It has been said that Andy Kaufman was a comedian before his time. Andy would not call himself a comedian or a comic. He would describe himself as a song and dance guy, or technically, he’s in the category of performing artist or performance art.
I had not understood Andy Kaufman for years, especially when I was growing up and saw him on SNL and a few other shows. Then, recently, watched the biopic movie about Andy Kaufman, Man on the Moon, where Jim Carrey played Andy to a tee. And now I (kinda) get it. I’d describe him as a comic provocateur. Who else can get away with just eating a bowl of ice cream for 6 minutes to an engaged audience that would watch him and applaud him. That’s not just charisma; that’s quite a character!
And, here’s a bunch of video clips I’ve found on YouTube —
