Answer: No one involved understood (or cared) that Andy Kaufman was a media terrorist, and possibly the most dangerous comedian E-V-E-R to appear on national television. Hey, great.
Man on the Moon sucked.
Unless, of course, it was a posthumous prank. Which is possible. I assume Kaufman would get a perverse kick out of seeing his life turned into two hours of expensive, syrupy dogshit.
Watch this:
Way to go, Milos Forman! Did you quote the Bhagavad Gita, Oppenheimer-style, at the premiere? "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Probably!
Incidentally, reader, my sincere regards to your loved ones in the event that seeing a somber Courtney Love "d'aww" face forces you to hang yourself with the power adapter from an Atari Jaguar.
Just sayin'.