Andy Kaufman alive? Internet erupts, "daughter" exposed

Andy Kaufman alive?

On Thursday, the Internet exploded with reports that the comedian, who died in 1984, may actually be alive and well, making "Andy Kaufman" the top-trending Google term of the day.

Rumors that Kaufman faked his own death are nothing new, but they cropped up again after the 9th Andy Kaufman Awards on Monday in New York City.

As first reported by Comic's Comic, while at the event, Kaufman's brother Michael spoke about the late star, who died from lung cancer in 1984 at age 35. He then surprised the crowd when he said the comedian is alive and has been living in obscurity for 29 years. He even went so far as to tell a story about finding an essay in which Kaufman wrote about his intention to fake his own death.

Then a woman claiming to be Kaufman's daughter took the stage, saying her father is Andy Kaufman. He "just wanted to be a stay-at-home-dad. That's why he wanted to leave showbiz," she said, adding, "He's pretty much a great dad and has raised us." She said said father makes dinner and cleans the house.

But a Smoking Gun report says that woman is far from Kaufman's daughter; she's a 24-year-old theater student named Alexandra Tatarsky, who was recruited to play the role of Kaufman's daughter, the site says. Her father is actually a New York City-based doctor.

Nice try.

Check out Kaufman's death certificate here.