Tony Clifton: Man, Myth, or Magic?

In the late sixties, according to the legend, Andy Kaufman was in Las Vegas to meet his idol, Elvis Presley.  After a marathon stake-out job in a kitchen closet, Andy popped out when Elvis made his way by, gave him a copy of "God" and shook his hand.  Andy proceeded to hit the streets of Las Vegas, sticking his head into various watering holes.  It was then and there that he came upon his unforgettable encounter with Tony Clifton.  What Andy saw that day -- the polar opposite ilk of Elvis, a washed up crooner, a bitter, unsuccessful note wrecker heckling his audience -- struck him deep and stayed with him.

Andy Kaufman claimed to have tried unsuccessfully to contact Tony Clifton and so he then paid an unauthorized tribute to him by impersonating Clifton in his own opening act!  Andy Kaufman got made up as Clifton and did the lounge hack's own act before he changed again and did his own.

It wasn't long before audiences began calling out Andy's name while he did his best Tony Clifton. The switch came when, depending on whose story you go by, the real Tony Clifton started raising hell that Andy Kaufman was ruining his career and using his name to get places.  Kaufman said at that point he told Tony Clifton that he appreciated Tony's stage show and begged Tony to open for him.  So if you buy that deal, the real Tony Clifton began opening for Andy Kaufman's performances.  That dubious relationship apparently ended badly as Clifton's future media coverage conveyed complete animosity towards Andy Kaufman.

Kaufman's answer was to call on faithful partner and plant, Bob Zmuda.  Amazingly, the fact that Bob Zmuda donned the Clifton outfit and appliances to make the many Tony C. television appearances was not divulged until almost ten years after Andy had left us.  In the special 'A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman', it is Jim Carrey himself who gave away the tightly-kept secret. David Letterman, in an off-camera moment, once said to Tony Clifton something to the effect of, "If I didn't know that was you, Andy, I'd swear it was someone else."  Actually, Bob Zmuda played Tony Clifton on television appearances more than Andy did, it seems.

Kaufman's manager, George Shapiro, reluctantly signed Tony Clifton at Harrah's Casino, even going so far as to caution the booker that it was not Andy Kaufman who would be performing.

Tony Clifton's character has been played by Andy Kaufman, Bob Zmuda, Michael Kaufman, Jim Carrey, Paul Giametti, voice-over artist, actor and Andy-fan Wally Wingert, and many more fans and Halloween partiers.  A search of Google's Image Engine will show that Tony Clifton is more than a mere mortal.  Tony Clifton has become a legend in his own right, apart from that Kaufman creep.

And, after a long hiatus, Tony Clifton is back!  May 16th, 2004, Tony Clifton appeared at the Hollywood House of Blues.  Check out our review of the show here.  Visit Tony Clifton's official website to keep tabs on the Singing Sensation...

 

 

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