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Andy Kaufman: The Truth, Finally
For the first time ever, the two people who knew Andy Kaufman best open up about the most enigmatic artist of our generation.
Comedian and Taxi star Andy Kaufman, known for his crazy antics on screen and off, was the ultimate prankster, delighting audiences with his Elvis and Mighty Mouse impressions while also antagonizing them with his wrestling and lounge-lizard alter ego, Tony Clifton. Some say he died in 1984, while others believe he performed the ultimate vanishing act.
In Andy The Truth, Finally, Bob Zmuda, Andy's writer and best friend, and Lynn Margulies, the love of Andy's life, reveal all--including surprising secrets that Andy made Lynne and Bob promise never to tell until both of his parents had died.
Hilarious and poignant, this book separates fact from fiction, and includes a candid inside look at the Milos Forman film Man on the Moon, which Zmuda coexecutive produced and featured Jim Carrey as Andy, Paul Giamatti as Zmuda, Courtney Love as Margulies, and Danny DeVito as Andy's manager, George Shapiro.
Finally, Bob Zmuda shares in detail the reasons he believes Andy Kaufman did, in fact, fake his own death, including exactly how he did it and why he will return.
Comedian and Taxi star Andy Kaufman, known for his crazy antics on screen and off, was the ultimate prankster, delighting audiences with his Elvis and Mighty Mouse impressions while also antagonizing them with his wrestling and lounge-lizard alter ego, Tony Clifton. Some say he died in 1984, while others believe he performed the ultimate vanishing act.
In Andy The Truth, Finally, Bob Zmuda, Andy's writer and best friend, and Lynn Margulies, the love of Andy's life, reveal all--including surprising secrets that Andy made Lynne and Bob promise never to tell until both of his parents had died.
Hilarious and poignant, this book separates fact from fiction, and includes a candid inside look at the Milos Forman film Man on the Moon, which Zmuda coexecutive produced and featured Jim Carrey as Andy, Paul Giamatti as Zmuda, Courtney Love as Margulies, and Danny DeVito as Andy's manager, George Shapiro.
Finally, Bob Zmuda shares in detail the reasons he believes Andy Kaufman did, in fact, fake his own death, including exactly how he did it and why he will return.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2014
36 people are currently reading
650 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 30, 2018
What a terrible book. I wanted to learn about Andy Kaufman, but Zmuda is primarily talking about himself instead. He also reveals some odd details about his personality. Like when Jim Carrey invited him to his private cinema, Zmuda stuffed his pockets with as much candy as he could, and overfilled his drink and popcorn so that it spilled all over the carpet. What a jerk. He also took advantage of two woman who thought he was Jim Carrey in costume. I'm really not sure why, but he seems very proud that.
I really wanted to finish this, but I could only make it a bit over halfway through before I had to stop. It's just too painful.
I really wanted to finish this, but I could only make it a bit over halfway through before I had to stop. It's just too painful.
November 5, 2014
MEMO 2 BOB ZMUDA: BOB, GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL - ANDY IS NOT COMING BACK!
October 23, 2014
I found this book through an article on Slate.com, and the premise behind this book (could Andy Kaufman still be alive after all these years??) was very interesting, and right away I wanted to read this book.
I believe the authors make a good case, but there were parts of the book (near the beginning) that were slow and I was not as entertained and laughing out loud as I was during their stories of filming "Man on the Moon" and after. Once you get to those chapters, the book does move very nicely, and once you're done, you kinda do hope he's coming back soon.
I believe the authors make a good case, but there were parts of the book (near the beginning) that were slow and I was not as entertained and laughing out loud as I was during their stories of filming "Man on the Moon" and after. Once you get to those chapters, the book does move very nicely, and once you're done, you kinda do hope he's coming back soon.
January 2, 2015
This is one strange book--it's supposedly about Andy Kaufman but it's really a bunch of one-sided opinions spewed by his self-centered writer Bob Zmuda. And a few comments from Kaufman's girlfriend (why she gets a co-writer credit is unknown because she contributes very little to the book other than a few paragraphs here and there). The book gives some insight into why Kaufman was so crazy, but it's mostly Zmuda telling us how great he and Kaufman were--something that most of America would probably disagree with.
The big problem here is that there is no real perspective on Kaufman--we get a hyped, over-praised version that claims he was a genius ahead of his time. No, he wasn't. He was a lousy comic with terrible timing who intentionally infuriated everyone he worked with and challenged them to fire him (almost all of whom did). Zmuda sounds like a guy just trying to make money off Kaufman's death by writing this book that is mostly supposed to convince us that Kaufman isn't really dead. It's a stupid premise that is repeated "to death" in the book, to the point that you just want Zmuda to shut up and tell Kaufman stories!
Oh, there are some good ones here. Kaufman's bisexuality. Kaufman's banging every prostitute at the Bunny Ranch. Kaufman plotting his fake death. Jim Carrey being almost as crazy as Kaufman. And Zmuda doesn't hold back his hatred for certain Hollywood types (Danny DeVito really gets it but there is way, way too much about the DeVito-produced Man in the Moon movie here) and his disdain for Kaufman's family members. But that doesn't make for a very entertaining book. The best part is that the book does reveal the reason why Kaufman was the way he was--his beloved grandfather disappeared when he was a boy and Andy went nuts. The grandfather had died but Andy's parents told him that the old man had moved away to a foreign country without saying goodbye. Andy withdrew, started seeing a counselor, and his parents didn't reveal the lie until years later. No wonder the comic was screwed up, acted like an old foreign man, and repeatedly tried to fake his death.
This thing is a mess, very much the way Kaufman was. For Zmuda to think this is great writing shows what a failure he and Kaufman really were. The book's title is even misleading--there isn't a lot of truth here. Just a lot of biased hype that gives Kaufman's writing partner and girlfriend the chance to wring more money and fame out of the long dead comedian by claiming he's still alive.
The big problem here is that there is no real perspective on Kaufman--we get a hyped, over-praised version that claims he was a genius ahead of his time. No, he wasn't. He was a lousy comic with terrible timing who intentionally infuriated everyone he worked with and challenged them to fire him (almost all of whom did). Zmuda sounds like a guy just trying to make money off Kaufman's death by writing this book that is mostly supposed to convince us that Kaufman isn't really dead. It's a stupid premise that is repeated "to death" in the book, to the point that you just want Zmuda to shut up and tell Kaufman stories!
Oh, there are some good ones here. Kaufman's bisexuality. Kaufman's banging every prostitute at the Bunny Ranch. Kaufman plotting his fake death. Jim Carrey being almost as crazy as Kaufman. And Zmuda doesn't hold back his hatred for certain Hollywood types (Danny DeVito really gets it but there is way, way too much about the DeVito-produced Man in the Moon movie here) and his disdain for Kaufman's family members. But that doesn't make for a very entertaining book. The best part is that the book does reveal the reason why Kaufman was the way he was--his beloved grandfather disappeared when he was a boy and Andy went nuts. The grandfather had died but Andy's parents told him that the old man had moved away to a foreign country without saying goodbye. Andy withdrew, started seeing a counselor, and his parents didn't reveal the lie until years later. No wonder the comic was screwed up, acted like an old foreign man, and repeatedly tried to fake his death.
This thing is a mess, very much the way Kaufman was. For Zmuda to think this is great writing shows what a failure he and Kaufman really were. The book's title is even misleading--there isn't a lot of truth here. Just a lot of biased hype that gives Kaufman's writing partner and girlfriend the chance to wring more money and fame out of the long dead comedian by claiming he's still alive.
April 30, 2025
No sé muy bien cómo abordar lo que me ha parecido este libro, porque como ejercicio de explotación sobre la vida de Andy Kaufman en tanto gran misterio insondable tiene detalles de interés, así como crónica de los entresijos del rodaje de 'Man On The Moon'. Quienes alucinaron con el documental 'Jim y Andy' encontrarán aquí muchas más historias demenciales de la actuación de método de Jim Carrey, las que no pasaron el filtro. También se recogen algunas cuestiones relativas a la intimidad de Kaufman que podrían ayudar a un enfoque acaso psicoanalítico para entender su trabajo. Sin embargo, y dudando aún de si contar esto a la ligera, me ha sorprendido que Lynne Margulies (coautora, última novia de Kaufman), a la que contacté para una pieza que estaba escribiendo, me haya dicho que lo relativo a la bisexualidad de su difunta pareja que ella misma relata aquí está manipulado "para vender libros". ¿Qué?
Las dos grandes revelaciones que anuncia 'The Truth, Finally' son: por un lado, que Kaufman fingió su muerte, y por otro, que en vez de cáncer quizás murió de sida porque le gustaban los hombres. Lo primero realmente solo es un estiramiento de la broma por parte de Bob Zmuda, como no es difícil intuir. Lo segundo podría ser información relevante, si no fuera porque la propia Margulies me lo ha desmentido, lo cual es muy loco. En el libro se cuenta que ella le preguntó a Andy Kaufman si le gustaban los hombres, que él confesó que sí y que pidió que no lo revelasen hasta que muriesen sus padres (2013). También se especula con que el sida no estaba tan estudiado en 1984 y podía diagnosticarse erróneamente como otra cosa, lo que se consideraría más convincente que el cáncer de pulmón que le mató con 35 años siendo no fumador. Todo se pone negro sobre blanco sin ambigüedad ninguna, así que más que manipulación yo hablaría directamente de mentira, y de un gusto terrible.
Esto no es lo peor del libro. Zmuda confiesa haber usado el alter ego de Tony Clifton para violar mujeres, que creían que la persona bajo el disfraz era Kaufman o Jim Carrey. Es asqueroso y además lo cuenta con todo lujo de detalles, como si tuviera gracia. La homofobia exacerbada de su prosa sospecho también que no es irónica. Y aunque lo sea, a mí me parece repulsivo que, como con Andy Kaufman nunca se sabe qué es verdad y qué es mentira, gente como Zmuda use ese pretexto para estafar, ser un gilipollas y tomarte el pelo a cambio de nada, unas coordenadas de ridícula e indiferente mediocridad en las que jamás se situó su socio.
Las dos grandes revelaciones que anuncia 'The Truth, Finally' son: por un lado, que Kaufman fingió su muerte, y por otro, que en vez de cáncer quizás murió de sida porque le gustaban los hombres. Lo primero realmente solo es un estiramiento de la broma por parte de Bob Zmuda, como no es difícil intuir. Lo segundo podría ser información relevante, si no fuera porque la propia Margulies me lo ha desmentido, lo cual es muy loco. En el libro se cuenta que ella le preguntó a Andy Kaufman si le gustaban los hombres, que él confesó que sí y que pidió que no lo revelasen hasta que muriesen sus padres (2013). También se especula con que el sida no estaba tan estudiado en 1984 y podía diagnosticarse erróneamente como otra cosa, lo que se consideraría más convincente que el cáncer de pulmón que le mató con 35 años siendo no fumador. Todo se pone negro sobre blanco sin ambigüedad ninguna, así que más que manipulación yo hablaría directamente de mentira, y de un gusto terrible.
Esto no es lo peor del libro. Zmuda confiesa haber usado el alter ego de Tony Clifton para violar mujeres, que creían que la persona bajo el disfraz era Kaufman o Jim Carrey. Es asqueroso y además lo cuenta con todo lujo de detalles, como si tuviera gracia. La homofobia exacerbada de su prosa sospecho también que no es irónica. Y aunque lo sea, a mí me parece repulsivo que, como con Andy Kaufman nunca se sabe qué es verdad y qué es mentira, gente como Zmuda use ese pretexto para estafar, ser un gilipollas y tomarte el pelo a cambio de nada, unas coordenadas de ridícula e indiferente mediocridad en las que jamás se situó su socio.
February 20, 2018
While Zmuda is pretty consistently petty throughout, the book does shine a bit more light on the mystical enigma of Andy Kaufman. He is convinced Andy will return which begins to feel a bit pitiful considering the amount of time and effort he’s given to the man. Tragic and tremendous. Also, pretty homophobic. So... difficult to digest, but still worth your time if you want to know more about Andy’s legacy.
May 23, 2020
Every fan of Andy Kaufman needs to read this book. It’s not an intro to Andy Kaufman, just heads up for people who don’t know what they’re getting into.
September 26, 2018
This book claims to be "the truth" regarding the controversial performance artist Andy Kaufman, as told by his best friend/partner in crime Bob Zmuda. However, I find this claim difficult to believe. There are a few interesting insights about Kaufman- supposedly he was bisexual, his death was from AIDS and not cancer, he suffered a traumatic childhood with the loss of a beloved grandfather and an abusive father- but when these insights are revealed alongside the more fantastical revelation that dominates the book- that is, that Kaufman supposedly faked his death and planned on returning after thirty years- I found it difficult to take even the former claims at face value, because I just couldn't buy that Kaufman is/was still alive. Zmuda's argument for Kaufman faking his death is laid out entirely in the last chapter, but it's referenced practically every other page, to the point where it gets tiresome at best and at worst, delusional. More than thirty years have passed, and there's still no sign of him... leading me to doubt the authenticity of the conversations Zmuda reproduces here (all of which revolve around Kaufman's fixation on faking his death) and therefore, that of the entire book. (Although having seen the documentary about the Kaufman biopic, Man on the Moon, I can attest that at least the parts of this book regarding the movie were true. Other than that, it's difficult to trust anything Zmuda claims.)
Furthermore, I found this book to reveal more truth about Zmuda than Kaufman, and the truth is, Zmuda is an unpleasant person to read about. I read biographies/memoirs (not sure how to categorize this one) because I want to know more about the subject... not hear about the author's petty grudges with those whom he perceived wronged him (like Kaufman's family and some of the folks involved with making Man on the Moon), or worse, his sexual exploits- Zmuda seems to think it's okay to deceive someone into having sex with them, by pretending to be another person. Getting back to the first point, though, I was surprised by how so much behind the scenes work on Man on the Moon, especially the process of getting the project off the ground in the first place, seemed to involve taking sides or getting revenge or other personal politics. Perhaps that's the nature of Hollywood, but at times it seemed mean-spirited.
Overall, if this is the truth as it claims to be, I think I prefer the myth... which might be the point.
Furthermore, I found this book to reveal more truth about Zmuda than Kaufman, and the truth is, Zmuda is an unpleasant person to read about. I read biographies/memoirs (not sure how to categorize this one) because I want to know more about the subject... not hear about the author's petty grudges with those whom he perceived wronged him (like Kaufman's family and some of the folks involved with making Man on the Moon), or worse, his sexual exploits- Zmuda seems to think it's okay to deceive someone into having sex with them, by pretending to be another person. Getting back to the first point, though, I was surprised by how so much behind the scenes work on Man on the Moon, especially the process of getting the project off the ground in the first place, seemed to involve taking sides or getting revenge or other personal politics. Perhaps that's the nature of Hollywood, but at times it seemed mean-spirited.
Overall, if this is the truth as it claims to be, I think I prefer the myth... which might be the point.
January 20, 2015
Having grown up watching Andy Kaufman's antics on TV - from Taxi and Fridays to his weird wrestling phase - I was interested in learning what "the truth" really was here about his death. And while the book is interesting, especially the chapters detailing how Jim Carrey prepped for his role as Kaufman in "Man on the Moon," I was generally disappointed with the rest of it.
Bob Zmuda, Kaufman's friend and writer for 10 years, is obsessed with the idea that Kaufman is still alive and that since it's now been 30 (nearly 31 now) years, Kaufman is going to appear at any moment to declare it all the greatest put on in entertainment history. The book seemed to me to be more of a journal to Zmuda himself about keeping hope alive that Kaufman's death was nothing more than one giant prank. I mean, Zmuda even has venue halls lined up as well as interview slots on morning shows for the eventual return of his best friend and money maker.
Zmuda reminds me a lot of the late Harold Camping, who kept putting a date on the end of time, and then sat in his house waiting to be swept to the heavens with the other faithful. When it didn't happen, well, he just readjusted his date. Zmuda is pulling a Camping, trying to convince himself and everyone else that Kaufman is alive and that his return is imminent.
While I don't believe this, the main question I was left with was, if this really was all a prank, why? After 30+ years, who is going to care? Many of Kaufman's older followers are long dead by now, and the younger generation doesn't even know or care who he is. People in the middle, like me, are also meh about it. With the advent of the internet and reality TV, nothing Kaufman could do, were he alive, would be as shocking as what can be found there at any given moment.
So while interesting, the book strikes a somewhat desperate note by Zmuda. For by remembering Kaufman you will, of course, have to remind yourself that Zmuda is necessary. The problem is, he's really not.
Bob Zmuda, Kaufman's friend and writer for 10 years, is obsessed with the idea that Kaufman is still alive and that since it's now been 30 (nearly 31 now) years, Kaufman is going to appear at any moment to declare it all the greatest put on in entertainment history. The book seemed to me to be more of a journal to Zmuda himself about keeping hope alive that Kaufman's death was nothing more than one giant prank. I mean, Zmuda even has venue halls lined up as well as interview slots on morning shows for the eventual return of his best friend and money maker.
Zmuda reminds me a lot of the late Harold Camping, who kept putting a date on the end of time, and then sat in his house waiting to be swept to the heavens with the other faithful. When it didn't happen, well, he just readjusted his date. Zmuda is pulling a Camping, trying to convince himself and everyone else that Kaufman is alive and that his return is imminent.
While I don't believe this, the main question I was left with was, if this really was all a prank, why? After 30+ years, who is going to care? Many of Kaufman's older followers are long dead by now, and the younger generation doesn't even know or care who he is. People in the middle, like me, are also meh about it. With the advent of the internet and reality TV, nothing Kaufman could do, were he alive, would be as shocking as what can be found there at any given moment.
So while interesting, the book strikes a somewhat desperate note by Zmuda. For by remembering Kaufman you will, of course, have to remind yourself that Zmuda is necessary. The problem is, he's really not.
October 11, 2023
Is he really dead?
Andy Kaufman: The Truth, by Bob Zmuda and Lynne Margulies, answers the mysterious question of whether Andy Kaufman is dead. And the truth is…his death was a hoax. Or is it? Reminder, Zmuda was a performance artist like Kaufman was. Either that, or he chose this bait-and-switch trope as a marketing stunt. Either way, we still get a very engaging story about the comedy genius.
It doesn't rely too close on Kaufman's early life/backstory; instead, it shows how his legacy impacted the world today; Including the Milos Forman film, Man on the Moon, starring Jim Carrey and how he became Daniel Douche-Lewis on set. This book was written years before the Jim & Andy Netflix documentary was released, so Zmuda spends a good chunk of the book going into great detail about it. Of course, Zmuda didn't think that Universal would release the footage of Carrey's antics, but it's still fascinating reading it from his point of view. Not only that, it's fascinating hearing Zmuda making a case for himself about Kaufman's death hoax. But it's come to that point where we shouldn't be questioning the fate of somebody because if we do officially get an answer in the end…does it even matter?
Thirty-eight years after Kaufman's death, he's still ahead of his time. Kaufman was a person who was not only a great entertainer but, above all things, was one of those rare individuals who knew how to get inside a person's heart. This man knew what it took to bring people on stage with him. To watch Andy perform meant that you were invested in everything he was about to do, whether joyful, controversial or just strange...This is the thing that he did best.
This man was great because he sacrificed the one thing many in this business would never even consider; his soul. This man was great because he genuinely cared about the people, all of them. Literally or figuratively, Andy didn't sell his soul to the devil, but rather, he gave it away willingly to everyone. How does one even begin to appreciate that kind of love and sacrifice?
Andy Kaufman: The Truth, by Bob Zmuda and Lynne Margulies, answers the mysterious question of whether Andy Kaufman is dead. And the truth is…his death was a hoax. Or is it? Reminder, Zmuda was a performance artist like Kaufman was. Either that, or he chose this bait-and-switch trope as a marketing stunt. Either way, we still get a very engaging story about the comedy genius.
It doesn't rely too close on Kaufman's early life/backstory; instead, it shows how his legacy impacted the world today; Including the Milos Forman film, Man on the Moon, starring Jim Carrey and how he became Daniel Douche-Lewis on set. This book was written years before the Jim & Andy Netflix documentary was released, so Zmuda spends a good chunk of the book going into great detail about it. Of course, Zmuda didn't think that Universal would release the footage of Carrey's antics, but it's still fascinating reading it from his point of view. Not only that, it's fascinating hearing Zmuda making a case for himself about Kaufman's death hoax. But it's come to that point where we shouldn't be questioning the fate of somebody because if we do officially get an answer in the end…does it even matter?
Thirty-eight years after Kaufman's death, he's still ahead of his time. Kaufman was a person who was not only a great entertainer but, above all things, was one of those rare individuals who knew how to get inside a person's heart. This man knew what it took to bring people on stage with him. To watch Andy perform meant that you were invested in everything he was about to do, whether joyful, controversial or just strange...This is the thing that he did best.
This man was great because he sacrificed the one thing many in this business would never even consider; his soul. This man was great because he genuinely cared about the people, all of them. Literally or figuratively, Andy didn't sell his soul to the devil, but rather, he gave it away willingly to everyone. How does one even begin to appreciate that kind of love and sacrifice?
March 15, 2024
DNF
I did what I never do, what I should never do, and read some of the reviews while I was going through this. Even though for me this is and was a no-no, I'm kinda glad I did, because I looked at them after reading a chapter in which Bob Zmuda, performance artist Andy Kaufman's co-writer and sidekick, brags about the time he pretended to be Jim Carrey (who played Kaufman in Milos Foreman's 2000 film Man On The Moon) pretending to be Tony Clifton (a character of Kaufman's) at a Playboy Mansion party and got a woman to give him fellatio. She didn't know he was Bob Zmuda, she thought he was Jim Carrey. That seems kinda rapey, no? He desperately wants you to think he's so effing cool too for achieving this but really he is actually sorta confessing to be a rapist of sorts.
That just made me feel really gross, so that's when I checked the reviews here and the ones I saw, or the ones that spoke to me, were overwhelmingly negative. Most of them were about Zmuda's motives for writing this book, which I don't pretend to know but considering he did something as repulsive as what I described above, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Zmuda is just piggybacking, profiting off of, or riding the coattails of his so-called friend's death.
So, this book was pretty disappointing to put it mildly. Andy Kaufman is one of my favorites. I, personally, believe he did fake his own death as his one last final act/joke. Zmuda believes that too but his "proof" never seems to amount to more than "Because Andy always said he would!"
I did what I never do, what I should never do, and read some of the reviews while I was going through this. Even though for me this is and was a no-no, I'm kinda glad I did, because I looked at them after reading a chapter in which Bob Zmuda, performance artist Andy Kaufman's co-writer and sidekick, brags about the time he pretended to be Jim Carrey (who played Kaufman in Milos Foreman's 2000 film Man On The Moon) pretending to be Tony Clifton (a character of Kaufman's) at a Playboy Mansion party and got a woman to give him fellatio. She didn't know he was Bob Zmuda, she thought he was Jim Carrey. That seems kinda rapey, no? He desperately wants you to think he's so effing cool too for achieving this but really he is actually sorta confessing to be a rapist of sorts.
That just made me feel really gross, so that's when I checked the reviews here and the ones I saw, or the ones that spoke to me, were overwhelmingly negative. Most of them were about Zmuda's motives for writing this book, which I don't pretend to know but considering he did something as repulsive as what I described above, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Zmuda is just piggybacking, profiting off of, or riding the coattails of his so-called friend's death.
So, this book was pretty disappointing to put it mildly. Andy Kaufman is one of my favorites. I, personally, believe he did fake his own death as his one last final act/joke. Zmuda believes that too but his "proof" never seems to amount to more than "Because Andy always said he would!"
December 5, 2019
Reading other reviews, i can understand some of the lower ratings. However, I think that the joke and the real message were lost on some. At first blush it reads like a neurotic and self-involved Zmuda writing about himself, but if thats all you got you missed the parts that describe the point of Kaufman and Zmuda's work together, Kaufman's greatest joke he played on everyone (or maybe just on Zmuda, himself), and the background of Kaufman's life that drove him to be who he was. And the seemingly neurotic and blind faith Zmuda has that Kaufman is still alive is, on the surface, pathetic, but if you read between the lines it is incredibly touching and sad.
Is it the best biography? No. Is it the most telling book about Kaufman himself? Possibly. It can be confounding, and I get the feeling that that's sort of the point.
Is it the best biography? No. Is it the most telling book about Kaufman himself? Possibly. It can be confounding, and I get the feeling that that's sort of the point.
May 19, 2021
Came into this book wanting to learn about Kaufman, came out wanting to punch Bob Zmuda in the mouth.
Despite being largely written by an asshole who seems to only know two different sentence structures, the book offered insight and did quench a lot of my curiosity. The emotion poured into this book is palpable (especially at the end). Whether you believe he faked his death or not, Kaufman certainly is having the last laugh.
Despite being largely written by an asshole who seems to only know two different sentence structures, the book offered insight and did quench a lot of my curiosity. The emotion poured into this book is palpable (especially at the end). Whether you believe he faked his death or not, Kaufman certainly is having the last laugh.
November 15, 2015
As a huge fan of Andy Kaufman, I was intrigued with this book. However, the more I read the book the more I realized it wasn't really about Andy Kaufman. The parts about Andy were interesting.
March 13, 2017
I'm still hoping that Andy is out there smiling at us talking about him. :-)
January 31, 2021
I'm not sure what to make of this book.
A couple of months ago, I suddenly got obsessed with Andy Kaufman and started to watch all of his TV appearance and performances on YouTube. I remember him from Taxi but I wasn't a really big fan of the show at the time that it was aired. Zmuda was Andy Kaufman's friend and writer and often a stooge in some of his live appearances.
This is Zmuda's second book, I intend to read the first book soon, and deals with Kaufman's desire to fake his own death. It is written from the perspective that Andy Kaufman created an elaborate plot to fake his own death and did not in fact die of cancer. Zmuda alleges that Kaufman had asked him to help but he didn't want to be involved but in the years subsequent to Kaufman's death Zmuda feels that it was actually faked and ends with an appeal to Kaufman to make an appearance and describes how he could return to public life.
Given that this is probably fiction, it makes you wonder how many of the stories are also fiction too. However, it seems that this book would have amused Andy Kaufman greatly as they both shared the same oddball sense of humour which worked so well as coauthors of much of Kaufman's material.
Also covered is the back story behind Miloš Forman's movie Man on the Moon, the story of Kaufman's life.
I really enjoyed the book which often shocks and amazes the reader. A must read if you are fan of Kaufman's life and work and shows that his real life was even more bizarre than his TV and comedy performance presence.
A couple of months ago, I suddenly got obsessed with Andy Kaufman and started to watch all of his TV appearance and performances on YouTube. I remember him from Taxi but I wasn't a really big fan of the show at the time that it was aired. Zmuda was Andy Kaufman's friend and writer and often a stooge in some of his live appearances.
This is Zmuda's second book, I intend to read the first book soon, and deals with Kaufman's desire to fake his own death. It is written from the perspective that Andy Kaufman created an elaborate plot to fake his own death and did not in fact die of cancer. Zmuda alleges that Kaufman had asked him to help but he didn't want to be involved but in the years subsequent to Kaufman's death Zmuda feels that it was actually faked and ends with an appeal to Kaufman to make an appearance and describes how he could return to public life.
Given that this is probably fiction, it makes you wonder how many of the stories are also fiction too. However, it seems that this book would have amused Andy Kaufman greatly as they both shared the same oddball sense of humour which worked so well as coauthors of much of Kaufman's material.
Also covered is the back story behind Miloš Forman's movie Man on the Moon, the story of Kaufman's life.
I really enjoyed the book which often shocks and amazes the reader. A must read if you are fan of Kaufman's life and work and shows that his real life was even more bizarre than his TV and comedy performance presence.
February 19, 2019
Bob Zmuda was Andy Kaufman's collaborator and writer for many years. As such he is a lifetime practitioner of absurdist humour and practical jokes. Anybody who reads a book subtitled "The Truth, Finally" by such an unreliable narrator needs to take it with a huge pinch of salt.
The book gives out very little information that people acquainted with Kaufman's story wouldn't already know. Much of it is taken up with the making of the film Man on the Moon, and people who have seen that film aren't going to learn much about Kaufman from this. The bulk of the rest of the book is Zmuda laboriously trying to sell the idea that Kaufman isn't dead and is coming back. Occasionally Lynne Margulies gets to contribute a snippet where she comments on something Zmuda wrote. It's pretty clear from what he writes here that Zmuda is trying to have a lend of the reader; just one more lame attempt at a practical joke.
The book gives out very little information that people acquainted with Kaufman's story wouldn't already know. Much of it is taken up with the making of the film Man on the Moon, and people who have seen that film aren't going to learn much about Kaufman from this. The bulk of the rest of the book is Zmuda laboriously trying to sell the idea that Kaufman isn't dead and is coming back. Occasionally Lynne Margulies gets to contribute a snippet where she comments on something Zmuda wrote. It's pretty clear from what he writes here that Zmuda is trying to have a lend of the reader; just one more lame attempt at a practical joke.
August 27, 2025
This was an interesting read. I learned things about Andy Kaufman that I would have been fine not knowing. I remember him, especially in his early days of SNL with his Might Mouse skit which I thought was hysterical. His time on Taxi was great, especially when he started dating Carol Kane...what a great couple...they were so funny when together. When he started wrestling women I started to think that maybe he was not as funny as I originally thought. I must have missed the entire Tony Clifton era all together...thank goodness. When he passed I heard some talk of him having faked his death but never thought much about it. In this book, his close friend (the author) indicates that Andy told him he'd figured out how to fake his death and after successfully doing that he'd be back in 20 or 30 years. Mr. Zmuda seems to believe that will still happen. Since it's now been over 40 years (he died in 1984) I'm not convinced but the book did prove to be an eye-opening read.
October 25, 2017
It's fascinating reading the stories of Andy Kaufman's writing partner for 10 years. If anyone had an intimate portrait of an off the wall artist it was this guy and Andy's long time girlfriend. The author still has this resounding belief that his friend really did fake his death and he'll be back sometime to go FOOLED YOU! I'm not sure if it's meant to be BS or if he truly believes Andy is just kicking around enjoying a new life. Either way it gets a bit repetitive in story format and Bob tends to repeat himself on a lot of things.
With the new Jim Carrey documentary coming out on Netflix in the next couple weeks, this book is a behind the scenes look at a lot of what is going to be shown in that film. A fun read, if not a bit repetitive.
With the new Jim Carrey documentary coming out on Netflix in the next couple weeks, this book is a behind the scenes look at a lot of what is going to be shown in that film. A fun read, if not a bit repetitive.
Read
April 29, 2021Essential for Kaufman fans. Doesn’t really work as an introduction to his world, if that’s what you’re looking for.
My theory: He faked his death, but he’s not and never intended to stage a return. He wanted to escape his life and his celebrity. He wanted to take his penchant for disappearing into other characters to its ultimate end. And he wanted to become a legend and have the enjoyment of watching it play out from a distance. Also, resurfacing would mean facing serious legal ramifications and serious hurt from friends and family (the ones that weren’t in on it). One day we may hear about his actual death. So I tell myself. I’m very much a “I Want To Believe” type person.
My theory: He faked his death, but he’s not and never intended to stage a return. He wanted to escape his life and his celebrity. He wanted to take his penchant for disappearing into other characters to its ultimate end. And he wanted to become a legend and have the enjoyment of watching it play out from a distance. Also, resurfacing would mean facing serious legal ramifications and serious hurt from friends and family (the ones that weren’t in on it). One day we may hear about his actual death. So I tell myself. I’m very much a “I Want To Believe” type person.
July 6, 2021
This seemed like a last ditch attempt at staying relevant. Someones mad ramblings on about a behind the scenes of a bio movie and a money grab. The big “secrets” weren’t really that big. He’s gay and may have died of AIDS. It would be awesome if he came back, but contrary to Zmuda’s belief, I don’t think it’s happening. Andy was an interesting performer, I’ll be honest, Jim Carrey’s performance in Man on the Moon really got me interested in him and I’ve grown to enjoy his performances as I’ve grown older. I would love to hear some of these stories that Bob tells confirmed by the source, I don’t believe Dave Chappelle said Andy was his inspiration for leaving The Cheppelle show.
May 24, 2025
The original version of this book came out a long, long time ago. I remember Andy Kaufman so well and back then I could hardly believe that Latka on Taxi was the same guy who wrestled women on Letterman and acted like a misogynist. The words "performance artist" weren't part of my vocabulary back then. All I knew was he was fascinating and funny.
The movie, Man on the Moon, filled in a lot of Kaufman's story but not all of it. This book was written by his best friend and partner in crime (and in Tony Clifton) who reveals the plotting, scheming, and courage it took for them to pull off so many crazy stunts and hoaxes. Andy's was a short but weird life, well lived.
The movie, Man on the Moon, filled in a lot of Kaufman's story but not all of it. This book was written by his best friend and partner in crime (and in Tony Clifton) who reveals the plotting, scheming, and courage it took for them to pull off so many crazy stunts and hoaxes. Andy's was a short but weird life, well lived.
December 29, 2020
As a huge fan of the movie, "Man on the Moon," I always wanted to learn more about Andy Kaufman and Bob Zmuda. This book didn't disappoint me in the least bit. It made me truly believe that Kaufman might be still alive somewhere. I really enjoyed this story. It wasn't really a biography, but more a commentary/conversation about a life. It made me want to seek out more about Kaufman and Zmuda. I keep looking for articles about Kaufman and his supposed return, but to no avail. Well, if you are out there Andy, I hope you come back soon.
December 2, 2024
If I read it 10 years ago when it came out, it would have been a 4. Not faulting his friend Bob for getting it out near the 30th anniversary of his “ faked” death for his triumphant return but reading it 10 years later is very sad and makes a too significant chunk of this book irrelevant. What it did do was make me appreciate him a bit more and depress me that he didn’t reach his potential. Great never before told stories and inside info make it worth a read. Just blip over his way to numerous ruminations of his fake death and you will be enlightened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
I was hoping to get more of an insight on Kaufman's life, and while I learned a few new things, it was mostly all stuff I already knew. Half the book is Zmuda prepping Andy for his return. I guess I should have expected that.
I did enjoy reading about Hollywood stories involving my favorite actor of all time, Jim Carrey. That was unexpected. But still, I wanted to know more about the elusive Andy. I guess no one really knew the REAL ANDY enough to write a whole biography on him.
I did enjoy reading about Hollywood stories involving my favorite actor of all time, Jim Carrey. That was unexpected. But still, I wanted to know more about the elusive Andy. I guess no one really knew the REAL ANDY enough to write a whole biography on him.
April 17, 2024
Idk bob zmuda is a weirdo. He’s always bragging about how he had relations with women at a playboy party cause they thought he was Jim Carrey. Thats assault and a weird flex but yeah I’ve heard him tell that story so many times. Also I’d say like 1/5 of this book is actually about Kaufman. The rest is about zmuda and how he thinks Kaufman is still alive cause he really NEEDS HIM TO BE.
July 7, 2019
Some good, some bad, mostly no answers
I guess I shouldn’t have expected the big question to be answered but it’s a hopeless friend still sometimes hoping for the best. Some good stories and entertaining read.
I guess I shouldn’t have expected the big question to be answered but it’s a hopeless friend still sometimes hoping for the best. Some good stories and entertaining read.
December 20, 2017
I'm on an Andy Kaufman kick right now. It's predictable with jim and Andy out, but also before that I was rewatching taxi and leading singalongs so.
April 3, 2019
Not a great read. You've heard these Kaufman stories before. Plus Zmuda rambles a LOT. And finally, the premise of the book is whether or not Kaufman faked his own death, which is absurd.
June 17, 2019
Interesting read, but the theory about Andy Kaufman facing his death is unbelievable
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