Andy Kaufman/Glen Charles/Cheers...
Matt Ackeret
two nights.. In this last show (ended around 15 minutes ago here), they were
talking about Andy Kaufman a bit [it was cool that they talked about stuff
other than Cheers for a while]...
They were talking about Kaufman's 'other character', Tony something-
erother. Anyway, Glen said that Tony chain smoked, while Tony hated smoking.
I thought that Kaufman died from lung cancer from smoking. Apparently
I was wrong. What did he die from?
They also said that Tony was fired (yes, literally fired, in character).
This sounded like the alternate personality that Latka had though. Am I mixing
up two different characters, or is this the same character? That is, the
lounge lizard Tony that Kaufman played -- is it the same as Latka's "alternate
personality"?
On the whole "Cheers" hype this week -- Damn, it sure is a lot of
hype, and it seems most local newscasts are having "Cheers" related segments
all week. It definitely is over-hyped from one point of view, but it's gotten
cool things like this "Later" appearance to happen. Also, on one appearance,
one of the people related to the show said that they thought that this type of
thing might not happen again with the splintering of the TV audience. That
seems likely. Also, it's just such a hilarious show [though I haven't seen
every episode the last season or two, I've been taping most of them this
season]..
Was there this much hype about M*A*S*H? I was a young teenager and
wasn't as much attuned to the news or media in general. I just don't think
there was this much hype though I could be wrong. So what's the deal?
I just hope "Murphy Brown" and "Roseanne" last 11 (or more) seasons..
Wow.. I watch a lot (too much) of TV, but really, "Murphy Brown," "Roseanne,"
"The Simpsons," and "Love & War" are the only sitcoms I'll watch consistently
next year unless I'll get hooked on some new ones..
so many good ones died -- "Wonder Years", "Doogie Howser, M.D." [lame sounding
concept that was actually executed very well], "Jackie Thomas Show" [sure it
only lasted a few episodes but it was funny while it lasted], of course
"Cheers"..
--
unk...@apple.com Apple II Forever
unk...@ucscb.ucsc.edu These opinions are mine, not Apple's.
Sally Smith
Burrows was on the Charlie Rose show the other night, along with
Brandon Tartikoff and the TV Guide review guy.
Tartikoff had some very telling comments about how Cheers had incredibly
low ratings its first year (74th?) but he had faith in it and renewed
it anyway and *kept it in one place so the audience could find it* till
it became a hit, and I'm thinking, "Geez, Brandon, too bad everyone
at NBC forgot that once you left... no wonder they're in 3rd place now."
Rose asked Burrows if anyone was going to die in the finale and someone
(I'm pretty sure it was the TV Guide guy) said, "Warren Littlefield!" :-)
> Was there this much hype about M*A*S*H? I was a young teenager and
[whippersnapper ;-)]
As I recall, there was a whole lot, but that was, what, 10 years ago?
> the only sitcoms I'll watch consistently
>next year unless I'll get hooked on some new ones..
[Psst! Matt! Try BOB, it's got former "Cheers" honchos writing it!]
--
Sally Smith (510)790-0608 sal...@netcom.com (I was sa...@tardis.tymnet.com)
I'm unemployed--these opinions *must* be mine!
"Don't investigate this too closely." -- Don Bellisario, re: "Quantum Leap"
Scott Fields
In a previous article, unk...@apple.com (Matt Ackeret) says:
> I thought that Kaufman died from lung cancer from smoking. Apparently
>I was wrong. What did he die from?
*IF* he actually did die (there are rumors to the contrary), it was from
lung cancer. Not a few people think Andy's faking his own death was his
greatest performance art piece ever.
> They also said that Tony was fired (yes, literally fired, in character).
>This sounded like the alternate personality that Latka had though. Am I mixing
>up two different characters, or is this the same character? That is, the
>lounge lizard Tony that Kaufman played -- is it the same as Latka's "alternate
>personality"?
No. You're confusing two different (although similar) characters.
Tony Clifton is andy Kaufman's "other" personality. He performed a lounge
act in this character often, refusing to break character after the act was
over. When the producers of Taxi needed a brother for Louis DePalma in
episode 10 of Taxi's first season, they thought Tony Clifton would be
perfect. Unfortunately, "Tony" was rude, obnoxious and abusive to everyone
on the set. According to the Taxi book, he regularly showed up late, drunk,
and with two or three bimbos at his side.
When the producers realized it wasn't working out, they staged an actual
firing of Tony in front of the cast and crew. Tony went into his dressing
room, Andy came out, and that was that.
Vic Ferrari, on the other hand, while smooth and snakelike, was a pussy cat
at heart. He came about because Latka was tired of being thought of as a
"cute little foreigner" by the women at Mario's. He isolated himself in
his apartment for a solid week and studied Playboy magazine and a tape of
an FM disc jockey. WhaT at emerged a week later was Vic Ferrari (whom
Simcha eventually slept with-- much to Latka's horror).
At the end of this episode (Latka the Playboy), he returns to normal, but
not before a sly wink to the camera indicating that vic's still in there
somewhere.
** As an aside, one of my favorite episodes ever is when Latka assumes
Alex's personality.
** As another aside, I loved that when asked to name their favorite
episodes of the show, the Charles' and Jim Burrows all selected ones from
the first two seasons, which in my opinion are the best the series ever
had. After season two (maybe three), it became an above average, but not
brilliant show. Same thing that happened to MASH.
Matt Ackeret
ields) writes:
>When the producers realized it wasn't working out, they staged an actual
>firing of Tony in front of the cast and crew. Tony went into his dressing
>room, Andy came out, and that was that.
Well, it sounded more "creepy" than that on "Later" the other night.
They said that "Tony" stormed off the set screaming at the top of
his lungs and such.
I realize that most of the "alternate personality" stuff we see
in movies is fairly UNrealistic, but jeez, this sounds just like that cliche'd
version of alternate personalities. There was someone on a Geraldo I saw
a week or so ago that supposedly had multiple personalities -- it seemed
fairly "fake". [No I don't watch Geraldo often -- I was channel flipping and
caught the person changing personalities..] A while later they accused her
of faking it since one of the cameramen thought she wasn't in the 'right'
personality at the time during a commercial or something weird like that.
>Vic Ferrari, on the other hand, while smooth and snakelike, was a pussy cat
>at heart. He came about because Latka was tired of being thought of as a
>"cute little foreigner" by the women at Mario's. He isolated himself in
Oh, ok.. Well, once again, the way he'd switch between Latka and Vic seemed
like the generic alternate personality thing.
Dean Adams
sal...@netcom.com (Sally Smith) writes:
>Rose asked Burrows if anyone was going to die in the finale and someone
>(I'm pretty sure it was the TV Guide guy) said, "Warren Littlefield!" :-)
Close... "Warren Littlefield" died in the SEINFELD finale! :-)
Bob Wier
> I realize that most of the "alternate personality" stuff we see
> in movies is fairly UNrealistic, but jeez, this sounds just like that cliche'd
> version of alternate personalities. There was someone on a Geraldo I saw
> a week or so ago that supposedly had multiple personalities -- it seemed
> fairly "fake". [No I don't watch Geraldo often -- I was channel flipping and
> caught the person changing personalities..] A while later they accused her
> of faking it since one of the cameramen thought she wasn't in the 'right'
> personality at the time during a commercial or something weird like that.
There was another famous incident on Saturday Night Live with Kaufman.
Presumably they were doing a skit which wasn't going well, and finally
they all broke character and got into a raging argument with A.K., who
walked off the set. This must have been about 1981 or so (anybody pin it
down more closely?). Arguments raged on the data networks for YEARS
about whether it was "real" or not. I also recall A.K. doing a SNL segment
(don't know if it was the same one) where he lip synched the "Mighty Mouse"
Cartoon theme. I thought it was outstandingly dumb and unfunny. I never
did figure out if it was intended that way or not - it was like he couldn't
think of anything else to do and came up with it 5 minutes before air
time...
Weird guy...
======== insert usual disclaimers here ============
Bob Wier, East Texas State U., Commerce, Texas
wi...@merlin.etsu.edu (watch for address change)
Phineas Narco
> The Charles brothers and Jim Burroughs (sp?) were on "Later" the last
> two nights.. In this last show (ended around 15 minutes ago here), they were
> talking about Andy Kaufman a bit [it was cool that they talked about stuff
> other than Cheers for a while]...
>
> They were talking about Kaufman's 'other character', Tony something-
> erother. Anyway, Glen said that Tony chain smoked, while Tony hated smoking.
>
> I thought that Kaufman died from lung cancer from smoking. Apparently
> I was wrong. What did he die from?
>
> --
> unk...@apple.com Apple II Forever
> unk...@ucscb.ucsc.edu These opinions are mine, not Apple's.
Kaufman supposedly died of lung cancer, but he didn't smoke. There
are people who think Kaufman's 'death' was really an elaborate hoax
and he's still alive. This is similar to the 'Is Elvis really dead?'
legend... Kaufman, BTW, was Elvis's favorite Elvis impersonator.
Anyway, there is a 'Best of the Improv' tape (I think that's the
name) that has Kaufman doing his 'Tony Clifton' character, who does
chain smoke. However, if you watch closely, you'll see that Kaufman
never inhales (a trick learned from Clinton?).
--Phineas
Pat Steward
>
>Kaufman supposedly died of lung cancer, but he didn't smoke. There
>are people who think Kaufman's 'death' was really an elaborate hoax
>and he's still alive. This is similar to the 'Is Elvis really dead?'
>legend... Kaufman, BTW, was Elvis's favorite Elvis impersonator.
This doesn't surprise me -- considering how little he actually looked
like Elvis, the suspension of belief that he created was masterful.
I'd be delighted if he were really alive all this time!
--
Patricia Martin Steward pat...@oz.plymouth.edu
I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is;
I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express senti-
ments that differentiate me from a doormat. Rebecca West, 1913
Unknown
(Bob Wier) wrote:
>
> I also recall A.K. doing a SNL segment
> (don't know if it was the same one) where he lip synched the "Mighty Mouse"
> Cartoon theme. I thought it was outstandingly dumb and unfunny. I never
> did figure out if it was intended that way or not - it was like he couldn't
> think of anything else to do and came up with it 5 minutes before air
> time...
>
> Weird guy...
>
I believe AK did the Mighty Mouse bit on the very first SNL ever, or at
least one of the first ones (1975). Whenever I see that bit I can't
believe how brilliant it was! The guy was unlike anything that ever was
and nobody has duplicated that weirdness. To just stand there and wait for
"Here I come to save the day" in the Mighty Mouse theme was hilarious.
Another famous SNL bit with AK was when he conducted the whole monologue in
a foreign language (Spanish??). He couldn't understand why nobody was
laughing at his punchlines, oblivious to the audience not speaking the
language. Then he got a volunteer from the audience for part of his act
and it was just hilarious how he coaxed her to participate in the act since
she didn't understand him.
Roger Noe
Did Elvis make this statement from beyond the grave?
--
Roger Noe n...@cs.uiuc.edu
Department of Computer Science 40:06:39 N. 88:13:41 W.
University of Illinois (217) 244-6173
Urbana, IL 61801 USA "Dr. Sam Beckett never returned to NBC."
roger colin shouse
Isn't it strange? I remember seeing the Mighty Mouse bit and
thinking it was one of the most hilarious things I'd ever seen!
I mean, he's playing sort of a "dork" who can only get it together
enough to "pantomime" his way through the song.
--
Roger Shouse
The University of Chicago Email: sh...@midway.uchicago.edu
Bob Wier
wlam...@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (> Chris L <) wrote:
>
> wasn't this actually on ABC's "Fridays!" show? I seem to remember
> a sketch with kaufman ended with a fistfight that later was
> revealed to be staged.
>
I think you are right. It might well have been "Fridays". I had
totally
forgotten about that show.
I guess some people liked the "Mighty Mouse" segement. I remember
thinking
at the time that it was funny for about 20 seconds, but it went on and
on. I remember
that I kept expecting *something* else to happen and that wasn't the
whole bit...
Phineas Narco
About the FRIDAYS show... I remember seeing that too, but I don't
remember a scuffle breaking out. I recall that on that night Kaufman
was hosting and was acting like he had found christ and all he would
talk about was being a christian, like a jesus fanatic. The Pretenders
were the musical guests and when Kaufman was supposed to introduce
them he went on and on about how great Jesus is, refusing to let them
play... the audience was booing him.
Around the same time, in '82 or '83 Kaufman was wrestling women
and had been challenged by an actual professional wrestler named
Jerry Lawler. They traded insulting videos back and forth and met
for a wrestling match in a huge arena someplace. Kaufman kept running
away from Lawler in the ring, putting his foot outside the ropes
so Lawler couldn't touch him. Finally, Lawler got on the PA and
said "Did you come here to wrestle or to act like an ass?" and the
audience cheered, and then let Kaufman put him in a hold. They
stood in the middle of the ring and Kaufman put Lawler in a headlock.
Then Lawler lifted Kaufman up over his head and dropped him on his
neck and proceeded to do a couple pile drivers on him. Kaufman had
to be carried out on a stretcher.
Lawler and Kaufman (in a neck brace) later met on the David
Letterman show and it was the singlemost hilarious thing I've seen
on the show... thought it has never been rerun and I still don't
know if it was 'real' or staged. Kaufman started mouthing off to
Lawler and the big wrestler came up and slapped Kaufman out of his
chair. They went to commercial and when they came back Kaufman was
screaming, yelling and swearing like crazy at Lawler saying he was
going to sue him. He was hysterical and every other word had to
be bleeped out. Lawler started walking up to him again during this
and NBC security had to step between them. I wish I had a copy of
this but it has never been re run that I know of.
Other stuff: Kaufman's friend Bob Zmuda was best friends with
Kaufman and was very depressed when Kaufman died. To pull himself
out of the slump he started COMIC RELIEF.
Also, I heard that Kaufman was schizophrenic.
--Phineas Narco