The Andy Kaufman Confusion
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This self ascribed 'song and dance man' was an entertainer and incorporated all manner of props and gimmicks in his work.
He began in clubs and then Saturday Night Live allowed him to make a name for himself. Then there was Taxi and Latka Gravas. All this time the clubs and wild, sometimes bizzare performance art continued.
His foray into being a wrestling villan was one of those uncomfortable times when Jerry Lawler bitch slapped him on live television creating a character war of sorts which spilled into the reality of who he was and the fact that the incident was actually planned seemed obscured by the consequential events following the Letterman episode.
Andy Kaufman passed from lung cancer on May 16, 1984. He was 35 years old. His history of pranks and those ruses for which he became famous had been fodder for the possibility that he had faked his own death. Personally, I felt that the reality was that though the confusion was well deserved that he indeed was not engaged in a hoax regarding his passing.
Anyway, the life and times of Andy Kaufman were a tumultuous, confusing, infuriating period in the lives of both the man and his audience. I for one, who witnessed the Jerry Lawler incident on live teevee can attest to this whole heartedly.
Rest in peace Andy Kaufman. I think you could have created even bigger and better things had you continued longer in pursuit of your craft.