If you’re old enough to remember an era with no cell phones or Internet, you might recall a quirky comedian named Andy Kaufman. He did did one of the best Elvis impersonations of the 80s and played the mild-mannered, lovable Latka on the TV series Taxi. He died from a rare form of cancer at age 35 in 1984. But this week a lady claiming to be one of his daughter’s said the former SNL contributor is still alive. I’d be extremely skeptical about this folks. But Kaufman was by all accounts plenty weird enough to try and pull it off:
USA Today — Conspiracy theorists have long posited that the comedian, who died in 1984 at 35 of lung cancer, faked his death. And an announcement at the annual Andy Kaufman Awards, held in New York, has brought the theory back into the public eye.
The woman told the audience — gathered to celebrate performers who embody the spirit of the comedian — that her father was still very much alive and that he had faked his death to escape the limelight and be a stay-at-home dad for her and her siblings. She also said he wanted to make an appearance at the awards ceremony, but ended up deciding not to come. TMZ has video of the talk. “I don’t know how much longer he can keep everything away,” she said.
I’m almost ashamed to even post this, as it has all the marks of a bullshit promotional scheme. But it’s fun conspiracy theorizing, no one gets hurt, and it works as a hoax because, if there ever was one comedian who really might have done something that bizarre, it would be Andy Kaufman.
Andy Kaufman’s ‘daughter,’ who claimed ‘Taxi’ star is still alive, revealed to be hoaxer
Sounds like it is likely a hoax – http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/11/14/andy-kaufman-daugther-says-hes-not-dead/3525403/
Oh, it’s a hoax alright. We all knew that without having to check. Because we’re hard nosed skeptics. Funny though, it works as a hoax because Kaufman was such a weird dude.
Any news on Generalissimo Francisco Franco?
Any reason to reminisce about Taxi is good enough for me.
Kaufman is dead. Any sightings of him are actually just Elvis in disguise.
I suspect faking your death is illegal, no matter what your motives.
I’m not surprised it’s a hoax.
That said, I remember Andy Kaufmann when he was alive and I hated his act. Latka was okay but only because Taxi was a good show. Kaufmann was terrible. I’ve never understood the Kaufmann love.
I was gonna post something, but just read sambarge ^.
Early on, Kaufman was very funny, but he pushed the envelope way too far for me and most of the people I knew. “Tony Clifton” would have been funny in a sitcom cameo role, maybe.
That said, when he died it took a long time for people to accept that this wasn’t just another shtick.