TITLE: Andy Kaufman

TYPE OF SKETCH: Character, Anti-Humor, Impossible Task

SHOW: SNL

HOW I FELT: I was surprised at the laughs he was getting at the start while telling his joke but then realized the audience was laughing at the expectation of there being a joke or a satisfying ending and there being none! Anti-humor was a fairly new concept to me. I was amazed when Andy turned his character’s crying into a virtuosic musical piece at the end of the sketch.

WHAT WORKS FOR ME:

Andy not only does an accent but also does well with using his character to do different and exaggerated voices for the characters in his ‘joke’/ story. The turn and out for the piece really surprised and delighted me. How did he think of using sobbing as a note in his musical piece? Perhaps he heard someone who had an unusual crying sound? In any case I thought it was brilliant! His lead up to it is part of what makes it so special. He forgets his material and spend about a min talking about that, and maybe they should stop the tape, maybe you should just turn off your TV, then with the rule of three he promises he won’t be there again. Then sits in his agony for about 10 seconds before he starts crying.

STRUCTURE/ EXPOSITION

Pov: I just want to entertain you.

Who: Foreigner

What: Performing a comedy routine

Where: On stage

Game: Keeps ‘failing’

Premise based improv scene initiation:

If this were less of a monologue it might be easier to come up with one but maybe: “I love how you always forget or fail at your standup set.”

GAME BEATS:

1. Joke or story without punchline

2. Impression that’s just his same voice

3. He forgets his next bit, “I don’t know”.

ENDING:

After exhausting every thing he can think of to get the audience to stop watching, he cries, and turns that into a song he dances off the stage to.

PITCHES:

Andy’s work is really tight. The only pitches I have would just be for extending his bits. Some physical comedy or clowning of failing to hit the bongos. Adding in a little crowd work, calling out a specific person laughing at him perhaps? Asking if they like his suit. But it's pretty much perfect as is.

Themes

Show business, impressions, failure.

Actors:

Andy Kaufman

Delivery/ Performance:

Andy’s subtle eye movements scanning the audience, gulping, and heavy breathing during the last part really sold the ending and emotional turn from despair into an upbeat song.

Tone scale: (farcical animated over the top to grounded realism?)

Pretty grounded with some farcical flair. Somewhere in the middle?

Originality/ Creativity:

I don’t think anyone else was doing what Andy did at the time. His taking a comic or performer and asking what if they did a BAD job was a fertile premise.