Was this man a genius?

by Julie Hecht

"Just as Andy Kaufman subverted traditional forms of comedy, Julie Hecht, with her deadpan wit and highly original style, successfully subverts the traditional form of the profile. Following Andy Kaufman from an appearance at his old high school to performances at Town Hall and Carnegie Hall, the author talked with the entertainer during 1978 and 1979 whenever he came to New York. She withstood nerve-racking experiences; at a party for Andy at his parents' house, on a visit to his childhood bedroom - packed with bags of his teenage poems and Elvis clippings - and as a passenger in a car he drove, no hands, while singing and trying to dance to radio music at 3 A.M. on an icy road. She was able to discover the truth behind the stories Andy made up for interviewers and to discover the secret of his inspiration. "What made you finally tell me all this?" the author asked him at the end of their last meeting. "Because you persevered," he said.". "This is a book of bizarre incidents and often