Comedians and comedians, clowns and satirists entertaining the audience, help them to relax and forget about their problems for a while. Experts emphasize that it is difficult to amuse the audience. Andy Kaufman enjoyed performing on stage.
Starting conditions
The famous comedian, comedian and revue artist was born on January 17, 1949. Andy Kaufman's family lived at that time in New York. According to the recollections of close relatives, the boy was noticeably different from his peers from an early age. Instead of various rattles, the gramophone became his favorite toy. He moved the needle over the plate with dexterous movements. A creak and crack was heard, after which the melody changed abruptly. All this greatly amused the kid.
The parents tried not to hinder the development of the child's abilities. Mother was there all day. Andy could watch TV all day, and then repeat everything that he heard and remembered with the voice of the announcer. Often he demanded to turn off the TV and presented the news to everyone who was at that moment at home. The career of an actor and entrepreneur actually began at the age of ten. As a schoolboy, he arranged performances for peers, showing cartoons and simple tricks.
When Kaufman turned fourteen, he performed with his program in beer bars and summer cafes. Simultaneously with poems and reprisals, the young actor managed to write his first full-fledged novel. After completing his secondary education, he undertook to learn to play the conga drums. Then he takes a great interest in oriental practices and is engaged in meditation. For almost a year Andy lived in Spain, teaching young people the technique of diving into a trance.
In the guise of a foreigner
From the very beginning, Kaufman's biography was developing successfully. For over a year he performed on the Broadway stage, gaining experience and trying out his risky moves. In his performances, he sought to evoke diametrically opposite feelings in the audience. He made the old woman jump around the stage on a stick until she was completely exhausted. The old woman fell unconscious, and the doctor who came out of the hall recorded death. But then Andy jumped onto the stage dressed as an Indian medicine man and revived the deceased.
This kind of "jokes" in the work of Andy Kaufman were in the order of things. For several years, the comedian literally fooled the audience by posing as a foreigner from an island in the Caspian Sea. This island drowned, and the poor fellow who escaped moved to America, and now needs money. A foreigner came to a television show like "let's get married" and began to pester the participants with tears and requests to choose him.
It is interesting to note that a certain part of the audience believed in the authenticity of the stage character. People can be brought to such a state using subtle mechanisms of influence on the psyche. Kaufman was distinguished not only by the ability to transform into a specific character. He effectively used contrasting techniques to throw people off balance. Many connoisseurs of Kaufman's creativity came to the performance in a state of intense expectation of something unexpected.
Comedian in the ring
Andy Kaufman's acting career developed in a "ragged" mode. The reason for the instability is partly due to the nature and demeanor of the comedian himself. After the "Foreigner", which was boring to the audience, the artist invented a new figure, which he brought to the stage. This character was positioned as a voiceless soloist with over-ambition named Tony Clifton. Outwardly, he looked obese, with a large belly and heavy dark glasses.
It is interesting to note that Andy appeared on stage in the performance and introduced the “talented” performer to the audience. Tony Clifton went out to the audience with a slack gait and began to carry all sorts of nonsense. He was rude, called names and provoked those present in the hall to a scandal. Irritated spectators threw heavy objects at him and promised to beat him. After a while, the actor was recognized. And at the same moment he Kaufman appeared in the auditorium, sat down in a chair and continued to listen to the incompetent singer.
In 1977, Andy Kaufman drew attention to a popular show called wrestling. The famous actor, acting in his own style, suggested holding fights between women and men. He was the first to volunteer to take part in the fight and promised a woman who would enter the ring a thousand dollars. To the actor's surprise, his invitation caused a violent and even aggressive reaction. Over the course of his entire sports career, Andy had almost four hundred fights and never lost.
Last months
In the biography of Kaufman it is said that during the period when he spent "fights" in wrestling, he received hundreds of abusive and offensive letters. To prevent such unique material from being wasted, Andy published these letters as a separate book. The bestseller sold out in a few days. According to his long-term habit, the actor worked intensively from day to day. For the first time, he felt mildly unwell in the fall of 1983.
The first examination in the hospital did not reveal any pathology. However, after a month, the state of health sharply deteriorated. A deeper examination showed that Kaufman had lung cancer. The diagnosis sounded completely unexpected. Andy never smoked. The actor tried with all his might to overcome the disease. After consulting with American specialists, he visited the Philippines, where he was treated by a famous healer. The trip did not bring any results.
Little is known about the personal life of the popular comedian. He always had a girlfriend by his side. From time to time he got a new girlfriend. He did not have time to choose an official wife. Apparently he is not yet ripe for the role of husband. According to unverified reports, Andy had an illegitimate daughter, whom he learned so much about. Kaufman made a significant contribution to the development of pop art, but did not leave his heir. The actor passed away in May 1984 at the age of thirty-five.
