Posted on 12/20/2004 2:23:41 PM PST by Drew68
GATHER around the Festivus pole and listen to a tale about a real holiday made fictional and then real again, a tale that touches on philosophy, King Lear, the pool at the Chateau Marmont hotel, a paper bag with a clock inside and, oh yes, a television show about nothing.
The first surprise is that from Tampa Bay, Fla., to Washington, from Austin, Tex., to Oxford, Ohio, many real people are holding parties celebrating Festivus, a holiday most believe was invented on an episode of "Seinfeld" first broadcast the week before Christmas in 1997.
"More and more people are familiar with what Festivus is, and it's growing," said Jennifer Galdes, a Chicago restaurant publicist who organized her first Festivus party three years ago. "This year many more people, when they got the invite, responded with, `Will there be an airing of the grievances and feats of strength?' "
Those two rituals — accusing others of being a disappointment and wrestling — are traditions of Festivus as explained on the show by the character Frank Costanza. On that episode he tells Kramer that he invented the holiday when his children were young and he found himself in a department store tug of war with another Christmas shopper over a doll. "I realized there had to be a better way," Frank says.
So he coined the slogan "A Festivus for the rest of us" and formulated the other rules: the holiday occurs on Dec. 23, features a bare aluminum pole instead of a tree and does not end until the head of the family is wrestled to the floor and pinned.
The actual inventor of Festivus is Dan O'Keefe, 76, whose son Daniel, a writer on "Seinfeld," appropriated a family tradition for the episode.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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I get such a kick out of Jerry Stiller.
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No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel, No bagel...
One of the funnier episodes..
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Hmm... I just clicked on it. Try again.
Happy Festivus my friend.
Kruger, you couldn't smooth a silk sheet if you had a hot date with a babe.. I lost my train of thought.
I must not be living right. I still can't get to it.
The Manzier!
My family could definitely due with some air of grievances this year.
This is the only episode of Seinfeld I've watched (about 2 dozen all together, largely when I didn't control the remote) that I actually liked. Maybe because the most annoying character (George is 90% of the reason I don't like the show) got whopped by his dad.
Festivus is making inroads into the real world? I guess I'll make a donation to the Human Fund. SERENITY NOW!!!
"Festivus" was invented by somebody named O'Keefe? Will wonders never cease?
No, it's the "bro"!
Check this: http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-2/festivus%2004.htm.
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This is a plot by the lefties in Hollywood to wreck the Winter Shopping Festival, capitalism's holiest ritual.