Seinfeld slammed in March Harper's

The author, performance artist Danny Hoch, recounts his experience taping Seinfeld. (The article is an excerpt from his stage show.) He originally was to play Ramon, the title character of "The Pool Guy," but was fired after one day of shooting because he refused to play the character with a Spanish accent, as Jerry Seinfeld insisted.

. . . when I think about all of my university-trained, fabulously talented, African American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban actor friends, and how the only roles they're asked to play are drug addicts, murderers, and idiotic pool cleaners, I think Jerry Seinfeld is, like, the enemy.

The actor who ultimately played the role, Carlos Jacott, did not use a Spanish accent either, but the gag is that when Jerry drops Ramon socially, Ramon accuses Jerry of being classist ("You don't like me because I'm a POOL GUY," or words to that effect) and, I think we are meant to infer, racist. This all seems a bit self-serving, but it's still pretty funny--and I don't think an ethnically typed Ramon would have made it any funnier.

K.

So he didn't do what his boss asked him to do, and he was fired because
of it?  I would take this to mean he is now a 'disgruntled ex-employee'
and I wouldn't be too concerned with what he has to say.
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(Hammer nail here--> <-- for a new monitor.)
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Obviously you're the boss at work. You take a very capitalist view

William Batista-Lopez

"I am what I am, and I'm not askin' myself any questions. The time you start talkin' to yourself is when you're unhappy, when you wanna change. I don't wanna change. I'm satisfied with what I am."

Nope. Not capitalist, maybe pragmatist.

How can he say the "only" roles they get to play are negative ones? Have there been ~~NO~~ TV shows or movies with actors of African, Spanish, etc., heritage where they play decent or positive characters?

This also prompts the question: if a TV or movie character is less than 100% perfect, if he has any failings or quirks at all, must that person always be played by a white male?

-Dave

I've subscribed to Harpers for over a decade. Hoch's piece was interesting, if for no other reason than to get one person's take on the behind the scenes politics at a taping.

I havent seen any of Hoch's shows, but from the reviews I've read, it seemssome of his characters are Hispanic street types....gang bangers, junkies, etc. He seems to have no problem promulgating negative stereotypes when he collects the cash and kudos. Its the same kind of logic that lets rap artists use the word nigger a couple of hundred times on a record, then point to anyone else's use of the word as proof of racism.

I'm glad he has the integrity to refuse to play a character he isnt comfortable with, but refute his whining argument.

Tim

He did a show in the LA area several month's ago and the critical opinion was fairly positive, but critic's did note he should drop his Seinfeld bashing, since it reflected badly on his otherwise good comedy. He no doubt uses Seinfeld in his act like everyone else in Hollywood does--to gain more attention by associating himself with a big name. Personally, I would nevergo see this pompous dude's act for that very reason. alt showbiz gossip

[email] (Kenneth Burns) wrote:

This man deserves a medal!

This man deserves nothing. I don't need to start listing the thousands of black and Hispanic actors who have performed well in legitimate roles to know that this man is making patently ridiculous excuses for his own shortcomings. I suppose you believe that drug addicts and murderers are the only roles that his "fabulously talented African American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban actor friends," are ever cast for? Of course not. You'd have to me an idiot, or extremely naive.

I'll stand by my assertion. He's a hack who's having trouble coming to terms with the fact that he may be a bit too demanding to find work in Hollywood.

Dave wrote:

Well of course not. His comments are absurd. But at least he's good for a laugh.

Justin T.

Justin Tribble wrote in message ...

And maybe a chest to pin it on???

Justin Tribble wrote in message ...

And maybe a chest to pin it on???

In article , [email] wrote:

Now if they were (idiotically) accusing Larry David of the same things, I'd bet you'd be flying off the handle and frothing at the mouth, eh little boy?

John

[email] (John Smith) wrote:

Ohh you stupid idiot I WAS KIDDING. Lighten up.

Read it...it made no sense at all. The character wasn't even played with a Spanish accent (or anything other than a mild New York accent, in fact) by the man who ultimately played the part on the air. Could it be that he writer of that article got the boot because he just didn't get it right? (And he really would have had to blow it... hardly anyone ever gets fired off Seinfeld, and people who've worked it want to come back because it's one of the most relaxed and pleasant sets in the industry.)

The whole point of the show was not about ethnic- ity, but about Jerry not liking people who are clingy... and maybe Jerry's problems relating to folks who may not be as educated and middle-class as he is. A bit of self-satire and self-deprecation on Jerry's part... no surprise since Jerry seems to like to use himself and his own quirks as a frequent target of his humor.

Reading Danny Hoch, I get the sense of a guy who blew it and doesn't want to admit it...

Bob Smith, afternoons WXXI-AM 1370, Rochester NY