Tonight’s finalists for the 2009 Andy Kaufman Award

I only made it through about an hour of last night's semifinals for The Andy Kaufman Award — would you believe 25 acts in all competed at Carolines last night? It seemed like Halloween all over again, with several comedians in costumes, pretending to be people they weren't. And I don't think it was my sleep-deprived imagination fooling me, but one semifinalist from Minnesota took the stage and sounded exactly like 2007 award finalist Mary Mack (also from Minnesota), who some people feel sounds too much like Maria Bamford. Which made me wonder, do all of the female stand-ups from Minnesota have the same exact voice? Not sure how the Kaufman family nor I feel about that. But I do know which six acts, though, lived up to the Kaufman name enough to make tonight's finals — also at Carolines – as part of the New York Comedy Festival. And they are…

Mike Amato, Eric Davis (aka Red Bastard), Harrison Greenbaum, Blaine Kneece, Robby Roadsteamer and Sasha and the Noob (aka Steve Gadlin).

They'll all be competing for the title tonight, with the "one" and "only" Tony Clifton hosting! True story! Here are the initial video submissions of the finalists, after the jump.


Mike Amato:

Eric Davis:

Harrison Greenbaum:

Blaine Kneece:

Robby Roadsteamer:

Sasha and the Noob:

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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3 thoughts on “Tonight’s finalists for the 2009 Andy Kaufman Award

  1. “Mary Mack (also from Minnesota), who some people feel sounds too much like Maria Bamford. Which made me wonder, do all of the female stand-ups from Minnesota have the same exact voice?”
    Yes, regional dialects are a real thing. Everybody from New Jersey could just be one guy named Guido for all I know. Mary and Maria’s acts are totally different animals.

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