Comic Relief, in recognition of the 25th anniversary of Andy Kaufman's departure, presents "The Return of Tony Clifton", with his Katrina Kiss My Ass Orchestra. The national tour, which will kick off June 27th 2008 at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA and will benefit Gulf Coast musicians, dancers, and singers affected by Hurricane Katrina.  International singing sensation Tony Clifton will front the Katrina Orchestra, made up of ten cutting edge Gulf Coast musicians, along with the Cliftonettes ( three sexy, talented backup singers/ dancers).

For over 20 years, Comic Relief's mission has been to unite the comedy community behind some of society's most relevant causes and pressing needs. In November of 2006, their telethon, hosted by Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal, was broadcast simultaneously on both TBS and HBO, raising funds for Hurricane Katrina victims. Comic Relief wants to thanks Mr. Clifton for not only recognizing the 25th anniversary of Andy Kaufman's departure, but for also continuing to help Gulf Coast musicians further their dreams by his triumphant return.

As is so often the case with semifictional celebrities with part-time bodies, it was difficult to get an interview with Tony Clifton. First, he agreed to sit down and talk for an hour. Then he decided he wanted $5,000. Bob Zmuda talked him down to $1,000, but I don't have that kind of money, and I wouldn't play like that if I did. So one night, around 4 a.m., Clifton finally and suddenly agreed to be interviewed by phone, on the condition that the interview be conducted immediately and reproduced in full.

So the complete interview follows. I apologize not only that my questions weren't very interesting (I wasn't given time to find my notes) but that, under better circumstances, much of it would have been deleted before publication:

What have you been up to for the last 20 years?

Tony Clifton: Performing internationally. Basically, Third World countries that don't know any better. I advertise them as evangelical healings. It fills the place. I'm talking about 18,000-seat soccer stadiums. By the time they realize no one's getting cured, I'm across the border doing it all over again. Don't get me wrong. I put on one hell of a show. Those people walk out feeling much better than they did walking in. So they still got a clubfoot. At least now it's keeping time.

Then, of course, three or four years ago I starred in Man on the Moon. My co-star being that comedy guy, Drew Carey. You know, the Pet Detective guy. I launched a campaign to change the name of the film from Man on the Moon to Tony on the Moon. I made my case at one of Universal's bigtime press junkets and created havoc. Drew Carey ran for his life, and I was escorted off the premises, which is why I'm now banned from the Four Seasons Hotel. I'm also not allowed in the Beverly Hills Hotel, because I poured a glass of water over Talia Shire's head when she wouldn't re-create the end of Rocky with me. What a loser! Here she was, sitting in a room filled with high-powered movie producers, and I ask her to show some of her acting skills! Maybe she would have been spotted and gotten a job out of it, not have to keep depending on her brother for work.


I was told you were beaten often as a child.

Contrary to what many people think, David, I wasn't beaten that much. Two or three times a day at most. I don't blame my folks, because I was a bed-crapper. Like a bed-wetter, but worse. So they burned me now and then with a cigarette, but I hold no grudge. I'm a big believer in "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Or, in my case, "Spare the Lucky Strikes."


What do you have planned for the May 16 concert?

This will be my first musical appearance in L.A. in 10 years. This time I have a full orchestra, the Cliftones, and my backup singers and dancers, the Cliftonettes. Wait till you see those Cliftonettes! They make Hefner's Playmates look like old hags! This booty is fresh! Fresh and talented!

Your friend Bob Zmuda was telling me about your ability to hit a 10 on the "octave meter." What exactly is an octave meter?

That's exactly right. The octave meter is a highly sophisticated, scientific piece of equipment. Without getting too technical for you, David . . . is it David, or Dave?

Dave.

Dave. Dave, slave, grave, knave. Without getting too technical for you, Daaave, let me put it this way: Mariah Carey has an eight-octave range, which is considered phenomenal. I have a nine. And, when I'm feeling up to it, I hit an occasional 10. And the octave meter is what we use to warn the audience. Believe me, you don't want to be sipping your Jack Daniel's when I'm hitting the 10th octave - there's a good chance the glass will shatter. We warn people to remove any eyewear.


What if Andy Kaufman is actually alive, and he shows up for the show?

I'd throw his ass right out of there, dead or alive. That wannabe has always been riding my coattails to make a name for himself. This is the Tony Clifton Show, not the Andy Kaufman Show. If people want to see Andy, I suggest they buy themselves a flashlight and a shovel. [An alarm sounds.] That's it. That's five minutes. That's the end of the interview.

[by Dave Shulman for the L.A. Weekly | Vol. 26/No.34 May 7-13, 2004]

R.E.M found a more lively way of honoring another one of its fallen heroes, Andy Kaufman. Near the end of the set, Stipe invited Tony Clifton, the late comedian's volatile, lounge-singer alter-ego, on stage to join in "Man on the Moon," R.E.M's song about Kaufman. Things went nicely for a while, as the singers shook their hips and looked skyward when they got to the line, "Hey, Andy are you goofing on Elvis?"

But Clifton then shoved Stipe to the ground, as if to say that he's the one who's Andy's friend and doesnt need to share the stage with anyone else. Clifton later poured a glass of water on Stipe and other band members, getting so out of hand that a security man came on stage to lead him away.

As the guard got into a fierce struggle with Clifton, you couldn't help but wonder for a second whether this guy hadn't just wandered onto stage and Stipe had tried to make the best of it.

That's exactly the thin line between reality and fantasy that Kaufman frequently aimed for, making this a perfect tribute.

It wasn't clear if this Clifton was Bob Zmuda, the Kaufman collaborator who has kept the Clifton character alive, or someone else in Clifton garb - which again was perfect, because Kaufman loved to keep fans guessing.

[by Robert Hilburn | Los Angeles Times May 12, 2003]