I think I approached this the wrong way - I think I need to collate all the "evidence" to the rumours - like he said he was planning to fake his own death, and the Tony Clifton thing - and see if people know categorically if little bits of the story are true or false. I only ask here because we're comedy lovers and, along with the comes the whole gaining little tidbits of facts about comedians. It's better asking someone who knows the guys biography than the ether of the internet.
Well there is the sad empirical evidence: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/andy-kaufmans-hangin-elvis-0
It occurs to me how morbid this is, that it's been displayed on a website to answer the conspiracy theorists.
But I guess Bob Zmuda wanted to keep the myth going after he passed away that he was still alive. To keep the magic alive I guess.
Dead. Obviously because of his pranking background, and the extremes he was willing to go, people like to speculate. But no, he died.
Quote: DeathbyMonkey @ November 6 2012, 3:08 PM GMTWell there is the sad empirical evidence: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/andy-kaufmans-hangin-elvis-0
That is even more depressing, the conspiracy theory was developed to sell movie tickets and cash in on desperate fans.
Yeah, it's really quite horrible. Started with Bob Zmuda discussing Andy's prank idea and that Bob kept Tony Clifton going - which confused people - and then the marketing people jumped on it in the most depraved and despicable way.
I'm afraid dead stars are a great commodity 
Quote: DeathbyMonkey @ November 6 2012, 3:16 PM GMTYeah, it's really quite horrible. Started with Bob Zmuda discussing Andy's prank idea and that Bob kept Tony Clifton going - which confused people - and then the marketing people jumped on it in the most depraved and despicable way.
Don't you see? That's just what they want you to think!
Catskill would know for certain . . .
Yeah, but where is he? Have THEY taken him down?
*Sigh*, really - is this really what this thread has turned into?
The conspiracy around Kaufman came from an honest place - a chance conversation between Kaufman and his best friend that was repeated to the press, and the continuation of one his alter egos by said friend. It was propagated further by a heartless marketing company.
This isn't a crackpot theory started by men with tinfoil on their heads.
This sort or prejudice against conspiracy theorists is just the sort of attitude the secret world government has been instilling in our water for decades to ensure we don't see the truth. That the butler did it.
Quote: Badge @ November 6 2012, 3:19 PM GMTDon't you see? That's just what they want you to think!
They are all out to get us! If they actually gave a toss about what we thought. ever thought whilst your all busy studying conspiracies the real crimes are taking place in plain sight?
Well yeah, but at the heart of conspiracy theories is the belief that justice hasn't been served and it's the hunt for truth, obscured by emotion and imagination.
In truth Pingl, most areas of visible injustice is so complex to break things down to simple morality doesn't really work.
Quote: DeathbyMonkey @ November 6 2012, 4:46 PM GMTWell yeah, but at the heart of conspiracy theories is the belief that justice hasn't been served and it's the hunt for truth, obscured by emotion and imagination.
In truth Pingl, most areas of visible injustice is so complex to break things down to simple morality doesn't really work.
Actually, I think at the heart of most conspiracy theories is a desire to believe that dark forces are responsible for all that goes wrong in life - rather than bad luck.
It's a bit like religion in that respect.
Quote: Lazzard @ November 6 2012, 4:50 PM GMTActually, I think at the heart of most conspiracy theories is a desire to believe that dark forces are responsible for all that goes wrong in life - rather than bad luck.
It's a bit like religion in that respect.
What he said!
The desire to fog issues with super intelligent government agencies, secret sects etc is pure scapegoating, things are simpler than you think and 90 per cent of so called conspiracies are either down to accident or imcompetence. They seem complicated but most things are a case of simple common sense. As Lazzard says people refuse to believe life is just random, no great guiding lights or hidden hand just random occurrences in most cases