Don’t misunderstand me. I like Seinfeld’s rather low-key humor. But his show is funnier than he is by himself, in my opinion. But then, I haven’t actually seen his stand-up for many years, I remember him turning up on a few shows prior to his sitcom but that has to be a long time ago. His stand-up routine at the beginning or end of his sit-com was perhaps intentionally lame.
The show itself, though, some very good writing and comedic acting.
That’s okay Marron. I understand. Look, there are comedians out there today that can’t say one single thing to make me laugh. Others are rolling in the isles. I just don’t get them.
For one thing, I’m not into crude. Back in the 90s it got to the point where vulgarity was a prerequisite for comedians. I quit going to comedy clubs.
The last comedy club evening I attended, the acts were great until about midnight. We’re talking some hilarious acts. We were in the front row. At one point about 11:00, this female comedian unloaded a glass of water on me. Hey, I just took it and laughed. I was soaked. She was funny, and you more or less ask for it sitting in the front row of a comedy club. They love to focus on ya.
About 11:30 a guy came on and starting picking on a very attractive white woman. He was black. By the time he was done he was insulting her husband, her children, and any other family members, (not present, she was out with friends). He also proceeded to address regions of her crotch, and anything else that came to mind. It was very vicious.
After him came the real racists came out. Honestly, it was the last comedy club night for me. When we got up to leave, there wasn’t a white person in the place. They had all left and the audience was to a man and woman, black.
I actually felt unsafe leaving the place. I was with my wife, and felt bad for placing her in that situation.
I don’t get why it has to be that way. The most prominent racists I have ever seen, have been black.
“Seinfeld” doesn’t seem to have aged as well as “Frasier” which never goes out of style, even today.
IMHO the last good grown-up sitcom was “Just Shoot Me” but I do enjoy “The Middle” on Hallmark.
I liked Seinfeld’s stand up. He was a master of the observational comedy, and it wasn’t that popular when he hit the circuits. Seinfeld basically blazed the trail for observational comedians.
But the genius of his show, and it was a genius conceit, was that while he actually played a comedian on the series, he was the straight man. The comedian wasn’t the funny one.
That’s brilliant.
George, Elaine, and Kramer were the ones that most often ended up in outrageous situations, with a very calm Jerry just making observations. Like his stand up.
It was a clever show that got more clever the more you watched it. Almost impossible to duplicate.