Submissions Now Being Accepted for 2015 Andy Kaufman Award

Organizers of The Andy Kaufman Award today announced that submissions are now open to comedic artists who can submit their entries online at andykaufmanaward.com. The submission deadline is Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

The Andy Kaufman Award will take place on Sunday, October 11, 2015 at the UCB East in New York City where the finalists will perform in front of a live audience and a panel of notable judges. Interested comedians must submit a video of them performing original material. Video submissions must not exceed six minutes in length, and the use of vulgarity is discouraged. A panel of industry experts will evaluate video submissions based on originality, creativity, spirit and commitment. Approximately six contestants will be selected to compete in the finals on October 11.

"We are ecstatic about this year's award show falling on the same day that Andy was a guest on the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live, exactly 40 years ago. It has been such a pleasure over the past decade to watch the new, unconventional comedians that my brother inspired, and this year I'm challenging the artists to take more risks and push the envelope even further, as Andy did." says Michael Kaufman, Producer of The Andy Kaufman Award. "Andy was all about involving the audience in his performance, and he did that by eliciting a range of emotional responses, not just laughter."

The winner of the 2015 Andy Kaufman Award will receive a $2,500 cash prize, a personalized trophy and exposure to a variety of industry professionals. Two Boots Pizza is supporting this year's Andy Kaufman Award, and they are creating a special Andy Kaufman pie to commemorate the award show.

The Andy Kaufman Award was created by Andy's father, Stanley Kaufman, and Andy's manager, George Shapiro, to showcase comedians with unexpected material who refuse to define themselves as conventional stand-up comics. The award will honor a winner who best captures Andy's legacy of originality, creativity and spirit. Submissions are open to individuals 18 years of age or older who are legal residents of the United Sates. The complete list of rules and guidelines are available at andykaufmanaward.com.