AUTHOR: Dave Sypniewski DATE: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 ----- BODY: Today, I'm taking a look at three guys who defined comedy. Two are supposed to be dead, and the third one...well, rumor has it he's about to make a return. I mention Andy Kaufman, Sam Kinison, and Andrew "Dice" Clay because much to my surprise, I found a lost VHS tape the other day that has been missing in action for about two decades! It was an HBO comedy special hosted by the "coked up" Rodney Dangerfield. This was like finding a diamond in the rough because Kinison and Dice were no namers while Kaufman was already dead and buried. I bring this up because the worst kept secret in comedy is "Tony Clifton", which was really Kaufman in disguise. When he died, his longtime friend took over the role of Clifton and that kept people guessing if Kaufman was really still alive. When Kaufman portrayed Clifton, he was a foul mouthed jerk and even got booted off of Saturday Night Live and Taxi by saying the "F" word. When Andy was dying of cancer in the late 1970's, he swore that just like Jesus himself, he would return again one day. Now Andy's former friend is cashing in on the late comedian by signing on to do a string of shows in Las Vegas. "Clifton" appeared on CNBC last week and they were grilling him about his identity. This inside joke has been going on for nearly 30 years! Kaufman was the REAL deal and made censors on television keep their fingers on the "bleep" button. The last time "Clifton" showed up, was around the time of Man on the Moon. It's a shame the man behind the sunglasses and big sideburns is still cashing checks after Andy's long gone! How about Sam Kinison? Sam started out being a preacher at a ministry in Peoria. The whole idea behind the yelling was that when people in the church started falling asleep, he'd yell to wake them up. I don't know where things started going downhill...he got hooked up with Richard Pryor and then came the drugs, and more drugs. He and Rodney Dangerfield often did shows together after doing cocaine together. While watching the tape, Jessica Hahn wasn't in the picture yet however, Kinison's nemesis "Dice" was on the show. Those two truly hated one another and made no secret about it. I wondered what had become of Clay. Drugs? Suicide? He came and went in a flash. So, I found out this information: After selling out arenas and making a few movies that most women would find repulsive with all the sexist jokes and filthy language, Clay simmered down and settled down by getting married and having kids. Surprisingly, Clay's wife was not a fan of his material and she swayed him away from the limelight. Now here we are, 2006 and Clay is trying to make a comeback by playing small comedy clubs in New York. I guess he's following in the footsteps of Robin Williams who tried the same thing about five years ago. I understand that just like the two drink minimum at the clubs, Clays act has been watered down to the point where he's about to fall flat on his face. And here's the kicker: before the announced merge of the WB and UPN, Dice was in talks with UPN about a sitcom in which he would play a priest. Fortunately, Clay's show won't see the light of day. I guess there's nothing too funny about being a priest anymore...so, if he ever comes around to a club near you, you probably won't have trouble getting a cheap ticket. And you'll probably hear plenty of jokes about being a father and changing diapers. Hopefully VCR's will never become extinct, because they don't do comedy like they used to! -------- Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!: Dead, Dead, and Alive?? The Lost VHS tape!

Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Dead, Dead, and Alive?? The Lost VHS tape!

Today, I'm taking a look at three guys who defined comedy. Two are supposed to be dead, and the third one...well, rumor has it he's about to make a return. I mention Andy Kaufman, Sam Kinison, and Andrew "Dice" Clay because much to my surprise, I found a lost VHS tape the other day that has been missing in action for about two decades! It was an HBO comedy special hosted by the "coked up" Rodney Dangerfield. This was like finding a diamond in the rough because Kinison and Dice were no namers while Kaufman was already dead and buried. I bring this up because the worst kept secret in comedy is "Tony Clifton", which was really Kaufman in disguise. When he died, his longtime friend took over the role of Clifton and that kept people guessing if Kaufman was really still alive. When Kaufman portrayed Clifton, he was a foul mouthed jerk and even got booted off of Saturday Night Live and Taxi by saying the "F" word. When Andy was dying of cancer in the late 1970's, he swore that just like Jesus himself, he would return again one day. Now Andy's former friend is cashing in on the late comedian by signing on to do a string of shows in Las Vegas. "Clifton" appeared on CNBC last week and they were grilling him about his identity. This inside joke has been going on for nearly 30 years! Kaufman was the REAL deal and made censors on television keep their fingers on the "bleep" button. The last time "Clifton" showed up, was around the time of Man on the Moon. It's a shame the man behind the sunglasses and big sideburns is still cashing checks after Andy's long gone! How about Sam Kinison? Sam started out being a preacher at a ministry in Peoria. The whole idea behind the yelling was that when people in the church started falling asleep, he'd yell to wake them up. I don't know where things started going downhill...he got hooked up with Richard Pryor and then came the drugs, and more drugs. He and Rodney Dangerfield often did shows together after doing cocaine together. While watching the tape, Jessica Hahn wasn't in the picture yet however, Kinison's nemesis "Dice" was on the show. Those two truly hated one another and made no secret about it. I wondered what had become of Clay. Drugs? Suicide? He came and went in a flash. So, I found out this information: After selling out arenas and making a few movies that most women would find repulsive with all the sexist jokes and filthy language, Clay simmered down and settled down by getting married and having kids. Surprisingly, Clay's wife was not a fan of his material and she swayed him away from the limelight. Now here we are, 2006 and Clay is trying to make a comeback by playing small comedy clubs in New York. I guess he's following in the footsteps of Robin Williams who tried the same thing about five years ago. I understand that just like the two drink minimum at the clubs, Clays act has been watered down to the point where he's about to fall flat on his face. And here's the kicker: before the announced merge of the WB and UPN, Dice was in talks with UPN about a sitcom in which he would play a priest. Fortunately, Clay's show won't see the light of day. I guess there's nothing too funny about being a priest anymore...so, if he ever comes around to a club near you, you probably won't have trouble getting a cheap ticket. And you'll probably hear plenty of jokes about being a father and changing diapers. Hopefully VCR's will never become extinct, because they don't do comedy like they used to!

posted by Dave Sypniewski at Wednesday, April 19, 2006

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