Andy Kaufman Revealed: Best Friend Tells All Book

Andy Kaufman was many things to many people. In fact, he was many people to most folks; his comic personalities including Latka in Taxi, Tony Clifton, Elvis and the milk and cookies man. To Bob Zmuda, who acted as writer, tour manager and fellow mischief maker throughout Kaufman's years of comic mayhem, he was Andy--his bestfriend.With a Zmuda-approved movie Man On The Moon starring Jim Carrey about to chronicle Kaufman's on-the-edge lifestyle, it's clear the comedy world holds this wide-eyed performance artist in high esteem. In these pages Zmuda tells Andy's history with honesty and warmth. Certainly Kaufman was complicated and the text here hides little. Zmuda acknowledges a difficult artist with a voracious appetite for womankind and wrestling(often at the same time). In his chatty, informal style he also explains the get-away-with-it charm and shining talent which drew people towards this ashy but uncontainable figure.This is half triumph/half confession. For the first time Zmuda explains the pranks that Kaufman's reputation was built on--a fake hypnotism act which went too far; a drunk alter ego throwing eggs at Dinah Shore. Like a magician gone to the other side, Zmuda proudly shows how it was done.When non-smoker Andy Kaufman died of lung cancer aged 35 Bob Zmuda created an American version of Comic Relief in his memory. This obvious high regard makes the final chapters about Andy's death hard to deal with. Including diary entries from those last days, Zmuda's honesty is both touching and revealing and could stand alone as a fine study of human friendship. --Helen LamontRead More