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Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2016)The New York Times bestseller about two guys who went out for coffee and dreamed up Seinfeld—“A wildly entertaining must-read not only for Seinfeld fans but for anyone who wants a better understanding of how television series are made” (Booklist, starred review).Comedians Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld never thought anyone would watch their sitcom about a New York comedian sitting around talking to his friends. But against all odds, viewers did watch—first a few and then many, until nine years later nearly forty million Americans were tuning in weekly. Fussy Jerry, neurotic George, eccentric Kramer, and imperious Elaine—people embraced them with love. Seinfeldia, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s intimate history is full of gossipy details, show trivia, and insights into how famous episodes came to be. Armstrong celebrates the creators and fans of this American television phenomenon, bringing readers into the writers’ room and into a world of devotees for whom it never stopped being relevant. Seinfeld created a strange new reality, one where years after the show had ended the Soup Nazi still spends his days saying “No soup for you!”, Joe Davola gets questioned every day about his sanity, and Kenny Kramer makes his living giving tours of New York sites from the show. Seinfeldia is an outrageous cultural history. Dwight Garner of The New York Times Book Review “Armstrong has an eye for detail….Perhaps the highest praise I can give Seinfeldia is that it made me want to buy a loaf of marbled rye and start watching again, from the beginning.”
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
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About the author
Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
13 books260 followersJennifer Keishin Armstrong’s writing takes readers behind the scenes of major moments in pop culture history and examines the lasting impact that our favorite TV shows, music, and movies have on our society and psyches. She investigates why pop culture matters deeply, from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Seinfeld, to Sex and the City and Mean Girls, to Beyoncé, Taylor, and Barbie. She has written eight books, including the New York Times bestseller Seinfeldia, When Women Invented Television, Sex and the City and Us, and So Fetch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,237 reviews
July 15, 2016
Seinfeldia is the story of Seinfeld, the TV show that went from being watched by a handful of people to being a pop culture phenomenon.
Confession Time: There was a period of my life that Seinfeld was my favorite show. I watched it religiously in syndication and in prime time as new episodes aired. Actually, religiously probably isn't the right word since I never missed Seinfeld but ditched church at every opportunity, sometimes while reading Sein Language. To this day, I still watch episodes in syndication. When this popped up on Netgalley, I requested it immediately.
Seinfeldia chronicles Seinfeld from it's early days to it's prime to it's eventual conclusion, yadda yadda yadda. The behind the scenes stuff was really interesting. A lot of the material from the show was drawn from real life experiences of the writing staff, something suspected but was never quite sure about. I also learned that most writers only lasted a season, discarded once they'd been milked of all useful material, which kind of makes Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld seem like heartless dicks. Early tension between Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss was something I'd never heard about before, as was Michael Richards' aloofness.
The show about nothing had some humble beginnings. Fear of cancellation was rampant, which was fine with Larry David, who thought he only had four or five episodes in him anyway. Good thing he was able to Curb that feeling eventually. Early landmark episodes include The Chinese Restaurant, which takes place entirely in a Chinese restaurant and doesn't feature Kramer, and The Contest, the infamous episode where the gang try to see who can go the longest without masturbating.
The book continues to chronicle the show, covering everything, including Larry David's exit to Jerry's rejection of $5 million per episode to keep the show going beyond the ninth season. After that, the lives of the cast post-Seinfeld are covered, as is the rise of Seinfeld fandom. I'd forgotten about Michael Richards' racist meltdown in 2006.
This book tickled all of the nostalgia centers in my brain, a fun trip down memory lane peppered with speed bumps like the low talker, the close talker, man-hands, and yadda, yadda, yadda.
To sum things up, I enjoyed the hell out of this. Not that there's anything wrong with that. To wrap things up, here are ten of my favorite Seinfeld episodes in the order they aired.
1 - The Chinese Restaurant
2 - The Parking Garage
3 - The Contest
4 - The Bubble Boy
5 - The Junior Mint
6 - The Non-Fat Yogurt
7 - The Marine Biologist
8 - The Calzone
9 - The Sponge
10 - The Soup Nazi
Confession Time: There was a period of my life that Seinfeld was my favorite show. I watched it religiously in syndication and in prime time as new episodes aired. Actually, religiously probably isn't the right word since I never missed Seinfeld but ditched church at every opportunity, sometimes while reading Sein Language. To this day, I still watch episodes in syndication. When this popped up on Netgalley, I requested it immediately.
Seinfeldia chronicles Seinfeld from it's early days to it's prime to it's eventual conclusion, yadda yadda yadda. The behind the scenes stuff was really interesting. A lot of the material from the show was drawn from real life experiences of the writing staff, something suspected but was never quite sure about. I also learned that most writers only lasted a season, discarded once they'd been milked of all useful material, which kind of makes Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld seem like heartless dicks. Early tension between Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss was something I'd never heard about before, as was Michael Richards' aloofness.
The show about nothing had some humble beginnings. Fear of cancellation was rampant, which was fine with Larry David, who thought he only had four or five episodes in him anyway. Good thing he was able to Curb that feeling eventually. Early landmark episodes include The Chinese Restaurant, which takes place entirely in a Chinese restaurant and doesn't feature Kramer, and The Contest, the infamous episode where the gang try to see who can go the longest without masturbating.
The book continues to chronicle the show, covering everything, including Larry David's exit to Jerry's rejection of $5 million per episode to keep the show going beyond the ninth season. After that, the lives of the cast post-Seinfeld are covered, as is the rise of Seinfeld fandom. I'd forgotten about Michael Richards' racist meltdown in 2006.
This book tickled all of the nostalgia centers in my brain, a fun trip down memory lane peppered with speed bumps like the low talker, the close talker, man-hands, and yadda, yadda, yadda.
To sum things up, I enjoyed the hell out of this. Not that there's anything wrong with that. To wrap things up, here are ten of my favorite Seinfeld episodes in the order they aired.
1 - The Chinese Restaurant
2 - The Parking Garage
3 - The Contest
4 - The Bubble Boy
5 - The Junior Mint
6 - The Non-Fat Yogurt
7 - The Marine Biologist
8 - The Calzone
9 - The Sponge
10 - The Soup Nazi
June 18, 2023
Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. a review by Jonathan, whom I follow on GR, led me to instantly hit that "To Read" button;
2. I'm a huge fan of this iconic sitcom;
3. it's available for free on Hoopla; and,
4. June 2023 is my "Nonfiction Month".
Praises:
1. author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong covers everything fans of Seinfeld want to know, or at least be reminded of! Here are some details that I personally found interesting:
- how comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David came up with this show's concept, and how Seinfeld catapulted other shows and NBC into stardom;
- this show has the best-crafted characters! Although I best love the character of Elaine, I especially enjoyed hearing how Jason Alexander and Larry Thomas were chosen to play George Costanza and The Soup Nazi respectfully;
- how far the show's writers would go (or not go) in taking real-life situations and making them into hilarious storylines. Larry David was adamant that the storylines involved "No hugging! No learning!" I was also surprised to learn why there was such a large turnover of writers over the years;
- how the names of some characters came from real people! I was unaware that the J. Peterman Company actually existed prior to the show's conception, complete with a catalog using quirky product descriptions!;
- even though Seinfeld, for various reasons, is considered to be the best sitcom of all-time, I was dumbfounded to learn that Frasier won more Emmys during the same time frame that both shows aired. I can't say that I've ever watched an entire episode of Frasier, yet I continue to watch Seinfeld reruns;
- I loved learning about the inspiration behind Elaine's amusing dance moves; and,
- narrator Christina Delaine does an excellent job, especially with the various voices.
Overall Thoughts:
One-liners initiated on Seinfeld are often repeated in our household. Since I started listening to this audiobook, I began saving reruns to my PVR. Specific scenes and even the credits have brought out a new appreciation for me.
This audiobook was a wonderful trip down Memory Lane! There were several LOL moments for me! One must be a true fan of this show to appreciate this book. If you're one of them, then I highly recommend that you check out this comprehensive look into Seinfeldia!
1. a review by Jonathan, whom I follow on GR, led me to instantly hit that "To Read" button;
2. I'm a huge fan of this iconic sitcom;
3. it's available for free on Hoopla; and,
4. June 2023 is my "Nonfiction Month".
Praises:
1. author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong covers everything fans of Seinfeld want to know, or at least be reminded of! Here are some details that I personally found interesting:
- how comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David came up with this show's concept, and how Seinfeld catapulted other shows and NBC into stardom;
- this show has the best-crafted characters! Although I best love the character of Elaine, I especially enjoyed hearing how Jason Alexander and Larry Thomas were chosen to play George Costanza and The Soup Nazi respectfully;
- how far the show's writers would go (or not go) in taking real-life situations and making them into hilarious storylines. Larry David was adamant that the storylines involved "No hugging! No learning!" I was also surprised to learn why there was such a large turnover of writers over the years;
- how the names of some characters came from real people! I was unaware that the J. Peterman Company actually existed prior to the show's conception, complete with a catalog using quirky product descriptions!;
- even though Seinfeld, for various reasons, is considered to be the best sitcom of all-time, I was dumbfounded to learn that Frasier won more Emmys during the same time frame that both shows aired. I can't say that I've ever watched an entire episode of Frasier, yet I continue to watch Seinfeld reruns;
- I loved learning about the inspiration behind Elaine's amusing dance moves; and,
- narrator Christina Delaine does an excellent job, especially with the various voices.
Overall Thoughts:
One-liners initiated on Seinfeld are often repeated in our household. Since I started listening to this audiobook, I began saving reruns to my PVR. Specific scenes and even the credits have brought out a new appreciation for me.
This audiobook was a wonderful trip down Memory Lane! There were several LOL moments for me! One must be a true fan of this show to appreciate this book. If you're one of them, then I highly recommend that you check out this comprehensive look into Seinfeldia!
May 15, 2018
About a week ago I was discussing the merits of double dipping tortilla chips into salsa with a few of my kids. They seemed puzzled; family germs do not count in the grand scheme of things, having told them this myself many times. Family germs aside, I found the Seinfeld double dipping episode and had my kids laughing hysterically. It is hard to believe that Seinfeld has been off of the air for twenty years this week. My husband has seen each episode countless times, and the show enters our vernacular on at least a weekly basis. When I saw Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's book Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything at my library last week, I knew it was a book that I had to borrow. Like the show itself, the book and the memories it brought back had me laughing in stitches.
Seinfeld is still around in syndication twenty years later, but what few people realize is that the show was barely picked up by its network NBC. In 1990, Cheers and the Cosby Show had its better days behind them, and television ratings were changing key demographics, to a generation disillusioned by the Reagan administration. Enter Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, two comedians who pitched a sitcom about the minutiae of everyday life. Executives were skeptical-- the show was too New York, too Jewish, and nothing happened in it. Allowing the project to go forward, the creators filmed a pilot of The Seinfeld Chronicles, titled Jerry. One network pundit found the show promising and allowed for four more episodes to be filmed, and homes from a cross section of America were given the chance to voice their opinions of this new sitcom. The results were better than expected, and David and Seinfeld were given the green light to go forward with their project. It was the break of their careers, and the show that no one thought would succeed ended up on NBC in a key Thursday night time slot for nine years, carrying the network back to prominence.
Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine and the actors who played them became more known for their on air personas than the people who played them in real life. The show produced classics as "The Junior Mint," "The Soup Nazi," and countless other episodes that live on in syndication and DVD sales. George one time worked for the New York Yankees. The quartet once got into an argument about parking in a handicapped spot at a mall parking garage; one time an entire episode focused on them waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. Once Elaine through out her back sleeping on a hideaway bed at Jerry's parents condo in Florida. What made this show about nothing relatable is that these episodes were all taken from the real lives of Larry David and his team of writers. The line between reality and fiction was so blurred that twenty years later, the actors, including guest stars, are still known for these signature roles.
As with all long running programs, the business of producing a successful product inevitable lead to the show to end after nine seasons. Yet, Seinfeld lives on in syndication and in real life. Bit actors like Larry Thomas the Soup Nazi and the real life Kenny Kramer still cash in on their roles. The Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team held a Seinfeld themed night. With syndication, the show is still on in most markets on a nightly basis, allowing new generations of viewers to witness the antics of this show that was supposed to be about nothing. While not spectacular writing, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong brought back the sitcom and its comedy and it had me in stitches, reminding me that Seinfeld was a one of a kind show, the best of its generation.
Jerry Seinfeld has returned to his roots as a stand up comedian. He has produced a show for Netflix called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, which is charmingly hilarious but still does not measure up to his twenty two minute show about nothing. With syndication, I still see the show, and it is as still as funny as it was twenty years ago, but like the actors, I have moved on in real time. I still do not turn down an opportunity to see Seinfeld if it is convenient for me to do so. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong brought back the show in this book, that, despite being about nothing, was at its best humorous.
4 stars
Seinfeld is still around in syndication twenty years later, but what few people realize is that the show was barely picked up by its network NBC. In 1990, Cheers and the Cosby Show had its better days behind them, and television ratings were changing key demographics, to a generation disillusioned by the Reagan administration. Enter Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, two comedians who pitched a sitcom about the minutiae of everyday life. Executives were skeptical-- the show was too New York, too Jewish, and nothing happened in it. Allowing the project to go forward, the creators filmed a pilot of The Seinfeld Chronicles, titled Jerry. One network pundit found the show promising and allowed for four more episodes to be filmed, and homes from a cross section of America were given the chance to voice their opinions of this new sitcom. The results were better than expected, and David and Seinfeld were given the green light to go forward with their project. It was the break of their careers, and the show that no one thought would succeed ended up on NBC in a key Thursday night time slot for nine years, carrying the network back to prominence.
Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine and the actors who played them became more known for their on air personas than the people who played them in real life. The show produced classics as "The Junior Mint," "The Soup Nazi," and countless other episodes that live on in syndication and DVD sales. George one time worked for the New York Yankees. The quartet once got into an argument about parking in a handicapped spot at a mall parking garage; one time an entire episode focused on them waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. Once Elaine through out her back sleeping on a hideaway bed at Jerry's parents condo in Florida. What made this show about nothing relatable is that these episodes were all taken from the real lives of Larry David and his team of writers. The line between reality and fiction was so blurred that twenty years later, the actors, including guest stars, are still known for these signature roles.
As with all long running programs, the business of producing a successful product inevitable lead to the show to end after nine seasons. Yet, Seinfeld lives on in syndication and in real life. Bit actors like Larry Thomas the Soup Nazi and the real life Kenny Kramer still cash in on their roles. The Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team held a Seinfeld themed night. With syndication, the show is still on in most markets on a nightly basis, allowing new generations of viewers to witness the antics of this show that was supposed to be about nothing. While not spectacular writing, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong brought back the sitcom and its comedy and it had me in stitches, reminding me that Seinfeld was a one of a kind show, the best of its generation.
Jerry Seinfeld has returned to his roots as a stand up comedian. He has produced a show for Netflix called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, which is charmingly hilarious but still does not measure up to his twenty two minute show about nothing. With syndication, I still see the show, and it is as still as funny as it was twenty years ago, but like the actors, I have moved on in real time. I still do not turn down an opportunity to see Seinfeld if it is convenient for me to do so. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong brought back the show in this book, that, despite being about nothing, was at its best humorous.
4 stars
May 4, 2017
If there's one thing I guess you should know about me other than that I'm a huge bookworm, it's that I love sitcoms. I love thoughtful analysis of sitcoms, I love nostalgia and trivia associated with sitcoms, I love quoting sitcoms and making references to them on an annoyingly regular basis. So I was crazy excited to snag an ARC of this. Armstrong's previous book on The Mary Tyler Moore Show received such high praise and it goes without saying that I am a huge Seinfeld fan. I even have a Theory of Life based on the show: you can make a reference to Seinfeld out of nearly every experience you have, and that episode will show up on your television with 24 hours. The theory has held up so much, that my husband once found a reference in an article on Slate that had been published less than 10 minutes before he and I watched the episode that it referenced.
So you might think that this is the perfect book for me. But I have some pretty mixed feelings about it and I'm struggling to figure out how to articulate them. On the one hand, it was well-written and interesting. On the other hand, I just couldn't shake the fact that large chunks of it seemed to be just regurgitating anecdotes from DVD bonus features.
Literally, sentence after sentence after sentence are credited to DVD features in the bibliography. So many ibids. That would be fine, I guess, if it felt like Armstrong added anything to those anecdotes. But she didn't really do that. No commentary, no analysis, very little in the way of tying the anecdotes into a bigger point. She clearly didn't have access to any of the big players -- no interviews with the four main cast members or Larry David or anyone more important than a guy who wrote for more than two consecutive seasons (the show's reliance on events plucked from writers' real lives meant a high turnover rate as they burned through their personal wells of funny stories and Larry David's tight creative control couldn't have been fun, so lasting more than a year or two was rare). And that just meant that she relied primarily on those commentary reels and old newspaper interviews filled with now-familiar tidbits. Even descriptions of Jerry's pre-NBC stand-up routines seem to be limited to what had been included in bonus features.
The back half of the book shifts from a narrative of how the show was conceived and produced to a modest exploration of the show's influence in the two decades (!) since it went off the air. But again, much of this was just an exploration of familiar anecdotes--how John O'Hurley became an investor in the real Peterman catalog, how the real Soup Nazi hated the show. Very little original analysis of how the show has affected television, in terms of both the business side and the content side.
And so, instead of this:
I walked away from the book feeling a little more:
Maybe the book would be more enjoyable had I not immediately recognized so much of its content from videos like this one? I don't know. As it is, I was really just...underwhelmed.
So you might think that this is the perfect book for me. But I have some pretty mixed feelings about it and I'm struggling to figure out how to articulate them. On the one hand, it was well-written and interesting. On the other hand, I just couldn't shake the fact that large chunks of it seemed to be just regurgitating anecdotes from DVD bonus features.
Literally, sentence after sentence after sentence are credited to DVD features in the bibliography. So many ibids. That would be fine, I guess, if it felt like Armstrong added anything to those anecdotes. But she didn't really do that. No commentary, no analysis, very little in the way of tying the anecdotes into a bigger point. She clearly didn't have access to any of the big players -- no interviews with the four main cast members or Larry David or anyone more important than a guy who wrote for more than two consecutive seasons (the show's reliance on events plucked from writers' real lives meant a high turnover rate as they burned through their personal wells of funny stories and Larry David's tight creative control couldn't have been fun, so lasting more than a year or two was rare). And that just meant that she relied primarily on those commentary reels and old newspaper interviews filled with now-familiar tidbits. Even descriptions of Jerry's pre-NBC stand-up routines seem to be limited to what had been included in bonus features.
The back half of the book shifts from a narrative of how the show was conceived and produced to a modest exploration of the show's influence in the two decades (!) since it went off the air. But again, much of this was just an exploration of familiar anecdotes--how John O'Hurley became an investor in the real Peterman catalog, how the real Soup Nazi hated the show. Very little original analysis of how the show has affected television, in terms of both the business side and the content side.
And so, instead of this:
I walked away from the book feeling a little more:
Maybe the book would be more enjoyable had I not immediately recognized so much of its content from videos like this one? I don't know. As it is, I was really just...underwhelmed.
January 24, 2023
When Seinfeld interacts with culture; we start interacting with that interaction. ~ Alec Berg
For someone like me with a brain that loves to make connections, "Seinfeld" was a dream come true. My husband and I were a young married couple when the show was airing. We routinely set our VCR to record the show on VHS so we could watch it together. Decades later our children know the episodes about as well as we do. It is a rare day when a quote from the show does not pass through our lips. There is no doubt that "Seinfeld" has impacted 21st century culture even more than in the previous one. I listened to this book on audio and the journey of the show is documented and discussed from its beginning the year of publication. There were times when I would be in a room of our home listening to the book while family members were watching reruns in another room. My favorite aspect of this book besides the reliving of the shows history was the minutiae I could share with my fellow fans. My linear brain is now inclined to rewatch the every series chronologically. Whether I actually commit to that plan of action, I will not have to worry about finding an episode to watch on our cable service. And that's a wrap.
For someone like me with a brain that loves to make connections, "Seinfeld" was a dream come true. My husband and I were a young married couple when the show was airing. We routinely set our VCR to record the show on VHS so we could watch it together. Decades later our children know the episodes about as well as we do. It is a rare day when a quote from the show does not pass through our lips. There is no doubt that "Seinfeld" has impacted 21st century culture even more than in the previous one. I listened to this book on audio and the journey of the show is documented and discussed from its beginning the year of publication. There were times when I would be in a room of our home listening to the book while family members were watching reruns in another room. My favorite aspect of this book besides the reliving of the shows history was the minutiae I could share with my fellow fans. My linear brain is now inclined to rewatch the every series chronologically. Whether I actually commit to that plan of action, I will not have to worry about finding an episode to watch on our cable service. And that's a wrap.
July 15, 2016
A free copy was provided through Netgalley in exchange for review.
I think anyone who picks up this book is most likely going to be a rabid Seinfeld fan, and I'm no exception. We are in the midst of PeakTV -- a new heralded Golden Age of Television -- and there's a very persuasive argument to be made that it all started with a small show about nothing, that did in fact, change everything. Despite the avalanche of remarkable and groundbreaking TV that's hit our small screens since Seinfeld exited stage left in 1998, it still remains one of my favorite shows of all time. I've never stopped watching it in syndication, it continues to make me bust a gut laughing on a regular basis, and I've yet to encounter any situation in life that cannot be captured by applying a Seinfeld quote.
Seinfeldia is a fun book, and a totally immersive experience into the bizarre, unexpected and meteoric rise of a show that probably should have been cancelled after its first season. But after a rocky and uncertain start, the show got traction with fans and critics. As its influence spread, it was clear to see that Seinfeld was bleeding over and breaking through the Fourth Wall on a regular basis, blending fact with fiction in an original and inspired way not only becoming part of the zeitgeist and popular culture but seemingly birthing it out of thin air. The catchy phrases and neurotic dialogue uttered on the show were quickly absorbed by television audiences and recited in everyday life as if we had always been saying such things.
Or here's what I think -- we had always needed these words to describe both the inanity and absurdity of life, and it was Seinfeld who gave them to us.
The author takes a nice even-handed, well-researched approach describing the "making of" the show, offering a behind-the-scenes analysis of early working relationships, scripts and the jockeying for power and position between the actors, writers and directors. At the helm of course was Larry David -- perhaps the first instance where we really see the genius that can result when a showrunner is given complete creative control over his/her product. And David wielded that power like Thor's mighty hammer. The only other creative force welcomed into the inner sanctum was not surprisingly David's right hand man, Jerry Seinfeld. Together, these two gentlemen mind-fused into a comedic entity where the sum of their brilliance far exceeded their individual talents.
The book also has fun dipping into the "bizarro" aspects of the show -- how it carried the Midas touch for a lot of struggling actors who would go on to great careers after their stints on Seinfeld, no matter how brief or fleeting their appearance. Probably the most notable here is Bryan Cranston -- the inimitable Dr. Whatley -- a dentist who Jerry is certain converted to Judaism strictly for the jokes. Even regular people who never acted on the show got pulled into its gravitational belt for better and for worse.
The real people counterparts to the fictionalized versions of themselves on the show would reap financial rewards and a fame by proxy --
1. Kenny Kramer's Reality Tour is still going strong in New York City;
2. Ali (“Al") Yeganeh is the real "Soup Nazi" and continues to sell his soup today (and curse Jerry Seinfeld for giving him an infamy and notoriety he never asked for or ever aspired to);
3. and Larry Thomas, the actor who played the "Soup Nazi", continues to appear at fan conventions and speaking engagements, and has even written a book! Rather than fight against it, the actor has made peace with a role he will never outlive and embraces the benefits with grace and humor.
The book also addresses the backlash against a show that had become so popular it attracted haters and critics who believed it to be insufferably smug and overrated. The author also talks about the controversial finale episode and how it disappointed many fans and critics (it's not my favorite episode by any means, but I found things to appreciate about the finale). Then there was the fate of the four leads post-Seinfeld and the various trajectories their careers took, the strangest and most disappointing being Michael Richards and his public breakdown of racist rage. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has always been my biggest girl crush and I've been over the moon to watch her role as Vice-President Selina Meyer only get better over five seasons of her Emmy award winning VEEP. And for Jerry Seinfeld fans you can catch him now doing Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. I haven't seen this yet, but I do plan on checking it out at some point.
Not surprisingly, the brains and soul and passion behind Seinfeld, creator Larry David, has had the most enduring and critical success with his show Curb Your Enthusiasm (which ended in 2011 after eight seasons, but it's just been announced the show will return for a season nine).
To wrap things up (and leave on a high note, with hand), I'm gonna take a page from Dan who in his review listed his ten favorite Seinfeld episodes. For anyone who has ever watched and loved the show, you'll remember just how packed each episode became, routinely following four sub-plots for each of the four leads -- Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer. David's singular purpose and desire was to strive to have every episode end with the four sub-plots intersect by the ending. And he almost always succeeded. In no particular order (it was too hard to pick just ten, let alone rank) here are some of my favorites.
I could keep going. Seriously, I feel like I'm just getting started. I haven't even mentioned "Moviefone", "shrinkage", "not that there's anything wrong with that", "Dolores", "George's desk naps", yada yada yada. It would have been a much shorter list identifying the odd sub-plot or moments that can no longer make me laugh. There are far fewer of those. After all these years and repeated viewings Seinfeld has more than stood the test of time. If anything, it's ageless, or like a fine whiskey, keeps getting better with age as it thrives (and finds new audiences) in syndication. And while some outstanding comedies have appeared in the years following its finale -- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Parks and Rec to name my two favorites -- they all owe a debt to Seinfeld and for a show that continues to make me laugh out loud, I owe it a debt too.
I think anyone who picks up this book is most likely going to be a rabid Seinfeld fan, and I'm no exception. We are in the midst of PeakTV -- a new heralded Golden Age of Television -- and there's a very persuasive argument to be made that it all started with a small show about nothing, that did in fact, change everything. Despite the avalanche of remarkable and groundbreaking TV that's hit our small screens since Seinfeld exited stage left in 1998, it still remains one of my favorite shows of all time. I've never stopped watching it in syndication, it continues to make me bust a gut laughing on a regular basis, and I've yet to encounter any situation in life that cannot be captured by applying a Seinfeld quote.
Seinfeldia is a fun book, and a totally immersive experience into the bizarre, unexpected and meteoric rise of a show that probably should have been cancelled after its first season. But after a rocky and uncertain start, the show got traction with fans and critics. As its influence spread, it was clear to see that Seinfeld was bleeding over and breaking through the Fourth Wall on a regular basis, blending fact with fiction in an original and inspired way not only becoming part of the zeitgeist and popular culture but seemingly birthing it out of thin air. The catchy phrases and neurotic dialogue uttered on the show were quickly absorbed by television audiences and recited in everyday life as if we had always been saying such things.
Or here's what I think -- we had always needed these words to describe both the inanity and absurdity of life, and it was Seinfeld who gave them to us.
The author takes a nice even-handed, well-researched approach describing the "making of" the show, offering a behind-the-scenes analysis of early working relationships, scripts and the jockeying for power and position between the actors, writers and directors. At the helm of course was Larry David -- perhaps the first instance where we really see the genius that can result when a showrunner is given complete creative control over his/her product. And David wielded that power like Thor's mighty hammer. The only other creative force welcomed into the inner sanctum was not surprisingly David's right hand man, Jerry Seinfeld. Together, these two gentlemen mind-fused into a comedic entity where the sum of their brilliance far exceeded their individual talents.
The book also has fun dipping into the "bizarro" aspects of the show -- how it carried the Midas touch for a lot of struggling actors who would go on to great careers after their stints on Seinfeld, no matter how brief or fleeting their appearance. Probably the most notable here is Bryan Cranston -- the inimitable Dr. Whatley -- a dentist who Jerry is certain converted to Judaism strictly for the jokes. Even regular people who never acted on the show got pulled into its gravitational belt for better and for worse.
The real people counterparts to the fictionalized versions of themselves on the show would reap financial rewards and a fame by proxy --
1. Kenny Kramer's Reality Tour is still going strong in New York City;
2. Ali (“Al") Yeganeh is the real "Soup Nazi" and continues to sell his soup today (and curse Jerry Seinfeld for giving him an infamy and notoriety he never asked for or ever aspired to);
3. and Larry Thomas, the actor who played the "Soup Nazi", continues to appear at fan conventions and speaking engagements, and has even written a book! Rather than fight against it, the actor has made peace with a role he will never outlive and embraces the benefits with grace and humor.
The book also addresses the backlash against a show that had become so popular it attracted haters and critics who believed it to be insufferably smug and overrated. The author also talks about the controversial finale episode and how it disappointed many fans and critics (it's not my favorite episode by any means, but I found things to appreciate about the finale). Then there was the fate of the four leads post-Seinfeld and the various trajectories their careers took, the strangest and most disappointing being Michael Richards and his public breakdown of racist rage. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has always been my biggest girl crush and I've been over the moon to watch her role as Vice-President Selina Meyer only get better over five seasons of her Emmy award winning VEEP. And for Jerry Seinfeld fans you can catch him now doing Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. I haven't seen this yet, but I do plan on checking it out at some point.
Not surprisingly, the brains and soul and passion behind Seinfeld, creator Larry David, has had the most enduring and critical success with his show Curb Your Enthusiasm (which ended in 2011 after eight seasons, but it's just been announced the show will return for a season nine).
To wrap things up (and leave on a high note, with hand), I'm gonna take a page from Dan who in his review listed his ten favorite Seinfeld episodes. For anyone who has ever watched and loved the show, you'll remember just how packed each episode became, routinely following four sub-plots for each of the four leads -- Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer. David's singular purpose and desire was to strive to have every episode end with the four sub-plots intersect by the ending. And he almost always succeeded. In no particular order (it was too hard to pick just ten, let alone rank) here are some of my favorites.
I could keep going. Seriously, I feel like I'm just getting started. I haven't even mentioned "Moviefone", "shrinkage", "not that there's anything wrong with that", "Dolores", "George's desk naps", yada yada yada. It would have been a much shorter list identifying the odd sub-plot or moments that can no longer make me laugh. There are far fewer of those. After all these years and repeated viewings Seinfeld has more than stood the test of time. If anything, it's ageless, or like a fine whiskey, keeps getting better with age as it thrives (and finds new audiences) in syndication. And while some outstanding comedies have appeared in the years following its finale -- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Parks and Rec to name my two favorites -- they all owe a debt to Seinfeld and for a show that continues to make me laugh out loud, I owe it a debt too.
January 26, 2020
“From there, things started to get weird. No, really this time.” (2.5 stars)
“Seinfeldia” is not really a good book. But with a few exceptions I enjoyed reading it, thus the 3 star rating. “Seinfeld” is the only television sitcom that I own the entire series on DVD. I love it, but have not watched any episodes in a long time. This book reminded me why I love the show.
Stylistically “Seinfeldia” is very average. It reads like a popular magazine. The author wrote for magazines for many years, makes sense. There is not a transition or a thru line in the book. You will read a few pages on a topic/idea, there will be some space on the page, new topic now.
Looking closely at the text’s sources you will see that no one really integral to the series was involved in the making of this book. Ms. Armstrong talks to quite a few secondary people connected to the series and relies heavily on other published sources for her “firsthand knowledge”. Nothing wrong with that, just pointing it out.
The final chapter gets caught up in some ridiculous elements, and is a letdown. The book ends on a whimper.
Having said all that, if you are a fan of “Seinfeld”, and are looking for something that will remind you why you loved the show, then “Seinfeldia” is a worthwhile read. It is not a text you would revisit ever, but it is a fun rainy day diversion.
“Seinfeldia” is not really a good book. But with a few exceptions I enjoyed reading it, thus the 3 star rating. “Seinfeld” is the only television sitcom that I own the entire series on DVD. I love it, but have not watched any episodes in a long time. This book reminded me why I love the show.
Stylistically “Seinfeldia” is very average. It reads like a popular magazine. The author wrote for magazines for many years, makes sense. There is not a transition or a thru line in the book. You will read a few pages on a topic/idea, there will be some space on the page, new topic now.
Looking closely at the text’s sources you will see that no one really integral to the series was involved in the making of this book. Ms. Armstrong talks to quite a few secondary people connected to the series and relies heavily on other published sources for her “firsthand knowledge”. Nothing wrong with that, just pointing it out.
The final chapter gets caught up in some ridiculous elements, and is a letdown. The book ends on a whimper.
Having said all that, if you are a fan of “Seinfeld”, and are looking for something that will remind you why you loved the show, then “Seinfeldia” is a worthwhile read. It is not a text you would revisit ever, but it is a fun rainy day diversion.
October 4, 2022
Written for the true Seinfeld fans of which there are millions, this highly detailed accounting of its various stages is revealing in many ways.
Having grossed over $3B, Seinfeld is hailed at THE MOST successful TV program in the history of television and remains as the leader today. The 'show about nothing' blossomed when NBC executives were lead to a comedy club where Jerry performed. Much as its seen in the series, they suggest a meeting at their offices. It's here he contacts Larry David, a fellow stand up comedian not only to share the excitement, but enroll him as a co-writer; what transpires from there is history.
In real life, Larry lives in a rent controlled apartment building in NY, across the hall from Kenny Kramer. As he and Jerry brainstorm they realize Kramer would be a great character for the series due to his quirkiness, obtuse business ideas and persona. After numerous meetings NBC offers a pilot which while exciting presents a problem. How do stand up comics who've never written for TV succeed? Larry David and the NBC staff interview comics from every area of the business and choose those who have oddball personal stories rather than writing experience. Among the writers chosen was Peter Mehlman who's personal stories launched countless memes including 'the low talker, re-gifter and countless others. More importantly, Larry established himself as the quirkiest, introverted head writer in television who cycled through writers every season.
Having cast Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards as the ensemble, Jerry insisted the show should be shot in front of a live audience. And for those who have seen Seinfeld, his opening stand-up material became a standard. As the show gained popularity, it became the golden child of NBC reigning in advertisers willing to pay $1M for a 30-second spot setting a precedent never before achieved. With the ballooning ad revenue, NBC invested in big budget sets including Monk's Restaurant, NY streets and others.
After 6 seasons, Larry had had enough and left the show making Jerry the lead of the show as well as head writer. As a result, his pay blossomed to $1M/episode causing a rift with the rest of the ensemble. When the last shows of the ninth season neared production, NBC offered Jerry $5M/episode to continue but it was ultimately turned down.
And while Seinfeld was nominated countless times for Emmy's, "Frasier" pulled in most of them which for someone like myself seems crazy. Most recently Hulu paid $160M for the rights setting yet another precedent for a show the 'about nothing' from the 90's. Few if any shows have established quirky characters that include The Soup Nazi, J. Peterman, Watley (Brian Cranston) and others who still live on today, though Kramer remains #1.
Years after the show's final episode, the ensemble had severe difficulties finding work having been type cast for nine years. In particular, Michael Richards had the hardest time which resulted in psychological difficulties.
From here the rest is history though. This review would be pages if I went into all the details and then why would you need to read the book?
Highly recommended whether you're a fan or not, since it's rare we experience a show about nothing that still lives on today!
Having grossed over $3B, Seinfeld is hailed at THE MOST successful TV program in the history of television and remains as the leader today. The 'show about nothing' blossomed when NBC executives were lead to a comedy club where Jerry performed. Much as its seen in the series, they suggest a meeting at their offices. It's here he contacts Larry David, a fellow stand up comedian not only to share the excitement, but enroll him as a co-writer; what transpires from there is history.
In real life, Larry lives in a rent controlled apartment building in NY, across the hall from Kenny Kramer. As he and Jerry brainstorm they realize Kramer would be a great character for the series due to his quirkiness, obtuse business ideas and persona. After numerous meetings NBC offers a pilot which while exciting presents a problem. How do stand up comics who've never written for TV succeed? Larry David and the NBC staff interview comics from every area of the business and choose those who have oddball personal stories rather than writing experience. Among the writers chosen was Peter Mehlman who's personal stories launched countless memes including 'the low talker, re-gifter and countless others. More importantly, Larry established himself as the quirkiest, introverted head writer in television who cycled through writers every season.
Having cast Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards as the ensemble, Jerry insisted the show should be shot in front of a live audience. And for those who have seen Seinfeld, his opening stand-up material became a standard. As the show gained popularity, it became the golden child of NBC reigning in advertisers willing to pay $1M for a 30-second spot setting a precedent never before achieved. With the ballooning ad revenue, NBC invested in big budget sets including Monk's Restaurant, NY streets and others.
After 6 seasons, Larry had had enough and left the show making Jerry the lead of the show as well as head writer. As a result, his pay blossomed to $1M/episode causing a rift with the rest of the ensemble. When the last shows of the ninth season neared production, NBC offered Jerry $5M/episode to continue but it was ultimately turned down.
And while Seinfeld was nominated countless times for Emmy's, "Frasier" pulled in most of them which for someone like myself seems crazy. Most recently Hulu paid $160M for the rights setting yet another precedent for a show the 'about nothing' from the 90's. Few if any shows have established quirky characters that include The Soup Nazi, J. Peterman, Watley (Brian Cranston) and others who still live on today, though Kramer remains #1.
Years after the show's final episode, the ensemble had severe difficulties finding work having been type cast for nine years. In particular, Michael Richards had the hardest time which resulted in psychological difficulties.
From here the rest is history though. This review would be pages if I went into all the details and then why would you need to read the book?
Highly recommended whether you're a fan or not, since it's rare we experience a show about nothing that still lives on today!
December 5, 2023
Full disclosure, I’m a Seinfeld fan.
Actually I’m a Seinfeld black belt. A friend and I came up with the idea that if you have watched every episode of a series, then you are a black belt of that show. As I have watched every episode of Seinfeld at least four times, I am a fourth degree Seinfeld black belt. (BTW, I don’t watch a lot of TV so the only other show to which I am a black belt is Kung Fu starring David Carradine, a first degree black belt in that show).
This is a fun, behind the scenes look at all things about the show about nothing. We follow Larry and Jerry as they come up with the ideas, the cast and crew, the writing and how Seinfeld changed all the rules and still has a huge influence on our culture.
The book is well written and read worthy and I really liked it and awarded 4 stars, but mainly because I’m such a fan of the show. Those not initiated into the mysteries of Festivus may not love it quite as much and it may just sound like a lot of yada yada.
For fans, though a student of 90s TV or pop culture may also find this a worthwhile distraction.
Actually I’m a Seinfeld black belt. A friend and I came up with the idea that if you have watched every episode of a series, then you are a black belt of that show. As I have watched every episode of Seinfeld at least four times, I am a fourth degree Seinfeld black belt. (BTW, I don’t watch a lot of TV so the only other show to which I am a black belt is Kung Fu starring David Carradine, a first degree black belt in that show).
This is a fun, behind the scenes look at all things about the show about nothing. We follow Larry and Jerry as they come up with the ideas, the cast and crew, the writing and how Seinfeld changed all the rules and still has a huge influence on our culture.
The book is well written and read worthy and I really liked it and awarded 4 stars, but mainly because I’m such a fan of the show. Those not initiated into the mysteries of Festivus may not love it quite as much and it may just sound like a lot of yada yada.
For fans, though a student of 90s TV or pop culture may also find this a worthwhile distraction.
March 18, 2025
4.5 stars
"[This] is the story of two men whose sitcom - full of minute observations and despicable characters - snuck through the network system to become a hit that changed TV's most cherished rules; from then on, anti-heroes would rise to prominence, unique voices would invade the airwaves, and the creative forces behind shows would often gain as much power and fame as the faces in front of the camera." -- on page 6
Once upon a time, in what now seems like a million years ago, a situation comedy starring a mid-level stand-up comic quietly debuted on NBC in 1990. Although a stand-up comic headlining a TV series was nothing new on the U.S. airwaves - Bill Cosby, Gabe Kaplan, and Robin Williams (to name only three memorable examples) were trailblazers during the 1970's - the show Seinfeld broke new ground by featuring unique, off-beat humor amidst plots that stretched from the mundane (trying to find a parking space; waiting in line to be seated at a restaurant; etc.) to the quirky (being stalked by a man disguised as a clown; stealing a loaf of bread from an elderly woman; etc.) and soon became a hit. Author Armstrong details the genesis, production, and impact of the show developed by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David in her excellent Seinfeldia. For those of us who remember its time as a first-run series AND one of the eventual cornerstones of NBC's Thursday evening 'Must See TV' - it neatly coincided with my time in both high school and college, and I remember Seinfeld seemed like something that nearly EVERYONE was watching at the time - the book will likely be a nostalgic trip back to that pre-social media/technology era of the waning days of the 20th century, where and when things seemed more spontaneous or unpredictable in the world . . . or at least on network TV.
"[This] is the story of two men whose sitcom - full of minute observations and despicable characters - snuck through the network system to become a hit that changed TV's most cherished rules; from then on, anti-heroes would rise to prominence, unique voices would invade the airwaves, and the creative forces behind shows would often gain as much power and fame as the faces in front of the camera." -- on page 6
Once upon a time, in what now seems like a million years ago, a situation comedy starring a mid-level stand-up comic quietly debuted on NBC in 1990. Although a stand-up comic headlining a TV series was nothing new on the U.S. airwaves - Bill Cosby, Gabe Kaplan, and Robin Williams (to name only three memorable examples) were trailblazers during the 1970's - the show Seinfeld broke new ground by featuring unique, off-beat humor amidst plots that stretched from the mundane (trying to find a parking space; waiting in line to be seated at a restaurant; etc.) to the quirky (being stalked by a man disguised as a clown; stealing a loaf of bread from an elderly woman; etc.) and soon became a hit. Author Armstrong details the genesis, production, and impact of the show developed by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David in her excellent Seinfeldia. For those of us who remember its time as a first-run series AND one of the eventual cornerstones of NBC's Thursday evening 'Must See TV' - it neatly coincided with my time in both high school and college, and I remember Seinfeld seemed like something that nearly EVERYONE was watching at the time - the book will likely be a nostalgic trip back to that pre-social media/technology era of the waning days of the 20th century, where and when things seemed more spontaneous or unpredictable in the world . . . or at least on network TV.
December 13, 2018
I can recite whole scenes from Seinfeld. It will always be among my very favorite sit-coms. And so I savored all these off-camera anecdotes and stories, and the origin of so many expressions and observations that now pepper my wife's and my conversations.
October 18, 2016
This book is right up my street! I'm a huge Seinfeld fan!! I consider myself a devoted fan of everything related to Seinfeld, which this book refers to as Seinfeldia. Even as devoted to the series and the actors as I have been all these years, I still learned things I didn't know from this excellent book. The author delves into how the series became so groundbreaking and why it's so important in the history of situation comedies. If you are a fan of the show, this book is truly a must read!
I'll share a few personal things about the series that pertain to my life. After I had foot surgery, when I was in recovery, I evidently felt that the nurses needed to know the plot of the famous "Soup Nazi" episode that I had seen the night before! In the book, Ms. Armstrong talks to Larry Thomas, the actor who played the "Soup Nazi" and who continues to be known for that single episode! She also talks to the actual soup purveyor for whom the character was based on (Al Yeganeh) who despised the show.
I have thought of the dialogue from my favorite episodes when I've gone through difficulties in my life so clearly Seinfeld means a lot to me. But having read this book, I understand that I'm not the only one. It is truly a pop culture phenomenon with many catchphrases still in use today. I doubt the series will ever go off the air. If you want to read about how this show came to be the worldwide hit that it is, this is the book for you!
I'll share a few personal things about the series that pertain to my life. After I had foot surgery, when I was in recovery, I evidently felt that the nurses needed to know the plot of the famous "Soup Nazi" episode that I had seen the night before! In the book, Ms. Armstrong talks to Larry Thomas, the actor who played the "Soup Nazi" and who continues to be known for that single episode! She also talks to the actual soup purveyor for whom the character was based on (Al Yeganeh) who despised the show.
I have thought of the dialogue from my favorite episodes when I've gone through difficulties in my life so clearly Seinfeld means a lot to me. But having read this book, I understand that I'm not the only one. It is truly a pop culture phenomenon with many catchphrases still in use today. I doubt the series will ever go off the air. If you want to read about how this show came to be the worldwide hit that it is, this is the book for you!
October 31, 2022
4.5
Ne znam kako vi, ali ja, kad god vidim prezime Seinfeld, ili jednog od glavnih likova istoimene serije, osmijeh mi se pojavi na licu da ga najčešće nisam ni svjesna. Da, jesam, jedna sam od obožavateljica lude ekipe koja je seriju vinula u neke njima, a i nama, neočekivane dimenzije. Dokaz tome je izraz koji je nastao oko serije – Seinfeldia!
Više o utiscima pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
Ne znam kako vi, ali ja, kad god vidim prezime Seinfeld, ili jednog od glavnih likova istoimene serije, osmijeh mi se pojavi na licu da ga najčešće nisam ni svjesna. Da, jesam, jedna sam od obožavateljica lude ekipe koja je seriju vinula u neke njima, a i nama, neočekivane dimenzije. Dokaz tome je izraz koji je nastao oko serije – Seinfeldia!
Više o utiscima pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
February 5, 2017
I like Seinfeld, it's a funny show. I watched all of them on DVD and cherry picked my way around my favourites in quiter TV times (few and far between these days). What doesn't necessarily work, or at least not for someone who likes the show and not love it, is a whole load of tales about some of the writing staff and there struggles to stay fresh.
You could call it a coffe table book, something to dip in and out of. That's what I did, read ten pages at a time for a quick fix. It was nice to remember certain parts of the show I'd forgotten but I'd rather watch it than read about how it became popular.
Decent enough to dip in and out of but not one I would overly recommend. There was an article on the guardian around the time of publication that had the best bits from this book and that only took ten minutes to read.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
You could call it a coffe table book, something to dip in and out of. That's what I did, read ten pages at a time for a quick fix. It was nice to remember certain parts of the show I'd forgotten but I'd rather watch it than read about how it became popular.
Decent enough to dip in and out of but not one I would overly recommend. There was an article on the guardian around the time of publication that had the best bits from this book and that only took ten minutes to read.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
November 27, 2022
Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
August 20, 2016
Unfortunately this book amounted to little more than click bait.
I enjoyed Seinfeld in its original run and still enjoy it in syndication and was hoping to learn some interesting behind-the-scenes information, but that hope was largely unmet. I did get lots of uninteresting and forgettable stories however.
Going into the book I did fear any mention of Kenny Kramer, a human fire hose of annoying unfunniness and Seinfeld monetizing. Not only were there KK stories but there were pictures too. One star off for each offense. Sorry but the fictional Kramer was generally funny because he had a talented group of writers scripting his lines and scenes. The real Kramer clearly does not.
Other uninteresting storylines include fans rehashing catchphrases, the experiences of some writers, some more dull fan stories and a story about the woman in the Rochelle, Rochelle poster (she’s an accountant in California). The stories about the lead actors weren’t insightful or interesting and weren’t helped by their portrayal as self-absorbed jerks.
There were some mildly interesting parts about the show’s last two stinkers: the Puerto Rican Day Parade episode and the finale. I recall watching them and wondering how they ever made it on television. I wish the author had dug into those subjects a lot more because they were true outliers to me. (Although the season with Mr. Pitt (season 5?) was dreadfully unfunny from first to last episode. It also suffered from a steady stream of the horrid overacting (the loud, dramatic pronouncements that went on too long) that plagued the show from time to time in other seasons.)
A few easy suggestions for improving the book:
* Stop using the term “meta” every other sentence.
* An appendix with a list of shows (by title) for each season with a brief synopsis for each episode.
* A list of original viewer figures for each episode. (Shares? Percentages? Number of viewers? Some way to quantify the growing success of the show.)
* The writing and directing credits for each episode.
* A viewer rating for each episode. There must be a reliable source somewhere on the Web.
These wouldn’t make the book worth reading but it would have provided some interesting data to give the book some value.
I enjoyed Seinfeld in its original run and still enjoy it in syndication and was hoping to learn some interesting behind-the-scenes information, but that hope was largely unmet. I did get lots of uninteresting and forgettable stories however.
Going into the book I did fear any mention of Kenny Kramer, a human fire hose of annoying unfunniness and Seinfeld monetizing. Not only were there KK stories but there were pictures too. One star off for each offense. Sorry but the fictional Kramer was generally funny because he had a talented group of writers scripting his lines and scenes. The real Kramer clearly does not.
Other uninteresting storylines include fans rehashing catchphrases, the experiences of some writers, some more dull fan stories and a story about the woman in the Rochelle, Rochelle poster (she’s an accountant in California). The stories about the lead actors weren’t insightful or interesting and weren’t helped by their portrayal as self-absorbed jerks.
There were some mildly interesting parts about the show’s last two stinkers: the Puerto Rican Day Parade episode and the finale. I recall watching them and wondering how they ever made it on television. I wish the author had dug into those subjects a lot more because they were true outliers to me. (Although the season with Mr. Pitt (season 5?) was dreadfully unfunny from first to last episode. It also suffered from a steady stream of the horrid overacting (the loud, dramatic pronouncements that went on too long) that plagued the show from time to time in other seasons.)
A few easy suggestions for improving the book:
* Stop using the term “meta” every other sentence.
* An appendix with a list of shows (by title) for each season with a brief synopsis for each episode.
* A list of original viewer figures for each episode. (Shares? Percentages? Number of viewers? Some way to quantify the growing success of the show.)
* The writing and directing credits for each episode.
* A viewer rating for each episode. There must be a reliable source somewhere on the Web.
These wouldn’t make the book worth reading but it would have provided some interesting data to give the book some value.
September 7, 2017
One GoodReads reviewer complains that large chunks of Seinfeldia seem to be mere regurgitations of "anecdotes from DVD bonus features" and that the author "clearly didn't have access to any of the big players," including Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. These complaints are all completely valid. Luckily, I knew little about the show's backstory, and so I found the first few chapters of this book -- in which we learn about the show's origins and Seinfeld and David's creative process -- to be a pure delight, something akin to eating Non-Fat Yogurt (episode 71) and ogling the beautiful exhibitionist across the street from Kramer's apartment (episode 51). But then Armstrong starts to give us the kind of minutiae -- e.g., she devotes several pages to describing the Soup Nazi's audition -- that frankly bored me, the kind of minutiae best left for DVD bonus features.
May 6, 2020
Like a great many people in my age bracket, I tend to think in Seinfeld-isms. Barely a day goes by that I don't see a parallel with some ridiculous situation from the show, or hear a quote from it in my head: Goofing off on the job? I'm working on the Penske file. Eating soup? Soup Nazi. Encounter someone I don't care for? "Hello, Newman."
Anyway, my point is that I am a huge Seinfeld fan, so this book didn't have to do much to delight me. And it did even less than that. The author obviously didn't have access to any of the major stars, and the book is a yawn. Do not recommend.
Anyway, my point is that I am a huge Seinfeld fan, so this book didn't have to do much to delight me. And it did even less than that. The author obviously didn't have access to any of the major stars, and the book is a yawn. Do not recommend.
August 1, 2016
Reminded me in a lot of ways of Caseen Gaines' WE DON'T NEED ROADS, in that if you're a fan of the property, you've heard a lot of this stuff before. There are moments when this book transcends "funny stories of working on Seinfeld", but the book never lives up to the subtitle "how a show about nothing changed everything". There's a loose narrative about how the show has changed people's lives and manifested itself in the real world, but there's just not enough here to recommend. For die-hards only.
June 30, 2016
ARC for review - EPD - July 5, 2016.
I love and adore Seinfeld so I was really looking forward to this book and my expectations were rewarded - just like with the show we are taken through the minutiae of all things having to do with the genesis of the show, its run and its aftermath - and maybe everyone isn't interested in that level of detail about the show, but I certainly was.
At this point the show has been off the air almost twice as long as it was on the air, yet just a few days ago one of my Facebook friends posted a question asking for people's favorite Seinfeld quote or reference. I'm not kidding when I say that I doubt that a week goes by when I don't think about something from the show (it's probably pretty telling that it's most often, "Serenity Now!") so it's definitely a part of my life that I share with millions of others. Through the book we come to appreciate this gem, created by the genius of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld (likely mostly David) - they "loved to fixate of tiny life annoyances" and that, in a nutshell, IS Seinfeld, starring Jerry, Larry (in the form of George), Larry's friend Kenny Kramer (in the form of Kramer) and "the girl" (Elaine) who was always treated as one of the guys.
NBC originally had no faith in the show, first airing it as a comedy special, then putting in only a small order. It took some time for Seinfeld to find its footing, but when it did it became a juggernaut, TV's number one rated show, NBC's savior after the departure of The Cosby Show and Cheers and, eventually the show TV Guide voted the best comedy of all time - it was popular like no other show before it, eventually commanding astonishing amounts for advertising, matched only by the Super Bowl. The turning point? Season 4 and the episode entitled "The Contest" - fans of the show know exactly what I'm talking about. The book gives us the full story on all the main writers for the show (and there were a ton of them - to keep the show fresh David and Seinfeld insisted on nearly an entirely new batch each season) as well as the back stories for many of our favorite moments - the Soup Nazi, Festivus, "Crazy" Joe Davola, "sponge-worthy" and on and on.
The book also carries us through the lives of the primary and many of the secondary characters and staff post-show, and I always love a good "where are they now?" story. This aficionado tore through this interesting tale of one of my favorite shows like it was a great marble rye. Fans will love it.
I love and adore Seinfeld so I was really looking forward to this book and my expectations were rewarded - just like with the show we are taken through the minutiae of all things having to do with the genesis of the show, its run and its aftermath - and maybe everyone isn't interested in that level of detail about the show, but I certainly was.
At this point the show has been off the air almost twice as long as it was on the air, yet just a few days ago one of my Facebook friends posted a question asking for people's favorite Seinfeld quote or reference. I'm not kidding when I say that I doubt that a week goes by when I don't think about something from the show (it's probably pretty telling that it's most often, "Serenity Now!") so it's definitely a part of my life that I share with millions of others. Through the book we come to appreciate this gem, created by the genius of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld (likely mostly David) - they "loved to fixate of tiny life annoyances" and that, in a nutshell, IS Seinfeld, starring Jerry, Larry (in the form of George), Larry's friend Kenny Kramer (in the form of Kramer) and "the girl" (Elaine) who was always treated as one of the guys.
NBC originally had no faith in the show, first airing it as a comedy special, then putting in only a small order. It took some time for Seinfeld to find its footing, but when it did it became a juggernaut, TV's number one rated show, NBC's savior after the departure of The Cosby Show and Cheers and, eventually the show TV Guide voted the best comedy of all time - it was popular like no other show before it, eventually commanding astonishing amounts for advertising, matched only by the Super Bowl. The turning point? Season 4 and the episode entitled "The Contest" - fans of the show know exactly what I'm talking about. The book gives us the full story on all the main writers for the show (and there were a ton of them - to keep the show fresh David and Seinfeld insisted on nearly an entirely new batch each season) as well as the back stories for many of our favorite moments - the Soup Nazi, Festivus, "Crazy" Joe Davola, "sponge-worthy" and on and on.
The book also carries us through the lives of the primary and many of the secondary characters and staff post-show, and I always love a good "where are they now?" story. This aficionado tore through this interesting tale of one of my favorite shows like it was a great marble rye. Fans will love it.
September 15, 2022
Ha! This may be one of those times where I had the bar set so low that the only way to go was up! I thought this was going to be cheesy and lame. Maybe because of the cover? But I can't believe that I actually enjoyed it!
The writing is nothing special at all. Felt like an average magazine article. Also, if you're not a true, die hard fan of Seinfeld, don't even bother. But I loved all the old references and reading about how Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld created it, how they changed the way sitcoms were done, and all the inside stories about the various writers throughout the years.
It made me feel good and brought back lots of memories. I actually remember the airing of the pilot in 1989! I wasn't even married yet, and I was at my boyfriend's house. When the episode ended, we just kind of looked at each other like - meh. And yet.... and yet... later that evening we both said - there's something different here. The show was like no other comedy that we had seen. And the rest was history. I watched every episode for the next 9 years. During the show's run I moved from Florida to Idaho, got married, switched jobs 3 times, but my constant was always Thursday night on NBC! Those half hours were sacred. And now, of course, I've seen the series over and over in syndication. In fact, my husband and I were just on a road trip watching TV in the motel room and we caught it on three different channels!
One of the points the authors makes is that very few people have ever been as committed to a show since Seinfeld. That's me. I've enjoyed other sitcoms - probably "The Office" comes close, but nothing like Seinfeld. Ms. Armstrong also wrote at first that the executives kept saying "too Jewish", "too New York", but that never affected its popularity. I agree. But I did notice when I moved to the west that not as many people that I'd talk to watched the show or thought it was as hilarious as I did. I grew up in south Florida where I was friends with many people who were Jewish and from New York. I KNEW these characters! Lastly, I had to laugh when the author mentioned that fans have a tendency to be able to draw a parallel from their own lives to any or every scene from the show - but they have to be careful because it becomes annoying quickly. Ha! If my sister, Julie, is reading this, she will recognize the two of us in that statement!
I guess the fact we're talking about a show and quoting scenes 24 years after its ending says it all.
The writing is nothing special at all. Felt like an average magazine article. Also, if you're not a true, die hard fan of Seinfeld, don't even bother. But I loved all the old references and reading about how Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld created it, how they changed the way sitcoms were done, and all the inside stories about the various writers throughout the years.
It made me feel good and brought back lots of memories. I actually remember the airing of the pilot in 1989! I wasn't even married yet, and I was at my boyfriend's house. When the episode ended, we just kind of looked at each other like - meh. And yet.... and yet... later that evening we both said - there's something different here. The show was like no other comedy that we had seen. And the rest was history. I watched every episode for the next 9 years. During the show's run I moved from Florida to Idaho, got married, switched jobs 3 times, but my constant was always Thursday night on NBC! Those half hours were sacred. And now, of course, I've seen the series over and over in syndication. In fact, my husband and I were just on a road trip watching TV in the motel room and we caught it on three different channels!
One of the points the authors makes is that very few people have ever been as committed to a show since Seinfeld. That's me. I've enjoyed other sitcoms - probably "The Office" comes close, but nothing like Seinfeld. Ms. Armstrong also wrote at first that the executives kept saying "too Jewish", "too New York", but that never affected its popularity. I agree. But I did notice when I moved to the west that not as many people that I'd talk to watched the show or thought it was as hilarious as I did. I grew up in south Florida where I was friends with many people who were Jewish and from New York. I KNEW these characters! Lastly, I had to laugh when the author mentioned that fans have a tendency to be able to draw a parallel from their own lives to any or every scene from the show - but they have to be careful because it becomes annoying quickly. Ha! If my sister, Julie, is reading this, she will recognize the two of us in that statement!
I guess the fact we're talking about a show and quoting scenes 24 years after its ending says it all.
December 7, 2016
Interesting facts and behind-the-scenes story from the point of view of the writers and directors.
June 8, 2018
I have only one thing so say about this book......if you love the classic comedy Seinfeld. READ THIS BOOK!!!!! A true joy for the Seinfeld fan.
February 23, 2017
What's so special about Seinfeld? What about that show makes it so different?
"No hugging, no learning."
This was the rule, the mantra of Seinfeld writers, started by Larry David.
No matter what happened, the characters did not hug, and they did not learn.
It takes a special kinda show and a special group of people to commit to that. I've always felt that Seinfeld's success came from being very funny, and because it was different from so many other shows in that the characters are reprehensible. Seriously, you would never want to be their friends (with the possible exception of Kramer if you're someone who likes to be on the periphery of a wacky scheme and doesn't mind eating a salad that was made in the shower).
The best parts of this book told some of the stories behind the stories, which turned out to be quite close to the finished product in a lot of cases. If you remember "The Jacket," the episode where Jerry meets Elaine's father, a gruff, frightening man, you might be interested to know that the story came from Larry David's real life. I won't spoil all the details, but I was surprised to find out the gruff father was based on writer Richard Yates!
I also really enjoyed that this book tells some of the backstories of the writers on Seinfeld. I'm always on a soapbox about this shit, so I'll keep it brief, but we give far too little credit to writing staffs out there. This book definitely gives a large number of writers a little ink, which is really nice.
"No hugging, no learning."
This was the rule, the mantra of Seinfeld writers, started by Larry David.
No matter what happened, the characters did not hug, and they did not learn.
It takes a special kinda show and a special group of people to commit to that. I've always felt that Seinfeld's success came from being very funny, and because it was different from so many other shows in that the characters are reprehensible. Seriously, you would never want to be their friends (with the possible exception of Kramer if you're someone who likes to be on the periphery of a wacky scheme and doesn't mind eating a salad that was made in the shower).
The best parts of this book told some of the stories behind the stories, which turned out to be quite close to the finished product in a lot of cases. If you remember "The Jacket," the episode where Jerry meets Elaine's father, a gruff, frightening man, you might be interested to know that the story came from Larry David's real life. I won't spoil all the details, but I was surprised to find out the gruff father was based on writer Richard Yates!
I also really enjoyed that this book tells some of the backstories of the writers on Seinfeld. I'm always on a soapbox about this shit, so I'll keep it brief, but we give far too little credit to writing staffs out there. This book definitely gives a large number of writers a little ink, which is really nice.
August 19, 2016
If you were or are a Seinfeld fan, you should definitely read this book. The best parts are the behind the scenes info, especially about the writing staff, that apparently changed every year. (with the exception of one guy.) Larry David was the writing genius behind closed doors, who single-handily edited every single writers script himself. Jerry Seinfeld was and still is the comedic performing genius and co-collaborator on every episode. After Larry left the show after season 7 or 8 (?),
he hadn't had time off since they started and needed a break, Jerry ran everything.
An NBC executive offered Jerry 5 million an episode to do season 9.
Jerry was done, he wanted to go out on top and the cast agreed. Smart guy.
he hadn't had time off since they started and needed a break, Jerry ran everything.
An NBC executive offered Jerry 5 million an episode to do season 9.
Jerry was done, he wanted to go out on top and the cast agreed. Smart guy.
August 14, 2016
Seinfeld is one of my favorite shows of all-time, so it was fun to read about the behind-the-scenes stuff!
March 15, 2016
A great history of the "show about nothing." When I started this book, I was looking forward to it, but a little skeptical of its claim to demonstrate how Seinfeld "changed everything." Well, I was wrong, as I soon remembered! There's the technical aspect, where Seinfeld's crew pioneered film-style single-camera shooting. There's the creative aspect, where the concept of the showrunner gained more power and prestige compared to TV execs and in the eyes of the public. There's the character aspect, where Jerry and his misanthropic band paved the way for television icons ranging from Tony Soprano to those two broke girls (some more successful than others). And there's the cultural aspect, where a mere TV show seeped into the public consciousness more than ever before, reinvigorated the water cooler conversations all over the world, and yadda yadda yadda. Changed everything? Check.
Within these pages you'll find the stories of the people behind and within Seinfeld, starting with the cast and, of course, the dark, curmudgeonly Larry David. There's a look at the innovative creative process that valorized laughs above all else, including the audience itself and perhaps occasionally good taste. Cons? Not as much as I might have liked on the post-Seinfeld lives of our key figures (Veep only gets one little mention). There also isn't a TON of new info here for the die-hard Seinfeld fan in your life, but it's nice having the whole narrative of the show, from beginning to end, with all the little ins and outs of fate along the way, consolidated in one compact tome.
And frankly it was nice to laugh along the way, remembering all those great, kooky plotlines and character moments.
Within these pages you'll find the stories of the people behind and within Seinfeld, starting with the cast and, of course, the dark, curmudgeonly Larry David. There's a look at the innovative creative process that valorized laughs above all else, including the audience itself and perhaps occasionally good taste. Cons? Not as much as I might have liked on the post-Seinfeld lives of our key figures (Veep only gets one little mention). There also isn't a TON of new info here for the die-hard Seinfeld fan in your life, but it's nice having the whole narrative of the show, from beginning to end, with all the little ins and outs of fate along the way, consolidated in one compact tome.
And frankly it was nice to laugh along the way, remembering all those great, kooky plotlines and character moments.
on-hold
March 14, 2024I'm about 30% done, and have enjoyed reading about a show I liked a lot, but it's beginning to get tedious, partly because of the number of people, and the fact that, while interesting, I'm not really motivated to learn so many trivial facts about the show. So, I put it on hold for now, and may go back and read more if I'm bored.
February 12, 2016
It is a book about everything.
I watch a LOT of Seinfeld. After dozens of viewings of every episode, I find myself watching the periphery, noticing things that I hadn't noticed before while still laughing out loud at 20 year old jokes. Seinfeldia took this even deeper, unlocking seemingly endless hidden backstory. So much of Seinfeld has been woven into our everyday lives and that is what this book is about: the way the show bled over from fiction to reality. It not only explores the show's origins and where different story lines came from, but also how real life people and businesses were affected by their connection with the show. The actual Soup Nazi reviled the show, while the actor who played him embraced that small role and turned it into a career. Kenny Kramer, the inspiration for Cosmo Kramer still runs a Real Kramer Bus Tour a la the Real Peterman Bus Tour. The J. Peterman catalog (did you know there really was one?) flourished, suffered and failed due to it's connection, only to relaunch with none other than Peterman portrayer John O'Hurley as one of the investors. Even the actress who posed for the Rochelle, Rochelle movie poster had a moment where Seinfeld intersected with her real life when an artist put reproductions of the poster outside a closed NYC movie theater.
These are just a fraction of the stories that will now serve to enrich my viewing experience, as I don't want to ruin it for everyone. Whether you are a Seinfeld junkie like myself, or just curious about what famous tv executive was the inspiration for Elaine's horrible dancing, this is a book that will amuse and entertain. It should be a huge hit when it comes out in July. Until then, no book for you! ...and that's gotta hurt...:)
I watch a LOT of Seinfeld. After dozens of viewings of every episode, I find myself watching the periphery, noticing things that I hadn't noticed before while still laughing out loud at 20 year old jokes. Seinfeldia took this even deeper, unlocking seemingly endless hidden backstory. So much of Seinfeld has been woven into our everyday lives and that is what this book is about: the way the show bled over from fiction to reality. It not only explores the show's origins and where different story lines came from, but also how real life people and businesses were affected by their connection with the show. The actual Soup Nazi reviled the show, while the actor who played him embraced that small role and turned it into a career. Kenny Kramer, the inspiration for Cosmo Kramer still runs a Real Kramer Bus Tour a la the Real Peterman Bus Tour. The J. Peterman catalog (did you know there really was one?) flourished, suffered and failed due to it's connection, only to relaunch with none other than Peterman portrayer John O'Hurley as one of the investors. Even the actress who posed for the Rochelle, Rochelle movie poster had a moment where Seinfeld intersected with her real life when an artist put reproductions of the poster outside a closed NYC movie theater.
These are just a fraction of the stories that will now serve to enrich my viewing experience, as I don't want to ruin it for everyone. Whether you are a Seinfeld junkie like myself, or just curious about what famous tv executive was the inspiration for Elaine's horrible dancing, this is a book that will amuse and entertain. It should be a huge hit when it comes out in July. Until then, no book for you! ...and that's gotta hurt...:)
July 27, 2016
There never was and never will be a sitcom like Seinfeld. A true example of when artists are allowed to create without the interference of 'suits' and 'corporate snakes,' something original, interesting and iconic can transpire. I was a fan from the beginning when 'The Seinfeld Chronicles' were hardly seen by anyone only because I had become a fan of Jerry Seinfeld's stand up. I thought it was a wonderfully odd show from the beginning and pestered everyone I knew to watch it. Anyone who really liked the show, should love this book. There is a lot of interesting details about the show, the cast and people who wrote it. It was a pleasant trip down memory lane reliving the episodes as they were discussed. I still enjoy catching reruns and I will go on record as stating that I am one of those people that thought the final show was hilarious and brilliant. I still don't understand why 'critics' thought it was so awful. What better way to end this masterpiece than by bringing back many of the most interesting characters they had over the years and that the gang end up in jail for not abiding by 'a good Samaritan law.' I think it came full circle and it is one of the few American sitcoms that I respect and love.
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