Seinfeld Liberals

The American Thinker ^ | 6/26/05 | Ed Lasky

[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.

[weegee]

Wasn't one episode pulled from reruns? The one where Kramer accidently sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire and then stomps it out on the ground?

[Piranha]

Why do you say that George was Jewish? I never saw that.

Elaine's faith may not have been disclosed, but she did wear a crucifix in at least one episode.

[warsaw44]

This was about the funniest TV show I have ever seen. Between this and The Simpsons I have never seen anything funnier.
That being said I think 90% of what passes for humor on TV isnt funny at all.

[sassbox]

Are you sure George and his family were Jewish? I always thought they were Italian Catholics - or at least Italian Catholic by heritage. Not many practicing Catholics celebrate Festivus instead of Christmas :-)

[BADROTOFINGER]

While the author has some interesting points, he misses the big picture--the Seinfeld characters are setup to be MOCKED for their shallow, hypocritical values.

You have a great point! I think that someone should make a website cataloging all of the various foibles of liberals and then allow people to post messages mocking them! I could be hugh!!! ;-)...JFK

[BADROTOFINGER]

oops

IT could be hugh!

...JFK

[moog]

I tell ya, when I come home after a 12 hour day, all I want to do is drink 3 beers, watch 2 episodes of Hogan's Heroes and fall into bed.

I really like people like you--tell it like it is. My personal favorite was Gomer Pyle actually.

[Kirkwood]

"Wasn't one episode pulled from reruns? The one where Kramer accidently sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire and then stomps it out on the ground?"

I think they pulled it from the NBC rerun schedule for the season, but I've seen it at least a few times in syndicated reruns.

[Kirkwood]

George's father was Catholic. He belonged to the Knights of Columbus and Kramer once rented the K of C hall for some function (for Jewish couples I think). Kramer meanwhile specifically says he wasn't Jewish (more than once), but I don't recall him ever professing a belief. So George I think was a lapsed Catholic. Elaine was raised either Catholic or Luthern, but was a nonpracticing Christian in any case based on her interaction with Puddy.

[Kirkwood]

"Are you sure George and his family were Jewish? I always thought they were Italian Catholics - or at least Italian Catholic by heritage. Not many practicing Catholics celebrate Festivus instead of Christmas :-)"

You are correct. And Frank was... just weird.

[cubreporter]

Then you missed one heckuva lot of laughs.

[Bob J]

I got about 2/3 through this article and had to stop reading as it was completely asinine.

[Cagey]

George was also Jewish

Yes, "Can't stand ya" just sounds so Jewish. And, George's father had relatives in Tuscany.

Jason Alexander is Jewish, but the character George wasn't.

Now this is starting to sound like an Adam Sandler song.

[A_perfect_lady]

Yes, none of those things bothered me. I just have a thing about cats. I'm a cad lady.

[A_perfect_lady]

(ahem) "cat" lady.

[summer]

Re your post #174 - It was a very long way to get to the end, here:

The Seinfeld creators proudly admitted their show was about “nothing.” Larry David, the co-creator of the Seinfeld show, as any proud parent would desire, has refused to let his progeny perish. From the Olympian heights of Hollywood, David (and his wife Laurie) have been in the forefront of fundraising for the Democratic Party. They have been promoting a very liberal agenda. With his creative and financial resources, he has begat many more Seinfeld Liberals.

This type of help is not necessarily going to bring glad tidings to the Democratic Party. As the Democrats continue to lack new ideas, engage in the ridicule of religious people, make a mockery of the concept of family life, obsess with endless fault-finding and nit-picking, they have become the natural heirs of the Seinfeld show: They have become Seinfeld Liberals: Democrats who stand for and are about nothing. (THE END)

[Kirkwood]

Can't stand ya is what Jerry and George's old high school gym coach says.
In the episode called "The Fatigues" the following conversation takes place:

Kramer walks in carrying a stack of flyers, he hands a few to Jerry and Elaine.

Kramer: Yowza yowza. Check it out.

Jerry (reading): Jewish singles night?

Kramer: I expect you both to be there.

Elaine: I'm not Jewish.

Kramer: Well neither am I.

Jerry: Well why are you going?

Kramer: I'm not, I'm running it.

Jerry: What are you talking about?

Kramer: Well Lomez, he usually runs it but he's in the Everglades.

Jerry: Lomez is Jewish?

Kramer: Oh yeah yeah yeah. Orthodox, Jerry. Old school.

Elaine (reading): At the Knights of Columbus?

Kramer: Yeah, Frank Costanza, he's getting me a room at his lodge. So Jerry, you know I'm really counting on you to come to this.

Jerry: Kramer, you know, I--

Kramer: No, Jerry, look I'm cooking all the food myself.

Elaine (reading): A tempting schmear of authentic Jewish delicacies.

[sheik yerbouty]

"When worlds collide"!