A performer from my era, Andy Kaufman, is someone whose name immediately stirs feelings of laughter, absurdity, and ultimately tragedy that he departed too soon. He was part of the class of all out, full steam performers like Gilda Radner and John Belushi who created characters that we loved and anticipated seeing. A difference for Andy Kaufman was the wide spectrum in which he worked and unpredictability.
First, we saw him lip syncing Might Mouse. Next he was impersonating Elvis. Then he appeared in the Taxi sitcom in which his extracurricular on-set activities upstaged the show itself. Was Andy’s move-on shifts from one venue to another propelled by boredom or spurred by self-challenging genius. I prefer to think the latter. Let’s wrestle some girls. Let him appear as a middle-aged insulting nightclub singer.
Andy didn’t want to die. He struggled hard to stay afloat but in the end he succumbed right before us. In the wild heavens out there, and in our hearts, Andy left a message something like, “Watch out, because Kaufman may pop up anytime to surprise you with laughs and spirit to keep trying.”
Live on.
“Funny and Fascinating Relics from the Life of Andy Kaufman
By Judy Berman on Jan 10, 2013
Flyers for a highbrow lecture tour that never happened. A scrawled boxing challenge from a 4’8” woman (who also enclosed a photo of herself). A daily mantra card with a quote from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. A photograph of the subject impersonating Elvis. These are the strange and fascinating relics of Andy Kaufman’s life, which will appear as part of Maccarone Gallery‘s exhibition, On Creating Reality, by Andy Kaufman, which opens January 12 and runs through February 26. But fans won’t just have access to Kaufman’s ephemera at the show; a rotating cast of the comedian’s friends, family, and collaborators will also be on hand to hold “intimate and unscripted conversations about Kaufman” with visitors. Click through to see a selection of Andy Kaufman artifacts that will be on view — and if you’re in New York, make sure you take advantage of the rare opportunity to discuss the man and his myth with the people who knew him.”
http://www.flavorwire.com/361585/funny-and-fascinating-relics-from-the-life-of-andy-kaufman
Current Exhibition
on Creating Reality, by Andy Kaufman
January 12 - February 16, 2013
Opening Reception
Saturday January 12, 2013
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Maccarone
630 Greenwich Street NY, NY 10014
tel 212 431 4977
fax 347 394 0043
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