigator
19 views
0:42Opportunities to collaborate
18 views
1:41Cure all disease by 2035
18 views
0:50Communicate and Take Action
17 views
2:58PPP 188 | John Medina on the Brain Benefits of Socializing
16 views
0:53The Leadership Traits That Matter Most: Courage, Humility & Character
16 views
0:46AI Can Help You Communicate—But
16 views
0:55A team member sees a problem. But they don't speak up. What if fear isn't the reason?
16 views
1:15The path to success is resilience
16 views
1:15Project management simplified--it's just a goal
15 views
0:50The Leadership Blind Spot: Emotions Reveal Your True Motivations
14 views
1:05Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts, with Dr. Jeremy Pollack
14 viewsGuest appearances (13)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Andy Kaufman.
Guest appearances 1 to 13 of 13.
6:28Andy Kaufman's Elvis Presley Impression | Carson Tonight Show
Johnny Carson
10.4M views
8:13Andy Kaufman Impersonates Elvis Presley and Foreign Man | Carson Tonight Show
Johnny Carson
3.9M views
2:39Andy Kaufman on Staying in Character | August 4th, 1977
Johnny Carson
1.3M views
3:00Andy Kaufman as Dr. Vinnie Boombatz (1983)
Jacob Rodney Cohen
994.6K views
15:02Andy Kaufman Talks About Foreign Man and Staying in Character | Carson Tonight Show
Johnny Carson
604.6K views
10:49Andy Kaufman's First Appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Pt. 2 - 01/21/1977
Johnny Carson
604.2K views
2:04Andy Kaufman Foreign Man Impression, Part 1 on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show
Johnny Carson
162.2K views
5:43Andy Kaufman's First Appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Pt.1 - 01/21/1977
Johnny Carson
109.5K views
0:44Rodney finally put a face to the name when he cast Andy Kaufman as Dr. Vinnie Boombatz.
Jacob Rodney Cohen
37.5K views
1:44WTF - Bob Zmuda on Andy Kaufman vs Tony Clifton
Marc Maron
21K views
1:18Kevin Nealon on Andy Kaufman
Neal Brennan
17.9K views
3:54Uncle Floyd Show: Ed Screwy and Sandy Kaufman
Floyd Vivino
1.9K views
1:00Andy Kaufman gets Star on Walk of Fame
Nick Vatterott
231 viewsChannels on this page: Johnny Carson, Jacob Rodney Cohen, Marc Maron, Neal Brennan, Floyd Vivino, Nick Vatterott
Frequently asked questions
Why was Andy Kaufman called an anti-comedian?
Andy Kaufman disdained telling jokes in the traditional sense and once said, "I am not a comic, I have never told a joke." The American entertainer is also described as a performance artist.
How did Andy Kaufman get famous?
After working small comedy clubs in the early 1970s, Kaufman reached a wider audience in 1975 by performing parts of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live.
Who was Latka Gravas?
Latka Gravas was Kaufman's role on Taxi from 1978 to 1983, based on his Foreign Man character who claimed to come from a fictional island in the Caspian Sea. The role brought him Golden Globe nominations.
Who was Tony Clifton?
Tony Clifton was an abrasive lounge singer played by Andy Kaufman.
Did Andy Kaufman do wrestling?
Yes, he brought a professional wrestling villain act to Late Night with David Letterman in 1982.
When did Andy Kaufman live?
Andy Kaufman was born on January 17, 1949, and died on May 16, 1984, at age 35.
