Posted on 06/27/2005 7:58:15 AM PDT by Kitten Festival
Seinfeld was a television marvel. Perhaps the most successful situation comedy series of all time, it ran from 1989 to 1998, and has become an omnipresent aspect of our lives as it continually runs in syndication and lives on in best-selling DVD box sets, making fortunes in the hundred millions for both of its co-creators.
But there is yet another facet of Seinfeld at which we can marvel: the cast of characters on the show weirdly foreshadowed the rise to prominence of a large component of the dominant urban liberal wing of the Democratic Party. With a nod to Brian Anderson’s South Park Conservatives and a quick glance backward at yesterday’s Matt Bai New York Times Magazine article King of the Hill Democrats, let us join the craze for television series politics, and call them Seinfeld Liberals.
Their emergence has not been beneficial for our nation.
Hollywood has long provided role models and templates for Americans – just as books and stories always have (Washington and the Cherry tree, Abe Lincoln studying by candle, the always-inventive Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison, the heroic obstinacy of U.S. Grant and George Patton).
In recent decades, a certain cynicism about the character of Americans seems to have taken hold, at least in the filmed and televised entertainment we see.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
"I want to look good... not better!"
"With the possible exception of Elaine, none of the characters would bother to go out and vote."
Didn't George's father refuse to vote because he was a naturalized American, was disqualified from being President and, in protest, refused to participate in the process?
Coming tomorrow: CSI: Miami Socially Conservative Fiscally Liberal Democrats that are pro-Life and Law and Order: Criminal Intent pro-choice libertarians.
....and you want to be my latex salesman?
A great episode was when Kramer took part in the AIDS walk. He refused to wear the ribbon and was beaten up by a gay gang.
The interaction between Kramer and Frank were some incredible moments. The "Bro" vs the "Man-sierre" debate was a comedy classic.
And whenever things get overwhelming at the office I scream out "Serenity now!!!"
If the show had gone political, it would never have been the success it became.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is a great show.
It's interesting that you didn't like Seinfeld that much but like Curb.
I did really enjoy Seinfeld when it was ON. Once it went into syndication, I wasn't as entertained, but then I only like watching the Simpsons over and over.
But if someone can't watch Seinfeld, Curb or Simpsons or South Park or King of the Hill(at least one of them) then there is something wrong with their sense of humor.
Sounds like the guy was hard up for am article and took off after the NT Times piece, which I thought was pretty good - original at least.
I always saw the show as masterful irony and wonderful character development. Great casting (even the extras and occasionals - Uncle Leo, Soup Nazi. Johnny Cochran) and great writing.
Liberal archetypes? Puhleeze.
I got through 2/3 of it. The secret of good writing is to make your point in the first paragraph or two. This article rambles all over the place. Too long by half for the subject and unorganized. I would give it a C-.
The "Not that there's anything wrong with that" episode quite exposed the middle-minded liberals' devotion to political correctness as superficial and self-serving.
Can't we just accept that not all shows have hidden agendas and enjoy them (or not) for what they are?
Trendspotting is as silly and unproductive as trainspotting, yes, but if we didn't have diversions like these then the internet would start to have a positive effect on workplace productivity, and more people would lose their paying jobs.
But your post reminds me of this exchange in Whit Stillman's film Barcelona:
Fred: Maybe you can clarify something for me. Since I've been, you know, waiting for the fleet to show up, I've read a lot, and...
Ted: Really?
Fred: And one of the things that keeps popping up is this about "subtext." Plays, novels, songs - they all have a "subtext," which I take to mean a hidden message or import of some kind. So subtext we know. But what do you call the message or meaning that's right there on the surface, completely open and obvious? They never talk about that. What do you call what's above the subtext?
Ted: The text.
Fred: OK, that's right, but they never talk about that.
Oh yeah without a doubt.
I'd post but I'm into my nightly three episodes of Seinfeld and a half hour of the BBC feed.
Larry David should donate his brain to science.
I loved Seinfeld and I'm no liberal...
I liked it too, because it was about ...... nothing.
the Seinfeld characters are setup to be MOCKED for their shallow, hypocritical values.
That's one thing that made it funny.
I've been a Michael Richards fan...
Yes, I think he was what made the show, the outsider loony with 3 neurotics.
Someone's been licking too many stamps.
Taxi?
Taxi had some loveable characters too. Character development has become even more shallow with the "reality" show craze. I liked a lot of 80's sitcoms too. We loved watching the Dukes of Hazard and the A team.
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