Greetings! I’ve always found myself captivated by the enigma of the human condition. How do people navigate this bumpy terrain of existence? How do they face setbacks with resilience and grace? In my quest for understanding, astrology emerged as a guiding light, offering profound insights into the intricacies of individuality.
As a teacher and eternal student of astrology, I have found that studying the charts of well-known and less-known people has deepened my knowledge and connection to the planetary archetypes and how the symbols speak so eloquently about life.
Whether you are new to astrology, or a seasoned practitioner, I hope these monthly biographical narratives will offer you new perspectives to contemplate—nuggets of ancient wisdom that resonate with your own journey and illuminate the myriad facets of the human experience. - Michelle Corbesier
Andy Kaufman was a unique and quirky performer known for his avant-garde comedic style. His performances often blurred the lines between reality and fiction and involved elaborate and unpredictable scenarios that left audiences questioning what was real and what was part of the act. This approach was a significant departure from the more polished and predictable comedy prevalent during his era. His propensity to challenge the audience's expectations piqued my curiosity. What will Andy’s natal chart show us more about this complicated and atypical talent?
Intimacy from a Distance
Leo rises with pride and joy in Andy Kaufman’s chart whose character is so aptly depicted by the Sun (his Ascendant ruler) in Capricorn, Saturn’s Earth sign. Subtly refracted through the expressive prism of the Sun, the Saturnian archetype shows up in a very unconventional way because they are natural adversaries. A curious interplay emerges between the vivaciously outgoing solar archetype and the reclusive hermit persona associated with Saturn. The result of this combination is a walking ambiguity in the form of Andy Kaufman. Saturn’s image, appearing gawky or eccentric due to his remote location in our solar system, sometimes materializes on the world stage as the mad genius – a title given to Andy by many of his fans.
As a kid, Andy was quite shy and yet he loved to engage with people and make them laugh. Despite his bashfulness, he enjoyed doing stand-up comedy at birthday parties, revealing a dynamic tension in his psyche. It made me think of the notion of distance, in the broadest sense of the word, because it is something that the Sun and Saturn have in common. In the spotlight and on the stage, Sol creates a distance between him and his audience. Being the center of attention does not necessarily imply approachability, openness, or vulnerability. On the contrary, sometimes, the best strategy to shield yourself from others is to put yourself on a podium, as it creates an instinctively accepted hierarchy.
Being publicly misunderstood is as typical as a Sun/Saturn coalition can get. Where the Sun has a strong desire to freely exhibit his authenticity, Saturn can’t help but cloak such flamboyant candidness and personal outpourings. Using identity play, Andy frequently adopted different personas and characters, such as the lovable foreign man Latka Gravas on the TV show "Taxi" or his abrasive lounge singer alter ego Tony Clifton. The ambiguity surrounding these personas added an extra layer to the performance, making it difficult for the audience to discern where the character ended and the performer began. Is Saturn obfuscating the Sun or is the Sun shedding light on Saturn?
Benefics in the 6th House: Soft Activism
Andy didn’t think of himself as a comedian. Instead, he preferred calling himself an entertainer or a “song and dance man.” Accompanying the Sun are Venus and Jupiter, deities associated with all forms of pleasurable things and friendly gatherings. Jupiter, governing the 5th house linked with entertainment, suggests a form of showbiz that transcends the ordinary. Two benefic planets in the 6th house of strife can impart a sense of service and even healing through joy and laughter.
However, these uplifting feelings were not the only emotions he evoked in his audience.
“I just want real reactions. I want people to laugh from the gut, be sad from the gut - or get angry from the gut.” - Andy Kaufman
He would push boundaries, challenge social norms, and create a dynamic in which the audience became an active participant in the performance. Provoking bewilderment, and even frustration and anger, the boundaries were always pushed further and further; a trait we see in the fallen Jupiter. Expanding, as Zeus does, but in Capricorn, the sign of his fall, his noble nature is corrupted by the inability to sustain his most important patronage - social order.
Additionally, there’s an absence of traditional planets in any of the Water signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Water represents our emotional connections to others. Saturn adeptly maintains a stoic detachment from any emotional currents. He appears to be interested in, yet is impervious to the affective responses of others.
“I’m not trying to be funny. I just want to play with their minds.” – Andy Kaufman
Artful Interactions
His performances aimed to break down the barriers between art and life, challenging the notion that art should be a separate, carefully crafted entity divorced from everyday experiences. In fact, Andy went as far as to put his philosophy into practice when he was almost drafted for the Vietnam War. After a psychological evaluation, he received a permanent deferment, exempting him from compulsory military service. The doctor had concluded that Andy lived in a fantasy world since his preschool days and was completely disconnected from reality. He said that Andy was likely to lose his mind if placed in a military environment. Trickster Mercury and problem-solver Mars are a quick and crafty duo in the 7th house of social interactions. They are certainly resourceful enough to conjure up stories and play dirty games without remorse. What looks honest and spontaneous is quite probably very deliberate. Here too, their ruler Saturn is keeping the lid on the actual facts.
“What's real? What's not? That's what I do in my act, test how other people deal with reality.” - Andy Kaufman
That said, I don’t think Andy would have thought of having cheated his way out of any situations. On a deeper level, I think he was only expressing the Saturnian paradox, where one fact can be true and false simultaneously. Andy actually saw honesty as a vital ingredient in his unique brand of performance art, believing that by being true to himself and his eccentric ideas, he could create thought-provoking and funny experiences.
“I see the world as an illusion, and we shouldn't take ourselves so seriously.” - Andy Kaufman
Life and Death
Our frugal couple, the Moon and Saturn, in Virgo in the 2nd house of material resources, and anything that sustains the body, show strong self-disciplined tendencies. The Moon, as the natural significator of the physical body, and Saturn, the task-master, express Andy’s commitment to meditate each morning and practice yoga three hours a day. By some, he was considered a health fanatic. Nourishment is an important theme of the 2nd house. Andy maintained a vegetarian diet, a restriction which fits well with Saturn in the 2nd house.
Planets residing in the 2nd house of personal assistance can also depict the people we trust to give us good advice. With Saturn, his malefic contrary to the sect, in this house, we may anticipate untrustworthy advice. When Andy’s doctor told him in 1983 that his persistent cough was nothing to worry about, it turned out that he had lung cancer. After receiving palliative radiotherapy when the cancer had spread from his lungs to his brain, he passed away on May 16, 1984, at the age of 35.
Ruling the 12th house of sickness and hospitalization, the Moon’s first aspect is a trine to the ruler of the 8th house of death, Jupiter. This points to why the Moon is an appropriate indicator of the illness that led to Andy’s death. It’s interesting to note that the Moon closely conjoins the fixed star Zosma, at 10°36’ Virgo, when Andy was born. In a medical context, Zosma represents the left side of the body to the back of the lungs.
When studying the timing of his death, a few things stand out. At the age of 35, Andy was in a 12th house profection year, activating the Moon as an important Time Lord. This means that something about the Moon’s natal promise will unfold. A strong Full Moon in Cancer in Andy’s Solar Return chart further underlines this. In the Progressed chart, the Moon had just entered Capricorn where she is exiled, immediately awakening the progressed Sun through a sextile. The progressed Sun, a good indicator of general vitality, is caught in a malefic enclosure, sandwiched between an opposition from Saturn and Mars’s co-presence. On top of that, the progressed Sun in Pisces is ruled by a fallen Jupiter.
Mirroring the enigma around his life story, his untimely death gave rise to rumors about Andy faking his own death, something he often spoke about himself.
Passionate about sharing her love for the craft, Michelle Corbesier offers natal, synastry, and horary readings, as well as private mentoring, and guides Nightlight Astrology students through multiple programs. Follow Michelle’s Midheaven on Instagram, YouTube, MeWe, and Facebook.
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Love this, Michelle! I'm a fan and have studied his chart a lot. He was also the self-proclaimed "Intergender World Wrestling Champion" with his stint in wrestling women. I feel like we can see that with the Mercury-Mars duo, but also perhaps the fallen Jupiter-Venus dynamic as well : )
Fabulous article Michelle, I think Andy would be tickled and feel seen!