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Lost in the Funhouse: The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman
From Bill Zehme, renowned journalist and author of the New York Times bestseller The Way You Wear Your Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin' , comes this masterful biography of the late comic genius Andy Kaufman.
Based on six years of research, Andy's own unpublished, never-before-seen writings, and hundreds of interviews with family members, friends, and colleagues, Lost in the Funhouse takes us through the maze of Kaufman's mind to see, firsthand, the fanciful landscape that was his life.
Andy Kaufman was often a mystery even to his closest friends. Remote, aloof, impossible to know, his internal world was a kaleidoscope of characters fighting for time on the outside. He was as much Andy Kaufman as he was Foreign Man (tenk you veddy much), who became the lovably dithering Latka on the hit TV series Taxi . He was a contradiction, a paradox on every level, an artist in every sense of the word.
In Lost in the Funhouse , Bill Zehme sorts through a life of misinformation put forth by a master of deception to uncover the man behind the legend. Magically entertaining, it is a singular biography matched only by its singular subject.
Based on six years of research, Andy's own unpublished, never-before-seen writings, and hundreds of interviews with family members, friends, and colleagues, Lost in the Funhouse takes us through the maze of Kaufman's mind to see, firsthand, the fanciful landscape that was his life.
Andy Kaufman was often a mystery even to his closest friends. Remote, aloof, impossible to know, his internal world was a kaleidoscope of characters fighting for time on the outside. He was as much Andy Kaufman as he was Foreign Man (tenk you veddy much), who became the lovably dithering Latka on the hit TV series Taxi . He was a contradiction, a paradox on every level, an artist in every sense of the word.
In Lost in the Funhouse , Bill Zehme sorts through a life of misinformation put forth by a master of deception to uncover the man behind the legend. Magically entertaining, it is a singular biography matched only by its singular subject.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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955 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 27, 2022
If you are an Andy Kaufman fan; or if you ever wondered why Latka from the TV Sitcom "Taxi" ended-up wrestling women, and Jerry Lawler; or even if you are curious about why the guy from "Saturday Night Live" who sang with the Mighty Mouse record, or who imitated Elvis, looked shy and innocent but also did some insane things in his personal life (and up on stage), then you will love this book.
I remember vividly most of the incidents described in "Lost in the Funhouse," but now, with Bill Zehme's page turning biography, I have a greater appreciation for Andy Kaufman, the eccentric person, and avant garde performance artist.
Zehme offers new context in which to consider Andy's work. The author explores Andy's family dynamic and his unusual behavior during his school years; we follow Andy's NYC career experiments; his Hollywood agent's behind-the-scenes efforts to propel his career; and we see Andy's own (often unreported) crazed romps through everyday life -- including all too regular romps with hookers at the Mustang Ranch.
Was Andy a true creative genius that was offering true performance art way before its time? Was Andy a comedian? A lunatic? A self-absorbed manic depressive? An actor? "Lost in the Funhouse" will offer a most comprehensive look at the entirety of Andy's legacy so that you can answer these questions for yourself.
My vote: he was a true creative genius that was exhibiting performance art way before its time
I remember vividly most of the incidents described in "Lost in the Funhouse," but now, with Bill Zehme's page turning biography, I have a greater appreciation for Andy Kaufman, the eccentric person, and avant garde performance artist.
Zehme offers new context in which to consider Andy's work. The author explores Andy's family dynamic and his unusual behavior during his school years; we follow Andy's NYC career experiments; his Hollywood agent's behind-the-scenes efforts to propel his career; and we see Andy's own (often unreported) crazed romps through everyday life -- including all too regular romps with hookers at the Mustang Ranch.
Was Andy a true creative genius that was offering true performance art way before its time? Was Andy a comedian? A lunatic? A self-absorbed manic depressive? An actor? "Lost in the Funhouse" will offer a most comprehensive look at the entirety of Andy's legacy so that you can answer these questions for yourself.
My vote: he was a true creative genius that was exhibiting performance art way before its time
October 25, 2017
"Here was a gauntlet thrown and a madness born - to sort and sift through a life of fantasy, but also a life on earth, and locate truths wherever truths had been sent to hide."
It's no coincidence that Lost in the Funhouse takes its name from John Barth's famously metafictional postmodern short story collection. Andy was an enigma to almost everyone that knew him, more of a schizophrenic collection of characters (that all represented some facet of his emotional defense system) than anything concrete. His entire existence was a performance art piece that prided itself on alienating the audience by any means necessary, to keep them in a constant state of bafflement as to what is 'really' going on and 'what's the punchline,' if there was one. One of his major techniques was to respond to the fluxing criticisms/interpretations of his own media image in ways that would only serve to push the question of 'who is Andy Kaufman' into more murky territory (even to him) while still maintaining his artistic integrity. Thus, to chronicle the life of Andy Kaufman is to traverse a minefield almost more mine than field. The author clearly knew the implications of such a task beforehand, which led to a six-year commitment of living and breathing Kaufman. Lesser writers would have cracked up, poisoned themselves with gallon after gallon of chocolate ice cream, found solace in the arms of dozens of strange prostitutes and given up on a project mortal man wasn't meant to undertake. Awarding this book five stars is just as much a profound appreciation of the author's herculean effort and patience as it is a reflection of it's wonderful, hilarious, and thought-provoking content.
Bill Zehme is the narrator, but he channels Andy Kaufman and focalizes Andy's life through Andy's whacked-out but still all-too-human perspective. By doing so, he shapes a second plane in which the reader can better understand who exactly Andy was, not simply through the events of his life but through the meaningful expressionist discourse of said events. This experimental edge results in a sometimes fractured structure and electric, stream-of-consciousness prose that probably wouldn't work in any other biography but works splendidly here. The focus on Andy's childhood (the childhood bit is usually my least favorite part of biographies) strays away from a simple A-Z retelling of events and brilliantly highlights the formative scenes (believing there was a camera in the wall of his bedroom that he would constantly perform for, early infatuation with Elvis and wrestling, fixation on hijinks, fascination with freaks, then with the Beats in his teen years and poetry and the novels of Kerouac and Selby Jr. and the films of Fellini, his discovery of transcendental meditation) that built the foundation of Andy's psyche and clearly prefigured much of his adult life. Zehme, while delving into and embodying the chaos of Kaufman's life, works incredibly hard to humanize Andy, to connect the dots and show how there was a logical but still bizarre chain of events that led to the creation of the Andy that freaked out a nation.
Over the course of my reading, I developed an enormous sympathy for this polarizing figure. His vulnerability and intentions and successes and failures and tragic death are laid bare and I found myself trapped in Andy's head (the funhouse) and I lived his experiences with him and felt I understood his every move. He spent his life on the fringes, his inability to communicate and fear of becoming something he felt he wasn't driving further him down the rabbit hole until he'd passed through fame with nothing on the other side but a few close friends and family, the people that held his hand while he died. I don't think I've ever laughed or cried as much from any other book, or had as much satisfaction in closing the final page and knowing I'd experienced something special. If I ever read a biography more alive and satisfying, it will be a miracle.
It's no coincidence that Lost in the Funhouse takes its name from John Barth's famously metafictional postmodern short story collection. Andy was an enigma to almost everyone that knew him, more of a schizophrenic collection of characters (that all represented some facet of his emotional defense system) than anything concrete. His entire existence was a performance art piece that prided itself on alienating the audience by any means necessary, to keep them in a constant state of bafflement as to what is 'really' going on and 'what's the punchline,' if there was one. One of his major techniques was to respond to the fluxing criticisms/interpretations of his own media image in ways that would only serve to push the question of 'who is Andy Kaufman' into more murky territory (even to him) while still maintaining his artistic integrity. Thus, to chronicle the life of Andy Kaufman is to traverse a minefield almost more mine than field. The author clearly knew the implications of such a task beforehand, which led to a six-year commitment of living and breathing Kaufman. Lesser writers would have cracked up, poisoned themselves with gallon after gallon of chocolate ice cream, found solace in the arms of dozens of strange prostitutes and given up on a project mortal man wasn't meant to undertake. Awarding this book five stars is just as much a profound appreciation of the author's herculean effort and patience as it is a reflection of it's wonderful, hilarious, and thought-provoking content.
Bill Zehme is the narrator, but he channels Andy Kaufman and focalizes Andy's life through Andy's whacked-out but still all-too-human perspective. By doing so, he shapes a second plane in which the reader can better understand who exactly Andy was, not simply through the events of his life but through the meaningful expressionist discourse of said events. This experimental edge results in a sometimes fractured structure and electric, stream-of-consciousness prose that probably wouldn't work in any other biography but works splendidly here. The focus on Andy's childhood (the childhood bit is usually my least favorite part of biographies) strays away from a simple A-Z retelling of events and brilliantly highlights the formative scenes (believing there was a camera in the wall of his bedroom that he would constantly perform for, early infatuation with Elvis and wrestling, fixation on hijinks, fascination with freaks, then with the Beats in his teen years and poetry and the novels of Kerouac and Selby Jr. and the films of Fellini, his discovery of transcendental meditation) that built the foundation of Andy's psyche and clearly prefigured much of his adult life. Zehme, while delving into and embodying the chaos of Kaufman's life, works incredibly hard to humanize Andy, to connect the dots and show how there was a logical but still bizarre chain of events that led to the creation of the Andy that freaked out a nation.
Over the course of my reading, I developed an enormous sympathy for this polarizing figure. His vulnerability and intentions and successes and failures and tragic death are laid bare and I found myself trapped in Andy's head (the funhouse) and I lived his experiences with him and felt I understood his every move. He spent his life on the fringes, his inability to communicate and fear of becoming something he felt he wasn't driving further him down the rabbit hole until he'd passed through fame with nothing on the other side but a few close friends and family, the people that held his hand while he died. I don't think I've ever laughed or cried as much from any other book, or had as much satisfaction in closing the final page and knowing I'd experienced something special. If I ever read a biography more alive and satisfying, it will be a miracle.
January 15, 2009
biographies are generally straight forward research bits. not so much here. takes a while to get inside the voice, but he genuinely tries to get as close to kaufman's head as possible. makes kaufman an interesting construct, allows you to hate and love him, shifts time forward and backward to the point where you're not sure where you are in the timeline...and ultimately i shed some subway tears as he recounted his death.
still leaves me with questions: how did people not like tony clifton (brilliant)? and the wrestling (brillianter)? those bits are amazing. like all good bios, there's plenty to be unsure about: the interview with elayne boosler on his tv show was/is painful. the fact that he largely played the same material from age 14 to 34 (foreign man, mighty mouse, elvis, crying man, old macdonald) is a bit sad. (though sadder perhaps is that this wouldn't fly today. the internet would kill him, that is if his frequent stays in brothels didn't run him into a case of the HIV.)
it would have been great to see andy kaufman have to age as a performer. he found characters to voice all his innocence and all his petulance, and it doesn't seem like anyone, including kaufman himself could resolve it all in one being.
still leaves me with questions: how did people not like tony clifton (brilliant)? and the wrestling (brillianter)? those bits are amazing. like all good bios, there's plenty to be unsure about: the interview with elayne boosler on his tv show was/is painful. the fact that he largely played the same material from age 14 to 34 (foreign man, mighty mouse, elvis, crying man, old macdonald) is a bit sad. (though sadder perhaps is that this wouldn't fly today. the internet would kill him, that is if his frequent stays in brothels didn't run him into a case of the HIV.)
it would have been great to see andy kaufman have to age as a performer. he found characters to voice all his innocence and all his petulance, and it doesn't seem like anyone, including kaufman himself could resolve it all in one being.
May 4, 2011
Awesome bio. Unlike other bios, which usually read like lists of accomplishments, this one utilizes a unique style, which flips from strangely poetic, to somewht remorseful, to the calm, detached voice of journalism. Great descriptions of Andy's early career, and some interesting stories about the birth of his most memorable material. A great book and a must for anyone fascinated with this incredible artist.
May 9, 2020
I wish I could give this book more stars. The writing and storytelling are so engaging, and the story told is tragic and funny and controversial and confusing and devastating and um, fine. Which would make sense if you read the book which you should thenkyouveddymuch.
April 10, 2025
This is such a hard book to review because it essentially does a mini version of what Kaufman himself did, which is to tease you with wide eyed wonder at this incredible and unique man and then unsettle you as that man becomes more complex and then muddied and then seemingly, as the title suggest, lost in the world of his own creation
But that’s the facile reading of it, and the facile reading of Kaufman himself. The book decides that to mirror that whole unreadable quality of Kaufman himself it will be written in a slightly awkward semi third person voice. It puts you at a distance immediately so you have to work hard to focus on the narrative, by which time the book, as Andy himself would do, has already pulled you into some sort of game it’s delightfully playing
So although it’s a brilliant biography of a complex man written in an equally complex manner, it also nimbly darts between tones of voice and styles of writing so you’re always slightly unsure where it’s going and if it’s being sincere but of course that’s entirely the Andy way of doing things and he would be delighted the book even attempts to replicate that lost in the house of mirrors approach to his art and life
Because, and finally you have to come to this, it’s a story of a life as art. It’s fascinating to read this so close to David Lynch’s death because here’s another man whose entire art was built of both absolute innocence and sincerity and complete darkness and antagonism. They both did Transcendental Meditation and their art suffered the few times they bowed to commercial pressure, and it’s that same sense of “where is this going? How sincere is this?” that Lynch’s finest art has that propels Andy’s finest work
And similarly both as so clearly autistic it’s ridiculous, but the difference is that I don’t think any autistic person has ever taken that awkwardness and inability to fully fit in that’s an essential part of what it’s like to be autistic and then just weaponise it. And Andy really weaponises it, wielding that oddness and strangeness as a blunt instrument to repeatedly unsettle and confuse people before suddenly removing it and showing the innocence behind it. Possibly. Who can tell? Nobody can say for sure but I can’t imagine anyone doing as well as Zehme does here
But that’s the facile reading of it, and the facile reading of Kaufman himself. The book decides that to mirror that whole unreadable quality of Kaufman himself it will be written in a slightly awkward semi third person voice. It puts you at a distance immediately so you have to work hard to focus on the narrative, by which time the book, as Andy himself would do, has already pulled you into some sort of game it’s delightfully playing
So although it’s a brilliant biography of a complex man written in an equally complex manner, it also nimbly darts between tones of voice and styles of writing so you’re always slightly unsure where it’s going and if it’s being sincere but of course that’s entirely the Andy way of doing things and he would be delighted the book even attempts to replicate that lost in the house of mirrors approach to his art and life
Because, and finally you have to come to this, it’s a story of a life as art. It’s fascinating to read this so close to David Lynch’s death because here’s another man whose entire art was built of both absolute innocence and sincerity and complete darkness and antagonism. They both did Transcendental Meditation and their art suffered the few times they bowed to commercial pressure, and it’s that same sense of “where is this going? How sincere is this?” that Lynch’s finest art has that propels Andy’s finest work
And similarly both as so clearly autistic it’s ridiculous, but the difference is that I don’t think any autistic person has ever taken that awkwardness and inability to fully fit in that’s an essential part of what it’s like to be autistic and then just weaponise it. And Andy really weaponises it, wielding that oddness and strangeness as a blunt instrument to repeatedly unsettle and confuse people before suddenly removing it and showing the innocence behind it. Possibly. Who can tell? Nobody can say for sure but I can’t imagine anyone doing as well as Zehme does here
January 23, 2020
Andy Kaufman has always been an enigma to me and many others. We've only got to see the man on the screen performing as Latka, doing the Mighty Mouse gig on SNL, and Andy doing his great Elvis impersonation. This book brings you above and beyond the life of Andy Kaufman back from when he was very young to his final days at the young age of 35. There are so many fascinating bits about Andy, and this book, confusing at times, but certainly worth the read. I'll definitely be taking a visit down this road to read again some day.
December 23, 2008
Written from Kaufman's point of view, I was brought into his world, from childhood to his death. Though we may never totally understand what he did, I have a better understanding of his artistic progression and what made him get into certain areas (the wrestling thing is obvious to me!). He was a trickster in a way, and a lunatic to be sure, but I admire his commitment to being himself behind many many layers of characters and insanity. Brilliant.
February 2, 2025
Andy Kaufman was so far ahead of his time... we still haven't caught up. No book can ever "explain" Andy Kaufman, but this book comes close. There are interviews with people from all stages of his life and career. It's amazing how many of Andy's classic bits derive directly from incidents in his childhood. My only regret would be the lack of an "epilogue" detailing Andy's legacy and impact on future generations of entertainers.
December 27, 2019
Great biography of Andy Kaufman's life from birth to his passing. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is the author's writing style; sometimes confusing and hard to follow. Other than that, it's a great biography which answers many questions Andy left us with.
August 17, 2009
I used to sometimes wonder whether Andy Kaufman was truly crazy, or if some part was really just an act. Its nice to have closure on this little nagging question.
October 2, 2025
Whether or not you believe that there is intelligent life in places other than Earth, it's safe to assume that Andy Kaufman was from another planet. He came up in stand-up with people like Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Elayne Boosler and David Brenner, but, he was different from them all as his act wasn't one of blue humor or observation, his was more built on surrealism and awkward moments with his audience which would usually alienate a large number of them. He was an acquired taste for sure, he would do simple things on stage, like read "The Great Gatsby" from the first word until the crowd would boo him off-stage, usually by the end of the first few pages. He would also bring a turntable with him and lip sync in perfect timing to the Mighty Mouse theme song and walk off the stage. There was no in between with Andy Kaufman, he was either beloved or hated.
He also would create his own reality and drop completely into characters like Tony Clifton, his abusive, misogynistic lounge singer character, or Foreign Man, which he spoke entirely in broken English, this character was the inspiration for Latka Gravas, his mechanic on the show "Taxi" in the 70's. He would refuse to break character at all, and at times it would cause him to be fired from jobs or physically assaulted. It's probable that he suffered from some sort of mental health issues, but was never diagnosed. He would for years tell people that his ultimate goal was to fake his own death via cancer and return years later, and he would do it so much that no one actually believed him when he did actually get throat cancer, which killed him at 36. He had a daughter that was put up for adoption when he was 19 and he never met her.
This author did as good a job as possible with putting together some kind of narrative for Kaufman's life as his writings and journals were as much of a surrealistic mess as the man himself was and it was hard to understand at times, which took a lot away from it for me. He goes into full detail about his wrestling angle with Jerry Lawler in the 80's in Memphis, The King was interviewed by the author, and it's interesting, but nothing new if you are familiar with the story at all.
I give it a "C" overall. Interesting subject matter, but too much of a mess to fully gauge.
Andy Kaufman was a different duck, he was popular at the only time he could have been, there is no chance he would be viewed the same way today.
Watch "Man on the Moon" with Jim Carrey if you want to get a good idea of who Andy Kaufman was.
He also would create his own reality and drop completely into characters like Tony Clifton, his abusive, misogynistic lounge singer character, or Foreign Man, which he spoke entirely in broken English, this character was the inspiration for Latka Gravas, his mechanic on the show "Taxi" in the 70's. He would refuse to break character at all, and at times it would cause him to be fired from jobs or physically assaulted. It's probable that he suffered from some sort of mental health issues, but was never diagnosed. He would for years tell people that his ultimate goal was to fake his own death via cancer and return years later, and he would do it so much that no one actually believed him when he did actually get throat cancer, which killed him at 36. He had a daughter that was put up for adoption when he was 19 and he never met her.
This author did as good a job as possible with putting together some kind of narrative for Kaufman's life as his writings and journals were as much of a surrealistic mess as the man himself was and it was hard to understand at times, which took a lot away from it for me. He goes into full detail about his wrestling angle with Jerry Lawler in the 80's in Memphis, The King was interviewed by the author, and it's interesting, but nothing new if you are familiar with the story at all.
I give it a "C" overall. Interesting subject matter, but too much of a mess to fully gauge.
Andy Kaufman was a different duck, he was popular at the only time he could have been, there is no chance he would be viewed the same way today.
Watch "Man on the Moon" with Jim Carrey if you want to get a good idea of who Andy Kaufman was.
November 1, 2017
This book truly, for better and for worse (the worst point being the almost-unreadable first chapter about his early childhood) gets you into the pathologically unknowable mind of legendary anti-comic Andy Kaufman. For those looking for sordidly entertaining stories about his bizarre exploits, you're definitely in the right place (though to be honest, Bob Zmuda's memoir, Andy Kaufman Revealed!, is a much better choice). For those attempting to get a grip on what possessed him to do this remarkably ridiculous shit all the time, well, if you're anything like me, you'll end the book thinking that Kaufman was a seriously deranged individual with a rather creepy, overwhelming desire to retain a childlike innocence about him (although that never stopped him from fucking as many women as he possibly could, thanks to his wrestling and frequent trips to brothels). Like most of the people who worked with him, you're never sure where the put-on begins or ends with him (or if there were ever barriers between fantasy and reality anyways), and you're always cringing a bit wondering how far he's willing to go down (as far as it takes, always).
And for the record, I think he's dead, but would've wanted everyone to doubt that regardless. Considering the reason I found out about him was stumbling across an Andy Kaufman Lives conspiracy website in junior high, it's probably the single best thing that ever happened to his career.
And for the record, I think he's dead, but would've wanted everyone to doubt that regardless. Considering the reason I found out about him was stumbling across an Andy Kaufman Lives conspiracy website in junior high, it's probably the single best thing that ever happened to his career.
May 13, 2023
The bio was fine but I didn’t come out thinking any more of Kaufman than I did when I started. His originality ebbed as he progressed professionally and for all his meditation and supposed sweetness so much of his act involved being terrible to people. He was a serial fornicator and a patronizer of prostitutes and the world revolved around him. I get that he was transgressive, but plenty of other comics have managed that while staying fresh and original and not fundamentally unkind (at least on stage).
May 23, 2019
I think devoted fans of Andy Kaufman would enjoy this book more and rate it higher than I did. I pushed myself through it. While I was a mild fan of Kaufman I don't believe I was a big enough fan to appreciate the stories and nuances of the person.
May 1, 2020
This is a killer bio of an artist, outcast, maverick, and a master of deception. A misunderstood genius. Dead at the age of 35. Andy Kaufman. He liked to call himself a 'song and dance man'. And that he was. https://youtu.be/r59AWfhwpPg
April 21, 2018
I barely remember this book and I read it last year.
February 9, 2020
This book was just fascinating. Made me obsessed with Kaufman for awhile.
March 13, 2020
Best part of the biography is his Taxi role!! Followed by his Saturday night live sketches.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyable and very sad biography of a genius comedian.
May 10, 2023
“I turned the television on to the news because I thought Andy might get a sort of weird kick out of having the news reporting his death while his body was lying there, watching."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2009
Generally when I read a biography, I feel a little distance from the subject of the book, perhaps a little coldness as I watch their life replayed for me. This book wasn't even remotely like that. I was thrilled when after the first few pages I could hear Andy Kaufman describing his life.
It's a really odd style choice, to write with the mannerisms of your subject, but constantly remind your audience that you're not him. I'm not sure too many authors/biographers could pull it off, but Bill Zehme managed with great elegance. I feel like Mr. Zehme taught me far more about Andy Kaufman using this tone than anyone else could have in any way; short of Andy Kaufman himself.
It's a really odd style choice, to write with the mannerisms of your subject, but constantly remind your audience that you're not him. I'm not sure too many authors/biographers could pull it off, but Bill Zehme managed with great elegance. I feel like Mr. Zehme taught me far more about Andy Kaufman using this tone than anyone else could have in any way; short of Andy Kaufman himself.
June 23, 2015
Far from the standard biography, this is written in such a way as to get you as close to Kaufman as possible ... or one of his many variations.
And it works.
Kaufman fascinated me as a child. His manipulation of reality and the public's reaction to it is something that interests me (and influences me, if truth be told). Bill Zehme's book helps explain how and why it happened. It is about as close as one can get to him, too.
If you missed the excitement that was Kaufman, this will help fill you in. It is even-handed and thoughtful. More importantly, it is interesting, and you won't want it to end.
And it works.
Kaufman fascinated me as a child. His manipulation of reality and the public's reaction to it is something that interests me (and influences me, if truth be told). Bill Zehme's book helps explain how and why it happened. It is about as close as one can get to him, too.
If you missed the excitement that was Kaufman, this will help fill you in. It is even-handed and thoughtful. More importantly, it is interesting, and you won't want it to end.
January 31, 2010
The best thing about Zehme's book is its encyclopedic level of detail. While that got a little tiresome in the early going (I could have used LESS detail about Andy's childhood), it was an approach that really worked well once it got into Andy's career.
The author takes a "creative nonfiction" stylistic tone that wears a little thin in places, but it doesn't detract much from my overall opinion of this book as the go-to resource for all things Andy.
The author takes a "creative nonfiction" stylistic tone that wears a little thin in places, but it doesn't detract much from my overall opinion of this book as the go-to resource for all things Andy.
February 1, 2015
to be honest, i wasn't really sure to expect of this book. none of the kaufman books seems to be the authoritative one, or so i think.
but this is not only - very likely - the best book about andy kaufman, it's one of the best biographies i've ever read. it's really well-written, funny, insightful - and zehme manages the balance between fandom and critical analysis really well. i would definitely read more of his. highly recommended.
but this is not only - very likely - the best book about andy kaufman, it's one of the best biographies i've ever read. it's really well-written, funny, insightful - and zehme manages the balance between fandom and critical analysis really well. i would definitely read more of his. highly recommended.
August 5, 2016
Definitely one of the best comic biographies I've ever read. Really gets into the head of a very unique, bizarre and complicated man and artist. This man was fearless and truly original who never pandered to his audience. Interesting exportation into creativity, comedy, performance, and pushing the envelope! Kaufman was one of a kind and this book does his life and art Justice, a work of art in interlude.
August 14, 2007
Andy Kaufman is one of my heroes. I absolutely loved him when he was alive and still cherish his zany ways. In a perfect world I think he's still out there, pulling a death hoax on us ...this book makes me dream that dream even moreso as it tells the life of Kaufman more even handed and less bias that the Zmuda biography that is also out there...this is the better of the two Kaufman biographies.
March 30, 2008
Must read for any Andy Kaufman fan of the most extreme unique humor. As his 2nd personality Tony Clifton during a live performance would warn an old lady as he stood next to hear at her dinner table at his show and say she sat in cottage cheese to only correct himself immediately after by saying it was her ass instead. Andy Kaufman was the King of insults.
December 13, 2008
This was an entertaining bio of Andy Kaufman although I think some of what made it into this book is probably a figment of the authors imagination because I don't think even those who were closest to Kaufman really knew what was going on inside his head. Fun to read, great stuff about Kaufmans legendary bizarre work, life and habits. Kaufman was a true original.
June 14, 2012
Such a joy--Bill Zehme amazingly writes in what you'd imagine would be the style of Andy Kaufman, if Andy could connect a pen directly to his brain. This is what a biography should be--thoroughly researched, based on evidence and interviews and scene-setting for the distant past. You'll love it if you are interested at all in 1970's television and comedy culture in the United States.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews