Seinfeld: Classic or Dud

One example: Elaine's father, the curmudgeonly author (played by Lawrence Tierney), was based on Richard Yates, father of a writer's ex-girlfriend. Usually, though, it was just some stupid thing that had happened to a writer the day before.

i should pick that up, looks like a fun read.

i saw a clip of jerry a while back where somebody asked him why his character hated newman so much, and his response was that there really wasn't any reason, it was just funnier that way. if you think about it, there's really no rational reason jerry should despise newman while having no problem with kramer.

Sinatra died the day the finale aired. I only remember that because there was a news item about how Nancy was mad about not finding out quickly because she was so wrapped in watching the episode.

I never figured out if the joke behind Kenny Bania was that he was a terrible comedian or that him and Seinfeld were basically the same

I think it's just that he's annoying

Kenny's a McGuffin character who's always just a slave to that week's situation. Whatever was needed he was there - following in Jerry's footsteps, or he was dating Jerry's ex or using Jerry as mentor. Often didn't make sense in single episodes that he suddenly he had a cable show or whatever but it just served that week's plot.

At least one Bania episode was related to events. The one where he becomes popular riding Jerry's coattails was meant as a joke about all the bad NBC shows that got good ratings because of a time-slot before Seinfeld. (Whatever Jerry/Newman backstory there might be never came up in the book.)

It's pretty weird that Elaine's dad only appeared that once

there's really no rational reason jerry should despise newman while having no problem with kramer

I always say Kramer as well mannered and had good intentions, whereas Newman was just devious and was always out for himself.

(from wiki)

His [Lawrence Tierney] performance was brilliant, and they contemplated making him a recurring character. However, when he was caught stealing a knife from the set, and later pulling it on Seinfeld in a threatening fashion, it became clear that he would not be invited back

(that was response to Wins re Elaines Dad)

Although I recall the DVD commentary version of that being slightly different and not mentioning the threatening part at all, just that he stole cutlery and kept hiding it from Jerry.

^^ could've been the inspiration for the guy casted as Kramer for Jerry and George's pilot who stole (or didn't steal) the raisins

Wasn’t it Larry David who dated at some point Richard Yates’ daughter?

Thanks for the heads up on this being a behind-the-scenes thing, clemenza. I'm interested in reading it now that I know it isn't the instantly-clearanced quickie boilerplate pop culture cash-in that it appeared to be at first blush. I love in-depth televisual post-mortems, e.g. Bill Carter's NBC late night books and the Simpsons oral history.

No, she's a good writer--recommend the Mary Tyler Moore Show book too.

The knife-pulling episode comes up in the book, too. (The episode would have been on the air before Reservoir Dogs.) Also: Richard Yates evidently hated the character, although there was some suggestion he was just playing up his gruffness and secretly loved it.

I think so--it think it was David who dated Yates' daughter.

just bought this book thanks to the revive. sounds great.

it's mostly all in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9T7En0N2bg

ah thanks Jed

🤯 The origin/making of the Seinfeld theme.

So much to unpack here...
First: This dude.
Second: He re-recorded it for every single episode
Third: the bpm set to Jerry’s timing?
Fourth: it wasn’t a real bass?!

source: https://t.co/yMj4bo4FVA pic.twitter.com/KGTRf2GDzn

— Ian Chan (@chanian) February 15, 2020

Amazing.

incredible

Yeah that is incredible.

ha, awesome. also that video someone posted later in that timeline about them adding nonsense lyrics to the theme for one episode!

Someone should replace all the dialogue in "Seinfeld" with slappy bass sounds, kind of like an update on the "Peanuts" muted trumped grown-up talk.

I wonder how much money he makes off of those fake slappy bass sounds?

In other news, I just rewatched "The Mosquito Coast" the other day and was surprised to see Jason Alexander pop up as a hardware store employee arguing with Harrison Ford. I know his first movie was that classic slasher flick "The Burning," which was 1981. I guess "Mosquito Coast" was only his second, in 1986, which means there must be so many Jason Alexander screen tests out there.

I also learned, checking imdb, that he was a frequent guest on a show called "E/R." Not "ER," "E/R." Not only was"E/R" *also* about a Chicago hospital, but it starred Elliott Gould as one Dr. ... Sheinfeld.

The world has turned upside down.

E/R also had George Clooney on it!

This is too much.

omg that soundtrack guy is a hero

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

https://www.seinfeldgame.com/

thinking about that time somebody asked derrida if he watched seinfeld pic.twitter.com/Acb8UL7ZER

— ▀▀▀▀▀▀ (@immolations) April 19, 2020

:D

derrida otm

what's the deal with différance

for people itt who love both seinfeld and football

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/sep/01/david-squires-on-lionel-messi-going-full-george-costanza-barcelona

heat map vs bayern funny in and of itself but it being in a file titled 'penske' makes it even better. glad to see the puffy shirt in there too.

thanks for that, love the small details like the penske file and the vanderlay industries boards on the side of the field in the last panel... and just now saw the serenity nou in the first panel

https://i.imgur.com/UEEBFOi.png

This is the beginning few minutes of Seinfeld Episode 72 from season 5. i am posting this clip here for educational purposes only!!!

Educational Instructions:

1) watch the entire clip and take careful notice to the language all the characters use. Particularly listen to "Mr. Tuttle" Gorge's boss. He makes several references to reading between the lines, understanding hidden things etc.

2) approx. half way through the clip jerry seinfeld suggests that sodomy may be a prerequisite for George's new job. The Elaine character laughs here (quite awkwardly) and jerry makes an absolutely bizarre face. interesting... wonder what julia did to get the job....

3) the homework assignment is to go find and watch the entire episode and notice the incredible amount of hidden messages and not-so subtle subtext of this particular episode. notice at the very end of the episode that george's 2nd prospective boss of the episode turns out to be in the exact situation that Elaine mentioned as a hypothetical... the significance being that the other hypothetical was the sodomy one...

so in a very sly and subtle way jerry seinfeld has brought up the topic of sodomy as a prerequisite for employment.... please ponder the significance of this and follow the works of people like "The Celtic Rebel" he helped me notice this level of social programming. Namely society encourages that you submit to sodomy for some jobs. For your own good I and kdix radio implore you to explore the possibilities of how pop culture is controlled through degenerative and exploitative ritualized sexual behavior and domination

well that was a thing I just read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUx7v75V2dg

Summer of George compilation

Pretty sure that’s Larry David’s voice playing George Steinbrenner

it is
Last two seasons are filled with episodes I've seen once and forgot about, if I ever saw them at all.

Yeah like all the puddy and George getting married stuff.

I didn't even know they dated!

I thought the backwards episode was brilliant, wish they'd done more fucking around like that

I didn't even know they dated!

india episode easily the shows nadir imho

1: rewatching and it's all funny
2: in particular the fact that JS is the worst actor in TV history lol