Jerry Seinfeld Netflix Special - 23 Hours To Kill

[Hand Solo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7f1asbYiug

First special in 22 years. Hmm.

I only ever enjoyed Seinfeld's stuff as small inserts in his sit-com and I thought the material was intentionally meant to be twee and naff - Ovaltine should be called Roundtine etc, which is why a hack like Kenny `GOLD Jerrry GOLD!' Bania coveted his material in the show.

Is most of his stuff actually like that? The trailer makes it seem so.

[QDRPHNC]

It's old-school observational comedy done very, very well.

[Abnormal Palm]

Yep, he is or was an absolute master of delivery and owning the room. I remember listening to a couple of his shows about fifteen years ago and although the material in isolation wasn't funny enough for me to repeat, I was in physical pain laughing at the delivery and cumulative effect. I don't really buzz off the snippets in show but I enjoy them as intermission and a change of pace.

[Hand Solo]

It's old-school observational comedy done very, very well.

"What's the deal with these transgender bathroom Twitter flame wars?"

[QDRPHNC]

That piece of material they showed in the trailer, I saw him do a couple of years ago, and that was a fantastic show, so I'm looking forward to this.

[magval]

22 years? What about Jerry Before Seinfeld?

[Hand Solo]

22 years? What about Jerry Before Seinfeld?

Dunno, it's being billed as that in places, Before Seinfeld is classed as an 'Original Film' because it has interviews and documentary material, not just his stand-up act. However other sites are saying this is the second of a two-part stand-up special deal. Meh.

[Jim Bob]

Is most of his stuff actually like that? The trailer makes it seem so.

I don't know.  I was too distracted by the supervillain's disappearing-reappearing earring between shots.

[Hand Solo]

I don't know.  I was too distracted by the supervillain's disappearing-reappearing earring between shots.

I just re-watched it and still didn't notice.

Actually, why do they have those gaps underneath toilet partitions? I can understand having them under the door so you can see if the stall is occupied or to climb out if the lock gets jammed, but why inbetween?

[Butchers Blind]

I just re-watched it and still didn't notice.

Actually, why do they have those gaps underneath toilet partitions? I can understand having them under the door so you can see if the stall is occupied or to climb out if the lock gets jammed, but why inbetween?

To pass toilet roll from cubicle to the other if you run out. 

[Hand Solo]

To pass toilet roll from cubicle to the other if you run out.

Doesn't work.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I enjoy his stand up enough but this is the thing I really want to see happen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC3uKZ-mJ0M

[Jim Bob]

I just re-watched it and still didn't notice.

Could just be the angle/lack of focus, to be fair.

[Hand Solo]

Could just be the angle/lack of focus, to be fair.

Ja'think?

[peanutbutter]

I'll give it a try, I remember listening to his last special when I was getting into comedy in a big way and fucking hating the slickness of it all. You could really tell they were bits he had been performing since the dawn of time, had a bootleg from a few years later (maybe ~2003) that was way better.


I assume this'll be the stuff from that bootleg...

[petril]

[tag]what's the deal with slap bass?[/tag]

[hummingofevil]

This has made me watch Im telling you... for first time in ages. It's still perfect. The "still hanging on in there with the chopsticks" routine is still my top 3  jokes of all time.

If I have a criticism it's that the tone is a bit punch down but a. We live in a world of utter fuckwits and he is right and b. I've just smashed the glass on my fireplace by trying to shut door On oversized log- so I'm a fucking idiot too.

[notjosh]

The toilet cubicle bit is ancient isn't it? I remember him doing it in a previous special, with a bit about accidentally looking through the gap where the hinge is and seeing a terrified eyeball looking back.

He's got some great bits, but I think chopped up in little chunks at the start of Seinfeld episodes was probably the best use for them. And it doesn't feel like he's developed his style at all - it hasn't evolved or deepened in 40 years. Feels a bit like that Harry & Paul sketch where the The Beatles are still doing variations on "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

[mojo filters]

I enjoyed it, but I doubt I'd bother to rewatch it even if very bored! Nevertheless it's well worth a look, even if just out of curiosity given the scarcity of recent Seinfeld material.

The delivery is as ever pitch perfect, but the actual comedy value of the various bits and subjects varies dramatically.

The vast majority of the content seems to be derived from what I presume are the more mundane aspects of Seinfeld's life as a 65 year old married parent.

There was a tiny bit of partially recycled material from Seinfeld, but if anything it seemed more like a kindly reminder, as opposed to any annoying laziness.

It would have been nice to have a little more variation, over the course of 1+ hour. A bit like the old Chinese / chopsticks routine would have broken things up a bit. The succession of observations around inoffensive daily minutiae began to drag a bit by the end.

Folks who don't particularly like Seinfeld's standup style are probably not gonna enjoy this any better. I'd certainly much prefer watching an hour of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, which I think is now a much better vehicle for the talents of an older, mellower Jerry!

[Keebleman]

Saw it a couple of days ago and chuckled quite a few times, but that may have been down to the wine I was drinking.  It was OK, and it's great to see him looking at least 20 years younger than his age, but there were no moments that really stood out as something I'd want to see again.  I was actually grateful for that woman with the high-pitched laugh.  She sounded like she was  genuinely losing it.  It gave a jolt to the room's atmosphere.

[Ornlu]

WHAT'S THE DEAL with his eyebrows? and hoarseness?

[lankyguy95]

Really enjoyed this. He's just the master of what he does. Particularly liked the extended metaphor about guys with girlfriends vs guys with wives ("You're playing paintball war, I'm in Afghanistan with real, loaded weapons.")

No ambition to drastically change his artform but still funny and perfectly performed. And for some reason that exaggerated whiny voice he goes into still makes me laugh.

[Pink Gregory]

Laughed a lot at 'spirited exchange of ideas'

[the science eel]

Does he have to finish at exactly one hour? IS THAT THE DEAL?

He's in full flow and suddenly it's 'thankyouverymuchNewYorkyou'vebeengreat'

[neveragain]

Yeah, he didn't end on his strongest material.

[Pink Gregory]

I don't know how he usually ends, and I appreciated the unsentimental.brevity of his finish, but yes it was odd that it just seemed to happen as if was just the next bit

[QDRPHNC]

That's how he did it live too. Ended with the toilet stall door punchline, said goodnight and got offstage.

[olliebean]

I fell asleep for a while during this. Not sure how much of it I missed. Amazed he can still get away with hacky as hell material like why are there gaps under toilet doors.

[magval]

Why is it hacky, though?

[olliebean]

Well it's not exactly an original observation, is it?