Seinfeld virtually defined an era, and still appears on countless lists as one of the greatest
television shows of all time.
After airing for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998, it's nearly impossible not to have heard
of the classic sitcom or its star, stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
He's found more recent success with his online series, but how much do you really know about
this funny guy?
Light bulb salesman
During his early days in stand-up, Seinfeld took odd jobs to pay the rent.
And in some cases, those jobs became an excuse to try out new material, like the time he
sold light bulbs over the phone with his friend Mike Costanza Hmmm, why does that last name
sound familiar?
Costanza told the New York Daily News, "We would come up with scripts to sell the most
light bulbs...We called down South.
'This is Mike Davis.
You remember me?
The handicapped veteran?
You ordered two cases of bulbs from me?'
And I would drop the phone and knock it around.
'You know, it's hard to get used to these hooks.'
Jerry and I would be on the floor.
And we would sell two to three cases."
A little Scientology
In a 2007 interview with Parade, Seinfeld revealed that he studied Scientology during
his early years as a comic, and he apparently loved it, saying, "In my early years of stand-up,
it was very helpful.
I took a couple of courses.
One of them was in communication, and I learned some things about communication that really
got my act going...They have a lot of very good technology.
That's what really appealed to me about it.
It's not faith-based.
It's all technology.
And I'm obsessed with technology."
But he never achieved the status of a Tom Cruise, or a John Travolta.
"I don't even know L. Ron Hubbard I didn't know you were with that group."
"Boy, Scientologists, they can be pretty sensitive."
Elaine's inspiration
During his stand-up career, Seinfeld dated comedian and writer Carol Leifer, who later
won four Emmy's for her writing on his show, and the two remained close friends long after
they broke up.
If that scenario sounds familiar, that's because it's exactly like the relationship between
Jerry and Elaine Benes on Seinfeld.
"All the while the secret to happiness has been right here in front of us."
"I'm asking Elaine to marry me."
But Leifer won't confirm she's the inspiration for Elaine, saying, "People make that connection
because I dated Jerry many years ago and we have stayed friends all these years.
So I think when they were thinking about characters for the show it always makes it interesting
when you have a friend who you've dated before."
Passing on $100 million
By the time the show began its ninth season in 1997, Jerry Seinfeld had full creative
control of the series.
But the star of the show dropped a bombshell just a few months into that season by announcing
that Seinfeld would wrap in the spring of '98.
Former NBC executive Warren Littlefield recalled, "Over $100 million.
We offered him $5 million an episode.
We didn't mess around.
What we put on the table was unheard of.
We went in there with a staggering sum and there was tremendous confidence that no one
could walk away from it.
He came to me and said, 'I don't have a life, I'm not married, I don't have kids.'
We gave it everything we had, he was tempted, but in the end it was a quality of life decision."
Indecent proposal
Seinfeld met future wife Jessica Sklar in 1998, and the two immediately formed a connection.
There was just one small problem.
According to E! News, Sklar was newly married to Eric Nederlander and had just returned
from a three-week honeymoon in Italy.
But that didn't stop Seinfeld and Sklar from forging ahead and getting engaged in '99.
Nederlander told the New York Post, "Jerry and Jessica have no respect for decent values...
They deserve each other.
I'm going on with my life."
The Seinfelds are still happily married, living in New York City with their three children.
"Now I know what I've been looking for all these years.
Myself!"
Web show controversy
After conquering network TV, Seinfeld turned his attention to the web and launched Comedians
in Cars Getting Coffee in 2013.
But it wasn't easy.
According to Huffpost, Seinfeld was repeatedly told that people wouldn't watch web videos
that are longer than five minutes.
He was even shot down by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who opted not to sponsor the show.
Fortunately, the Acura car company stepped in and let Seinfeld have full creative control
of the series, which not only became a hit for the Crackle network, but was nominated
for two Primetime Emmy's.
Things got dicey, however, when audiences noticed that the majority of Seinfeld's guests
were white, male comedians.
A, quote, "pissed-off" Seinfeld told Buzzfeed:
"Funny is the world that I live in.
You're funny, I'm interested.
You're not funny, I'm not interested.
I have no interest in gender or race or anything like that."
Despite bristling at the criticism, Seinfeld did expand the show's guest list to feature
a more diverse selection of comedians.
"Doctor" Seinfeld
During an interview on NBC News, Seinfeld became embroiled in controversy yet again
after self-diagnosing himself with autism.
"I think on a very drawn-out scale, I think I'm on the spectrum"
"Basic social engagement is really a struggle."
Parents of autistic children immediately called the comedian's comments a "slap in the face."
Seinfeld quickly walked back his remarks in an interview with Access Hollywood, telling
Billy Bush:
"I don't have autism.
I'm not on the spectrum.
I related to it on some level."
Creating distance
It's no secret that Bill Cosby had a huge impact on Seinfeld's career.
In the 2002 documentary Comedian, Seinfeld and Chris Rock both speak glowingly about
Cosby, who makes an appearance in the film.
During his Reddit AMA, Seinfeld even admitted that he wore white sneakers because of the
elder comedian.
While Seinfeld remained quiet in public about Cosby's growing scandal years later, his actions
behind the scenes spoke louder than his few words.
In July 2015, Seinfeld had a blurb about "idolizing" Cosby pulled from Mark Warner's biography,
Cosby: His Life and Times, after learning that it was being used in promotional materials
and on Amazon.
Distancing himself from his idol, Seinfeld's rep told THR, "We were unaware that those
quotes were still in circulation, and are asking the publisher to refrain from their
future use."
Old school, new world
Seinfeld, who celebrated his 63rd birthday in 2017, hails from a different era of comedy,
but that hasn't stopped him from finding success in the online realm.
He continues to show a new generation that funny is, simply...funny!
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