Ever since actor Andy Kaufman's death in 1984, rumors that he hoaxed his own death have been going around. This week, those rumors were resurrected when a member of his own family made a shocking statement.

Andy Kaufman was known for his pranks, hoaxes, and even statements that he wanted to fake his own death. So when he allegedly passed on May 16, 1984, it wasn't surprising that some questioned whether the comedian was pulling an elaborate prank.

In the next 29 years though, rumors have persisted, but there haven't been any confirmed sightings of the "Taxi" star.

Although there have been plenty of people claiming to have interacted with Kaufman, including a bizarre "press conference" that was covered in a 2009 issue of Weird New Jersey magazine.

Well the rumors have not only been rekindled this week, but they've taken a strange turn from the mouth of his brother, Michael.

At this week's Andy Kaufman Awards in New York City, the comedian's brother not only said that the star is still alive, but that he's even fathered a daughter since his "death" in 1984.

This isn't the first time that notable people have made claims of Kaufman's death being greatly exaggerated, but until the man himself is produced for all to see, we'll have to take the stories with a grain of salt.

Personally, though, I hope he is still alive - it would be one of the greatest hoaxes ever pulled off.

So what do you think after this latest "bombshell", is Andy alive?

UPDATE - 3:20pm
And, with this missive from The Smoking Gun, those hoping that Andy's secret life as "a stay at home dad" was revealed, it turns out that his "daughter" is actually a New York actress that Andy's brother brought in for the prank. Until the next "Andy is alive" rumor...

More From 92.7 WOBM