andy kaufman – The Comedy Bureau

TCB Debriefing 8/14/23: Andy Kaufman, Jodie Sweetin, Landscape with Invisible Hand, Solar Opposites

August 14, 2023

andy kaufman, dan stevens, hulu, jodie sweetin, landscape with invisible hand, solar opposities

1. Legendary boundary pushing and, subsequently, groundbreaking comedian, Andy Kaufman, is going to posthumously receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Announced as guest speakers for the occasion are Kristen Schaal, Kevin Nealon, and Michael Kaufman, but we’d honestly be surprised if someone didn’t show up as Tony Clifton.

2. Jodie Sweetin is making absolutely clear that she did not want her latest movie, a rom com called Craft Me a Romance, to air on Great American Family, a more conservative, family focused network that loves rebranding homophobia as “preserving traditional marriage” (Yahoo). She promises to donate money made from the movie towards LGBTQ+ orgs. So, does that mean Sweetin is aiming to do an A24 movie soon?

3. Super high concept, sci-fi dramedy from Cory Finley, Landscape with Invisible Hand, just dropped its final trailer before its theatrical release this Fri. Aug. 18th. It gives a more than pleasant surprise of how Tiffany Haddish continues to dazzle with her acting range if you weren’t already sold on a satire about co-existence.

4. The brand new seasons of Solar Opposites, complete with the voice of Dan Stevens in place of Justin Roiland, has just gone up at Hulu. Yes, that includes all episodes so you can binge Stevens’ gorgeous British accent all in one go.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Solar Opposites (@solaroppositesonhulu)

5. Uh, Burbank and North Hollywood are having comedy festivals at the same time?

There’s an Andy Kaufman Documentary in the Works

April 13, 2022

News

alex braverman, andy kaufman, morgan neville

(via THR)

Of the figures in comedy history that are the most intriguing, the mysteries behind Andy Kaufman, both on stage and off, endure in a way that will probably forever fuel curiosity and inspiration. Noted for being one of comedy’s most innovative disruptors (or disruptive innovators depending on your opinion of Andy’s work and career), Kaufman helped usher in the sort of experimentation in performance in comedy that influences entire generations of comedy to this day.

As a person who ushered in a style of comedy that made fun of comedy, pranked audiences that were expecting a certain style of comedy, or went completely off the rails in a totally unprecedented way, you’d think that we’d have several Kaufman documentaries at this point. There is Man on the Moon and the the doc Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, but now there will be a full-length feature doc from Alex Braverman & Morgan Neville that will dive into the life, times, and art of someone who had a career than spanned Taxi to the mythos of the entity known as Tony Clifton. There are no details for what exactly they’ll cover or when to expect the doc to release, but rest assured that will be antsy even for just a trailer.

Maybe, just maybe, this doc will reinvigorate/reboot The Andy Kaufman Award, what used to be one of our favorite distinctions in comedy.

See Jim Carrey Lose Himself in Playing Andy Kaufman in “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond”

October 19, 2017

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, behind the scenes, comedy history, documentary, jim & andy, man on the moon, netflix, the great beyond, trailer

1999′s Man On The Moon, which had Jim Carrey star as legendary comedian and performer Andy Kaufman brought Carrey to whole new level of method acting where he, seemingly, never stopped being Andy Kaufman whether on camera or off.

This documentary, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond shows never before seen behind the scenes footage from the making of Man On The Moon spliced with interviews from modern day Jim Carrey commenting on what was going in his head.

For comedians, comedy fans, film buffs, actors, and more, this documentary gives a look, like you very likely have never seen before, of what really disappearing into playing someone else is like in real life.

See for yourself in the trailer.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond starts streaming on Netflix on Friday, November 17th.

Holograms of Andy Kaufman and Redd Foxx Are Going on Tour

October 25, 2015

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, comedy tour, hologram usa, redd foxx

(via NY Times)

If you’re in a “tourist-oriented” city next year, chances are you might get to see Kaufman and Foxx as holograms.

Hologram USA is showing how much they can do with holograms these days by having the holographic likenesses of Andy Kaufman and Redd Foxx not only doing their most highly regarded bits, but reenacting scenes from their lives based on their biographies.

They’ll play several times a day, not unlike The Hall of Presidents at Disneyland, in various cities where folks might be curious to see what this hologram business is all about.

If this goes well, expect more hologram of famous comedians going around in what could be a sort-of wax museum of the 21st century.

Brett Davis Wins This Year’s Andy Kaufman Award

October 13, 2015

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, andy kaufman award, brett davis, the special without brett davis

It’s almost fitting that the guy who does a late night talk show on public access as a different character every week because the original version of himself was “murdered” in the first episode won The Andy Kaufman Award.

That’s right, Brett Davis, the man behind the various folks that host The Special Without Brett Davis, took home the oft-coveted Andy Kaufman Award for 2015. Having seen what Brett has done with the MNN slot that once was filled by The Chris Gethard Show, we’re confident he’ll hold up the lineage of Kristen Schaal, Reggie Watts, Brent Weinbach, Nick Vatterott, and more as an Andy Kaufman Award winner.

Oh, in case you haven’t been doing so already, now would be a great time to follow everything that Brett’s doing.

Bob Zmuda and Lynn Margulies, The Two People That Knew Andy Kaufman The Best, Wrote a Tell All Book About Andy Kaufman

December 28, 2014

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, bob zmuda, lynne margulies, tell all

Bob Zmuda, the man you most frequently see play Andy Kaufman’s legendary character Tony Clifton, and Lynn Margulies, Kaufman’s girlfriend, co-wrote a book that gives more insight into Kaufman’s life than ever before.

Zmuda even shares why he thinks Andy faked his own death as opposed to the stunt that happened at The Andy Kaufman Award.

Throughout Kaufman’s career, they explore the real backstory of what was going with Kaufman throughout all the crazy things he would become a legend for.

So, you can put the Amazon gift card you got this holiday season to good use and get Andy Kaufman: The Truth, Finally.

Vote to Pick The 2014 Andy Kaufman Award Finalists

September 19, 2014

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, andy kaufman award, comedy contest

One of our favorite comedy competitions around is the annual Andy Kaufman Award. With such noted winners as Kristen Schaal, Brent Weinbach, Nick Vatterott and Reggie Watts, it’s a distinction of those who are so incredibly unique in their comedic voice that they’re impossible to ignore.

The semi-finalists have been picked and you can now vote for who moves on to be a finalist. Among them are the likes of the very funny Robert Buscemi, Mary Holland, Jim Hickox, Nathan Min, and more.

Get a kick out of watching all of their clips and then please vote (and do so before Sept. 21st when voting closes).

Book About Andy Kaufman By Bob Zmuda and Lynn Margulies Comes Out Next Year

November 17, 2013

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, bob zmuda, lynn margulies, tell all

Book About Andy Kaufman By Bob Zmuda and Lynn Margulies Comes Out Next Year

Logic would say that a book by two of the closest people to Andy Kaufman should clear everything up regarding Andy, especially as it’s being touted as a “tell all” book, but we’re just going to wait and see about that.

When the book comes out next year, perhaps, Kaufman had more hoaxes planned posthumously, which wouldn’t be entirely surprising, would it? We’re hoping it’s just the truth so no one would have to deal with anything like the random publicity stunt over a week ago that someone pulled at The Andy Kaufman Award Finals.

The Andy Kaufman Awards are Now Taking Submissions For This Year

July 23, 2013

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, awards, comedy contest

The Andy Kaufman Awards are Now Taking Submissions For This Year

What should be one of the more notable comedy contests/award ceremonies in comedy, The Andy Kaufman Awards, for their recognizing the likes of Reggie Watts, Brent Weinbach, Kristen Schaal, Nick Vatterott, and more is now taking submissions for the 2013 edition.

Whatever your thoughts on Andy Kaufman are, know that this is one of our favorite comedy competitions to keep an eye on, so enter if you’re remotely interested in doing anything slightly different in comedy.

Comedy Albums from Maria Bamford, Moshe Kasher, Jerry Rocha, and Andy Kaufman That You Should Get

July 16, 2013

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, comedy albums, jerry rocha, maria bamford, moshe kasher

Lucky day for comedy fans or, really, anyone who likes to laugh a lot as there are four big comedy album releases today.

Namely:

Maria Bamford “Ask Me About My New God”
Moshe Kasher “Live in Oakland”
Jerry Rocha “Take That, Real Dad”
Andy Kaufman “Andy & His Grandmother”

So skip out going out to dinner and drinks for these comedy albums because you can probably eat some leftovers that haven’t expired yet. It’ll be worth it.

Andy Kaufman’s Comedy Album ‘Andy and His Grandmother” To Be Released Posthumously

May 10, 2013

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, comedy album

Andy Kaufman’s Comedy Album ‘Andy and His Grandmother” To Be Released Posthumously

This is definitely both exciting news and long overdue that Andy Kaufman recordings have been compiled and will now be released soon.

We wonder if there will be a lot of intentional play with the fact that it’s an album to be listened to as opposed to a live performance of Andy’s (i.e. a few tracks where it’s just him reading The Great Gatsby).

Required Online Comedy Reading List 3/18/13

March 18, 2013

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, eddie pepitone, interviews, jimmy pardo, reading list, stewart lee

It’s that time again for our round-up of great online articles, interviews, etc. about, for, or dealing with comedy because, honestly, we just had too many of these great reads saved to look “at some point”. So, we read them and made this list.

Included in this edition are great road stories with Jimmy Pardo by John Roy, wonderful absurdity from the hilarious mind of Andrés du Bouchet, Pete Holmes interviewing Anthony Jeselnik, and much much more.

–Mutants of the Post Apocalypse: A Handy Dandy Guide by Andrés du Bouchet
–Eddie Pepitone-Global Phenomenon-Brings the House Down in Oslo by St. Paul’s Lifestyle
–Exclusive Interview with Dinosaur Company by Moveorama Blog
–Stewart Lee Is Not Amused at Monopoly Control of TV Comedy by Oliver Duggan for The Independent
–Talking to Dan Harmon About Harmontown, Community Season 4, and His New Shows by Bradford Evans for Splitsider
–Watching Ernie Kovacs Host One of TV’s Strangest Morning Shows by Ramsey Ess for Splitsider
–Three Tales of Jimmy Pardo by John Roy
–Pete Holmes and Anthony Jeselnik Talk Dark Jokes for Vulture
–Dying Alone-The Life You’ve Chosen by Jeremy Paul for The Higgs Weldon
–For Our Consideration: Why Understanding and Embracing Easy Pop Culture Targets Beats Deriding Them by Nathan Rabin at The AV Club
–Funny or Die’s Billy Eichner on How To Be Fearless, and Maybe a Little Rude by Joe Berkowitz for Fast Co. Create
–I Shall Be Heard by Alex J. Mann for The Morning News
–Couples Therapy for Comedy and Feminism by Amy Hawthorne
–6 Reasons to Quit Your Podcast by Caleb Bacon for Huffington Post
–What Is A Writer Today by David Dean for Thought Catalog
–Can a Video Game Ever Be a True Comedy? by Noah Davis for Splitsider
–My Dearest Stand Up Comedians by Briana Hansen

Morning Debriefing 7/31/11

July 31, 2011

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, channel 101, cheap, comedy news, comedy shows, downtown, echo park, free, hollywood, irvine, jfl, los angeles, los feliz, open mic, paul provenza, west hollywood, what to do

1) LA Weekly’s giving away free tickets to the Todd Glass album taping this Wed. Aug. 6th at the El Rey!!!

2) Congratulations to Channel 101’s (the monthly short film series competition) top finishers for July, “Sex Teenagers” and “The Parent Project”, that we mentioned in a little article we wrote in Laughspin.

3) So, Tony Clifton “interrupted” Showtime’s the Green Room taping in Montreal [via @lamottjackson]

4) Don’t miss out on Ron Funches appearing on Conan (11PM TBS) and Todd Glass on Jimmy Kimmel Live (MIDNIGHT ABC) this Thursday Aug. 4th

5) Just in case you were curious, that’s us in Wisepix.com, Serial Optimist, The Nerdist, and Laughspin. That’s right comedy, we have our eye on you.

6) ON THE HORIZON
Tig Notaro & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 9PM $25
3 Years of the Midnight Show @ UCB Theatre Aug. 6th MIDNIGHT $5

7) COMEDY CRAWL
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
Trick Six @ Dark Horse Saloon 8PM FREE
Re-Animator: The Musical @ The Steve Allen Theater 8PM $30
French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE
Powerviolence @ The Complex 9PM FREE
Top Story Weekly w/Jimmy Pardo & Andrés Du Bouchet @ iO West 9PM $5
Deskpiece Nation @ iO West 10PM $5
Shitty Jobs @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand by only)

8) OPEN MIC RUN
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/lottery
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
PARADISE PERKS 15475 Jeffrey Rd., Suite 450, Irvine, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/limit 10 comics
NERDIST THEATRE 7522 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (back room of Meltdown Comics)/Sign-up 7:15PM/Starts 7:30PM/lottery/30 spots available/no purchase necessary
TSUNAMEDY @ TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/mixed mic
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee available

9) If you were wondering if comedy can be performed successfully in complete darkness, I can tell you first-hand that it can thanks to Rory Scovel.

Report 00230

THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau

April 6, 2011

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, comedy store, tony clifton

thecomedystore:

Cinefamily and The Comedy Store are Proud/Ashamed to present:

4/14 @ 8:00pm
Tony Clifton: Live On The Sunset Strip
(sneak preview!)
Co-presented by The Comedy Store

“Clifton is an emissary from the ninth circle of showbiz hell.” — AV Club Blog

“A figure so mesmerizing in his grotesquerie that his very existence becomes an act of theatrical alchemy.” — Entertainment Weekly

Andy Kaufman’s alter ego lounge singer Tony Clifton, along with his hot band and even hotter burlesque dancers, shocked Los Angeles audiences last May with the most hilariously heinous, politically incorrect act imaginable. Luckily for us, cameras were rolling. Be the first to see a sneak peek of what audiences and critics are still reeling about! Kaufman first discovered Clifton in ’69 in a seedy lounge in Las Vegas, and hired him for his historic “Carnegie Hall Concert”. In the ‘80s, Clifton appeared on Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, Letterman, and even with Miss Piggy — before being thrown off the Paramount lot after showing up to a run-through of “Taxi” drunk with two hookers! Rumor has it that Tony may show up to this screening — that is, if he’s not sitting in the LAPD’s drunk tank again.

Into the “Heart of Darkness” of an Old Fashioned Good Time

February 27, 2011

Uncategorized

andy kaufman, burbank moose lodge, chelsea peretti, comedian, comedy, comedy central, dima drjuchin, greg barris, heart of darkness, improv, los angeles, meltdown, meltdown comics, reggie watts, sean patton

The name “Heart of Darkness” promoted as a live comedy show might make many people a little queasy, thinking perhaps, that if they attend, they will be made uncomfortable on what is performance art attempting to be Andy Kaufman. Though there is a higher brow in the brand of comedy that producer/host/comedian/ringleader Greg Barris wrangles for his show, one will never find themselves laughing only because they’re uncomfortably lost in the “Heart of Darkness”.

Taking place at unusual and unique venues that are a far cry from the traditional comedy club around the country, Greg Barris purposely makes his show more of an organic experience (he touches and forgives audience members) rather than another one of the stand up showcase shows that has spread like a virus across the face of Los Angeles. In fact, at both the Burbank Moose Lodge or in the back room of Meltdown Comics for the recent two-show stint in LA, audience members got more the sense that they were hanging out after school and some really amazingly talented and hilarious friends rather than the $8 you paid to sit in a crowded room and see a “planned-enough performance”. With a small line-up, all the performers got to play loose and at their pace, keeping the easy-going, laid-back vibe present throughout the duration of “Heart of Darkness”.

The Comedy Bureau was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the Meltdown Comics edition that had a stellar line-up of comics including the incomparable Reggie Watts (as only briefly caught on tape here) floating between a multitude of accents, jokes, and songs, the painfully, but hysterically honest stories of Sean Patton, and the anxiously funny Chelsea Peretti as well as the head of the whole operation Greg Barris and his right hand man in the form of band Dima and Doctor Juchins. The show was sold out and packed to the gills as I gladly stood the whole time.

For anybody that has groaned when they have heard the joke set-up, “So I’m half…,” wondered if that was all that stand up comedy has become and why you’re possibly not having a good time, perhaps you should catch Greg Barris’ Heart of Darkness next time it’s in town to restore your faith in that there is indeed an alternative to stand up comedy that’s been stuck in the hey-day 80’s and it’s pretty damn funny.