What's with Jerry?

Well, let me first preface this by saying that I LOVE the Seinfeld show. Each episode consistently has something hysterically, perfectly, geniusly funny: maiba tha dango aite yoa baibai, these PRETSELS are making me THIRSTY, there HAD to be a second spitter, Jerry take the pen, in my mind I'm already gone, with my baaaare haaaands maaaan, etc etc.

BUT...there's an element of the show that drives me nuts...and that is Seinfeld himself. Everybody else on the show is GREAT, but what's with Jerry...does he need some acting lessons or what. I have 2 theories on why Jerry never seems to meld into the scenes like the other characters:

(1) He's a stand-up comic and used to playing to the audience (of course this hinges on whether the show is taped in front of a live audience which I'm not sure of). Therefore he never seems to be able to forget that this isn't real-life, he's trying to ACT like himself and it just isn't natural. Its supposed to be HIS life and yet I BELIEVE this is the life of all the other characters EXCEPT for him. He kind of yells his lines in that strange sing-song monotone of his.

(2) The other theory is that his style of acting is SUPPOSED to be obvious because we know this is Jerry Seinfeld playing himself. This is an annoying concept...we get the joke already. I would prefer that Jerry play a character with another name who also just happens to be a stand-up comic.

Also, there is that parody thing they keep trying and which just doesn't seem to work. You know, like when Jerry was grilling the fat guy (name?) Dragnet-style outside his apartment, or the angry cop schtick of the this weeks episode, and the way the Tonight Show stuff was so fake seeming. I know the fake aspect of the Tonight Show bit was probably intentional, they know we know it wasn't real, so they're trying to do some sort of in-joke takeoff on the whole thing. It would be a great idea if it was funny, but to me it just doesn't work. I'm sitting there trying to laugh but instead feeling that its just kind of lame.

I also agree that the show's success hinges on the NYC element. The ideosyncracies of George and Kramer are funny and endearing in the context of that environment whereas they just seem like some kind of sad loosers out in la-la land.

Anyway, despite these small complaints let me reiterate that I think the show is great and I hope they don't tinker with it too much in the future ...other than Jerry's acting lessons that is :-)

Whadda you think?

--Cea

You noticed this too, huh?

I heard Jason Alexander interviewed on "Fresh Air", and he talked about this problem exactly. Essentially he copped out and said that it used to drive him crazy that Jerry couldn't act, but now he thinks it works as part of the show. Now, I have two theories about THAT statement.

• It's true (?hmmmmm?)

2. Jerry said, "Look Jay, you can quit complaining and work on
   this show, OR you can further you career by doing a few more
   of those wonderful Western Union commercials.  Now what's it
   gonna be?"

I guess the official line is that he is SUPPOSED to be obvious.

-Mark

In article , [email] (Mark A Zabel) writes:

[...]

The show works for me. It's in a long line of comedies in which a comedian plays himself, going way back to the 50s--Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Lucy and Desi Arnaz, on up through the Gary Shandling Show. Not all of these people were great actors, but they did give us a lot of laughs.

In article , [email] (Mark A Zabel) writes:

                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Given that Jerry can't act his way out of a wet paper sack, who *CARES*? I sure don't watch the show to see a stand up comic *act*, of all things. Volunteering my own opinion here, I think Jerry's main role in the show is to be the catalyst, the straight man for the other characters.

Elaine is my favorite character! Where was she for the season opener?! No wonder it was a let-down!

-Josh

[email] (Joshua Cox) writes:

I read that she is pregnant and will return after the first few episodes. Maybe that is why the storyline is Kramer to LA and the 'boys' follow; She doesn't have to be involved.

[email] (Mark A Zabel) writes:

[theories deleted]

I think is IS true. Jerry's unnatural manner sets him apart from what's going on around him. He's more observer than participnat. And I consider that to be the basis of Seinfeld's comedic vision: a rational man puzzled by what he sees: I mean, what's going ON here?

--Louise

In an article I read some time ago, it mentioned that the gist of the humour was that here was a stand-up comedian playing "straight man" to comedic actors, an ironic twist, if you will (and if you won't, well...).