Jerry Seinfeld has been getting the fruit goo beaten out of him this week, probably not what he wants while trying to launch a film written, directed, and starring Jerry Seinfeld.
"It was Seinfeld, with Larry David, who mainstreamed misanthropy with his eponymous sit-com."
This is a really good point that bears repeating. Seinfeld, at least to me, was the original show where you never really liked any of the main characters. A lot of shows that came after were built on the same or a similar premise.
Also it should be noted that Larry David has enjoyed pretty durable success taking that premise and running with it to an absurd degree. Ditto Julia Louis-Dreyfus in VEEP.
Though a professional word person, I am not a screenwriter, so it is with a ton of hubris and no little self-promotion that I say here Jerry completely missed an inherently hilarious story from the exact same period that would make for a far funnier movie than UNFROSTED (which I am watching right now; it's amusing enough but feels like it's missing a certain energy—like they committed to the bit but over-committing to the bit would make for way more laughs per scene).
Yeah, to me, the way to make this movie work would be to make it, essentially, a parody of "Air" or "Blackberry" or that Facebook movie. Use the genre of "inspirational business story" to parody the insanity of consumerist culture.
I follow the writer that wrote the SFGATE piece, Drew Magary. He's very funny, but definitely uses hyperbole in his writing. He uses a standup comedian tool for writing: have a take and defend the hell out of it, blistering the other side.
I ASSUME it's hyperbole, because all of his essays are like that. Otherwise, the world is very black and white for him.
I read your article, and it was thoughtfully engaging, as always. What was he thinking with that remark? Full disclosure, I'm a Jerry fan.
But that's not why I'm here. To the point, I'm still laughing at the photo of the remarkably unappealing and unfunny Jay Leno, with the caption "Jay Leno, looking well." I hope it didn't escape anyone's notice.
Thanks for writing and publishing this. I had no idea that the interview had caused such a big kerfuffle. Now I guess I’ll actually have to listen to it.
Thanks, MIB for your constant advocacy against the people crying "cancelled." Do these people not realize that some were crying cancel culture 50, 60, 70 years ago when blackface and other blatantly racist performances were fazed out of comedy/entertainment? Do they not realize that comedians like George Carlin were actually thrown in jail for making illegal jokes? Illegal jokes! They come off as petty children when they complain about some people pushing back against something they say. Everyone in every profession has to grow with the times. Doctors, engineers, computer scientists, etc. all have to grow and adapt. Why do comedians think they don't have to do this? They lecture us about how we need to stop getting offended and then they completely collapse with even the slightest amount of criticism.
Along these lines, it's very weird to me that one of constantly complaining about "cancel culture" is Bill Maher, who was legit cancelled over his comments re: 9/11. But it wasn't by PC leftist snowflakes or whatever so I guess it's not as bad?
Thanks for taking the time to spell this out so clearly and thoroughly—and with such balance. So many ironies surrounding this week’s explosive anti-Seinfeld reaction:
• Seinfeld did the Remnick interview to promote a new project and one off-hand remark completely overshadowed his main purpose.
• Despite being one of the most astute fans and analysts of how comedy works, Jerry completely ignores the chief reason that sitcoms aren’t what they used to be—it’s because networks aren’t what they used to be. The media landscape has radically changed and viewing habits have changed. . (Given the size the checks he’s cashed from Crackle and Netflix, I would assume that he knows that.) The iPhone did more to kill sitcoms than the left and PC attitudes.
• Historically, networks did much more to cater to the segregationist South and sexual prudery than to the left and PC culture. (“Seinfeld” managed to route around that brilliantly, building stories on masturbation, female orgasm, and cunnilingus).
I wonder how 1960’s Seinfeld would explain the strange and sudden appearance at the crest of the Civil Rights Movement of so many high-lair-ious comedies depicting a charming, aggressively kind and loving South mysteriously denuded of black people.
Mayberry RFD, Gomer Pyle, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, Hee Haw—so many celebrations of the warmth, aw-sucks cornpone humor, and sheer human decency of white Southerners!
Good thing there were no political correctness police to derail all the incisive laugh-tracking of truth to power.
Spot on. I have never seen a single episode of Seinfeld because I just don’t find him funny. The only thing of his I ever watched was Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and only when it had a guest that I really liked- Letterman, Gervais, John Oliver, Tina Fey, Martin Short, and of course Barack Obama. I watched for them, not Seinfeld. He’s been living in rarified air for so long that anything that doesn’t cater to him specifically is just stupid and beneath him.
I agree with you. Seinfeld is not funny to me and I never did watch his show during its heyday. What I think he is overlooking is that the Situational Comedy format is outdated. It was outdated in the 90s. Who the heck can tolerate a laugh track? Add commercials breaks to the mix and no thanks. I’ll take it’s always sunny any day over that crap.
I think he was pandering to the audience in that 5 second sound bite. It was a rare misstep from a deeply apolitical comedian.
"It was Seinfeld, with Larry David, who mainstreamed misanthropy with his eponymous sit-com."
This is a really good point that bears repeating. Seinfeld, at least to me, was the original show where you never really liked any of the main characters. A lot of shows that came after were built on the same or a similar premise.
Also it should be noted that Larry David has enjoyed pretty durable success taking that premise and running with it to an absurd degree. Ditto Julia Louis-Dreyfus in VEEP.
World poisoned by political correctness makes some people take comedy too seriously. People are angry about everything because they feel powerless.
Though a professional word person, I am not a screenwriter, so it is with a ton of hubris and no little self-promotion that I say here Jerry completely missed an inherently hilarious story from the exact same period that would make for a far funnier movie than UNFROSTED (which I am watching right now; it's amusing enough but feels like it's missing a certain energy—like they committed to the bit but over-committing to the bit would make for way more laughs per scene).
https://www.insidehook.com/culture/moosylvania-cartoon-comedy-cuban-missile-crisis-collided
Yeah, to me, the way to make this movie work would be to make it, essentially, a parody of "Air" or "Blackberry" or that Facebook movie. Use the genre of "inspirational business story" to parody the insanity of consumerist culture.
"self-promotion" - I wrote the article. And I still love that insane story.
Excellent piece.
I follow the writer that wrote the SFGATE piece, Drew Magary. He's very funny, but definitely uses hyperbole in his writing. He uses a standup comedian tool for writing: have a take and defend the hell out of it, blistering the other side.
I ASSUME it's hyperbole, because all of his essays are like that. Otherwise, the world is very black and white for him.
I read your article, and it was thoughtfully engaging, as always. What was he thinking with that remark? Full disclosure, I'm a Jerry fan.
But that's not why I'm here. To the point, I'm still laughing at the photo of the remarkably unappealing and unfunny Jay Leno, with the caption "Jay Leno, looking well." I hope it didn't escape anyone's notice.
Thanks for writing and publishing this. I had no idea that the interview had caused such a big kerfuffle. Now I guess I’ll actually have to listen to it.
Punching down is never okay. That's not comedy, that's bullying. Jerry needs to evolve 🤷♀️
I had a long well thought out post and managed to erase it. So, instead - another good column that made me think about comedy.
Well reasoned and compassionate.
Thanks, MIB for your constant advocacy against the people crying "cancelled." Do these people not realize that some were crying cancel culture 50, 60, 70 years ago when blackface and other blatantly racist performances were fazed out of comedy/entertainment? Do they not realize that comedians like George Carlin were actually thrown in jail for making illegal jokes? Illegal jokes! They come off as petty children when they complain about some people pushing back against something they say. Everyone in every profession has to grow with the times. Doctors, engineers, computer scientists, etc. all have to grow and adapt. Why do comedians think they don't have to do this? They lecture us about how we need to stop getting offended and then they completely collapse with even the slightest amount of criticism.
Along these lines, it's very weird to me that one of constantly complaining about "cancel culture" is Bill Maher, who was legit cancelled over his comments re: 9/11. But it wasn't by PC leftist snowflakes or whatever so I guess it's not as bad?
Yes and I’m also getting “It’s So Hard For A Straight White Cis Man To Get A Break These Days” vibes from his remarks…yawn.
P.S. I hope you can follow up with comments from Andrew “Dice” Clay, 66. :)
Thanks for taking the time to spell this out so clearly and thoroughly—and with such balance. So many ironies surrounding this week’s explosive anti-Seinfeld reaction:
• Seinfeld did the Remnick interview to promote a new project and one off-hand remark completely overshadowed his main purpose.
• Despite being one of the most astute fans and analysts of how comedy works, Jerry completely ignores the chief reason that sitcoms aren’t what they used to be—it’s because networks aren’t what they used to be. The media landscape has radically changed and viewing habits have changed. . (Given the size the checks he’s cashed from Crackle and Netflix, I would assume that he knows that.) The iPhone did more to kill sitcoms than the left and PC attitudes.
• Historically, networks did much more to cater to the segregationist South and sexual prudery than to the left and PC culture. (“Seinfeld” managed to route around that brilliantly, building stories on masturbation, female orgasm, and cunnilingus).
"“Seinfeld” managed to route around that brilliantly, building stories on masturbation, female orgasm, and cunnilingus."
Does that mean that Seinfeld was
*gasp*
WOKE????
*dramatic chord*
Excellent points all.
I wonder how 1960’s Seinfeld would explain the strange and sudden appearance at the crest of the Civil Rights Movement of so many high-lair-ious comedies depicting a charming, aggressively kind and loving South mysteriously denuded of black people.
Mayberry RFD, Gomer Pyle, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, Hee Haw—so many celebrations of the warmth, aw-sucks cornpone humor, and sheer human decency of white Southerners!
Good thing there were no political correctness police to derail all the incisive laugh-tracking of truth to power.
Spot on. I have never seen a single episode of Seinfeld because I just don’t find him funny. The only thing of his I ever watched was Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and only when it had a guest that I really liked- Letterman, Gervais, John Oliver, Tina Fey, Martin Short, and of course Barack Obama. I watched for them, not Seinfeld. He’s been living in rarified air for so long that anything that doesn’t cater to him specifically is just stupid and beneath him.
I'm really enjoying the goofy absurdity of Unfrosted, but grateful for this analysis nonetheless.
I agree with you. Seinfeld is not funny to me and I never did watch his show during its heyday. What I think he is overlooking is that the Situational Comedy format is outdated. It was outdated in the 90s. Who the heck can tolerate a laugh track? Add commercials breaks to the mix and no thanks. I’ll take it’s always sunny any day over that crap.