Seinfeld secondary character poll

PUDDY FTW

who is elaine's white haired boss?

j peterman

i voted fdr

Estelle Costanza!

estelle ftw

no bob sacamano no credibility

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Seinfeld_s7e17.jpg/200px-Seinfeld_s7e17.jpg

I voted for J. Peterman.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/75/Seinfeld_Ep_109_The_Face_Painter.png

Puddy is so amazing. why cant you people see this?

mr bookman

mr pitt lol

JERRY: Why does he want to hold a rope underneath Woody Woodpecker in the Thanksgiving Day Parade?

ELAINE: He finds his laugh... "intoxicating."

you people

Yeah Puddy is awesome

i'm with chaki on this one.

write-in vote for dolores

you people

-- jed_, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 3:18 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

so you're saying we're ALL secondary characters in Seinfeld?

that's a very generous view.

Which one was George's boss during the whole thing where George wanted everyone to call him T-bone and at the end he was all "kay OOOOger!"??

write-in for VAN BUREN BOYS

Oh wait probably KRUGER right?

It was

i genuinely believe the mr bookman/seinfeld scene is the funniest in the history of television

frank costanza not getting nearly enough love here

who is elaine's white haired boss?

-- CaptainLorax, Monday, November 5, 2007 9:59 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

j peterman

-- chaki, Monday, November 5, 2007 10:00 PM (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Mr. Pitt had white hair too, but I guess it's more likely that he meant Peterman. I think Mr. Pitt might be kinda underrated.

I voted David Puddy, although I feel kinda guilty since Warburton's done a ton of good stuff since and most Seinfeld bit players haven't. Could've also gone with Uncle Leo, Frank and Estello, Larry-as-Steinbrenner, Tim Whatley, FDR, Jack Klompus, or of course Newman.

jesus christ is puddy seriously gonna win this thing??? i mean he's funny but cmon

yeah that's right.

http://images.thewavemag.com/images/articles/14001-15000/14479.jpg

hahaha i lol'd

ok i did too. still dont think he should win.

I probably say "it feels like an Arby's night," and mean it, at least once a month.

All signs point to the 8 ball
http://www.extraallt.com/bilder/puddy5.jpg

I voted David Puddy, although I feel kinda guilty since Warburton's done a ton of good stuff since and most Seinfeld bit players haven't. Could've also gone with Uncle Leo, Frank and Estello, Larry-as-Steinbrenner, Tim Whatley, FDR, Jack Klompus, or of course Newman.

-- Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 3:23 AM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

do you really think your vote would have helped these guys' careers?

that woman who plays rebecca de mornay cracks me up

haha nah but i mean, Warburton gets tons of voice work and has been almost as awesome as Puddy in like 5 other things, but i'd be tempted to throw a pity vote fo one of those guys whose only moment in the spotlight ever was that episode or two on Seinfeld.

Puddy is amazing, but Frank Costanza has gotta get some props.

xp I almost used that rationale to not vote for PBH's 'Mr. Bookman' but he was too good. Bob Sacamano really does deserve a spot, every mention makes me laugh no matter what and that has to count for something.

puddy is the worst seinfeld character. totally not suited for the show. basically an idiot right out of friends.

man, you don't get puddy at all.

2x

im complicated
http://www.nndb.com/people/630/000058456/warburton.jpg

Puddy is an astonishing character. Remember that one scene where the phone rings and he's just sitting at home, in his armchair, doing nothing? You only see it for a second or two. Then he picks up the phone and goes 'Hello'. But you are invited to think, 'My God, if nothing's happening, does Puddy just do nothing?' It was a magnificent moment. If the skill of Seinfeld is in creating characters so subtly bizarre that they seem, eventually, to come from another planet, Puddy is the Lord High Regent of Epsilon Delta Five.

Bookman: You're a comedian, you make people laugh.
Jerry: I try.
Bookman: You think this is all a big joke, don't ya?
Jerry: No, I don't.
Bookman: I saw you on TV once, I remembered your name from my list. I looked it up. Sure enough, it checked out. You think because you're a celebrity, that somehow the law doesn't apply to you, that you're above the law?
Jerry: Certainly not.
Bookman: Well let me tell you something, funny boy. You know that little stamp that says New York Public Library? Well that may not mean anything to you but that means a lot to me, one whole hell of a lot. Sure, go ahead, laugh if you want to. I've seen your type before, flashy, makin' the scene, flaunting convention. Yeah, I know what you're thinking: "What's this guy making such a big stink about old library books?" Well let me give you a hint, junior. Maybe we can live without libraries, people like you and me. Maybe. Sure, we're too old to change the world. But what about that kid, sitting down opening a book, right now, in a branch of the local library, and finding drawings of pee-pees and wee-wees in The Cat in the Hat and The Five Chinese Brothers. Doesn't he deserve better? Look, if you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you better think again. This is about that kid's right to read a book without getting his mind warped. Or, maybe that turns you on, Seinfeld. Maybe that's how you get your kicks, you and your good-time buddies. Well I got a flash for you, joy-boy: Party time is over. You got seven days, Seinfeld. That is one week.

puddy, and moley OTM there.

warburton's pretty great in everything i've seen him in.

i voted for crazy joe davola

fuck i forgot about Phillip Baker Hall as Bookman. so great.

this poll is awesome because it reminds me that the longer time passes, the more stupid and annoying the four main characters seem and the more the supporting characters really shine. at least to me.

I voted for Estelle.

deeznuts is being very convincing: Well I got a flash for you, joy-boy: Party time is over.

I actually really love Morty and Helen Seinfeld. They're often funnier than Frank and Estelle.

the longer time passes, the more stupid and annoying the four main characters seem

Yeah, I'll give you all that, but there's still George, and.. well...

But have you heard Jerry lately? Pitching this "Bee Movie" POS? I mean, how could you miss it? His schilling for this one awful thing is worse than Orson Welles' entire decline into wine and frozen pea commercials. What a shameless, soulless, evil, horrible, talentless, UN-FUCKING-FUNNY, NASTY, MEAN-SPIRITED man this is. I feel bad for Larry David, that he made this person seem nearly funny for so many years.

He's not on the list, but I'd be tempted to vote for Alton Benes if he were. He was going to be a recurring character but they were all too scared to have him back.

What was that film I saw recently that had both George and Jerry's dads in it?

yeah best poll on ile so far. but a little difficult, and i'm going to spend some time to decide this rather than my usual stampeding in.

i genuinely believe the mr bookman/seinfeld scene is the funniest in the history of television

oh god yes OTM. i think it was 'good time buddies' that really did it for me, and that whole turning around motion whenever he started "Well let me tell you something..."

I'm tending towards J Peterman.

Was Sal the comedian who did the impressions of 'famous people stuck in traffic'? That was a chuffing marvellous little scene

but i loved the soup nazi too. hmm

"COME BACK, ONE YEAR!"

Frank Costanza, ya'll.

Puddy is tough to beat overall. I'm not going to wait until he wins to post this...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/69/Seinfeld_s9e11.jpg/200px-Seinfeld_s9e11.jpg

Oddly enough, I was just trying to remember Jack Klompas's name last night.

My favorite Puddy quote:

PUDDY: Oh. Hey, how come people don't have dip for dinner? Why is it only a snack, why can't it be a meal, you know? I don't understand stuff like that.

I've been thinking about it and Kenny Bania might be the best character in this poll. The best, Jerry!

disn't watch the show much, I went with Jerry Stiller. where's Keith Hernandez?

I've seen every episode probably 10 times but can't place (hardly) any of these names.

This was a tough poll but I went for Frank Costanza.

ha, I just watched the Keith Hernandez episode the other day. I think Seinfeld celebrity walk-ons (as themselves) would probably have to be a seperate category from secondary characters, but if it was a poll I'd probably vote for KH.

I love the guy that gives Jerry the suit.

That's Bania. He's gold, Jerry, gold!

"i've been working out. i'm huge!"

The Super in Jerry's building was pretty funny but only appeared in one episode i think, and his little spanish speaking friend.

In fact anyone able to confirm that this guy was also one of the DJ's in GTA Liberty City Stories radio stations? Sounds pretty similar.

Glenn Shadix was his name, wasn't the dj but was in beetlejuice

But have you heard Jerry lately? Pitching this "Bee Movie" POS?

I mean, how could you miss it? His schilling for this one awful thing is worse than Orson Welles' entire decline into wine and frozen pea commercials.

What a shameless, soulless, evil, horrible, talentless, UN-FUCKING-FUNNY, NASTY, MEAN-SPIRITED man this is.

I feel bad for Larry David, that he made this person seem nearly funny for so many years.

considering that Jerry's managed to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible in the 9 years since the show went off the air, I won't begrudge him for the one big project he's done since, even if it looks pretty lame. the 30 Rock guest spot was pretty good, anyway.

Yeah, Bee Movie looks dumb and the promotions are annoying but I don't know where you get "shameless, soulless, evil, horrible, talentless, UN-FUCKING-FUNNY, NASTY, MEAN-SPIRITED" from?

As far as talentless goes, I think one of the most charming things about Seinfeld (the show) was that Seinfeld (the comedian) basically admitted that he is a pretty terrible actor and thus surrounded himself with much more gifted comic actors, both in the main roles and the secondary parts. One of my most-quoted/imitated Seinfeld lines isn't even really that funny on paper, it's when he's impersonating someone else and talking to his girlfriend on the phone, trying to find out how she feels about him, and what's hilarious about it is how AWFUL his fake voice is, but it's pretty obvious he knows he can't really do a fake voice and is totally hamming it up.

haha that was a funny scene

Yeah there are plenty of smart, funny comics who probably should never be onscreen or try to carry their own project (Larry David is one of them), but Seinfeld always played his inability to act to his advantage.

Yeah there are plenty of smart, funny comics who probably should never be onscreen or try to carry their own project (Larry David is one of them)

^^^ RONG

Seriously, way to undermine my whole point.

haha sorry, I know I'm probably in the minority of Curb-haters, but the Steinbrenner voice is pretty much the only time I want LD to not be fully behind the scenes.

I wish there was a way to vote for the Constanzas and Puddy

it's amazing how Seinfeld's unfunny standup act worked so well in sitcom adaptation.

and hence, no surprise he's back to being unfunny again

disn't watch the show much

-- Dr Morbius, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 2:18 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

the people who are stunned by him not being funny on this bee movie tour seriously must've never seen his standup. or anything other than seinfeld. dude's arc was descending when he got lucky and got that show.

Frank and Puddy are the best secondary characters by far.

In terms of one-episode wonders:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/brownpau/the-wiz.jpg
Nobody beats me. I'm the Wiz!

xp

yeah, sad motherfucker, you can tell a show is funny by seeing it 12-15 times, and that a comic is not by seeing dozens of TV guest shots.

Toby Huss is awesome. he was also Artie, the Stronge Man...in the World! (xpost)

er, Strongest

sympathy note for gay street toughs, of armoire-stealing / ribbon-wearing fame

(what makes the armoire-stealing work is the mini-drama going on with the quiet glasses-wearing member of the couple, who seems like maybe HE doesn't want to steal the armoire)

Who was the close talker?

Judge Reinhold

yeah who cares she was lame

eh? are you thinking of the quiet talker?? the close talker was awesome.

ohhhhhhhh whoops, i was thinking of quiet talker/puffy shirt lady.

ART VANDELAY.

the best part about the close talker was that that wasn't even his only quirk, he was also Elaine's boyfriend who showed a disconcertingly strong interest in showing Helen and Morty Seinfeld around town.

Seinfeld was on Conan last week, these days he seems pretty upfront about the fact that he's basically an asshole.

so nothing's changed since the basic thesis he spent nine seasons laying out, then.

Jerry lays it out:

When Zellweger asked him why he hadn't starred in anything since Seinfeld, the dude simply replied: "Because I'm old, rich and tired."

You curmudgeonly bunch. I saw him live a few years ago and laughed all the way through. Also that 'Comedian' film he did was great.

You know what was brilliant? Gilbert Gottfried's parody of Seinfeld's standup. "WHYYYYY... are there SHOELACES?"

"WHAAATS the deal... with POLITICS? AMIRITE?"

i think jerry got really good on the show over the years.

i was thinking about starting this thread just the other day! thanks, now i don't have to.

i kinda wish elaine's dad was on here though. even if he was only on one episode. the only sitcom character ever to be based on Richard Yates!

I started to think about the 2-part Los Angeles episode yesterday, trying to remember characters. Then I had to do a double take and ask myself was that really a Seinfeld episode.

I really love the scene when they're riding in the police car.

Anyway this poll should have included that bizarre woman who lived in Kramers apartment building, from that ep.

That crazy guy in the police car on the LA episode was Ron Howards brother, right? That was a good scene.

wasn't the dude who played Jake Jarmel also one of the LA cops?

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

The guy who played Elaine's dad never came back because he was apparently stealing stuff from the set.

haha and/or apparently this:

During the filming of this episode, Lawrence Tierney (Alton Benes) scared the cast and crew, because of his intimidating demeanor. Apparently, Tierney took one of Jerry's kitchen knives and hid it. When Seinfeld asked Tierney where it was, Tierney revealed the knife and imitated the knife-slashing effects from Psycho (1960).

wow this guy really is a nutjob:

In the audio commentary for The Simpsons 1995 episode "Marge Be Not Proud", the producers describe what happened when Tierney came in to record the voice over for his character Don Brodka. Showrunner Josh Weinstein called it "the craziest guest star experience we ever had". In addition to yelling at and intimidating employees of the show, Tierney made unreasonable requests such as abandoning his distinctive voice to do the part in a southern accent and refusing to perform lines if he did not get the jokes.

great great thread

i kind of just want people to keep posting "remember that time when..." episode anecdotes

maura tierney's dad, right??

haha i just looked that up, no relation apparently.

def kruger

Tierney-

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/Ltierney.JPG

I have to join the support club for Bania ("Gold, Jerry! Gold!") but really, the scenes with Bookman are among the funniest in the entire series, and he carries them all by himself.

BOOKMAN: I remember when the librarian was a much older woman: Kindly,
discreet, unattractive. We didn't know anything about her private life; we didn't want to know anything about her private life. She didn't have a private life. While you're thinking about that, think about this: The library closes at five o'clock, no exceptions. This is your final warning. Got that, kewpie-doll?

hahaha o man i forgot all about the secondary scenes

how is that guy not on youtube

The only place I recognized Elaine's dad from:
http://www.gonemovies.com/WWW/WanadooFilms/Misdaad/ReservoirJoe2.jpg

MASTER OF THE HOUUUUSE

What was the character's name that was played by the IRL Kramer who in the show was an actor who wanted to play Kramer!?

IRL Kramer's name is Kenny Kramer. I was fairly sure he never appeared on the show, since they say something to that effect in the DVD extras, but IMDB has him listed "As Self (uncredited)" in the "Face Painter" episode.

The character who played Kramer in Jerry was named Tom Pepper, and was played by an actor named Larry Hankin.

There was a storyline in a later episode where Kramer does guided tours as "The Real J. Peterman" that was meant to mock Kenny Kramer's "Kramer's Reality Tour."

I nearly voted Frank Costanza, but I changed my mind and went for Bookman. Russell Dalrymple (or whatever the guy Bob Balaban played was called) should be on this list.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

What, no Slippery Pete?

Lloyd Braun -- that guy was great. The episode where George and Braun were competing against each other to win the trip to Hawaii by selling computers was funny. "Serenity now, insanity later" was hilarious and brilliant.

What, no Slippery Pete?

Prickly Pete you mean.

There should be a separate category for one-offs, because that has to go to Bookman, but I voted for Frank.

George works to find a solution to his Frogger problem, and Kramer volunteers the help of a man he knows named Slippery Pete (played by Peter Stormare).

haha "he looks like a frog!"

that episode is really one of the highlights of the overly zany approach of the last couple seasons. have we done a Peter Stormare poll here yet? if not we really should.

Someone help me out here: Elaine's dad was based on the fact that Larry David had once dated the daughter of ... a writer ... someone I was impressed by but apparently not enough to rememeber?

Richard Yates!

Right!

Man, if Elaine's dad were really Richard Yates, she'd have been able to score a WAY better publishing job.

George works to find a solution to his Frogger problem, and Kramer volunteers the help of a man he knows named Slippery Pete (played by Peter Stormare).

Ahh, OK, I was thinking of the two horses George claimed to own when driving Susan's parents to the house on Long Island he claimed to own ("Snoopy and Prickly Pete").

Neither are of any relation to "Handsome Pete" who, of course, dances for nickels.

klompus deserved a vote imo

so did uncle leo

no Joel Rifkin, eh?

he was only in one episode, and really what did he do?

Rifkin character was also played by the same guy who played French Henri in Cheers, who was fucking brilliant.

even tho they're unseen Bob Sacamano and Lomez deserved a place in this poll.

frank deservedly up there, just for his line "What the HELL does THAT mean?" in the little kicks episode.

A friend once sat behind Lawrence Tierney at one of his old movies and saw him pee in a cup midfilm

cool hand larry

funniest of all these to me is seinfelds parents

excluding every old person on the show i'd pick poppy

can't really fuck w/ the costanzas tho rly

I did like Peterman though: that combination of gentility and good-humoured psychosis. But Puddy was awesome, the way he obviously had no inner life at all, and was completely fine with it.

Write-in vote for Lawrence Tierney (Alton Benes)

ALTON: Looks like rain.
GEORGE: (Perks up) I know, I know, that's what they said.
ALTON: Who said?
GEORGE: The weather guy, Dr. Waldo.
ALTON: I don't need anybody to tell me it's gonna rain.
GEORGE: No, of course not. I didn't..
ALTON: All I have to do is stick my head out the window. (Waiter shows up with the drinks) Which one's suppose to be the funny guy?
GEORGE: (Pointing at Jerry) Oh, he's the comedian.
JERRY: I'm just a regular person.
GEORGE: No, no. He's just being modest.
ALTON: We had a funny guy with us in Korea. A tailgunner. They blew his brains out all over the Pacific. (Long pause) There's nothing funny about that.

Hah..loved that scene (and character)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H03HMab-UI4

This thread/you guys really made me give a second look to Puddy, who bored me to tears when I was watching these at age 12 but who cracks me up on general principle today.

Seinfeld actor Len Lesser dies at 88

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_17406468?source=rss

http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsL/10247-14413.gif

Well. I guess we all know now what Vincent Gallo's going to look like in 35 years.

Poor Uncle Leo.

I think Puddy was a good choice above, but I wish Susan has gotten a vote or two. One of my favourite moments ever was her derisive consent to George's offer of a pre-nup (him thinking that that was his ticket out):

George: Well, I put a lot of thought into this, and I think I would like you to sign a prenuptual agreement.
Susan: A pre-nup?
George: Yeah.
Susan: (bursts out laughing)
George: What's so funny?
Susan: You don't have any money. I make more money than you do...Sure, give me the papers, I'll sign 'em.

^^^ love that exchange.

but RIP uncle leo nonetheless. an inspiration to us all.

yeah, Susan was a great foil for George, but i can see how she gets lost in the shuffle in a poll like this as a straight man among a rogue's gallery of wacky characters

having frank in this poll is unfair

"mr. bookman" getting 6 votes in this poll is fucking insane

i mean

Poppie 0

i agree but the one bookman scene is basically the greatest thing ever committed to film

we'd basically need some kind of overly complicated brackets thing to give each option justice tbh

Mr. Bookman is at the very least the show's greatest one episode wonder, but it's hard to compare that to the frequent regulars

RIP.

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/storage/uncle-leo.jpg

RIP Uncle Leo

I wonder why Alec Berg got two votes. Jerry's really funny when he does the John Houseman bit about the name Alec Berg, but I don't remember the character himself doing anything especially memorable.

xp: I love that episode with the painted eyebrows. "I'm not angry?!"

RIP Leo

I think Klompus should have gotten a vote too. He was a good and funny character.

"Take the pen! I want you to have the pen!

Loved the short bit when Jerry and his folks ride up in the new Cadillac to eat lunch after 4pm and Klompus says something like, "Look who missed the early bird."

wheres bob sacamano

RIP ;_;

Bob Sakamoto: the Keyser Söze of Seinfeld.

SHE'S ON A FIXED INCOME

(rip uncle leo)

Mr. Bookman is at the very least the show's greatest one episode wonder

Lawrence Tierney as Elaine's dad was equally awesome, might have voted for him if he'd been on the poll and I'd remembered.

If I gave it some thought, I could probably come up with a dozen or more great characters (some one-offs, some semi-regular) who aren't listed. Two who come to mind immediately: Kenny Bania ("That's gold, Jerry--gold!") and the two gay guys who stole Elaine's armoire ("Are you talking to me? I think you must be talking to me, because I don't think you're talking to him!")

Oops--Bania's there!

have we done a Peter Stormare poll here yet? if not we really should.

― Alex in Baltimore, Thursday, November 15, 2007 1:00 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark

haha, otm! dude's a national treasure, despite not being american

As far as talentless goes, I think one of the most charming things about Seinfeld (the show) was that Seinfeld (the comedian) basically admitted that he is a pretty terrible actor and thus surrounded himself with much more gifted comic actors, both in the main roles and the secondary parts. One of my most-quoted/imitated Seinfeld lines isn't even really that funny on paper, it's when he's impersonating someone else and talking to his girlfriend on the phone, trying to find out how she feels about him, and what's hilarious about it is how AWFUL his fake voice is, but it's pretty obvious he knows he can't really do a fake voice and is totally hamming it up.

― n/a, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 3:21 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark

what episode was this?

Jackie Chiles 0

you people...

As far as talentless goes, I think one of the most charming things about Seinfeld (the show) was that Seinfeld (the comedian) basically admitted that he is a pretty terrible actor and thus surrounded himself with much more gifted comic actors, both in the main roles and the secondary parts. One of my most-quoted/imitated Seinfeld lines isn't even really that funny on paper, it's when he's impersonating someone else and talking to his girlfriend on the phone, trying to find out how she feels about him, and what's hilarious about it is how AWFUL his fake voice is, but it's pretty obvious he knows he can't really do a fake voice and is totally hamming it up.

― n/a, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 3:21 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark

this is the tractor story/gonorrhea episode right? i fucking love that scene.

i started to get so much more out of seinfeld when i began to notice how often jerry basically broke character.

i'm always impressed by how distinctive and memorable even the throwaway characters on this show are -- i mean characters who were on the show for literally 30 seconds, like the guy who gets in a fight with george for 'double-dipping' his chip.

yeah it was the tractor story

xposts
yeah i think it's funny when ppl complain about jerry's poor acting, i mean, that was one of the linchpins of the show imo. that and his horrible "regular guy" wardrobe choices

what's wrong with the super tight purple turtleneck?

absolutely nothing, if it's matched with the right high-top basketball sneakers

and it's tucked into jeans, sans belt

this is the scene I was talking about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo3b2WofpUw

Just recently watched a whole season of this back-to-back thanks to a $6 grocery store price on the one box set - - and god, Frank and Estelle are absolutely the highlight of this show, real pros. Basically everything they ever say is hilarious, quotable, and perfectly-delivered.

There's a line in the hand modelling episode, "Would you believe when I was 18, I had a silver dollar collection?" I can't explain why that's funny but it kills me every time I hear it

It's the pauses, just how excruciating Frank makes it to listen to anything he has to say. Same thing in the bra salesman episode: "There's the B... the C.... and the D. ..That's the biggest."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3AMRHXMfjs

the Costanzas are honestly a part of the show that, while great, hasn't aged as well for me -- like i thought they were way funnier at the time when i was 14 or whatever than i do now, while George and Elaine and a lot of the other supporting characters have aged like fine wine.

oh i love em, there's this .. (YOU come ere)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3rczDq5k4Y

LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_nCmj9IyLo&feature=related

the Costanzas are honestly a part of the show that, while great, hasn't aged as well for me -- like i thought they were way funnier at the time when i was 14 or whatever than i do now,

I feel the opposite--they're way funnier now. Partly because I now have parents-in-law, and while they're not exactly like them, they're enough like them for it to be horribly funny

always more of a fan of jerry's parents, tho you're right about frank's amazing line-readings.

susan's parents were great too, especially the dad's excruciating monologue about the cabin kramer (i think) burned down.

One of my favourite Frank bits is when he tells Elaine the story of his Korean affair (with a look of complete mortification on Elaine's face): "I feel I need to unburden myself." From Estelle--I'm not sure which episode it's from--I love the line, "And he's altogether an idiot."

i really wish i'd voted for Jack Klompus, he's incredible.

David Puddy vs. Dennis Duffy

TAKE THE PEN!

"Jack, its' Martie"
"Who died?"
"Nobody died. Jack I want you to do me a big favour. In my garage there's a couple of boxes.
"What boxes?"
"I'm gonna explain what boxes"
"ALRIGHT, How the hell do i know!?"

otm

except Marty Seinfeld doesn't say 'favour'

favor?

I LOVE, SPONGE CAKE!

klompus episodes are fucking JOYS

When I got to work today, the custodian had left one of those spinning chairs in my room (3:15 in clip). I plan to be more Kruger-like than ever this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kVBGeQeR4

This is a slightly edited/elongated version of one of my favorite things in the history of television, David Puddy apparently staring into space for an indefinite amount of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIn0eWCyYs4

this poll pretty much nails it. personally i would put Frank Costanza at the top just cos he and Estelle are some of the most believable parental comic foils of all time. they are so perfectly George's parents that by the time they get to festivus, it makes all too much sense.

Otm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3fCt0Smfks

lol just realized Frank does the clapping *clap* on *clap* words *clap* at the end of this scene.

Jerry's parents are cool and entirely believable w their whole Florida country club vibe but George's really hint at the pure rage that is seething through George, ready to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. Frank has this natural Serenity to him that is tempered with these wonderful outbursts of anger. at the same time he has a sort of absent minded creative wandering spirit. its this anger & wonder that are core to George's character.

surprised at the lack of Newman love

and poor old Uncle Leo too

remember when Uncle Leo had his eyebrows singed off and they drew them on?

Jack Klompus is def a standout from the Fla scene. TAKE THE PEN!

YOU'RE DOING ME A FAVOR!

YOU STILL SAY "HELLO!"

Very deep list. You're all winners!

The pause after "Gnats too, if I'm not mistaken" is perfect - Frank's attention caught by his own sleeve

"Frank! Come'ere"
"YOU come'ere!"

".... and the D. That's the biggest."

rewatching the series currently and i cried laughing at Bookman

this is an incredible list of secondary characters, many of them deserving of any and all accolades they get.

and yet

there is only one viable winner of this poll, and it's not even close.

Puddy is the greatest secondary (i prefer bang-for-your-buck) character in television history.

One of my favorite little character beats ever was how the maestro removed the rubber band here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i1kbSm04xdg

i love that too... it's not working but the internal logic of the character dictates that that is the proper way to do it and so he shall.

xp yes he's pretty consistently great

I think the never shown Bob Sacamano was one of my favorite details in the show. Deserved a spot imo.

Tertiary character: Jay Riemannschneider, who eats horse

Cousin Jeffrey. His botany teacher from college stays in close touch with him!

The judge being called Art Vandelay is the prototype Alice Tremond oh shit moment

he has a few friends only mentioned once - Rimennacschneider, Corky Ramirez, a cop called Doug - but Lomez and Sacamano are the only ones who get multiple mentions if i remember correctly

In the episode where Jerry & Kramer switch apartments & jerry starts acting like Kramer he talks about *his* friend Bob Sacamano - very disturbing, like the post-silencio stretch of mulholland dr

xp also the twice-mentioned Spector, who likes fat women and minimalism.

oh i thought spector was only mentioned that one time.

".... and the D. That's the biggest."

― This is a total Jeff Porcaro. (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, July 4, 2018 7:15 PM (yesterday

george's reaction as his dad goes "you got the a...the b...the c...the *D*." kills me every time

not least because "you got the..." is such an authentically old guy way to put it, my grandpa always used to say stuff like that

https://media1.tenor.com/images/26574836a41c843cdff1b5c4bd967d7b/tenor.gif?itemid=5168270

the bit where George Costanza yells into the phone "YOU WANNA BUY A COMPUTER?? WHY NOT??" is probably my favorite Seinfeld scene

YOU STILL SAY "HELLO!"

hah the episode that is from rules. im watching S9E17

https://watchseinfeld.com/episodes/seinfeld-9x17/

Uncle Leo is shoplifting books and Jerry decides to rat him out. he almost gets in big trouble due to a prior conviction that they only refer to as a "crime of passion". of course Jerry is a narc but Leo is understanding. the look Leo gives him when he is caught is priceless. "Hello.""Hello."

soon after this J. Peterman confesses to Elaine that when he sent her fake boyfriend to Thailand, he "filled his head with psuedo erotic tales of my own opium excursions. Plus i gave him some phone numbers of places he could score near the hotel."

Peterman is a funny character cos the irl J. Peterman went out of business and the actor who played him ended up investing in his business and helped get him back on his feet.

Probably fairly well known, but for me an unexpected Seinfeld sighting: Larry Hankin (the fake Kramer on Jerry who stole the raisins) in Escape from Alcatraz. He's on lookout at one point for Clint Eastwood; when a guard starts approaching, I half-expected him to call out "Tippy-toe, tippy-toe!"

write-in vote, slightly late, for Keith Hernandez

Thought this would be able the latest Lowbrow Reader.

Everybody probably knows this, but it's not mentioned here,so...

Newman is Stinky from the Abbott & Costello Show

Oh really? Never occurred to me.

Larry Hankin is everywhere. I think I saw him in Home Alone over xmas.

He was on Breaking Bad too iirc

He was, yeah--the guy who compacted the RV.