"ANDY WALKS WITH ME" A treatment for a mocumentary special Written by Wally Wingert Suppose the rumor is true; Andy Kaufman pulling off the ultimate hoax, successfully fakes his death 13 years ago. Acting upon this premise, a brilliant young television journalist sets off on the trail to find Andy's hiding place, and out him to the public. Is Andy Kaufman really dead? His intimates, showbiz observers and the general public express their doubts, at first in general terms, and then specifically in reference to new reports that there have been recent sightings of Andy. It will be the mission of our filmmakers to investigate these rumors, and to find out once and for all if Andy is really alive. If his is alive, we aim to get answers to the following questions: Why did he fake his death? What's he been doing all these years? What's he up to now? What are his plans for the future?
Wally as Andy As the special unfolds, the viewer learns that Andy grew tired of showbiz phoniness, and of being in the spotlight. As an increasingly serious student of transcendental meditation, Andy's spiritual side finally prevailed, and so he withdrew from society. Our investigation uncovers a rare tape of what might be a slice of Andy's secret life during the past few years. The viewer sees grainy footage of somebody who appears to be Andy working as a preacher in Southern rural towns. This man, Reverend Daman K. Funay, delivers sermons to predominantly black congregations who know not what to make of him. Following a series of leads, the filmmakers pursue a trail that leads them to the mysterious Reverend Funay. There are those who believe the preacher is actually Andy Kaufman. Reverend Funay agrees to let the camera follow him stating, "I have nothing to hide." He goes on to explain that he is now trying to reach a wider audience than only those who go to church. Therefore, while cultivating a career as an entertainer, he goes into larger metropolitan areas every Saturday night to perform at open mike clubs. But because he is a sincere man of God, he intends to subtly insert religious messages into each performance. What follows is a series of scenarios featuring Reverend K. Funay's dual quest for showbiz recognition and religious converts. Much of his material, as well as his earnest tone, are eerily reminiscent of Andy Kaufman. The reporter notices that "life after death" messages permeate virtually all of Reverend Funay's sermons. The Reverend says he espouses it solely from a spiritual level, but our reporter suspects the "life after death" overtones may carry dual meanings in this instance. A publicist will (off camera) surreptitiously feed the rumor mill so as to instill doubt among the audiences as to Reverend Funay's identity. At first, Reverend Funay, his manager and his publicist will all passionately deny that Andy has returned. As time goes by however, the denials will become less and less strident. In a dramatic twist, our reporter confronts the good Reverend with journalistic discoveries that the name, Daman K Funay, is itself and anagram for Andy Kaufman! Likewise the Reverend's favorite saying "Damn Double A ("AA") Funky!"(wav file 71kb) Couple this with the fact that the Reverend Funay's favorite hymn is "And He (Andy) Walks With Me"! The camera then captures Reverend Funay's revelation to our reporter that he IS indeed Andy Kaufman. Andy and his team decide it is time to publicly reveal his "true" identity, and to advertise a comeback concert where he will be billed as Andy Kaufman. During this phase of the odyssey, Andy and his team will occasionally venture into more sophisticated environments. Possible scenes include a visit to Jerry's Famous Deli, a meeting with advertising executives about product endorsement opportunities, a reunion with Bud Friedman, and a trip to New York where Andy shows up at the site of the "Taxi" exterior in order to support Jud Hirsch's efforts to prevent the building's demolition. Against the advice of his handlers, each of whom want the big bucks, Andy decides to make his comeback a relatively low-key affair. He picks a venue in a small town and he and his team set up camp there several days prior to the show. During this time, a sort of "Waiting for Guffman" atmosphere prevails, except unlike the movie, we are interacting with non-actors who are NOT in on the joke. The viewer will see the physical preparations of the venue, Andy and his team encountering the locals, media interviews, the performance itself, and finally, everyone's reaction to Andy's comeback concert. The comedic success of "Andy Walks With Me" does not depend on the number of people we fool into thinking they are actually seeing Andy. Although some will be fooled, the appeal for most viewers will lie in their being in on the joke, and in their enjoyment of watching unsuspecting others be deceived and/or confused. |
