Latka Gravas: Annoying or Funny? - Page 3 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MikeLutton · 01-19-2013, 11:29 PM

i liked jim better Latka never made me laugh mabye a few times sorry for spelling errors

shotzette · 01-20-2013, 06:37 PM

Latka was funny in small doses. Andy Kaufman became a little grating when the producers decided that Latka would be "The Comic Relief Machine".

Did love the episodes with Carol Kane as Simka, though. They had good chemistry and comic timing.

cleverfun3000 · 01-21-2013, 10:33 PM

The Flying Dutchmans · 03-27-2013, 11:36 AM

Ladka was only funny to me when he had the split personalities. I loved when he did Alex. That was a comically genius episode. The funniest I think was Jim of course. No surprise that Christopher did his acting so well. He trained along side of Maryl streep.

Neutronman67 · 03-27-2013, 12:08 PM

He seemed kinda like he had down syndrome to me nothing he ever said in Taxi made since to me are the viewers, he was the most annoying character on the show.

Yong Fang · 03-28-2013, 08:35 AM

I never liked Andy Kaufman, and I know this might be cruel to say, but him being dead more or less spared the World of 30 more years of his idea of "entertainment". His routines were so weird, the guy was a genius in his own mind. He wasn't funny. He was more cringeworthy than anything.

One tasteless act of Kaufman was something called "Intergender Wrestling" where he would wrestle women. Not men, women. Unfortunately, no one could beat Kaufman for some reason (why, I dont know since he was such a scrawny jerk).

In my hometown of Memphis, there was a successful wrestling promotion which had a Saturday Morning show and a Monday Night arena show with about 5-10,000 spectators. Kaufman came to Memphis to be a "heel", and he would work up the locals by basically being insulting. Kaufman called us hicks, inbreds, dirty, lacking hygene, fat, stupid, hillbillies, poor, you name it. It was an "act" but it came from the heart. Of course, the local wrestling promotion had no problems with this, the idea was to rile the rubes to pay for the Monday night show at the Coliseum. (This was behind the infamous coffee throwing incident between Kaufman and wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler on David Letterman).

Watch "I'm from Hollywood". Probably can find it on YouTube. I have never seen the film "Man on the Moon" because (hate to be a downer) I am not a Jim Carrey fan and I was not a Kaufman fan at all.....

Saying that, Latka was pretty good character, this was because Taxi was a very well made TV program with top writers and to Kaufman's credit, was a decent actor. But then Kaufman wanted to play a creep to match his personality and the writers gave Latka a double personality with Vic Ferrari or whatever his name was. Of course, Kaufman hated to be in a sitcom because it was beneath him.

But yea, cancer is bad, but one can give it credit for killing Andy.

Neutronman67 · 03-28-2013, 11:23 PM

Andy Kaufman was really a strange guy in real life have any of you seen the movie Man on The Moon with Jim Carrey.

Mr. Drucker · 03-29-2013, 10:29 AM

Kaufman was more of a fringe comic who had somewhat of a cult following,but I DO believe he was a genius,just a little hard to understand for fans of more traditional comedy schemes.

Ignatowski · 08-27-2020, 03:27 PM

Hit and miss for me. I did like him, but like some others have said, in little doses. I really liked the episode when he was going to be a General in his "homeland" and the one when he rents the apartment thats too expensive.

Chocolate Moose · 08-28-2020, 09:25 AM

Can I say "both"?

SarahBellum · 09-14-2021, 02:49 PM

I liked him initially, but grew tired of him (and his other personalities) in subsequent seasons.

icecream · 09-14-2021, 03:12 PM

Funny! Latka might have been the best part of Taxi.

01-19-2013, 11:29 PM	#31
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,881	i liked jim better Latka never made me laugh mabye a few times sorry for spelling errors
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

03-27-2013, 11:36 AM	#34
The Flying Dutchmans Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 30, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,017	Ladka was only funny to me when he had the split personalities. I loved when he did Alex. That was a comically genius episode. The funniest I think was Jim of course. No surprise that Christopher did his acting so well. He trained along side of Maryl streep.
	__________________ A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the mast, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief." The Flying Dutchman

08-28-2020, 09:25 AM	#40
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,886	Can I say "both"?
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

09-14-2021, 03:12 PM	#42
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,688	Funny! Latka might have been the best part of Taxi.
	__________________ Top 200 TV Shows https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...14#post6225214 Top 150 Movies https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...84#post6175384 Top 1100 Scripted TV Characters https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=493306 Top Rookie TV Shows by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=365017 Top Movies by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=473533

01-20-2013, 06:37 PM	#32
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	Latka was funny in small doses. Andy Kaufman became a little grating when the producers decided that Latka would be "The Comic Relief Machine". Did love the episodes with Carol Kane as Simka, though. They had good chemistry and comic timing.

01-21-2013, 10:33 PM	#33
cleverfun3000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 18, 2008 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,685

03-27-2013, 12:08 PM	#35
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,538	He seemed kinda like he had down syndrome to me nothing he ever said in Taxi made since to me are the viewers, he was the most annoying character on the show.

03-28-2013, 08:35 AM	#36
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	I never liked Andy Kaufman, and I know this might be cruel to say, but him being dead more or less spared the World of 30 more years of his idea of "entertainment". His routines were so weird, the guy was a genius in his own mind. He wasn't funny. He was more cringeworthy than anything. One tasteless act of Kaufman was something called "Intergender Wrestling" where he would wrestle women. Not men, women. Unfortunately, no one could beat Kaufman for some reason (why, I dont know since he was such a scrawny jerk). In my hometown of Memphis, there was a successful wrestling promotion which had a Saturday Morning show and a Monday Night arena show with about 5-10,000 spectators. Kaufman came to Memphis to be a "heel", and he would work up the locals by basically being insulting. Kaufman called us hicks, inbreds, dirty, lacking hygene, fat, stupid, hillbillies, poor, you name it. It was an "act" but it came from the heart. Of course, the local wrestling promotion had no problems with this, the idea was to rile the rubes to pay for the Monday night show at the Coliseum. (This was behind the infamous coffee throwing incident between Kaufman and wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler on David Letterman). Watch "I'm from Hollywood". Probably can find it on YouTube. I have never seen the film "Man on the Moon" because (hate to be a downer) I am not a Jim Carrey fan and I was not a Kaufman fan at all..... Saying that, Latka was pretty good character, this was because Taxi was a very well made TV program with top writers and to Kaufman's credit, was a decent actor. But then Kaufman wanted to play a creep to match his personality and the writers gave Latka a double personality with Vic Ferrari or whatever his name was. Of course, Kaufman hated to be in a sitcom because it was beneath him. But yea, cancer is bad, but one can give it credit for killing Andy.

03-28-2013, 11:23 PM	#37
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,538	Andy Kaufman was really a strange guy in real life have any of you seen the movie Man on The Moon with Jim Carrey.

03-29-2013, 10:29 AM	#38
Mr. Drucker Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 28, 2013 Location: Lynn,MA Posts: 325	Kaufman was more of a fringe comic who had somewhat of a cult following,but I DO believe he was a genius,just a little hard to understand for fans of more traditional comedy schemes.

08-27-2020, 03:27 PM	#39
Ignatowski Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 02, 2010 Location: detroit Posts: 148	Hit and miss for me. I did like him, but like some others have said, in little doses. I really liked the episode when he was going to be a General in his "homeland" and the one when he rents the apartment thats too expensive.

09-14-2021, 02:49 PM	#41
SarahBellum Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,873	I liked him initially, but grew tired of him (and his other personalities) in subsequent seasons.