Exactly! That is why the beginning of this clip sucks ass!! Anyone familiar with the bit knows what I’m talking about. Comedy is about setting up expectations and crushing them. In this, Andy was an undisputed master!!
I saw Andy Kauffman at The Improv in Manhattan in the mid 1970s when he was just starting out. He was so courageous in front of audiences. He came on stage with a stepladder, stood on the lowest rung and started to read The Great Gatsby. He risked the audience getting angry and bored, which for most comedians is their worst fear. The audience started talking and complaining and Andy jumped off the ladder, tore his outer clothes off and did the most phenomenal Elvis ever. The audience went wild ! He was so good and he died way too young.
I too saw Andy Kaufman before he was famous at a club in Brooklyn, probably 1972 or 73, I was living in Brooklyn Heights and working in Manhattan, I left New York in July of 74, got married and moved to Milwaukee. Anyway I remember thinking he was really good, as did the people I was with, my finance (now exhusband) and a few of his friends.
Amazingly, Elvis himself was rumored to have several tapes of Andy Kaufman's performances. Elvis long considered Andy's impersonation one of his absolute favorites of all time! While Kaufman is indeed a comedian, when you listen to his performance it becomes clear that he actually has quite a voice
Ironically, that is the most cliched (unoriginal) line in all of UA-cam. Just replace the idol with whomever your random fanatic thinks is the best at whatever.
@@generalyellor8188 - So why don't YOU give it a shot & try to write something TRULY original? Mind you, some historians will tell you that you can never write something truly original and some would even say that the ancient Greeks wrote and said everything worth saying & writing about over 2,000 years ago.
@@hawkeyemaga3110 , nope... CRS and SK are Elvis impersonators. curiousnomad nailed it when he(?) said Andy was a "performance artist." It's not the same thing at all.
Andy simultaneously doing 5% Latka, 95% Elvis. It's astounding attention to detail and astonishing concentration while still having awareness of the band and audience. Holy crap.
*NO...that 'Title' goes to Kurt Russell who was so uncanny as Elvis that Priscilla had to walk away more than once while Kurt was doing vocals on songs or even speaking* __________ *People were stunned by how good he was without really even trying all that hard and Kurt himself said "I channeled everything I knew and what people who were close to him for years like 'Red' West who told me "When he wasn't being 'Elvis' for the public he was just like any other Southern boy who loved gadgets and toys and was just as fascinated by movie-stars and entertainers like Sinatra and Dean Martin as anyone else...he was always insecure over his education and read books constantly on anything everything he thought might help him become more sophisticated so people wouldn't think he was stupid...but one thing you have to remember is he was a 'good guy' at heart and always gave the best show he could for fans and never forgot 'where he came from' and if you were his friend he never forgot it no matter if it was years since he'd talked to you, he would spend money like water to 'fix you back-up' with whatever you needed and that's the truth of him"*
@Tessmage Tessera *Kurt 'had the face the look' that cameras love* ( *Both my sisters, younger and older, were like that...no one would ever dream we're brother and sister* ) *Russell did a great job of 'Channeling what makes Elvis be 'ELVIS' and it helped him a lot that he himself is from the same era, only a few years younger, and all the time he spent growing-up as a 'Disney Child Star' paid-off for him* _______________ *'Getting the voice' is next-to-impossible in singing and even Elvis himself couldn't reproduce his original vocal on 'That's Alright' because his pitch dropped as he became older...you listen to the original 'Sun' release and he sounds maybe all of 14 or so!* ( *A good case can be made that without Scotty Moore to 'arrange the music' around Elvis's vocals that 'E' would've 'never gotten off the ground' no matter how good Presley was and I think there's a large element of truth in that* )
They start cheering for Andy. By the end they're cheering for Elvis. You can hear the way the crowd is cheering change from comedian to rockstar. Fucking wild.
I remember seeing this when it originally aired in 1977. Was never an Andy Kaufman fan but I remember being shocked at what a great impression of Elvis he did that night. This was the first time I saw him do Elvis and it was great.
This originally aired on March 3rd, 1977. Elvis died on August 16th, 1977...around five months after this. Elvis was alive when this aired, saw the performance and complimented Kaufman on his impersonation.
Sorry for being 45 years late (6-22) but I had no idea the Elvis talent & passing away so young (me 61). Everybody reading this I'm sure is one of my lost family member. Lots of health to you.
Funny, I find him supremely annoying. Admittedly, I know him only through clips and tried to watch "Man On the Moon," but could only bear about 30 minutes of it. The Tony Clifton character made me turn it off. I do not comprehend how people who worked with him tolerated him.
@@ami3627 This recording, or another one, was supposedly made just 12 days before Elvis' death. That's how I remember it (errors excepted). In a video, AK said he stopped imitating Elvis after his death out of respect.
"I am not a comic, I have never told a joke. The comedian's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him. My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can." - Andy Kaufman
Without a doubt the best Elvis impression by a mile,there are loads of good ones but Andy effortlessly captures the rich unique tone of his voice.Amazing.
I love how at the end of this brilliant impersonation of Elvis that he goes back to his comedian voice to say 'thank you very much'.. So friggin' hilarious!
Andy Kaufman and I were born on the same day January 17,1949. We are now 74 and I wish he was still here. Such a funny man who gave people a lot of laughs. Rest in peace, Andy.
As a fellow Capricorn, born Jan. 18, 1950, I whole-heartedly agree that our lives have been graced by so many great achievements by our fellow humans. I fearfully hope we have left the millennials with enough resources to carry their dreams forward. We take for granted the optimism we felt at age 18 or 19 - things were good and could only get better! Contrast our good fortune with what the millennials are going through. They perceive as nearly insurmountable challenges the progression through life as experienced by our parents: A good education, a good job, a little house and a family of our own. Let’s devote a bit of our energy to helping this younger generation where we can.
Pure genius....he wasn't understood. He was always thinking ahead. His spirit is still around because he wasn't ready to die. Tragic death of one of the few Master comedians.
He was an avid Carson viewer and thought Andy’s bit was hilarious. To this day I’ve not seen a performer mimic his mannerisms so distinctly. Remember there was no home video to study them repeatedly yet. And there were no complete concerts albums released that included so much of his idle on stage patter. There’s lots now, and he’ got the corny jokes verbatim. People probably assumed he just made them up. But Kaufman attended many Las Vegas shows to get him down. I imagine him practicing in the mirror each day then going back to see what to change.
@@brianstorm5488 yeah the 'Gatorade' thing LOL ... also I heard Elvis in an audio show say something like 'you gotta aid your gator' ... Elvis was actually quite funny
I saw Elvis when I was 15, at a small theater in Miami. I wore my first pair of high heels. He was just getting started, not much older than I was. It would be impossible for people now to understand how revoluntary he was.
Lynn, my mom used to listen to Elvis all the time. She was absolutely devastated when he passed away. I was way too young to comprehend why.. So heartbreaking. If he only had gotten the help he needed, but I know back then there was a stigma attached to asking for help, and rehab wasn't as available like today.
Not only was Andy a true comedic GENIUS, decades ahead of his time....Andy was a huge Elvis fan, and his impression is absolutely spot on. Elvis really enjoyed Andy's impression, and said it was his favorite and the best impression of all !!! Thank you.....thank you very much 🎸
I think Elvis appreciated the farce factor. The really good impersonators didn't really surface until the KIng was dead. Elvis never really saw the good ones.
I had the pleasure of a very brief encounter with Elvis Presley in 1965. He was a genuine gentleman. He took the time to say hello to me outside his home in Memphis.
Andy Kaufman was a genius. Unfortunately, this clip sells him short. The genius of this bit is that he starts with several minutes doing terrible impressions as his little foreign man character. The transformation into a powerful, talented Elvis was a huge joke on the audience.
I fell for the joke. I kept saying, "who is this guy and who let him on TV???" And my sister said, "just keep watching." Then he transformed himself into Elvis before my eyes, and did the brilliant impersonation. Never forgot it.
OMG, I never got see this. I had heard about how great Andy Kaufman was portraying Elvis. They were right! He was great! How we miss both of these great entainters!! This was great!! If you just hear this, it sounds just like Elvis singing. What a great impersonation of Elvis, Andy did.🎶🥰👏👏💔😇🕊🙏❤
@@EdwinRodriguez-vk3rt wasn't Andy K great. I wish these chnls, like Attena TV and the like would show the Taxi series, reruns. I loved the opening music. Great show, so many great actors, who played even greater Characters. It's sad, Andy Kaufman left us way to soon. 😢❤🙏🕊😇🎶👏
Not only the huge talent and the amount of work, but also his extraordinary voice, unbelievable, i don't believe the world will see any soon the likes of Andy
Watching this convinced me that Andy was so full of life as his rock n' rollin' of Elvis' swivel hips proved. His vocal impersonation was so right on as well. No doubt, with the talent he showed on the Carson show, he could have entertained many more audiences if only he had lived longer. So unfortunate he was taken from us way too soon.
@@TheHuckster100 same with a lot of outsider ‘art’ from the era like captain beef heart, it’s like when people pretend you’re just not cultured enough to see the meaning in abstract paintings like Pollock. The secret though is that nobody really ‘gets it’.. it’s all a form of artistic snobbery and I’m glad it’s dying.
@@byHexted well yeah, I saw the movie and a few clips on the internet, but in my opinion he’s not funny at all, maybe it is because I’m from a different era
The Elvis bit was preceded by Andy's Foreign Man doing really crappy impersonations of people you never heard of like his Aunt. "Take of your shoes! Sit down and eat your dinner!" Thank you very much. Made the Elvis bit all the more amazing! A genius.
Back in the fall of 1979 my boyfriend and I were out in New Mexico and we caught Andy's special one hour comedy special (I think it was on ABC). Every skit was hilarious. One of the best comedy hours ever produced.
Thanks for the memory! I had forgotten how brilliant Andy Kaufman's impression of Elvis was. And that shy "Thank you vedy much" at the end always got the giggles out of me.
This clip omits the set-up at the beginning of the performance, which does bookend the impersonation proper - and makes it both funnier and smarter. Initially, it's Andy Kaufman as the Foreign Man doing (bad) impressions of then-popular TV characters and personalities. He then goes into the Elvis routine, which is spot-on and contrasts with the earlier amateur impressions (making it all the funnier). So, in essence, it's not only an Elvis Presley impersonation; more importantly, it's Andy Kaufman as the Foreign Man as The Elvis Presley. So, the full performance is important to see as it infuses the gag with multiple dimensions - which is why Andy Kaufman was so brilliant.
Bittersweet memories...Every time I visit Johnny Carson, I'm reminded of the huge talents who are gone. Andy Kaufman was like a supernova, who burned out far too quickly.
Utterly captivating in every sense of the word. And what else is a performer 'for' other than to captivate their audience utterly? He basically grabs me by the bollocks from the beginning to the end, and I will always love him for it!
![Andy Kaufman - That's When Your Heartaches Begin 1979 [HQ DVD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6C1vKsILQRY/mqdefault.jpg)
"after the show, baby"
nailed it
Hit your comment right the moment he said it 😂
Was likely true many times. 😜
Perfect adlib
I always loved Andy's amazing talent...we lost him far too soon.
yes, one of the Greats gone too quick ...
100% true
@Rhonda. So did I. I agree that we lost him way too soon.
OR, IS HE NOT GONE, JUST IN THE GROUP OF { 900+ PATRIOTS FOR HUMANITY "WITNESSES" WHO "STAGED" THEIR DEATHS W~W }? : }
What?
The authentic screams from the crowd speaks to how good this impersonation was and the superstar power of Elvis.
Exactly! That is why the beginning of this clip sucks ass!!
Anyone familiar with the bit knows what I’m talking about.
Comedy is about setting up expectations and crushing them. In this, Andy was an undisputed master!!
You ain’t wrong brother.
He paid the girls to do that
@@SuperCullen69 No, they were the same groupies he wrestled on SNL!!!!!
Isnt that crowd directed as well?
I saw Andy Kauffman at The Improv in Manhattan in the mid 1970s when he was just starting out. He was so courageous in front of audiences. He came on stage with a stepladder, stood on the lowest rung and started to read The Great Gatsby. He risked the audience getting angry and bored, which for most comedians is their worst fear. The audience started talking and complaining and Andy jumped off the ladder, tore his outer clothes off and did the most phenomenal Elvis ever. The audience went wild ! He was so good and he died way too young.
Hello,how are you?
I too saw Andy Kaufman before he was famous at a club in Brooklyn, probably 1972 or 73, I was living in Brooklyn Heights and working in Manhattan, I left New York in July of 74, got married and moved to Milwaukee. Anyway I remember thinking he was really good, as did the people I was with, my finance (now exhusband) and a few of his friends.
@@hannejeppesen1809 How are you doing today pretty ?
I love Andy❤
I’m so jealous. An amazing and legendary show to have witnessed! ❤️
Amazingly, Elvis himself was rumored to have several tapes of Andy Kaufman's performances. Elvis long considered Andy's impersonation one of his absolute favorites of all time! While Kaufman is indeed a comedian, when you listen to his performance it becomes clear that he actually has quite a voice
His singing talent is what makes him so good. The other Elvis impersonators can`t sing like this.
@Bainsworth He did his own singing..
@Bainsworth Jail? One committed suicide and their Grammys were taken back, but I never heard anything about jail.
InvestorGuy66 his death was ruled an accidental overdose, not suicide.
@Bainsworth look it up son. He did his own singing.
44 years, 8 months, and 1 week old performance. Still feels fresh.
Uhh,fresh?
And it's even older than that now!
It isn't funny ...at all.
The mark of genius
I watched it that night!! Was amazed how much he sounded like Elvis!! Miss him so!!
Wow. He’s voice is crazy close. What an amazing impression. I got chills.
Hello Anna, how are you doing?
Lol...yeah...it was close. Lol.
😂🤣😂🤣
Yes, he is voice is crazy
Elvis's favorite impersonation
Lipsyncing to a recording , LOL
I have fallen in love with Andy Kaufman. I know he is not here anymore but it will not stop me from loving him ❤❤❤❤
Not many people know this, but Elvis was the best Andy Kaufman impersonator ever.
Ha ha ha ha ha 😂
😂😂😂😳
😂😂😂
When I read that, in my head I heard it in Michael Caine's voice. And it made my day.
@@CowboyGittarMan Haha!! :)
CLASSIC. Andy Kaufman was a GENIUS and had more talent in his little finger than 99% of present day performers have in their whole body.
Too right! 👏🏻
Ironically, that is the most cliched (unoriginal) line in all of UA-cam. Just replace the idol with whomever your random fanatic thinks is the best at whatever.
@@generalyellor8188 - So why don't YOU give it a shot & try to write something TRULY original? Mind you, some historians will tell you that you can never write something truly original and some would even say that the ancient Greeks wrote and said everything worth saying & writing about over 2,000 years ago.
@@armandocardona4478 That was a great comeback against General Yellor. 👏👍
I agree Armando. Today's so-called comics are too stupid to understand Andy Kaufman's sense of humor.
So surreal. Andy was the ultimate performance artist.
I sure do miss Andy!
Nope. While Andy was awesome at his Elvis impersonation, that would be Cody Ray Slaughter & Shawn Klush.
@@hawkeyemaga3110 , nope... CRS and SK are Elvis impersonators. curiousnomad nailed it when he(?) said Andy was a "performance artist." It's not the same thing at all.
The ultimate entertainer
😢😢😢😢 I really liked him.. Gosh... I am so freaking old!! ❤️
Andy simultaneously doing 5% Latka, 95% Elvis. It's astounding attention to detail and astonishing concentration while still having awareness of the band and audience. Holy crap.
Latka was awesome. Hilarious.
What a crazy good imitation of Elvis...great dancing Andy! His role on Taxi and that space man voice..too awesome...:)
This was before Taxi. The character was called Foreign Man and Andy molded that character into Latka Gravas.
To this day, Andy is still the best Elvis impersonator of all time.
Legend has it that Elvis Presley incorporated many of Andy Kaufman's Elvis impersonations in his act...
Absolutely without doubt
Não exagera..ele como comediante de fato tinha uma imitação incrível de Elvis..
*NO...that 'Title' goes to Kurt Russell who was so uncanny as Elvis that Priscilla had to walk away more than once while Kurt was doing vocals on songs or even speaking*
__________
*People were stunned by how good he was without really even trying all that hard and Kurt himself said "I channeled everything I knew and what people who were close to him for years like 'Red' West who told me "When he wasn't being 'Elvis' for the public he was just like any other Southern boy who loved gadgets and toys and was just as fascinated by movie-stars and entertainers like Sinatra and Dean Martin as anyone else...he was always insecure over his education and read books constantly on anything everything he thought might help him become more sophisticated so people wouldn't think he was stupid...but one thing you have to remember is he was a 'good guy' at heart and always gave the best show he could for fans and never forgot 'where he came from' and if you were his friend he never forgot it no matter if it was years since he'd talked to you, he would spend money like water to 'fix you back-up' with whatever you needed and that's the truth of him"*
@Tessmage Tessera *Kurt 'had the face the look' that cameras love*
( *Both my sisters, younger and older, were like that...no one would ever dream we're brother and sister* )
*Russell did a great job of 'Channeling what makes Elvis be 'ELVIS' and it helped him a lot that he himself is from the same era, only a few years younger, and all the time he spent growing-up as a 'Disney Child Star' paid-off for him*
_______________
*'Getting the voice' is next-to-impossible in singing and even Elvis himself couldn't reproduce his original vocal on 'That's Alright' because his pitch dropped as he became older...you listen to the original 'Sun' release and he sounds maybe all of 14 or so!*
( *A good case can be made that without Scotty Moore to 'arrange the music' around Elvis's vocals that 'E' would've 'never gotten off the ground' no matter how good Presley was and I think there's a large element of truth in that* )
So many others try to be Elvis. Andy actually embodied his soul. Pure brilliance.
They start cheering for Andy. By the end they're cheering for Elvis. You can hear the way the crowd is cheering change from comedian to rockstar. Fucking wild.
Probably the best impersonation of Elvis ever.
He was a really funny guy...but not near Elvis at all. You should see the ones in Las Vegas. They actually sound like him.
Yes!!!
I remember seeing this when it originally aired in 1977. Was never an Andy Kaufman fan but I remember being shocked at what a great impression of Elvis he did that night. This was the first time I saw him do Elvis and it was great.
Yeah, I remember watching Andy Kaufman doing Elvis that night too. All I knew about Andy Kaufman was that he played Latka on Taxi. It was awesome.
you should watch his slim whitman impersonation as well.
This originally aired on March 3rd, 1977. Elvis died on August 16th, 1977...around five months after this. Elvis was alive when this aired, saw the performance and complimented Kaufman on his impersonation.
@@80sCommercialVault Thanks. Your exactly right. For some reason I was thinking he died in 76. My bad. I'll edit my comment.
Sorry for being 45 years late (6-22) but I had no idea the Elvis talent & passing away so young (me 61). Everybody reading this I'm sure is one of my lost family member. Lots of health to you.
Absolutely one of the best Elvis impersonations ever!😀💜🙏
I remember this. It was so weird and brilliant you couldn’t look away. Kaufman was a genius.
Funny, I find him supremely annoying. Admittedly, I know him only through clips and tried to watch "Man On the Moon," but could only bear about 30 minutes of it. The Tony Clifton character made me turn it off. I do not comprehend how people who worked with him tolerated him.
This was great. A great tribute to the beautiful Elvis Presley ❤
It's hard to believe this was 45 years ago. What a talented guy Andy was. RIP Andy and "Thank YOU very much."
Hello? RIP _ELVIS_ ! Was he alive when this aired? I'm guessing not by much if he was. Didn't he die in like Oct/Nov of '77?
This just months after I was born!😂
@@ami3627 This recording, or another one, was supposedly made just 12 days before Elvis' death. That's how I remember it (errors excepted).
In a video, AK said he stopped imitating Elvis after his death out of respect.
"I am not a comic, I have never told a joke. The comedian's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him. My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can." - Andy Kaufman
In that, Andy succeeded marvelously.
Without a doubt the best Elvis impression by a mile,there are loads of good ones but Andy effortlessly captures the rich unique tone of his voice.Amazing.
He truly enjoyed performing as Elvis. Glad I got to see this one.
I was so in awe of Andy's ability to mimic Elvis I forgot to laugh.
Where’s Elvis hiding out all thos years ?
Until he said " thank you very much" at the end. 😉
Same exact thing happened here! A master and a genius.
It wasn't funny. He had no intention of making fun of Elvis. What's wrong with you?
Now THATS something to laugh about, ha ha haaa 🤣🤣🤣!!! Omg too funny 😂!
Left us too soon, amazing talented guys, both of them. RIP.
I love how at the end of this brilliant impersonation of Elvis that he goes back to his comedian voice to say 'thank you very much'.. So friggin' hilarious!
Carson loved it and it was rumored that despite all of the years that he (Carson) had hosted the show, Andy remained one of his favorite guests.
One of the greatest moments in Tonight Show history
Excentric, talented, funny as heck. The world is a sadder place without Andy Kaufman. Tank u berry much!!
Andy was the best. we lost a natural when he passed. RIP
The King of comedy playing tribute to the KING of Rock N Roll while in the show of the King of late night television.
The symmetry is perfect.
Good one ✌🏻
Kingly
"Comedy"
Nope
Ok. Calm down
I remember seeing this live. I was flabbergasted. He was amazing.
What's insane and wonderful is Kaufman is using Elvis's exact dialogue and lines from live appearances.
Back then there were no Elvis impersonators. Andy Kaufman invented a whole entertainment profession
Joe Shmoe
Yes there was Elvis impersonaters back then
Artemis Gordon I
Absolutely "hilare!!...."
Eat pork
Andy Kaufman and I were born on the same day January 17,1949. We are now 74 and I wish he was still here. Such a funny man who gave people a lot of laughs. Rest in peace, Andy.
As a fellow Capricorn, born Jan. 18, 1950, I whole-heartedly agree that our lives have been graced by so many great achievements by our fellow humans. I fearfully hope we have left the millennials with enough resources to carry their dreams forward.
We take for granted the optimism we felt at age 18 or 19 - things were good and could only get better! Contrast our good fortune with what the millennials are going through. They perceive as nearly insurmountable challenges the progression through life as experienced by our parents: A good education, a good job, a little house and a family of our own.
Let’s devote a bit of our energy to helping this younger generation where we can.
Pure genius....he wasn't understood. He was always thinking ahead. His spirit is still around because he wasn't ready to die. Tragic death of one of the few Master comedians.
Elvis passed away exactly 12 days after this performance.
If he wasn't understood, and he wasn't, that was his fault. He should have made himself understood. A no-talent, disliked comedian.
mel obrien Andy Kaufman...not talented?? 🤦🏻♂️
Clearly, you're an idiot.
@@melvynobrien6193 I respect your opinion, but as matter of fact, you don’t know what you are talking, sorry!
I saw him in the Catskills about 1973 . Way beyond his time. He was really out there. Hilarious
Even Elvis said he did the best impersonation of him !
F-A-C-T !
💯🍿
He was an avid Carson viewer and thought Andy’s bit was hilarious. To this day I’ve not seen a performer mimic his mannerisms so distinctly. Remember there was no home video to study them repeatedly yet. And there were no complete concerts albums released that included so much of his idle on stage patter. There’s lots now, and he’ got the corny jokes verbatim. People probably assumed he just made them up. But Kaufman attended many Las Vegas shows to get him down. I imagine him practicing in the mirror each day then going back to see what to change.
@@brianstorm5488 yeah the 'Gatorade' thing LOL ... also I heard Elvis in an audio show say something like 'you gotta aid your gator' ... Elvis was actually quite funny
@@brianstorm5488 I
The best.
Period.
Such a loss... him, Hilda, John Belushi, ten John Candy...
Those were incredible people and times.
Thank you very much.
Gilda was perfect, too. :)
Andy Kaufman could never have been sold short. I love the guy to bits. Watch his videos over and over and never get enough. ❤❤❤
“You can all just stare at me while I catch my breath”
😂
I'm still staring
I have watched this many many times and I still love it. I loved Elvis and Andy!!!
About a week after, I saw Andy perform this live at a small Long Island club called My Fathers Place... blew us all away!... Genius.. RIP man 🙏
@Tessmage Tessera
@@MyEyesBled i lived 5 miles away from my fathers place was there often saw jan and dean there place was a blast
I saw Elvis when I was 15, at a small theater in Miami. I wore my first pair of high heels. He was just getting started, not much older than I was. It would be impossible for people now to understand how revoluntary he was.
And revolutionary, too.
Very cool!! You have a memory many people would love to have.🎸💖
What a cool story and memory for you! ♥️
@@MiTmite9 Bingo ! LOL .
Lynn, my mom used to listen to Elvis all the time.
She was absolutely devastated when he passed away. I was way too young to comprehend why..
So heartbreaking. If he only had gotten the help he needed, but I know back then there was a stigma attached to asking for help, and rehab wasn't as available like today.
The way the flared collar pops up after he takes the other jacket off...
I remember watching this in 1977, Everybody was blown away.
Andy definitely knocked it out of the park with his Elvis impersonation. He was absolutely the Grandfather of Elvis impersonators. Miss you Andy!!!
Unlike most Elvis impersonators, Andy incorporated Elvis' sense of humor
It's funny how he incorporated monologue that Elvis did in Vegas, like the Gatorade thing.
Sounds like you haven't seen many tribute artists. Most of them I've seen do incorporate his sense of humor, and I've seen hundreds.
@@davidsmock8235911 what's your emergency
Vocally it's a briliant impession, One of the best I have heard
Andy Kaufman as Latka doing Elvis, just the best in town.Rip Andy and rest in peace Elvis...💜💜
Hello Divine, how are you doing?
I remember seeing him do this when I was a kid, and I was just blown away...it’s really one of the best EP impersonations ever
Not only was Andy a true comedic GENIUS, decades ahead of his time....Andy was a huge Elvis fan, and his impression is absolutely spot on. Elvis really enjoyed Andy's impression, and said it was his favorite and the best impression of all !!! Thank you.....thank you very much 🎸
This is the BEST impression I believe I have ever heard!!!
Andy was pure Genius and was Elvis's favorite impersonator of himself! Bravo Andy!
I think Elvis appreciated the farce factor. The really good impersonators didn't really surface until the KIng was dead. Elvis never really saw the good ones.
Elvis was kidding.
He brings joy to everyone in this time of pandemic
Yep
Thank you very much.
A perfect line by Andy after an excellent Elvis impersonation .
The best Elvis Impersonator I have ever seen or heard! God rest your soul Andy and Elvis!
Johnny & Andy, thanks for all of the laughs & the memories!
"Thank YOU Very Much!"
He really captured Elvis' moves, expressions and sound.
Kaufman was genius!
BUT
This was wondering
I had the pleasure of a very brief encounter with Elvis Presley in 1965. He was a genuine gentleman. He took the time to say hello to me outside his home in Memphis.
How in Gods name could anybody give this a dislike this guy was great
Andy Kaufman was a genius. Unfortunately, this clip sells him short. The genius of this bit is that he starts with several minutes doing terrible impressions as his little foreign man character. The transformation into a powerful, talented Elvis was a huge joke on the audience.
I fell for the joke. I kept saying, "who is this guy and who let him on TV???" And my sister said, "just keep watching." Then he transformed himself into Elvis before my eyes, and did the brilliant impersonation. Never forgot it.
Search "Andy Kaufman's Elvis Interrupts Dick Van Dyke's Holiday Show 1976".
@@miketype1each ua-cam.com/video/GHpme0ZeHdU/v-deo.html
Borat totally ripped Andy Kaufmann off
Yep, his impression of Archie Bunker was hilarious as he said in his Latka voice "Hey Edith you dingbat.............Thank you very much".
No one ever appeared on the Johnny Carson show and out shined this performance. Andy Kaufman was a supernova that burned out to soon.
As was Elvis himself..
💔
The candle that burns twice as bright burns only half as long.
Kaufman & Elvis - 2 geniuses in 1 single performance. What more could you want !
What a amazing talented entertainer we lost so early.
Feel blessed to know him throughout his short life.
👍🏻
I love how he even raises the lip when becoming Elvis.
I thought everybody raised there lip when doing an Elvis impression - see Cliff Richard et al, long before this fellow.
Some people have talent that transcends history. Andy Kaufman is one of those talents.
WELL said!
This was as good as he got.
He literally milked that "Latka" character on Taxi until the show died.
@Conway Twitty 🤣
@MattC Croshaw hahaha....🤬 off Wanker.
@MattC Croshaw Merry Christmas 🎄 Crowshaw
OMG, I never got see this. I had heard about how great Andy Kaufman was portraying Elvis. They were right! He was great! How we miss both of these great entainters!! This was great!! If you just hear this, it sounds just like Elvis singing. What a great impersonation of Elvis, Andy did.🎶🥰👏👏💔😇🕊🙏❤
I never seen this before, it was the best Elvis impression ever ! And you'd never expect that from hearing speak lol lol
@@EdwinRodriguez-vk3rt wasn't Andy K great. I wish these chnls, like Attena TV and the like would show the Taxi series, reruns. I loved the opening music. Great show, so many great actors, who played even greater Characters. It's sad, Andy Kaufman left us way to soon. 😢❤🙏🕊😇🎶👏
@@leslieawest5062 The opening song from Taxi is "Angela" by Bob James. You can find it here on YT.
@@EdwinRodriguez-vk3rt That look over his shoulder and the "E" lip snarl just killed me! I saw this when it aired live back in 1977.
@@ntvypr4820 Well thank you. I like learning new things every day. I'm on UTUBE every day, never seen any Taxi clips.
Not only the huge talent and the amount of work, but also his extraordinary voice, unbelievable, i don't believe the world will see any soon the likes of Andy
Only one
I had forgotten just how talented this guy was...a real treat.
Watching this convinced me that Andy was so full of life as his rock n' rollin' of Elvis' swivel hips proved. His vocal impersonation was so right on as well. No doubt, with the talent he showed on the Carson show, he could have entertained many more audiences if only he had lived longer. So unfortunate he was taken from us way too soon.
One of the greatest Elvis covers he knew how to play the audience then he nails it.❤️.
what song it is?¿
Genius thank God we have recordings to see one of the most talented people to grace our planet 🌎!!! RIP Andy Kaufman 👋😜✌🏼
the greatest of them all ! sheer genius! sorely missed!
You hear Johnny Carson just bust out laughing hysterically when Andy finishes his impersonation and says, “Thank you very much.”
Brilliant isn’t it 😂
For some reason I knew he was going to say that
What a freaking masterful, genius performer
can you actually explain this to me please? why is it masterful, or genius?
@@MultiCheeseLouise You either get this or you don't, it really can't be explained!
@@TheHuckster100 same with a lot of outsider ‘art’ from the era like captain beef heart, it’s like when people pretend you’re just not cultured enough to see the meaning in abstract paintings like Pollock. The secret though is that nobody really ‘gets it’.. it’s all a form of artistic snobbery and I’m glad it’s dying.
"After the show, baby"
The talent and the genius of this man was unlimited
Really?
@@carlostorres9068 yes he was a legendary comedian, you realize he wasn’t just an Elvis impersonator this is one bit
@@byHexted well yeah, I saw the movie and a few clips on the internet, but in my opinion he’s not funny at all, maybe it is because I’m from a different era
@@carlostorres9068 Hi, here's my favorite: UA-cam video: Andy Kaufman - The Midnight Special "It's A Small World"
@@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710 man, i didnt get the joke. But I guess that those were not the right lyrics I suppose ? Thanks for sharing btw
Just WOW!! I can't even find the words to describe how incredible this performance is. Greatly appreciated!!👍
Hello,how are you?
The Elvis bit was preceded by Andy's Foreign Man doing really crappy impersonations of people you never heard of like his Aunt. "Take of your shoes! Sit down and eat your dinner!" Thank you very much. Made the Elvis bit all the more amazing! A genius.
Back in the fall of 1979 my boyfriend and I were out in New Mexico and we caught Andy's special one hour comedy special (I think it was on ABC). Every skit was hilarious. One of the best comedy hours ever produced.
Did you marry him?
@@BillMorganChannel Who? Andy Kaufman?
@@educatethemax9714 the boyfriend from 1979
Wow he's really good! The best impression of Elvis I've ever seen!
Hello,how are you?
Man, I forgot how damned good he was at impersonating Elvis. Just great.
Saw the original on Carson show, utterly blew everyone away, the talk of the town the next day, unlike today Carson was late night king !
Absolutely!
There was 8 channels, all of which went off the air. You had no choice but to talk about Carson.
I've never seen an act get so much time on Carson. Love it.
The best impersonation of Elvis ever it’s more of a tribute god bless you Andy RIP
It is just an absolute treat to see him again after all these years. Talk about talent, WOW!
Thanks for the memory! I had forgotten how brilliant Andy Kaufman's impression of Elvis was. And that shy "Thank you vedy much" at the end always got the giggles out of me.
Hello,how are you?
I remember watching this live! We cracked up. Andy Kaufman impersonating Elvis Looked like Nicholas cage!
That’s what I said two
@@tinashaffer1437 thats what i said three
That’s what i said four
one for the money two for the show, Three to get ready now go, cat, go
That's what I said five
2:44 "After the show baby." part just got me lmao
Same here
You know Elvis would say that.
From this moment on, l shall answer all questions with "After the show, Baby."
lol, me, too! :)
Andy Kaufman was only 35 years old when he passed away. Rest In Paradise Andy 😇🙏💙
This clip omits the set-up at the beginning of the performance, which does bookend the impersonation proper - and makes it both funnier and smarter. Initially, it's Andy Kaufman as the Foreign Man doing (bad) impressions of then-popular TV characters and personalities. He then goes into the Elvis routine, which is spot-on and contrasts with the earlier amateur impressions (making it all the funnier). So, in essence, it's not only an Elvis Presley impersonation; more importantly, it's Andy Kaufman as the Foreign Man as The Elvis Presley. So, the full performance is important to see as it infuses the gag with multiple dimensions - which is why Andy Kaufman was so brilliant.
Spot on my friend...some just "didn't get" Andy..I guess ya have to have a little genius in ya to "get" ANDY! Who was pure Genius!
They should include it >:(
Wow, whatta joker..
Bubblez Beano shut up you mug
Bubblez Beano a Correct.
The one and only.....
Pure comic genius - or was he just crazy?
We'll never know.
But he was funny as hell!
RIP Andy
I think he was probably Hyperactive from childhood snd extremely intelligent. Brilliant. He knew what he was doing every second. Genius.
You don't have to be crazy, but it sure helps.
50-50.Or 51-50.
Kinda like Edgar Allan Poe, little of both
Best elvis impersonator to date. Andy did an awesome job!!!
How could he shine so bright and just go out. He was an amazingly talented individual
Absolutely amazing!
Bittersweet memories...Every time I visit Johnny Carson, I'm reminded of the huge talents who are gone. Andy Kaufman was like a supernova, who burned out far too quickly.
As a kid I remember imitating Andy’s “thank you beddy much” around friends as a sure fire way to get laughs.
Utterly captivating in every sense of the word. And what else is a performer 'for' other than to captivate their audience utterly? He basically grabs me by the bollocks from the beginning to the end, and I will always love him for it!