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How did Andy Kaufman die? Legendary comedian will be inducted into 2023 WWE Hall of Fame

At the peak of his career, Andy Kaufman slapped Jerry 'The King' Lawler on 'Late Night With David Letterman' in 1982

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA: The famous entertainer and performance artist, Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman, also known as Andy Kaufman, will be inducted into this year's WWE Hall of Fame, four decades after his legendary feud with Jerry 'The King' Lawler. Kaufman, who died in 1984, is the latest celebrity who will receive the prestigious honor on Wrestlemania weekend scheduled next month in Inglewood, California.

Kaufman was known as the World Intergender Wrestling Champion by wrestling women. He was an ardent wrestling fan and used to ask women to defeat him during his acts. Moreover, he offered them a $1,000 prize if they could pin him. His gimmick eventually led him to a very famous feud with legendary pro wrestler The King in 1982.

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Kaufman-Lawler feud

At the peak of his career, Kaufman slapped Lawler, 73, on 'Late Night With David Letterman' in July 1982. Kaufman was seen in a neck brace in the iconic clip. It ended with the comedian hurling abuses and throwing coffee toward the Memphis wrestling icon. The duo had already faced off before that in Memphis when Lawler performed the piledriver on him for which he wore the aforementioned neck brace. The feud was apparently a part of work as both Kaufman and Lawler shared a great bond and were considered good friends. 

Who was Andy Kaufman ?

Kaufman was an entertainer and performance artist who called himself a "song and dance man" over a comedian. He earned his fame by working in small clubs during the 1970s before he reached a wider audience in the mid-1970s by performing gags on the first season of 'Saturday Night Live'. He went on to star as Latka Gravis on the hit television show, 'Taxi' from 1978 to 1983. Kaufman also had an alter ego named Tony Clifton who was a rude lounge singer as he would perform the act on chat shows.

How did Andy Kaufman die?

In May 1984, Kaufman died at the young age of 35 as he was suffering from lung cancer. Since he was known for his gags, many believed at that time that his death was part of some elaborate hoax. The WWE Hall of Fame event where Kaufman will be honored is set to take place on March 31, 2023, in Los Angeles just ahead of the show of the immortals where Lawler is also set to appear after a long time since suffering a stroke.

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