MCS 351: Seinfeld

The Pick: Final Project

Digital

Photo

Essay

By: Hallie Meunier

Seinfeld: We just can’t get enough of the four worst best friends that anyone could have and… yada yada yada.

In the article “Nothing Personal: Deprogramming the Cult of Seinfeld” author Ron Rosenbaum relates Seinfeld (1989-98) to the psychological drama film Persona (1966), stating about Persona that “these people are very depressed… being that depressed can be really scary” (Lavery & Dunne, pg. 37). Rosenbaum relates that depression to Seinfeld in his following statement, “thus the horror of Seinfeld. It leaves me depressed. Not only depressed but lonely…” (Lavery & Dunne, pg. 37). I disagree with Rosenbaum’s view of Seinfeld as a depressing television show, which leaves the viewers depressed and lonely. I will argue instead, that Seinfeld creates a world where the characters are blissfully unaware of their emotional disconnect and how by watching these characters’ lives unfold in a way that starkly contrasts the way we live viewers are able to find a comedic escape from reality and gain a sense of community and connection with fellow viewers through that shared experience.

Seinfeld was a 90s sitcom about 4 single thirty-something New Yorkers discussing the daily minutiae of life.

Persona was a Swedish psychological drama film from 1966 about the relationship between an actress after a mental breakdown and her nurse.

The Seinfeldian World

Throughout the 9 seasons of Seinfeld we have seen the four main characters do some pretty terrible, shallow things. Not only do the characters never seem to feel bad about their wrongdoings, they don’t appear to see the wrong in them. From Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) stealing a loaf of marble rye from an old lady in “The Rye” (7.11)

to George (Jason Alexander) asking a woman out for the weekend after his dead fiancé’s funeral, who he essentially killed, in “The Invitations” (7.24), the characters seem to have no boundaries on what they are capable of doing with little to no remorse. This blissful ignorance of their own emotional disconnect from the rest of the world is what seems to connect these four characters with one another, as well as keep us laughing and begging for more.

“The Finale” (9.24) is when we are comedicslly bombarded by all of the wrongdoings of this foursome’s past. The group doesn’t seem phased even when facing jail time. In this photo we see the group sitting in a jail cell discussing the same things they would in Jerry’s apartment, seemingly unphased by their environment.

In “The Rye” (7.11) Jerry shows that he is not above stealing bread from an old lady and he has no shame or remorse for doing so.

“The Invitations” (7.24) ends with this image of George being hung up on after his inappropriate ask out and he actually appears confused as to why he was hung up on!

Why would we want to watch a show where people are causing others misfortunes without showing any remorse but instead apathy and, at times, even delight? Because it’s funny. Why is that funny? Well, as my dad always says, it’s funny because it’s true.

While the events that go down on Seinfeld may be a little out there, they are not out of the realm of possibility, and it is hilarious! In the article “Seinfeld’s Humor Noir: A Look at Our Dark Side” the authors suggest that we take pleasure in Seinfeld because they play out the dark characteristics that lay within us all (Hirsch, I. & Hirsch, C., pg. 117).

Maybe that’s true; maybe we find enjoyment out of watching these four characters act out the dark things we wish we could in a comical way. Or maybe we just find hilarity in the daily minutiae of Seinfeld simply because how they think and feel rings true.

In “The Café” (3.7) Jerry accidentally puts a restaurant out of business and gets the owner Babu deported after suggesting he only sell Pakistani food instead of his original plan of selling food

from all parts of the world. Jerry has no feelings of remorse and is unapologetic about it because really, he shouldn’t have listened to Jerry. At the end of the episode the group wants all different types of food an Jerry realizes that maybe Babu’s original idea was a good one.

After the group is arrested for breaking the “good Samaritan law” by not helping an obese man getting robbed in “The Finale” (9.24) they have to face all their wrongdoings of the past. As a viewer you sort of share in their extreme apathy and almost amusement in the court preceding’s because it is all just so funny, but admittedly a little sick.

“GET OUT!”: The endless inside jokes of Seinfeld

No matter the reason you love Seinfeld it is undeniably a show that causes people to make connections. The show has so many jokes, word plays, and reoccurring characters that only avid viewers of the show would recognize, making the show a sort of inside joke between all of the loyal Seinfeld viewers. Two strangers can form an instant connection over talking about man hands (“The Bizarro Jerry” 8.3), close talkers (“The Raincoats” 5.18), Vandelay Industries (“The Boyfriend” 3.17), or “yada yada yada” (“The Yada Yada” 8.19).

Words and phrases that would have no meaning to those who do not watch the show become a hilarious conversation topic between Seinfeld viewers that sparks an instant connection.

In “The Raincoats” (5.18) Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) dates a man who puts his face close to other people’s when he talks—a “close talker”

Jerry is dating a beautiful woman in “The Bizarro Jerry” (8.3), but must break up with her because he claims she has “man hands”

In “The Puffy Shirt” (5.2) Jerry accidentally agrees to wear a puffy shirt made by Kramer’s girlfriend on the Today Show. (The shirt is now on display in the Smithsonian.)

Elaine has a habit of shoving her friends and yelling “GET OUT!” whenever they tell her news that is unbelievable or surprising.

One episode of Seinfeld involved a made up holiday that some of the most dedicated fans decided to make a reality. In “The Strike” (9.10) George’s father Frank (Jerry Stiller) introduces Kramer (Michael Richards) to the holiday he invented, Festivus. Die-hard Seinfeld fans around the world began to celebrate Festivus in real life, feats of strength, airing of grievances, Festivus pole, and all!

“A Festivus for the rest of us!”

One of the many places where Festivus is celebrated is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On Brady Street in Milwaukee on December 6th every year a huge Festivus celebration takes place where all of the traditions of the holiday take place. Don’t know where to get a Festivus pole? Don’t worry Milwaukee also has a company that mass-produces and ships Festivus poles to the U.S. and Canada. This is yet another example of how Seinfeld connects people still today.

Festivuspoles.com is affiliated with The Wagner Companies stationed in Milwaukee.

The inside jokes that connect Seinfeld viewers have gone beyond a witty, well placed references, now you can buy just about anything with a Seinfeld-ism on it. Shirts, hats, mugs, water bottles, stickers, wall appliques, beer glasses, and even baby onesies are being branded with Seinfeld’s best phrases, jokes, and references. Can’t find your favorite Seinfeld quote on the exact right piece of merchandise? Don’t despair, one website called Cafepress.com has a “design your own Seinfeld gear” option so you can put your favorite phrase on whatever your heart desires! Fellow Seinfeld enthusiasts can be spotted out by their apparel, making the reality of the Seinfeld community unavoidable and the connections between viewers even more evident.

Beer glass with the Seinfeld line said by Kramer in “The Alternate Side” (3.11), “These pretzels are making me thirsty!”

This sign with the phrase “No Soup for You!” from the episode “The Soup Nazi” (7.6) is actually a wall applique!

On Cafepress.com you can make your own Seinfeld gear, but there are a lot of rules you have to follow due to copyright laws and yada yada yada…

“Keep Calm” shirts and other apparel is hugely popular so it’s only fitting that there be a “Keep Calm and Yada Yada Yada” shirt!

Everyone could use a hat advertising the best company for exporting and importing fine latex goods, Vandelay Industries!

The gift of giving on display for all to see, The Human Fund donation plaque is a funny little gift for anyone.

Twitters, Tumblrs, and Blogs, OH MY!

The connections made over Seinfeld are no longer limited to face-to-face interactions, the internet has enabled the Seinfeld community to grow and continue to bring life to a show that ended 16 years ago. The different mediums on which people are sharing their love of all things Seinfeld appeal to all age ranges and it seems that new generations are enjoying the show Just as much as those who did when it was first aired. Tumblr pages are filled with Seinfeld gifs of the funniest lines, moments, and interactions. Blogs discussing every aspect of the show and the characters are all over the internet. People of all ages, races, and genders are sharing their love of the show and the characters all over the web.

One of the many Seinfeld blogs, at StanTheCaddy.com you can interact with fellow fans and read posts about the show!

WikiSein is my favorite Seinfeld website, it

is essentially a Wikipedia for all things Seinfeld. You can add and edit pages and be involved in what the website is made up of!

There are endless Tumblrs dedicated to Seinfeld and even to specific characters. They are full of gifs,

pictures, videos, and posts about the show! A few Tumblrs I came across were: “ImagesOfNothing” and “SeinfeldWorld”

TheSeinfeldDictionary.com is a website full of Seinfeldian words and phrases and their meanings/definitions

Twitter is one social media outlet that is loaded with Seinfeld fans. It is not only a forum to talk about Seinfeld but has become a way to keep the show alive. Twitter accounts such as @SeinfeldToday and @Seinfeld2000 post tweets documenting what these characters would be doing in today’s world if the show were still on. With tens of thousands of followers, these accounts keep the show relevant and continue the life of the characters through the hilarious tweets. Some accounts inform their followers when Seinfeld reruns will be airing on various stations, others post random facts and info about the show or characters, and many just post funny quotes and references. Twitter is yet another way to connect and share with the Seinfeld community.

@Seinfeld2000 has 42.4 thousand followers. This account tweets pictures and tweets as if Seinfeld were still on today.

@SeinfeldTV is the official Seinfeld twitter and has 46.1 thousand followers. It tweets quotes, rerun times, and other Seinfeld stuff!

My personal favorite, @SeinfeldToday has a whopping 710 thousand followers!! The tweets are what Seinfeld would be like today!

The tweets do a great job of keeping the language and tone the Seinfeld characters have and capturing how they would feel about life today and the modern advances we now have.

Seinfeld: One big dysfunctional family that we all want

to be a part of.

The Seinfeld series finale had a record breaking 74 million viewers and makes literal billions of dollars in syndication. However, those are just numbers, Seinfeld is so much more than it’s ratings and money made. Seinfeld is a show that brings people together, a show that forms connections between everyone

who watches it. There is no escaping the fact that this show, 16 years after it’s final episode, is not going anywhere. The show’s ability to take us out of the socially appropriate world we live in and into the chaotic and childish world of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer is something that has yet to fade. Seinfeld doesn’t leave its viewers depressed and lonely. It leaves them with a community, a connection, and a big inside joke that millions of other people are in on with you. Seinfeld is a dysfunctional family where no one hugs you and no one learns a lesson at the end of the day, but it is a sort of family that everybody wants to be a part of.

This picture is what appears on the Seinfeld season 9 DVD and seems to be the perfect representation of the end of the show. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld didn’t wait until ratings started going downhill to end the show; they instead had these 4 crazy characters bow out at the height of the show’s popularity, leaving everybody wanting more.

WORKS CITED

Episodes “The Raincoats” (5.18)

“The Rye” (7.11)

“The Bizarro Jerry” (8.3)

“The Boyfriend” (3.17)

“The Yada Yada” (8.19)

“The Puffy Shirt” (5.2)

“The Strike” (9.10)

“The Soup Nazi” (7.6)

“The Alternate Side” (3.11)

“The Finale” (9.24)

“The Invitations” (7.24)

Other Sources Cafepress.com

Festivuspoles.com

Twitter: @SeinfeldToday

Hirsch, Irwin, and Cara Hirsch. "Seinfeld’s Humor Noir: A Look at Our Dark Side." (2000): 116-23.

Lavery, David, and Sara Lewis. Dunne. Seinfeld, Master of Its

Domain: Revisiting Television's Greatest Sitcom. New York: Continuum International Pub. Group, 2006. Print.