Is Jerry Seinfeld kind of an arsehole?

[Artemis]

I've had this nagging thought for a while now, but it's nothing I can really put my finger on. Jerry Seinfeld seems kind of a dick, to me.

I can't point to any tangible examples as such, it's just the impression I get from the guy. It's this sort of entitled arrogance he seems to exude; a disdain he appears to have for anything that he isn't invested in; his unwillingness to be part of anything that's not putting him in the funny seat.

It might just be me. Has anyone else felt this way?

[Funcrusher]

No.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Yes.

[Famous Mortimer]

Yes, and I loved his sitcom the most. He strikes me as an extremely dull man. Plus, he started dating his now ex-wife when she was in high school, and he was in his late 30s, which is a bit on the rum side.

[Phil_A]

Isn't it that one the defining traits of Jerry in the series that he has a totally unearned sense of his own self-importance? I'm thinking of the Babu episode in particular("You know what, I am a good person!") Whether that reflects the real Seinfeld I've no idea. Probably.

[Rolf Lundgren]

Yeah, probably at times. Doesn't appear to have much patience for silliness and characters. Plus he moaned about political correctness and refused to play in colleges because of it. Considering the success of his show he does seem level headed though. You can see on CICGC that he doesn't need to be the centre of attention and loves it when other people make him laugh.

[CaledonianGonzo]

https://sofrep.com/97785/not-funny-jerry-seinfeld-slammed-visit-israeli-run-anti-terror-camp/

Case closed

[Small Man Big Horse]

Mrs SMBH hates him because he contributed to George W. Bush's campaign in 2004, even though rather oddly he also gave money to John Kerry.

[Brundle-Fly]

Most successful comedians are arseholes in one way or another.

Next.

Sorry this adds nothing

[Sin Agog]

https://sofrep.com/97785/not-funny-jerry-seinfeld-slammed-visit-israeli-run-anti-terror-camp/

Case closed

I get the vibe from Seinfeld's dogged insistence that everything be 'about the funny' that he only went to Israel to propose re-populating the Promised Land with nothing but stand-ups, Daily Show/SNL writers and the occasional quick-thinking gameshow host.  The machine guns were for the first person to show any emotion other than pedantic bewilderment at life's minutiae.

[St_Eddie]

The thing is, everyone is kind of an arsehole, even Mother Teresa (seriously, look it up).

Having said that, the one time I've seen Jerry Seinfeld act like an arsehole was in this interview with Larry King.  On the one hand, Seinfeld is pointing out a fact, which King really should have been aware of but at the same time, Seinfeld comes across as petulant and arrogant.

I don't think there's any need to judge him for it though because everyone's a bit of a cunt sometimes.

[Nowhere Man]

He seems a bit arrogant but I think its plain that he just isn't one for social etiquette a lot of the time. (So not too far from the sitcom version really) Larry David would probably be fun to meet in the right mood. (Although his laugh is terrifying)

Jason Alexander and Julia Louis Dreyfus seem very nice in interviews though.

[Steven]

"Not you.."

[Kelvin]

Jason Alexander and Julia Louis Dreyfus seem very nice in interviews though.

I always get the impression Jason Alexander is the biggest dick of them all*. In interviews, I find him extremely conceited, and from various behind the scenes stories about Seinfeld, he always sounds like a right handful.

*Which is really saying something when you have Seinfeld funding Bush, and Richards being a big old racist.

[Kelvin]

Having said that, the one time I've seen Jerry Seinfeld act like an arsehole was in this interview with Larry King.  On the one hand, Seinfeld is pointing out a fact, which King really should have been aware of but at the same time, Seinfeld comes across as petulant and arrogant.

Yeah, I think it's particularly harsh on King, considering he's only asking the question rhetorically. It's obvious from the question that King did know Seinfeld ended the show himself.

[Nowhere Man]

Jerry made an appearance on Between Two Ferns just the other day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp25FOn37nA

[Dog Botherer]

Seinfeld is a bellend and has been for years. Having more money than you know what to do with often has that effect on people.

Also him throwing a hissy fit about college SJWs ruining comedy or some other shit because he's forgotten how to write good jokes is just a cunt move.

[Jumblegraws]

Also him throwing a hissy fit about college SJWs ruining comedy or some other shit because he's forgotten how to write good jokes is just a cunt move.

I'd forgotten about that. Him trying to claim that students remaining silent at his rubbish "gay French king" simile was because of PC-brainwashing was much funnier than the original gag. What an idiot.
I remember reading on Wikipedia that he collects ultra-rare cars. Not owns one or two, but collects them. I hate cars.

[Rainbow Man]

.

[Rainbow Moses]

Isn't it that one the defining traits of Jerry in the series that he has a totally unearned sense of his own self-importance? I'm thinking of the Babu episode in particular("You know what, I am a good person!") Whether that reflects the real Seinfeld I've no idea. Probably.

I think there was an example of this when he appeared on The Late Show. He and Colbert were debating, in light of Cosby, whether you should or even if you can separate the comedian from the art. At first, Seinfeld was firmly on the side of "Yes, you should" and Colbert was more like "Well, it's an emotional response. If you can't separate it, you can't," but Colbert eventually wins him round to his point of view and Seinfeld accepts that he's right and says that he'll change his mind. But then, and I think this is an example of what you're talking about, Seinfeld says something to the effect of "You know what, you never see that on TV, do you? You never see somebody go, "You know what, you're right, I'm wrong. I'm going to change my opinion."" To which I'm amazed Colbert had the nerve to say, albeit jokingly, "That was a very interesting compliment to yourself you just made."

To his credit, I don't think he took it badly, and I remember him saying afterwards, "Yes. Yes, it is. I do that to myself all the time." So, yes, I'm fairly confident Jerry's self-importance reflects how the real Seinfeld sometimes acts, but I also think he's aware that's how he can be and mines it for all it's worth.

[Rolf Lundgren]

I always get the impression Jason Alexander is the biggest dick of them all*. In interviews, I find him extremely conceited, and from various behind the scenes stories about Seinfeld, he always sounds like a right handful.

Absolutely. Despite Larry David claiming the opposite, I'm convinced the version of him in Curb is nailed on. In most interviews, he is pleasantly patronising about other actors in that stereotypical way people in Hollywood are supposed to be.

I've never bought his reason for orchestrating Heidi Swedberg out of the show as well, namely because he had no chemistry with her. Whenever he talks about it, the subtext is that he thinks she's a rubbish actress.

[bgmnts]

I have never met him.

[Urinal Cake]

I remember when the DVD negotiations came out, Seinfeld was an utter dick regarding royalties etc. because he couldn't bare to lose a couple of million.

[BeardFaceMan]

I get the impression hes kind of an arsehole in the way that being very succesful and very rich will make you, he doesnt seem like an arsey person in general though.

[Twit 2]

He is smug. But he co-created and wrote the best sitcom ever made, so give a fuck.

[Kelvin]

As is the case with a lot of comedians, I think the things that make Seinfeld an arse are often the things that make him most entertaining. His ego, his stubbornness, his refusal to embrace social etiquette, his petulance - they're all things that make for his best material, and the sitcom itself.

[Nowhere Man]

Arsehole or not, he'll always be a million times more deserving of any comedy fan's respect than so called 'nice guys' like Corden or Russell Howard. Being a bit selfish or self absorbed in real life shouldn't mean too much in the scheme of things unless he was actually a wrong'un.

Finding out that he's a dick in real life wouldn't effect his character in Seinfeld, considering a large amount of the premise is that his character's a self absorbed arse anyway. Same with someone like the late Garry Shandling, or even Peter Cook. finding out they're probably a bit of a cunt shouldn't detract from some of the greatest Television ever made.

I mean fuck.. if a large number of fans can separate Michael Richard's racist outburst from Kramer, than Seinfeld being a narcissistic twat in person is nothing compared.

[nedthemumbler]

We had this exact thread not six months ago, didn't we?

Think we decided he was but his show is near perfect comedy.

[up_the_hampipe]

He is a smug dick but he fully embraces it as his public persona. He was unapologetically patronising to this reporter when asked about the #MeToo stuff https://youtu.be/MRmmxkIY6G4

"Right?....right?!"

[Steven]

Where can Seinfeld go after the most successful sit-com of all time? It's got to make him irratable and frustrated? I know exactly what he should do, he should do a countrywide panto tour of Britain, bawdy sweary innuendo-ridden panto of the Jim Davidson ilk, Sinderella and Boobs In The Wood etc, fits like a glove. Seinderella?

Gold, Jerry, Gold!