Seinfeld Announces Newsgroup Seinoff
By John Littleton
NEW YORK (Variety) - Will George finally find true love with the ghost of his dearly departed fiancee, Susan? Will Kramer finally become the star of his own fabulous television talk show? Will Newman fall victim to one of Kramer's kooky antics and end up in the hospital? And, are those wedding bells we here for Jerry and Elaine?
The world, it seems, just can't stop talking about the upcoming series finale of "Seinfeld," set to air May 14. But, in the online world at least, fans won't have much left to say as series star and co-creator Jerry Seinfeld announced today his plans to close two Seinfeld related internet newsgroups.
"That's the true spirit of the internet," Seinfeld commented during the announcement, "people talking about me."
The newsgroups affected, alt.tv.seinfeld and rec.tv.seinfeld, are to be shut down effective May 25th, eleven days after the series finale. The closing of rec.tv.seinfeld came as little or no surprise as it has basically been a dead newsgroup for quite some time now, however the closing of alt.tv.seinfeld is certain to cause quite a stir as speculation and discussion are at a fever-pitch these days.
"I listen to this for fifteen minutes and I'm on top of the world. Your misery is my pleasure."
Seinfeld pauses for a moment.
"Y'know I remember when I was a kid growing up," he continues, "kids would make fun of my name like you wouldn't believe . . . Jerry, Jerry Dingleberry . . . Seinsmelled . . ."
Although the long-term newsgroup licensing commitments won't be up until Winter of 1999, Seinfeld has apparently decided that enough really is enough.
"You don't understand what I'm up against. This is a force more powerful than anything you can imagine," he said.
Some say it's a risky strategy for the top sitcom star to completely shut out his fans so soon after the end of such an incredibly successful run. But Seinfeld is quick to downplay any rumors of dissension in the ranks.
"They won't do anything," he smirks. "In fact, you'll be giving them a story to tell for the rest of their lives. C'mon, there will be people to mock."
"Don't get too down," he continues. "You see how it all evens out for me?"
Yet beneath his smooth, confident demeanor, Seinfeld appears somewhat cautious.
"What, am I gonna make sarcastic remarks to strangers?"
"I'm in the unfortunate position of having to consider other people's feelings. I don't think we want to walk in there and put a big plastic jug of Pepsi in the middle of the table."
". . . not that there's anything wrong with that."
Later, when asked if he had anything to say to the fans who would be affected, even saddened, by the newsgroup closings, Seinfeld had this to offer, "I think I'm pretty much like you -- only successful."
To the internet savvy, it's no secret that several alleged plot synopsis for the final episode have been floating around for some time. As today's press conference closed, one reporter asked about the legitimacy of the script involving the hospitalization of secondary character Newman.
Seinfeld simply smiled and mumbled, "Let me just finish my coffee, and then we'll go watch them cut the fat bastard up."
------------------ Reuters/Variety ^REUTERS@
08:00 05-12-98