Jerry Lawler on Andy Kaufman: What Really Happened with the Greatest Feud in History

If you were sitting in front of a TV in 1982, watching David Letterman, you probably thought you were witnessing a murder. Or at the very least, a massive lawsuit in the making.

Jerry Lawler stood up, walked over to Andy Kaufman, and slapped him so hard the comedian flew off his chair like a ragdoll. The sound—that sharp crack of palm against cheek—echoed through the studio. Then came the coffee. Kaufman, screaming profanities that had to be censored with cuckoo-clock noises, drenched the "King of Memphis" in lukewarm liquid before storming off stage.

The world went nuts.

People actually believed it. For over a decade, the narrative was that a Hollywood eccentric had crossed the wrong pro wrestler and paid the price in blood and broken vertebrae. But the truth about Jerry Lawler on Andy Kaufman is a lot weirder, more brilliant, and honestly, kinda touching.

The Hollywood Outsider vs. The Memphis King

To understand why this worked, you have to understand 1980s Memphis. It wasn't just a city; it was a wrestling territory. Jerry Lawler wasn't just a performer; he was a god.

Andy Kaufman, meanwhile, was at the height of his Taxi fame. He was bored. He didn't want to tell jokes; he wanted to provoke. He started wrestling women and declaring himself the "Intergender Heavyweight Champion." He’d offer $1,000 to any woman who could pin him, then spend the whole match telling them they belonged in the kitchen scrubbing potatoes.

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He was the perfect heel.

When he brought this act to Memphis, Lawler saw dollar signs. But it wasn't just business. These two guys actually liked each other. They were two masters of performance art who realized that if they never "broke kayfabe"—wrestling lingo for staying in character—they could trick the entire planet.

And they did.

The Piledriver Heard 'Round the World

The feud peaked on April 5, 1982. The Mid-South Coliseum was packed. Eleven thousand people showed up to see Lawler finally shut Kaufman’s mouth.

It wasn't a long match. It was barely seven minutes of Kaufman running away and Lawler looking disgusted. Then, Lawler grabbed him. He hoisted Kaufman up and dropped him into a piledriver. In Memphis at the time, that move was "illegal." Lawler did it anyway. Then he did it again.

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Kaufman didn't get up.

He lay there for 15 minutes. He insisted on an ambulance. He even offered to pay the $250 for the ambulance himself while lying "unconscious" on the mat. He spent three days in a Memphis hospital. He wore a neck brace for months.

"I think when Andy was born, his father wanted a boy and his mother wanted a girl, and they were both satisfied." — Jerry Lawler on Letterman.

That Infamous Letterman Appearance

When they finally got to Letterman in July, the tension was thick enough to cut with a steak knife. Lawler looked bored. Kaufman looked terrified and fragile in his neck brace.

The slap wasn't just a stunt; it was a calculated risk. Lawler later admitted that before the show, Kaufman had whispered to him, "I wonder what would happen if you just hauled off and slugged me?" Lawler wasn't sure the network would air it, but he went for it anyway.

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The beauty of it was that even Dave wasn't 100% sure what was happening. You can see it in his face—he’s genuinely concerned, then amused, then totally lost. That’s the genius of the Lawler-Kaufman dynamic. They didn't just work the audience; they worked the industry.

Why It Still Matters in 2026

We live in an era of "fake news" and scripted reality, but nothing touches what these two did. They maintained the lie for over 10 years. It wasn't until after Kaufman’s death that Lawler finally confirmed they were close friends and that the whole thing was a "work."

Think about that. In a world where everyone wants to post a "behind-the-scenes" selfie on Instagram, Kaufman and Lawler stayed in the shadows. They protected the magic.

What most people get wrong:

• The Slap was "Real": It was a real physical strike, but it was a planned moment. Kaufman wanted to be hit.
• Lawler Hated Him: Lawler has since called Kaufman the greatest thing to ever happen to his career.
• It was for the money: While they made a lot of it, Kaufman did it because he genuinely loved the "villain" role. He was a wrestling fanatic.

Actionable Takeaways from the King and the Comedian

If you’re a creator, a marketer, or just a fan of a good story, there’s a lot to learn from the Jerry Lawler on Andy Kaufman saga.

1. Commitment is everything. If you’re going to do a bit, do it until the end. Kaufman wore that neck brace in his private life just to keep the story alive.
2. Understand your audience. They knew Memphis would hate a "Hollywood elite." They leaned into the stereotype until it hurt.
3. Conflict sells. But "meaningful" conflict—where something is actually at stake—sells even better.

The Lawler-Kaufman feud wasn't just wrestling. It was the birth of modern reality entertainment. It proved that if you blur the lines between what's real and what's "fake" enough, the audience will stop caring about the difference and just enjoy the ride.

Next time you see a celebrity "feud" on social media, remember the King and the Song and Dance Man. They did it first, they did it better, and they never once broke a smile until the curtain finally stayed down for good.