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Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea

0 posted 2001-04-22 09:20 AM


This kind of ties in with Albert's genius thread. A friend (Ed, who just happens to be SEA's brother)and I were discussing Kaufman and laughing hysterically, we both liked Man on the Moon with Jim Carrey. We then tried to explain the humor to Koreans but didn't know how to go about it.  I had always thought that the mainstream opinion concerning Kaufman was that he was indeed a genius. Ed argued that those of us who thought so were relatively few.

So what do you think?

Was he a genius?

Or was he a mediocre talent who just had a problem with authority and liked messing with people's minds?

I'm on the genius side.  

Brad  

© Copyright 2001 Brad - All Rights Reserved
Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
1 posted 2001-04-23 02:28 PM


Hmmmmmmm, interesting.
jbouder
Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534
Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash
2 posted 2001-04-23 04:33 PM


Loved Kaufman.  Don't care if he was a genius or not.  He was also a victim of type-casting.

I stick by my statement in the other thread ... it is a mistake to get caught up in the concept of "genius".  I loved Kaufman, Jerry, George, Kramer & Elaine whether they were geniuses or not.  What else matters?

Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
3 posted 2001-04-23 11:15 PM


Hmmmmmmm, Seinfelt.


Greg_s
Junior Member
since 2000-11-23
Posts 36
Los Angeles, CA
4 posted 2001-04-26 12:39 PM


I never knew a thing about Andy Kaufman until I saw Man on the Moon.  After seeing that movie, then asking my parents about Taxi, I got the impression that Kaufman was of a genius thread of comedic personalities, just not the type that everyone wants to recognize.  I often think that there are people who are funny at the immediate moment, but that is all.  This, for me, is an accomplishment as I am not pointedly funny.  However, Kaufman's humor, as I understand it, was a lasting sort.  It was almost as if he was the novel of comedy that one has to take in, where everyone else, or at least those who are immediately funny, are just the pulp fiction of comedy.  The movie, and my subsequent learnings, cause me to believe that he did some pretty wild but admirably humorous things in his life.  I wish I had more fisthand knowledge of him though.  Definitely a comedic genius in my mind.
J.L. Humphres
Member
since 2000-01-03
Posts 201
Alabama
5 posted 2001-05-01 11:56 PM


I agree that Kaufman was a genious (also feel Tom Green is a genious). To take this a bit farther does anyone besides me find it odd that comedians aren't usually thought of as artists.
           J.L.H.

Jason
God is a warm whisper from the cool void.
Jack Kerouac

brian madden
Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374
ireland
6 posted 2001-05-24 04:41 PM


I remember watching re runs of Taxi, until I saw Man on the Moon I never really knew much about Andy Kaufman. I always thought that Judd Hirch's character was played by Kaufman because it was the lead. ranting here, I guess the phrase "the difference between a genius and a mad man is measured only in the level of success" and does it matter whether Kaufman was a genius or not, all that matters is that he dared. Sone people would consider WIlliam Burroughs and HUnter S THompson as Genius'. I can see the agruement for BUrroughs but not for THompson.

"across the unfair divide
where black will never meet white
so read my token lips
as though they never exist"

nicky wire


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