GRAPHIC NOVELS

Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman

by Box Brown
First Second. Feb. 2018. 272p. bibliog. ISBN 9781626723160. pap. $19.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250304322. BIOG
COPY ISBN
Brown (Tetris: The Games People Play) presents an examination of the life and times of actor and comedian Andy Kaufman (1949–84), known for his regular appearances on Saturday Night Live and starring role in the TV sitcom Taxi. Brown dives especially deeply into Kaufman's obsession with professional wrestling, providing a detailed history of how Kaufman and wrestling star Jerry Lawler worked together to promote a mutually beneficial public feud. Much attention is also paid to the comedian's controversial turn toward challenging women to wrestling matches live on stage. Brown doesn't quite delve into how troubling this behavior reads by today's standards but does make it clear that Kaufman, who seemed to revel in playing a villain in order to grant his audience a joyful catharsis at his downfall, was a very complicated and contradictory figure.
VERDICT While Brown's focus on wrestling comes too much at the expense of other aspects of his subject's life for this to be considered a definitive account, it's a fun and informative read that fans of Kaufman, wrestling, and showbiz lore are sure to adore.
Reviewed by Tom Batten , Apr 01, 2018
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