# Man on the Moon - Andy Kaufman

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-on-the-moon-andy-kaufman/608353>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 4, 2012, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-on-the-moon-andy-kaufman/608353 "2012-01-04T06:32:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-on-the-moon-andy-kaufman/608353/61 "2012-01-06T02:28:49Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> Is it that you don’t know what the word “unsuspecting” means or that you were so joyously anticipating making a smug, condescending reply that you skipped over it?

Oh, well, “unsuspecting”. That changes everything. Being furious would in no way be an overreaction if you’re “unsuspecting”. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-on-the-moon-andy-kaufman/608353/62 "2012-01-06T02:50:55Z")

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I loved watching him. My family thought I was nuts when I watched his Carnegie Hall concert every damn time it came on back in the summer of '79, but damn he made me laugh. He was, to me, just so absurd. Like Nairobi Trio absurd or like watching one person try and perform a Monty Python sketch with people who’ve never seen the show and have no idea what’s going on. Did it always work? Nope. But it was always worth watching to see if it was gonna, and when it did work, it was jaw-droppingly hysterical.

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-on-the-moon-andy-kaufman/608353/63 "2012-01-06T03:07:05Z")

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> [@Rhythmdvl](#):
>
> hit them in the throat with a bag of nickels.

Best visual in a long time. Now if Kaufman did this…

> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> Andy was a master musician, and the audience was his instrument. I think everything he did was to get a specific reaction at a specific time.

I think you give him too much credit. It’s like me going out on stage and blowing into a trumpet. Everything I did would be to get a specific reaction at a specific time. I doubt you’d consider me Miles Davis.

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