Andy Kaufman is still alive. Except he isnt. But he might be

[IANdrewDiceClay]

This is an odd one.

Comedian Andy Kaufman 'faked his death', brother claims

 

Cult comedy star Andy Kaufman faked his own death in 1984 and is still alive, his brother has claimed.

 

Kaufman, best known for playing the incompetent Latka Gravas on the 1970s sitcom Taxi, officially died from lung cancer in 1984.

 

But, appearing at an award show named in Andy's honour, Michael Kaufman said he received a letter from his brother, confirming he was alive, in 1999.

 

He then introduced a woman who claimed to be Andy's 24-year-old daughter.

 

Her age would mean she was born five years after his death.

 

"He just wanted to be a stay-at-home dad, that's why he wanted to leave the showbiz," she explained.

 

"He's pretty much a great dad, and raised us. My mom has her own business... He helps her with that kind of thing, paperwork and stuff, so he can work from home and he doesn't have to be hiding out [or] concealing himself."

 

"He just makes us food and takes care of the house."

 

Her arrival had been preceded by a long anecdote, in which Michael described how, many years ago, he discovered an essay in which Andy detailed plans to fake his death.

 

It was accompanied by a note, saying the comedian would reappear on Christmas Eve 1999, in a specific restaurant.

 

Although Andy failed to show up, Michael was handed a letter explaining that his brother had gone into hiding to live a normal life, and now had a wife and daughter.

 

In addition to his role on Taxi, Andy Kaufman was an eccentric performance artist who often staged elaborate pranks that entertained, confused and at times frustrated his fans.

 

He organised wrestling matches between himself and women, impersonated Elvis Presley and, most famously, created a hideous lounge singer alter-ego called Tony Clifton, who reeked of foul-smelling cheese and verbally abused virtually everyone in sight.

 

And, famously, after he played Carnegie Hall, he hired 24 buses and took the 2,800 audience members out for milk and cookies.

 

A life-long health fanatic, he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 33 and died in May 1984. A copy of his death certificate, which lists the cause of death as renal failure, can be seen online.

 

Nonetheless, a portion of his fanbase has always maintained his death was a hoax.

Still from Man On The Moon Jim Carrey played Kaufman in the 1999 biopic Man On The Moon

 

Audience members at the Andy Kaufman Awards were uncertain how to take Michael's revelation, wondering if it, too, could be a stunt.

 

"The entire room was freaked out," wrote comedian Killy Dwyer on her Facebook page.

 

"I get that it is - could - might all be a hoax.... [but] it was as real as anything I've ever seen. There is video. It was chilling, upsetting and absolutely intriguing."

 

Award show producer Al Parinello told the Hollywood Reporter: "I witnessed the entire thing and I can tell you without a doubt this was not a prank."

 

"You could see by the look on [Michael's] face that it had an emotional impact on him," said Ed Cavanagh, manager at the Gotham Comedy Club, where the award show took place.

 

But, he added: "I don't know whether somebody is perpetrating something on [Michael] or not. I'm truly 50-50 on this one."

 

Witnesses said the unnamed woman had explained the catalyst for her appearance was the death of her grandfather, Andy's father, in July.

 

In a video of the encounter, posted on gossip site TMZ, Michael is seen asking whether his brother is "getting close to revealing himself".

 

The woman covers her face and says, "I don't know what to say."

 

"I mean, he was really thinking about coming," she adds.

 

Michael then asks the audience not to follow the woman after she left the building.

 

"I won't give you her name. I don't even know [her] name," he says. "Let her have her privacy."

 

"Send him my love," he adds.

 

Anything is possible with Kaufman. He was one of lifes true headcases.

[Maverick]

Very interesting this, can unfortunately see it fading out and nothing more being said though.

[PowerButchi]

Kaufman from beyond the grave and Zmuda are still trolling. Awesome.

[WWFChilli]

Kaufman from beyond the grave and Zmuda are still trolling. Awesome.

 

Yeah, I thought this. This happened about 10 years ago on the 20th anniversary of his death. He's the comedy 'Elvis is Alive'. Always fun to read this kind of stuff though.

[Loki]

There were pictures knocking around the net earlier this year of an alleged 60 something Andy Kaufman. It's one of those rumours that will only fade when he'd be too old to still be out there.

 

I had a look at the footage of his "daughter" and it really comes across as someone acting a bit like Andy, rather than a real person.

[DCW]

Hoax according to the Smoking Gun

 

n news that should shock nobody, the woman who appeared onstage this week claiming Andy Kaufman was alive--and that she was his daughter--is a New York City actress whose actual father is a Manhattan doctor, The Smoking Gun has learned.

 

Posing as the late comedian

[Thunderplex]

I really wish it was true. None of these "Still alive" stories have ever been proven, whether it's Kaufman, Elvis, or any of the others, but it would be so great if one was.

[Keith Houchen]

Kaufman is the Bigfoot of comedy.

[Merzbow]

If he was a live and did decide to reappear it'd have to be in an extravagant way.

 

I'm calling secret entrant at 'Rumble 2014.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

CNN interviewed King Lawler for it. Even teases a possible Lawler vs Kaufman match at WrestleMania 30. I'd watch.

It was in Memphis where his wrestling gig hit the stratosphere, challenging local legend Jerry "The King" Lawler in epic matches.

 

"I would like nothing better than to know that Andy was still alive and been with us all this time," Lawler told CNN Thursday by phone. "But like anybody else, I really don't know any more than what I've heard."

 

"It could be a great hoax in his honor, dreamed up by his friend Bob Zmuda and his brother, Michael. That would be something that would be in keeping with Andy's tradition, but who's to say. It could really be legit."

 

If Kaufman were alive, Lawler said he would tell him: "You pulled off your dream stunt, your dream prank."

 

Lawler also challenged Kaufman, if he really is alive, to get back in the ring with him. "There should be a WrestleMania rematch between Andy and The King," Lawler said. "We could rekindle the feud with no problem."

 

Only Lawler could try and work a angle with a bloke who died in 1984. Memphis promotional rules have no limits.

[Devon Malcolm]

Kaufman is the Bigfoot of comedy.

 

I'm gonna go searching for him in the Badlands tonight.

[JNLister]

It's pretty obvious this is a lie and that actually the "brother" is really Kaufman.