Jerry Seinfeld | |
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 Seinfeld in 2023 | |
| Born | Jerome Allen Seinfeld (1954-04-29)April 29, 1954 (age 71) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | SUNY Oswego Queens College (BA) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1976–present |
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| Genres | |
| Subjects | |
| Website | jerryseinfeld |
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Jerome Allen Seinfeld (/ˈsaɪnfɛld/SYNE-feld; born April 29, 1954) is an Americanstand-up comedian, actor, writer, filmmaker, and television producer specializing inobservational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playinga semi-fictionalized version of himself in theNBC sitcomSeinfeld (1989–1998), which he co-created and wrote withLarry David. Seinfeld earned aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1995. The show is one of the most acclaimed and popularsitcoms of all time.[1][2][3] He has since created and produced the reality seriesThe Marriage Ref (2010–2011), and created and hosted the web seriesComedians in Cars Getting Coffee (2012–2019), the latter of which earned him threeWebby Awards. He also co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in theDreamWorks animated filmBee Movie (2007) and theNetflix comedyUnfrosted (2024).
He has released four standup specials, his first beingStand-Up Confidential (1987), followed byI'm Telling You for the Last Time (1998),Jerry Before Seinfeld (2017) and23 Hours to Kill (2020).
Seinfeld has receivednumerous accolades including aPrimetime Emmy Award, aGolden Globe Awards, and threeScreen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for fourGrammy Awards. In 2004,Comedy Central named him the 12th-greatest stand-up comedian of all time.[4] In 2017,Rolling Stone named him the 7th-greatest stand-up comedian of all time.[5]
Seinfeld has also written three books starting withSeinLanguage (1993), followed by the children's bookHalloween (2002), and the comedic compilation bookIs This Anything? (2020). He is a fan ofcoffee andautomobiles. He practicestranscendental meditation. He is married to author and philanthropistJessica Seinfeld, with whom he has three children.
Jerome Allen Seinfeld was born on April 29, 1954,[6] to aJewish family inBrooklyn, New York City.[7] His father, Kalmen Seinfeld,[8] a sign painter, was from Hungary and collected jokes that he heard while serving inWorld War II.[7] His mother, Betty (née Hosni)[9][10] and her parents, Selim and Salha Hosni,[11] wereSyrian Jews fromAleppo. Their nationality was stated asTurkish when they immigrated in 1917, as Syria was under theOttoman Empire.[12][13] Seinfeld has an older sister, Carolyn.[14] Salha's mother, Garez Dayan, Seinfeld's great-grandmother, was a member of the Dayan rabbinic family, who claim ancestry back to theMedievalExilarchs, and from the Exilarchs back to the BiblicalKing David.[15] Seinfeld's second cousin isalternative metal musician and actorEvan Seinfeld.[16]
Seinfeld grew up inMassapequa, in theNassau County ofLong Island and attendedMassapequa High School.[17][18] At 16, he spent timevolunteering inKibbutzSa'ar in Israel.[19] He attended theState University of New York at Oswego, and transferred after his second year toQueens College of theCity University of New York inFlushing, from which he graduated in 1976 with aBachelor of Arts degree in communications and theater.[20][21]
Seinfeld developed an interest instand-up comedy after brief stints in college productions. He appeared onopen-mic nights at Budd Friedman's Improv Club while attendingQueens College.[22] After graduation in 1976, he tried out at an open-mic night at New York City'sCatch a Rising Star, which led to an appearance in aRodney DangerfieldHBO special.[23] In 1980, he had a small recurring role on the sitcomBenson, playing Frankie, a mail-delivery boy who had comedy routines that no one wanted to hear. Seinfeld was abruptly fired from the show due to creative differences.[23] Seinfeld said that he was not told he had been fired until he arrived for a read-through session and found that there was no script for him.[24] In January 1981, he performed stand-up onAn Evening at the Improv.[25] In May, Seinfeld made an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, impressingCarson and the audience, leading to frequent appearances on that show and others, includingLate Night with David Letterman.[23] On September 5, 1987, his first one-hour specialStand-Up Confidential aired live onHBO.[26]
Seinfeld createdThe Seinfeld Chronicles withLarry David in 1988 forNBC. It was renamedSeinfeld to avoid confusion with the short-lived teen sitcomThe Marshall Chronicles. By its third season,Seinfeld had become the most watched sitcom on American television. The final episode aired in 1998, and the show has been a popularsyndicated re-run ever since. NBC offered Seinfeld $110 million—a record $5 million an episode for a 22-episode tenth season—but he declined.[27] Along with Seinfeld, the show starredSaturday Night Live alumnaJulia Louis-Dreyfus and established actorsMichael Richards andJason Alexander. Alexander played George, a caricature ofLarry David. Seinfeld is the only actor to appear in every episode.[28]
After he ended his sitcom, Seinfeld moved back to New York City and returned to stand-up comedy instead of staying in Los Angeles and furthering his acting career. In 1998, he went on tour and recorded a comedy special, titledI'm Telling You for the Last Time. The process of developing and performing new material at clubs around the world was chronicled in a 2002 documentary,Comedian, which also featured fellow comicOrny Adams and was directed by Christian Charles. Seinfeld has written several books, mostly archives of past routines. In the late 1990s,Apple Computer came up with the advertising slogan "Think different" and produced a 60-second commercial to promote the slogan. This commercial showed people who were able to "think differently," such asAlbert Einstein,Mahatma Gandhi,Martin Luther King Jr., and many others. It was later cut short to 30 seconds and altered such that Seinfeld was included at the end, although he had not been in the original cut. This shorter version of the commercial aired only once, during theseries finale ofSeinfeld.[29]
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In 2004, Seinfeld appeared in two commercialwebisodes promotingAmerican Express, titledThe Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman.[30] In these, Seinfeld appeared with a cartoon rendering ofSuperman, to whom reference was made in numerous episodes ofSeinfeld as Seinfeld's hero, voiced byPatrick Warburton (characterDavid Puddy onSeinfeld). The webisodes were directed byBarry Levinson and aired briefly on television. Seinfeld and "Superman" were also interviewed byMatt Lauer in a specially recorded interview for theToday show. Also that year, Seinfeld appeared at theNational Museum of American History to donate the "puffy shirt" he wore in theSeinfeld episodeof the same name. He also gave a speech when presenting the "puffy shirt," saying humorously that "This is the most embarrassing moment of my life."[citation needed] In 2006, Seinfeld had a cameo appearance onSaturday Night Live as host Julia Louis-Dreyfus' assassin. Louis-Dreyfus in her opening monologue mentioned the "Seinfeld curse." While talking about how ridiculous the "curse" was, astage light suddenly fell next to her. The camera moved to acatwalk above the stage where Seinfeld was standing, holding a large pair of bolt cutters. He angrily muttered, "Damn it!" upset that it did not hit her. Louis-Dreyfus continued to say that she is indeed not cursed.
Seinfeld appeared at the79th Academy Awards in 2007 as the presenter for "Best Documentary." Before announcing the nominations, he did a monologue about the unspoken agreement between movie theater owners and movie patrons.[31] On October 4, 2007, Seinfeld made a guest appearance as himself in the30 Rock episode "SeinfeldVision."[32] On February 24, 2008, at the80th Academy Awards, Seinfeld appeared as thevoice of hisBee Movie animated character Barry, presentingBest Animated Short Film. Before announcing the nominees, he showed a montage of film clips featuring bees, saying that they were some of his early work (as Barry).
Amidst his spring 2008 tour, Seinfeld performed in his hometown of New York City for a one-night-only show at theHammerstein Ballroom to benefitStand Up for a Cure, a charity aidinglung cancer research atMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. That fall, Seinfeld became the pitchman forWindows Vista, as part of a $300-million advertising campaign by Microsoft. The ads, which were intended to create interest for Windows in support of the subsequent "I'm a PC" advertisements, were cut from television after three installments; Microsoft opted to continue with the "I'm a PC" advertisements[33] and run the Seinfeld ads on the Microsoft website as a series of longer advertisements.[34] In 2009, Seinfeld and the entire cast ofSeinfeld appeared for a reunion in Larry David's HBO seriesCurb Your Enthusiasm. The fictional reunion took place in theseventh season'sfinale and starred most of the original cast, includingJulia Louis-Dreyfus,Jason Alexander,Michael Richards, in a multiple-episode arc.[35] Seinfeld appeared on an episode of theStarz original seriesHead Case. As was the case in many of his previous guest appearances on sitcoms, he played himself.
In Australia, Seinfeld appeared on a series of advertisements for theGreater Building Society, abuilding society based inNew South Wales and southeasternQueensland.[36] His appearance in these ads was highly publicized and considered a coup for the society, being the third time Seinfeld had appeared in a television commercial.[37] The advertisements were filmed in Cedarhurst,Long Island, with the street designed to emulate Beaumont Street inHamilton, where the Greater's head offices are located.[38] Seinfeld also wrote the scripts for the 15 advertisements that were filmed. The ads largely aired in the Northern New South Wales television market, where the society has most of its branches. Seinfeld was the first guest onJay Leno's talk showThe Jay Leno Show, which premiered on September 14, 2009. Seinfeld was featured onSaturday Night Live'sWeekend Update sketch to do the "Really!?!" segment withSeth Meyers. He executive produced and regularly appeared as a panelist inThe Marriage Ref. In 2010, Seinfeld made a surprise guest appearance onThe Howard Stern Show, ending the feud the two had in the early 1990s.[citation needed]
Seinfeld toured the U.S. in 2011 and made his first stand-up appearance in theUnited Kingdom in 11 years. That same year, he was a surprise guest onThe Daily Show, helpingJon Stewart to suppress his urge to tell "cheap" "Michele Bachmann's husband acts gay" jokes.[39] Seinfeld also launched a personal archives website at JerrySeinfeld.com and appeared in theHBO specialTalking Funny with fellow comediansChris Rock,Louis C.K., andRicky Gervais in the same year.[citation needed]
In 2012, Seinfeld started a web series titledComedians in Cars Getting Coffee, in which he would pick up a fellow comedian in a different car every episode and take them out for coffee and conversation. The show originally aired on theCrackle streaming service and then was bought byNetflix. The initial series consisted of ten episodes lasting from 7 to 25 minutes each. The show has continued to get high-profile guests such asAlec Baldwin,Mel Brooks,Bill Burr,Dave Chappelle,Louis C.K.,Larry David,Ellen DeGeneres,Tina Fey,David Letterman,Jerry Lewis,Steve Martin,John Mulaney,Eddie Murphy,Carl Reiner,Don Rickles,Chris Rock,Howard Stern, andJon Stewart.[40] The show has also hostedSeinfeld alumsLarry David,Julia Louis-Dreyfus,Jason Alexander, andMichael Richards. Season seven featured its most high-profile guest, then-PresidentBarack Obama.[41] In a farewell tribute video for the Obamas before the President left office, Seinfeld stated, "That knocking on theOval Office window. That probably was the peak of my entire existence."[42]
In 2014, Seinfeld toldDavid Letterman he invitedWoody Allen to be on the show but hadn't heard back.[43] That same year he also revealedJoan Rivers was supposed to be a guest on the show before she died due to a botched medical procedure.[44] Seinfeld signed a deal withNetflix in January 2017 that included placingSeinfeld andComedians in Cars Getting Coffee on their streaming service as well as two new Seinfeld stand-up specials and the development of scripted and non-scripted comedy programming.[45][46] As part of the deal, all episodes ofComedians in Cars Getting Coffee were made available on the streaming service, in addition to a new 24-episode season.[47] The series was nominated for fivePrimetime Emmy Awards and won threeWebby Awards.[48]
It's very important to know what you don't like. A big part of innovation is saying, "You know what I'm really sick of?" For me, that was talk shows where music plays, somebody walks out to a desk, shakes hands with the host, and sits down. "How are you?" "You look great." I'm also sick of people who are really there to sell their show or product. "What am I really sick of?" is where innovation begins.
In 2013, Seinfeld appeared on rapperWale's albumThe Gifted, on the song "Outro About Nothing."[50] Seinfeld received coverage for his speech at the 2014Clio Awards ceremony, where he received an honorary award, as media reporters said that he "mocked" and "ripped apart" the advertising industry; his statement that "I love advertising because I love lying" received particular attention.[51][52] In 2014, Seinfeld hosted the specialDon Rickles: One Night Only at theApollo Theatre. The event celebratedDon Rickles and his career, but also served as a roast among friends. Those who participated in the event includedJon Stewart,David Letterman,Tina Fey,Amy Poehler,Nathan Lane,Regis Philbin,Robert De Niro, andMartin Scorsese.[53] In 2015, Seinfeld made a guest appearance on theSaturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, where he hosted the "Questions from the Audience" segment, which included cameos fromMichael Douglas,John Goodman,James Franco,Larry David,Ellen Cleghorne,Dakota Johnson,Tim Meadows,Bob Odenkirk, andSarah Palin (who Seinfeld initially mistook forTina Fey).[54] Seinfeld then made a guest appearance onDavid Letterman's finalLate Show episode. Seinfeld joined guests includingAlec Baldwin,Barbara Walters,Steve Martin,Jim Carrey,Chris Rock,Julia Louis-Dreyfus,Peyton Manning,Tina Fey, andBill Murray who all participated in The Top Ten List segment, "Things I've Always Wanted to Say to Dave."[55]
In 2017, Seinfeld went onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and joinedDave Chappelle andJimmy Fallon in honoring outgoing First LadyMichelle Obama, and played a game ofCatchphrase, which Obama and Fallon won to Seinfeld's dismay.[56] On September 19, 2017, Netflix released the stand-up comedy specialJerry Before Seinfeld. It follows Seinfeld as he returns for a stand-up routine at theNew York City comedy club,Comic Strip Live, which started his career.[57] It is intercut with documentary clips and his stand-up special. It was later released as an LP, CD and download album, and was nominated for a 2018Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.[58] In 2020, it was announced that Netflix would be releasing Seinfeld's first original stand-up special in 22 years,23 Hours to Kill. The special premiered on May 5.[59] In October 2020, Seinfeld joinedSteve Martin in a discussion about comedy atThe New Yorker Festival. They discussed subjects ranging from the creative process,Netflix, andThe Oscars, to their comedy backgrounds, and the future of comedy during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[60]
In 2024 he directed, co-wrote, and produced in theNetflix comedy filmUnfrosted, a satirical spoof about the creation ofPop-Tarts. Seinfeld also starred in the film alongsideMelissa McCarthy,Jim Gaffigan, andHugh Grant. The film earned mixed reviews withThe Hollywood Reporter writing the film received a "sharply divided reaction from critics".[61]The New York Times labeled it a "Critic's Pick" with Anne Nicholson describing it as a "full-fledged, fully ridiculous feature comedy targeted to the audience’s sweet-and-salty dopamine receptors".[62] David Ehrlich ofIndieWire wrote that the "comedy never heats up" and "it's a movie about so many different things at once that it comes to feel like a movie about nothing".[63] Seinfeld appeared as a guest onJohn Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA where he joked that it was "the weirdesttalk show I've ever been on in my life".[64] He also embarked on a new tour starting with his first show in Singapore in June 2024[65] followed by a number of stops in Australia and North America.[66] Seinfeld returned toCurb Your Enthusiasm in its final season reuniting withLarry David where they poked fun at the controversial ending ofSeinfeld. Ben Travers ofIndieWire wrote, "If theCurb finale is meant to rewrite theSeinfeld ending in any way, it's during that first scene between Jerry and Larry. They're playing out the kind of scene they used to write for Jerry and George, and getting that silly, joyful spark between two TV legends – even for a moment – is pure bliss".[67]
Seinfeld wrote the bookSeinLanguage, released in 1993. Written as his television show was first rising in popularity, it is primarily an adaptation of his stand-up material. The title comes from an article inEntertainment Weekly listing the numerous catchphrases for which the show was responsible.[68] In 2002, he wrote thechildren's bookHalloween. The book was illustrated by James Bennett.[69] Seinfeld wrote the forewords toTed L. Nancy'sLetters from a Nut series of books andEd Broth'sStories from a Moron.[70] Seinfeld also wrote the foreword to thePeanut Butter & Co. Cookbook. In October 2020, Seinfeld released his new bookIs This Anything?. The book chronicles Seinfeld's 45 years working in comedy and contains many of his best bits that span from various decades.[71]
Seinfeld has stated, "On theMount Rushmore of stand-up comedy, there are four faces, in my opinion:Richard Pryor,George Carlin,Bill Cosby, andDon Rickles."[72] Seinfeld has also cited as his influencesJean Shepherd,[73]Mad Magazine,[74]Jonathan Winters,Jerry Lewis,Robert Klein, andAbbott and Costello.[75][76] He stated, "Monty Python was a gigantic influence on me. They were just about silly, funny things that meant nothing, and that's the stuff I love. There's a wonderful childlike freedom in those kinds of things."[77]
In theNetflix comedy special,Jerry Before Seinfeld, he displayed his personal comedy albums collection from when he was a teenager.[78] These albums included:
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Seinfeld stated his five favorite films areThe Heartbreak Kid (1972),The Graduate (1967),The In-Laws (1979),A Night at the Opera (1935), andGlengarry Glen Ross (1992).[79]
Those influenced by Seinfeld includeJohn Mulaney,[80]Ellen DeGeneres,[81]Jim Gaffigan,[82]Judd Apatow,[83]Issa Rae,[84]Nate Bargatze,[85] andMark Normand.[86]OnThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert,Steve Martin described Seinfeld as one of his "retro heroes" saying "[He's] a guy who came up behind me and is better than I am. I think he's fantastic, I love to listen to him, he almost puts me at peace. I love to listen to him talk".[87]
Seinfeld is a fan of theNew York Mets and periodically callsSteve Somers' show onWFAN-AM, asports radio station, as "Jerry from Queens."[88] Seinfeld called four innings of a Mets game onSNY on June 23, 2010, reuniting with analystKeith Hernandez, who appeared in theSeinfeld two-part episode entitled "The Boyfriend."[89] According to Seinfeld, he thinks about baseball "all day" and has said "when I think of retirement, all I would think of is going to a baseball game every day."[90]
Seinfeld is a fan of comic book characters, particularlySuperman.[91] In 2022, he appeared on a variant cover ofBatman/Superman: World's Finest with the title characters.[92]
Seinfeld is left-handed, and the first joke he wrote professionally was about the topic.[93] In a 2014 interview withNBC News, he made statements suggesting that he believed he was on theautism spectrum.[94] However, following criticism for his allegedself-diagnosis, he later clarified that he is not autistic and had been commenting on a play about the condition that he "related to [...] on some level".[95][96]
Years beforeSeinfeld was created, Seinfeld datedCarol Leifer.[97][98] She was a fellow comedian, and one of the inspirations for theSeinfeld characterElaine Benes.[99][100] On national television with sex therapist and talk show host Dr.Ruth Westheimer, he mentioned that he was engaged in 1984 but called it off.[101]
In May 1993, then 39-year-old Seinfeld met 17-year-oldShoshanna Lonstein in Central Park.[102] Seinfeld and Lonstein dated for approximately four years, until 1997.[102] She transferred fromGeorge Washington University toUCLA, in part to be with him, ultimately citing constant press coverage and missing New York City as reasons for the relationship ending.[102]
In August 1998, while at a Reebok Sports Club, Seinfeld metJessica Sklar, apublic relations executive forTommy Hilfiger who had just returned from a three-week honeymoon inItaly with then-husband Eric Nederlander, a theatrical producer and scion of atheater-owning family. Unaware of Sklar's marital status, Seinfeld invited her out. When Sklar eventually told Seinfeld about her relationship situation, she said, "I told him I didn't think this was the right time for me to be involved with anybody." Two months later, Sklar filed for divorce and began dating Seinfeld. The pair married on December 25, 1999.[103][104][105] ComedianGeorge Wallace was the best man at the wedding.[106] After the nuptials, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld boughtBilly Joel's house inAmagansett, New York, for US $32 million after news of the couple's interest in the property became public in 2000.[107][108] The Seinfelds have a daughter and two sons.[109]
In 1999, Seinfeld auctioned aBreitling Chronomat watch as part of the "Famous Faces, Watch Auction For Charity" event in New York City. This watch sold for $11,000.[110] In 2001, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld created the charitable organizationGood+Foundation after their first child was born. Good+Foundation grants donations of products and services to programs that have demonstrated a capacity to address family poverty in three focus areas: supporting new mothers, investing in early childhood, and engaging fathers. GOOD+ Foundation has donated over $42M worth of items through its partner network across the United States.[111] Seinfeld has also participated inJon Stewart's charity event,Night of Too Many Stars.[112]
According toForbes magazine, Seinfeld's cumulative earnings fromSeinfeld as of 2004 was $267 million, placing him at the top of the celebrity earnings list that year.[113] He turned down $5 million per episode, for 22 episodes, to continue the show for a 10th season.[114] Seinfeld earned $100 million from syndication deals and stand-up performances in 2004, and $60 million in 2006.[115][116] He also earned $10 million for appearing withBill Gates inMicrosoft's 2008 advertisements forWindows.[117] Between June 2008 and June 2009, Seinfeld earned $85 million, making him the world's highest-paid comedian during those 12 months.[118] In 2013,Forbes documented Seinfeld's annual income as $32 million.[119] In mid-2013, Seinfeld disputedForbes's claims regarding his income and net worth onThe Howard Stern Show.[120] Seinfeld was ranked byForbes the highest-paid comedian for 2015, the second-highest-paid in 2016, and the highest-paid again in 2017.[121][122] Seinfeld's income between June 2016 and June 2017 was $69 million.[121]
In 2024,Bloomberg declared Seinfeld abillionaire, with a net worth standing at more than US$1billion, thanks to various syndication deals his sitcom signed, with $465 million coming from those deals,[123] making him one of therichest celebrities.
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Seinfeld is an automobile enthusiast and collector, and he owns a collection of about 150 cars, including manyPorsches.[124] He rented a hangar atSanta Monica Airport inSanta Monica, California, in the 1990s to store cars.[125] In 2002, Seinfeld purchased property on theUpper West Side ofManhattan inNew York City where he built a $1.4 million two-story garage to store Porsches.[126][127] One tally has Seinfeld owning 43 Porsches.[128] Paul Bannister has written that Seinfeld's collection includesPorsche 911s from various years, 10Porsche Boxsters each painted a different color, and the 1955Porsche 550 Spyder, the same model and pearl-grey color of the carJames Dean was driving in his fatal crash.[129]
The centerpiece of the Seinfeld collection isSteve McQueen'sPorsche 917 Chassis 022, driven extensively in the 1971 filmLe Mans,[130][131] acquired by Seinfeld in 2002, and restored by Joe Cavaglieri to the 1971-era Gulf Porsche team livery.
TheDiscovery Channel television showChasing Classic Cars claimed that Seinfeld owns the first and last produced air-cooled Porsche 911s. He has a $700,000Porsche 959, one of only 337 built. He was originally not allowed to drive it, because the car was "notstreet legal." U.S. emissions and crash tests had not been performed for the model because Porsche refused to donate four Porsche 959s for destruction tests. Seinfeld imported the car "for exhibition purposes," on the stipulation that it may never be driven on U.S. roads.[129] The car was made U.S. street legal in 1999 under the "Show or Display" federal law.[132][133] Seinfeld wrote an article for the February 2004 issue ofAutomobile, reviewing thePorsche Carrera GT.[134]
In 2008, Seinfeld was involved in a car accident when the brakes on his 1967Fiat 500 failed and, to avoid an intersection, he pulled the emergency brake while turning sharply, ultimately causing the car to flip onto its side. No one was hurt.[135]
A coffee aficionado, Seinfeld owns multipleespresso machines, including the $17,000 Elektra Belle Epoque[136] and two machines manufactured by Slayer andBreville.[137] Seinfeld described his single-group Slayer machine, which costs upwards of $8,500, as a "beautiful machine."[138] WhenNPR asked him about the influence ofcoffee culture in the U.S., Seinfeld responded in 2013:
I never liked [coffee] and I didn't understand it and I used to do a lot of stuff in my stand-up set in the '80s and '90s about how I don't 'get' coffee. And then something happened about five years ago. I started touring a lot, and we would have these great big, fun breakfasts in the hotel and [coffee] just seemed to go really well [with breakfast]. [Now], I've just started this espresso thing.[139]
In a May 2024GQ interview titled "10 Things Jerry Seinfeld Can't Live Without", Seinfeld revealed that aBialettimoka pot is one of his must-haves. He described the process of making coffee with a moka pot as complex and time-consuming, but a pleasurable way to "waste time".[140]
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Seinfeld is Jewish and has incorporated elements of hisJewish identity in his work.[141] Although he shared that his mother was born into a large family of Syrian Orthodox Jews, he admitted to being non-religious himself.[142] Seinfeld stated that he took aScientology course when he was in his 20s; he said that he found it interesting but that he did not pursue it any further.[143]
Seinfeld expressed support forIsrael during theGaza war, saying "I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people."[144] Seinfeld and his family previously drew criticism, travelling to the occupiedWest Bank in 2018 to participate in an anti-terrorism simulation camp.[145][146] In 2023, Seinfeld visited the headquarters ofAbducted and Missing Families Forum where he met with representatives of the families and with abductees who returned from Hamas captivity, and listened to their stories.[147] On May 12, 2024, Seinfeld gave acommencement address and received an honorary degree atDuke University. During his speech, a number of students booed, wavedPalestinian flags and walked out in protest.[148][149][150][151] In June 2024, Seinfeld was heckled by protesters during a comedy show inSydney, Australia. Seinfeld responded joking, "You're really influencing everyone here. We're all on your side now, because you've made your point so well, and in the right venue, you’ve come to the right place for a political conversation".[152][153] A similar incident occurred at a later show inMelbourne.[154] In 2025, responding to a social media influencer and ambush activist who said "Free Palestine", he shook his head and replied "I don't care about Palestine."[155][156]
Seinfeld has made several political contributions, including toGeorge W. Bush's andAl Gore's presidential campaigns in2000, and subsequently to fourDemocratic Party primary candidates in 2000 and2004.[157]
Seinfeld has expressed his distaste for what he callspolitical correctness. In 2015, Seinfeld stated that he avoids performing on college campuses because students have become too easily offended by his comedic routines.[158] In a 2024 interview withThe New Yorker, Seinfeld claimed political correctness was destroying comedy, saying, "This is the result of theextreme left and PC crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people. When you write a script and it goes into four or five different hands, committees, groups – 'Here's our thought about this joke' – well, that's the end of your comedy."[159] Months later, he walked back those comments on the "Breaking Bread" podcast, stating "I don't think, as I said, 'the extreme left' has done anything to inhibit the art of comedy. I'm taking that back officially." Seinfeld said he regrets his previous comments because changing cultural attitudes are "not [his] business."[160]
On September 9, 2025, speaking atDuke University at an event withOmer Shem Tov, Seinfeld characterized the "Free Palestine" movement as antisemitic and compared it to theKu Klux Klan, saying "Free Palestine is, to me, just — you’re free to say you don’t like Jews. Just say you don’t like Jews.”[161][162] He added, "By saying Free Palestine, you’re not admitting what you really think. So it’s actually — compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here because they can come right out and say, 'We don’t like Blacks, we don’t like Jews.' Okay that’s honest."[161][163]
In response, a Duke University spokesperson stated "Duke does not preview the remarks of speakers. And the invitation of speakers to campus does not imply any endorsement of their remarks."[164][165]
Democratic North Carolina state senatorSophia Chitlik, who shared the stage after Seinfeld, condemned his comments, stating "I condemn Seinfeld’s horrific comments, which I’ve made clear to his team and to the event sponsors."[166] In a September 12, 2025 op-ed in theDuke Chronicle, Leo Goldberg wrote that "Seinfeld’s combination of familial ties and fame, it seems, entitles him to waltz into Duke as he pleases and be given a mantle from which to espouse ludicrous views as if he represents the University or its student body."[167]
In December 2012, Seinfeld said that he had been practicingTranscendental Meditation for 40 years. He promoted the use of the technique in the treatment ofpost-traumatic stress disorder withBob Roth of theDavid Lynch Foundation in December 2012 onGood Morning America,[168] and also appeared at a 2009 David Lynch Foundation benefit for TM, at whichPaul McCartney andRingo Starr appeared.[169] On November 5, 2015, the David Lynch Foundation organized a benefit concert at New York City'sCarnegie Hall called "Change Begins Within" to promote transcendental meditation for stress control. "It's been the greatest companion technique of living that I've ever come across, and I'm thrilled to be part of this movement that seems to have really been reinvigorated by Bob [Roth] andDavid Lynch," Seinfeld said. "I would do anything that I could to promote it in the world, because I think it's the greatest thing as a life tool, as a work tool and just making things make sense."[170]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Eddie | Himself | Cameo |
| Good Money | |||
| 1999 | Pros & Cons | Prison Man #2 | |
| 2002 | Comedian | Himself | Documentary; also executive producer |
| 2005 | The Thing About My Folks | Cameo | |
| 2007 | Bee Movie | Barry B. Benson | Voice; also co-writer and producer |
| 2013 | Quality Balls: TheDavid Steinberg Story | Himself | Documentary |
| 2014 | Top Five | Uncredited cameo | |
| Tom's Restaurant – A Documentary About Everything | Documentary | ||
| 2016 | Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg | ||
| Dying Laughing | |||
| 2017 | If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast | ||
| 2022 | George Carlin's American Dream | ||
| 2024 | Unfrosted | Bob Cabana | Also director, co-writer and producer[171][172] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Benson | Frankie | 3 episodes |
| 1981 | An Evening at the Improv | Himself | Season 1, Episode 3[25] |
| 1982 | Square Pegs | Bat Mitzvah Guest | Episode: "Muffy's Bat Mitzvah" |
| An Evening at the Improv | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 1984 | The Ratings Game | Network Rep | Television film |
| 1986 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me | Himself | Stand-up special. Released on DVD in 2006. |
| 1987 | Stand-Up Confidential | Stand-up special. Released on VHS in 1993. | |
| 1989–1998 | Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld | 180 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer |
| 1992 | Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & Blue | Himself | Television film |
| 1992, 1999 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher | Panel Guest | First episode |
| Love & War | Jerry Seinfeld | Episode: "Let's Not Call it Love" | |
| 1993–1998 | The Larry Sanders Show | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld | Host | TV special; released on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray |
| 1997 | NewsRadio | Himself | Episode: "The Real Deal" |
| 1998 | I'm Telling You for the Last Time | Comedy special | |
| Mad About You | Uncredited; Episode: "Season Opener" | ||
| 1999 | Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm | Television special | |
| 2000 | Dilbert | Comp-U-Comp | Voice; Episode: "The Return" |
| 2004–2024 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself | 7 episodes |
| 2007 | 30 Rock | Episode: "SeinfeldVision" | |
| 2010–2011 | The Marriage Ref | 9 episodes; also creator and executive producer | |
| 2011 | Talking Funny | Television special,HBO | |
| 2012–2014 | Louie | 2 episodes | |
| 2012–2019 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Himself (host) | 72 episodes; also creator and executive producer |
| 2014 | Don Rickles: One Night Only | Television special | |
| 2015 | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Himself | |
| Inside Amy Schumer | Episode: "80s Ladies" | ||
| 2016 | The Jim Gaffigan Show | Episode: "The Calling" | |
| Maya & Marty | Episode #1.5 | ||
| 2017 | Mystery Science Theater 3000 | Freak Masterstroke | Episode: "Starcrash" |
| Jerry Before Seinfeld | Himself | Comedy special/documentary,Netflix | |
| 2018 | My Next Guest Needs No Introduction | Himself (host) | Episode: "You're David Letterman, You Idiot" |
| 2019 | Huge in France | Himself | Episode: "Épisode Quatre"[173] |
| 2020 | 23 Hours to Kill | Netflix comedy special | |
| 2024 | John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA | Episode: "Coyotes"[174] |
| Year | Title | Artist | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Sunflower" | Vampire Weekend | Jonah Hill | [175] |
| Year | Title | Role | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Bee Movie Game | Barry B. Benson (voice) | Activision | [176] |
| Year | Title | Studio |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Colin Quinn: Long Story Short | HBO |
| 2016 | Colin Quinn: The New York Story | Netflix |
| 2024 | Unfrosted | Netflix |
Writing credits forSeinfeld
The list below only includes episodes mainly written by Seinfeld, as he (and Larry David in Seasons 1 through 7) rewrote the drafts for each episode.
| Season | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | "The Seinfeld Chronicles" | withLarry David |
| "Male Unbonding" | with Larry David | |
| "The Stake Out" | with Larry David | |
| "The Stock Tip" | with Larry David | |
| Season 2 | "The Ex-Girlfriend" | with Larry David |
| "The Pony Remark" | with Larry David | |
| "The Busboy" | with Larry David | |
| "The Jacket" | with Larry David | |
| "The Chinese Restaurant" | with Larry David | |
| "The Phone Message" | with Larry David | |
| Season 3 | "The Stranded" | with Larry David and Matt Goldman |
| Season 4 | "The Shoes" | with Larry David |
| Season 5 | "The Sniffing Accountant" | with Larry David |
| "The Raincoats" | with Larry David,Tom Gammill, andMax Pross | |
| "The Opposite" | with Larry David and Andy Cowan | |
| Season 6 | "The Kiss Hello" | with Larry David |
| Season 7 | "The Cadillac" | with Larry David |
| Year | Title | Studio | Format | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Stand-Up Confidential | HBO | Broadcast/VHS | [177] |
| 1998 | I'm Telling You for the Last Time | HBO | Broadcast/streaming/VHS/DVD | [178] |
| 2017 | Jerry Before Seinfeld | Netflix | Streaming | [179] |
| 2020 | 23 Hours to Kill | Netflix | Streaming | [180] |
| Year | Title | Studio | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Laughing Out Loud: America's Funniest Comedians" | Madacy Entertainment | VHS/DVD |
| 2003 | "Best ofThe Improv, Vol. 4" | Koch Vision | DVD |
| 2007 | "Comedy Club Greats" | Lionsgate | |
| 2010 | "Lafflink Presents: The Platinum Comedy Series Vol. 1: Jerry Seinfeld" | Lafflink | DVD/streaming |
| 2014 | "Classic Comedy fromAn Evening at the Improv" | Somerville House | |
| 2015 | "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Featuring Jerry Seinfeld" | Carson Entertainment |
References[181]
Over his career he has receivednumerous accolades including aPrimetime Emmy Award, aGolden Globe Award, and threeScreen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for fourGrammy Awards. Seinfeld has received an HonoraryDoctorate of Humane Letters from Queens College (1994)[182][183] as well as an HonoraryDoctor of Arts fromDuke University (2024)[184]
Kalmen Seinfeld died in 1985 in Florida.... The death certificate noted that he worked in the sign business and was survived by his wife, the former Betty Hesney.
he met Shoshanna Lonstein in New York City's Central Park in May 1993, Jerry Seinfeld was thirty-eight and she was only seventeen
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News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
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