George's Religion

Dec 15, 2003, 10:18 AM ET16 posts by 12 posters

🧠 Theory😐 Mixed

Fans debate George Costanza's religious background, with most evidence pointing to Roman Catholic despite some contradictory details like circumcision and a scene with a rabbi.

16 posts

Steve HillDec 15, 2003, 10:18 AM ET

I find this subject a little confusing, what is he? I always assumed Roman Catholic, but lets look at a few things.

Catholic: his father is Italian Italians are almost all Catholic, (those in or outside italy) Claims to like Christian rock, (although as a Catholic, i know many of us hate it, but I find it harder to believe someone of non-cristian background would like it) George's father is a member of the Knights of Columbus and to be a member of that group, one MUST be an active, practicing Roman Catholic

But lets look at the other side: He often insinuates he is circumcised, (uncommon in Italy and Catholics) Frank was seen praying with the Rabbi in The Finale

But looking at a couple of other issues raised in an earlier post about this: The mother may be Jewish and won't even drive a Mercedes because it's a German car - maybe, but all marriages involving Roman Catholics usually end up with the other converting, and also, the Italians and Germans don't always see eye to eye, (as can be seen at the moment over the EU constitution debate).

My opinion - catholic, but I hate it when script writers throw the odd inaccuracy in to confuse us.

osmiumDec 15, 2003, 12:45 PM ET↩ Steve Hill

Steve Hill writes:

Your logic is irrefutable :-)

Doug NorrisDec 15, 2003, 9:13 PM ET↩ Steve Hill

He's Latvian Orthodox, right? But probably not too serious about it.

Doug

voidDec 16, 2003, 2:36 AM ET↩ Doug Norris

On 16 Dec 03 02:13:31 GMT, [email] (Doug Norris) wrote:

LOL...  fahdah...

TheNewsGuy(Mike)Dec 16, 2003, 10:02 AM ET↩ Doug Norris

On 16 Dec 03 02:13:31 GMT, [email] (Doug Norris) wrote:

"It didn't take."

(I know Jerry says this to Elaine, anyone know in what episode he says it?)

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NooneDec 16, 2003, 8:00 AM ET↩ TheNewsGuy(Mike)

In article , [email] says...

George says it to Jerry, when questiong about Susan's lesbianism. (The Engagement)

TheNewsGuy(Mike)Dec 16, 2003, 9:55 PM ET↩ Noone

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 15:00:55 +0200, Noone wrote:

Yes, I know that but there is another scene in another episode where Elaine questions Jerry about George's religious conversion and Jerry also says "It didn't take." I can't find any reference to it. Perhaps it is in an original telecast and not in a syndicated version.

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NooneDec 17, 2003, 3:02 AM ET↩ TheNewsGuy(Mike)

In article , [email] says...

Yes, I remember something like that. Can't place it on any particular episode, though. Have to look it up...

Ian F.Dec 16, 2003, 8:02 AM ET↩ TheNewsGuy(Mike)

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote in message news:[email]...

Robert PirrazziDec 16, 2003, 5:22 PM ET↩ Steve Hill

Circumcision is uncommon among Italians and Catholics?! Well, I'm of Italian descent and raised a Catholic and I'm circumcised, and so is my father, and just about everyone I know is as well. I'd always assumed that most people were nowadays regardless of religion, at least in the U.S., in fact I was well into my 20's before I even saw an uncircumcised penis.

ErDec 16, 2003, 8:00 PM ET↩ Robert Pirrazzi

"Robert Pirrazzi" wrote in message news:[email]...

Well, what did you think?

VictorDec 17, 2003, 12:09 AM ET↩ Er

I THINK IT MOVED!!!

ErDec 17, 2003, 8:27 AM ET↩ Victor

" Victor" wrote in message news:dzRDb.104$[email]...

LOL!

Sï¿½bastien SmithDec 17, 2003, 12:10 AM ET↩ Robert Pirrazzi

Grazie for that post Robert...

I was raised under the cover of catholism, and so I too have been circumcised...

I don't adhere to that ideology anymore, since I've become over time one that holds more of a agnostical take on life.

But I was catholic and since I can't turn back time, not yet at least, my skin is still off down there.

Steve HillDec 17, 2003, 6:22 AM ET↩ Sï¿½bastien Smith

Thanks, in many ways you have confirmed that Catholics in the US are often circumcised and so George could still be catholic, (although we know he isn't religious). I still find it hard to believe that he would be as Frank was born in Italy and circumcision rates in Europe at at best 25%, (here in the UK, rest of Europe falls to about 10%), unless Estelle is/was Jewish and she insisted on it, although I have no idea, my guess is that since most of the writing and production staff were Jewish, they found it easier to write in this manner.

As for the arguement that his parents act like most Jewish parents, I think that is wrong, I know people from New York who are Irish who act like that and others around this country of varying religions and races who are the same. Is anyone honestly trying to say that just because they adopt many Jewish customs/foods etc that they are Jewish? Does that mean if I started eating bagels every day, I too would become Jewish?

Raised a Catholic, always a catholic, (I so desperately want to be an Athiest, but they won't let me).

"Sï¿½bastien Smith" wrote in message news:...

stevehoranDec 21, 2003, 9:24 PM ET↩ Steve Hill

"Steve Hill" wrote in message news:[email]...

Circumcision is, literally, standard operating procedure on the US - regardless of one's religion. In recent years it's become more controversial as there are apparently some compelling arguments against circumcision. There's a radio Dr. named Dean Edell (sp?) who's on a crusade against it.

The only American male I know of who's uncircumcized is Elvis Presley. Some biographer made a comment to that effect and it stuck with me.

It was disclosed that Frank was born in Italy in one of the later, silly episodes. In the earlier episodes where the Larry David influence is stronger, it's more obvious that George has more of a Jewish flavor to his character. He's based on Larry David, who's Jewish, and all three actors who play the Costanzas were Jewish.

In the show's early, developmental stages NBC honcho commented that the series might be "too Jewish" for "flyover country" (the parts of the nation between the two coasts). So they may have chosen the name Costanza in response to that and Seinfeld did have a childhood friend named Costanza. I wouldn't take the name too seriously as an indication of an Italian background as... it's a madeup name for a fictional character! IIRC, Jerry Stiller said in an interview that the Costanzas were Jews in a federal relocation program or something.

IMO, George is meant to be stealthily Jewish. If he wasn't, much of the humor of the Limo wouldn't have worked.

Jerry: It was a bad jig, a terrible terrible jig. What are we gonna do now? They're gonna know you're not O'Brien.

George: There could be more than one O'Brien on a plane who ordered a limo.

Jerry: First of all, you don't look like any O'Brien, period.

The actor who played Seinfeld's father is Irish.

Ummmm.... George doesn't really exist! He wasn't really Jewish or really Catholic because he wasn't really real.

If you converted while eating bagels every day...

:-)

Oh come! If really believe you're an atheist, you'll be an atheist and, if you don't believe, you'll be an atheist anyway!