andy's new book
Aletha Tegan
that it is interviews with him.
Mary
"Did you say no this can't happen to me
did you run to the phone to call out?"
Jeff Buckley
T. wEieR
New Yorker had an article preview of the book over a year
ago (November 22, 1999 issue). But it was fantastic. And
pure Andy. It seemed the writer didn't know whether he was
for real or not. She followed him around, and he was a real
card. It was my thought they he played her to the max. She
asked him questions, but it was more like she tagged along
just writing what she observed and heard. Sort of a "day in
the life" kind of a thing. If the article is like the book
(which I presume it will be), it will be a frolic more in
the spirit of Bob Zmuda's book and not the more scholastic
Zheme work. I can't wait for this book. I'm jumping ahead
a little, but I believe this will be an essential (not to
mention fun) read for any Andy Kaufman fan.
T. wEieR aka J. Brook
Founder of CAKS
http://caks.netfirms.com
Aletha Tegan wrote in message
<20010410164438...@ng-mg1.aol.com>...
Aletha Tegan
Mary
Ifyoubeleive
>New Yorker had an article preview of the book over a year
>ago (November 22, 1999 issue).
Thanks for the great info, T. Is there any indication about whether or when it
will be released?
>but I believe this will be an essential (not to mention fun) read for any
Andy Kaufman fan.>
Absolutely! I'd sure love to get my hands on it.
D
>Subject: Re: andy's new book
>From: "T. wEieR" art...@somedaze.com
>Date: 4/10/2001 6:49 AM Hawaiian Standard Time
>Message-id: <9avt4j$nba$1...@bob.news.rcn.net>
T. wEieR
Here's what's written at Amazon.com. Somewhat mixed. I
think the second "review" may be Julie Hecht's own publisher
since no publication was listed. The first review pretty
much blasts it.
From Publishers Weekly
In 1978 and 1979, short story writer Hecht (Do the Windows
Open?) conducted sporadic, often frustrating interviews with
the comedian Andy Kaufman for an intended Harper's magazine
profile. Harper's deemed the piece "too strange" to publish;
20 years later, those interviews now appear in this odd
volume. In 1978, Kaufman was a regular performer on Saturday
Night Live; in the next year, he would originate the role of
Latka on the sitcom Taxi. Hecht's first encounter with
Kaufman was not auspicious: driving Hecht and collaborator
Bob Zmuda to Manhattan from his hometown of Great Neck,
N.Y., Kaufman took his hands off the wheel and began
clapping along to the music on the radio. After he refused
to attend to the wheel, Hecht demanded that he stop the car
and let her call a cab. Later exchanges were similar, with
Kaufman unwilling to play anything straight. Most of Was
This Man a Genius? consists of transcripts of Hecht and
Kaufman's conversations, where Kaufman comes off by turns
petulant and na‹ve, obsessed with meditating and taking
vitamins and perpetually making passes at the married Hecht.
Though this approach vividly renders Kaufman's personal
strangeness, the bickering grows tedious, and Hecht's
general lack of explication doesn't help she doesn't even
attempt to answer the question posed in the book's title.
(Apr.)Forecast: Advertising in the New Yorker, which has
published many of Hecht's short stories, may yield a few
sales. Still, coming so far behind Zmuda's Andy Kaufman
Revealed and Bill Zehme's Lost in the Funhouse, and
containing little new information, the publication of this
tedious biography seems almost as puzzling as the performer
himself.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Just as Andy Kaufman subverted traditional forms of comedy,
so Julie Hecht, with her distinctive brand of wry humor,
successfully subverts the traditional form of wry humor,
successfully subverts the traditional form of the interview.
During 1978 and 1979, Hecht negotiated and met with Kaufman,
following him from an appearance at his old high school to
his now-legendary Carnegie Hall performance. The author
stood her ground in all kinds of ludicrous situations,
waiting for the appearance of Kaufman’s real self, as it
that self were some kind of Godot. Her determination and
writing talent enabled her to uncover the truth behind many
of the stories Kaufman made up for the press, and behind his
sometimes poignant artistic aspirations. This is a book of
bizarre meetings and often hilarious conversations between a
great comedian (who hated to be called that) and his perfect
foil — a writer of short stories who found the story of Andy
Kaufman’s life to be stranger than fiction. It will
entertain and enlighten the many fans of both the performer
and the author, and through its surprising dialogue and
surreal encounters it will shed light on the evolution of
postmodern culture.
Ifyoubeleive wrote in message
<20010411020557...@ng-fo1.aol.com>...
Jerry Koning
Or if you're a Canadian, like myself, try Chapters.ca.
-Jerry
"Ifyoubeleive" <ifyoub...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010411020557...@ng-fo1.aol.com...
dizzyyy
wrote:
>It seemed the writer didn't know whether he was
>for real or not.
Oh, he was for real all right. A for real jerk.
J_C_FREAK
messages in this newsgroup and give negative replies to them. I envy
obviously life of sitting at the computer all day with no friends.
-Kristin ~*JackAss*~
"dizzyyy" <dizz...@SPAMpro-ns.net> wrote in message
news:SwbVOhza1DPl4o...@4ax.com...
Ifyoubeleive
Thanks, Jerry. I did. And it's winging it's way as we speak (write).
D
>Subject: Re: andy's new book
>From: "Jerry Koning" littlerub...@home.com
>Date: 4/11/2001 6:03 AM Hawaiian Standard Time
>Message-id: <jf%A6.243664$tP3.3...@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com>
Aletha Tegan
so short. But it's good because it gives insight to Andy that most people leave
out when they talk about him. I'm glad he was difficult to know and totally
unpredictable. Andy could never be boring. And to me that was the biggest
compliment the book paid to him. Hope you get to read it soon.
Mary
jgrady
Long live the great white north!
Ifyoubeleive <ifyoub...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010418182447...@ng-cg1.aol.com...