Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman: Nihilism, Enlightenment, and the Great Beyond

in film •  5 years ago 

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20 years ago, Jim Carrey took on the character of comedian Andy Kaufman. The man who emerged on the other side of this project would never be the same.

Who was Andy Kaufman, and what impact did he have on TV, comedy, and modern philosophy? In this episode we examine Kaufman, his portrayal by Jim Carrey in the 1999 biopic Man on the Moon, and the more recent film about the biopic called Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond.

Some questions we’ll be looking at:

  • Was Andy Kaufman even funny?
  • Method acting and all, did Jim Carrey embody Kaufman convincingly?
  • Are Jim and Andy nihilists?
  • What can Jim and Andy tell us about how to live life?
  • Is there a point where it’s beneficial to abandon all rules?
  • What lies beyond philosophical nihilism?
  • Can story bring us meaning?

By the end of this podcast, you’ll have a new perspective on Andy Kaufman, Jim Carrey, meaning, nihilism, and how to balance freedom and morality.

Media referenced in this episode:

Man on the Moon - Wikipedia

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Wikipedia

Kaufman’s Mighty Mouse

Kaufman’s Elvis

Comparison between Andy and Jim

Kayfabe - maintaining the illusion in wrestling

Impro by Keith Johnstone

Crime and Punishment - Wikipedia


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The Multiversity Project is a podcast for higher dimensional education. Join your hosts Arielle, Chris, Kurt, and Katy as we explore philosophy and the multiverse, and uncover the strangeness within.

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I love Man on The Moon, and was not familiar with Kaufman at all even though I probably was exposed to him as a kid... but never remembered who he was.

Only recently did I catch some clips of Kaufman performances on the Late Show and Taxi.

Yes, funny and somewhat surreal. I can imagine what he was doing was edgy for the 70’s and 80’s...

Although to this day, I still can’t work out if the wrestling thing was a hoax. It seemed to ridiculous to be real... but then maybe Kaufman’s genius was working with people who took themselves too seriously (like that wrestler) and turn it into an ongoing gag.

Who knows??? Looking forward to seeing this new film.... there’s nothing I love more than a film about a man making a film about a man.... how meta!

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