text: Legacy and tributes Comedian Elayne Boosler, who dated and lived with Kaufman and credits him with encouraging her comedy career, wrote an article for Esquire in November 1984 in his memory. She also dedicated her 1986 Showtime special Party of One to Kaufman. An audio recording of Kaufman offering encouragement to Boosler is featured in the intro.
  In 1992, the band R.E.M. released the song "Man on the Moon", a tribute to Kaufman. The song's video featured footage of Kaufman. On March 29, 1995, NBC aired A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman. The special featured clips of many of Kaufman's performances, as well as commentary by some of his friends, family and colleagues. During the special, comedian Richard Lewis said: "No one has ever done what Andy did, and did it as well, and no one will ever. Because he did it first. So did Buster Keaton, so did Andy." Carl Reiner recalled his distinction in the comedy world:Did Andy influence comedy? No. Because nobody's doing what he did. Jim Carrey was influenced—not to do what Andy did, but to follow his own drummer. I think Andy did that for a lot of people. Follow your own drumbeat. You didn't have to go up there and say "take my wife, please". You could do anything that struck you as entertaining. It gave people freedom to be themselves.Reiner also said of Kaufman: "Nobody can see past the edges, where the character begins and he ends."