Fans discuss Jerry's "one year too late" comment about Newman's millennium party booking, debating whether the true millennium starts Jan 1 2001 or if the joke refers to Dec 31 1999 versus 2000.
Jerry says "One year too late." I think he means that when Newman made reservations for the Millennium party, it was booked for Dec. 31, 2000, therefore, "one year too late" for the party he wants to have on Dec. 31, 1999.
Laura
On Sat, 20 May 2000 [email] wrote:
I think we are saying the same thing, but your not quite understanding it right. Since the millenium doesn't start until Jan 1 2001, like Jerry pointed out, there's no way Newman's party could be a year late, unless for some reason he booked it on Dec 31, 2001, which he didn't.
Jerry pointed out that since there was no year zero, the new millenium starts on Jan 1 2001. But we have to assume that Newman has plans for Dec 31 1999. Especially since they make a reference to 1999 when Kramer starts bringing in stuff to Jerry's apartment for the party. So obviously, Newman and Kramers parties were both going to be a year early, which makes Jerry's statement incorrect.
John Twernbold wrote in message news:7Y0W4.411$[email]...
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lol, nope--we're saying different things, and *you* are not quite understanding it right. :-)
The biggest New Year's Eve celebration will be (er... *was*) on December 31, 1999. The pedants would argue that the true millenium wouldn't start until a year later, on the night of December 31, 2000.
Here's the joke's setup: Newman booked the "millenium New Year's Eve", not specifiying the date. He mistakenly thought he had booked it for December 31, 1999--the night everyone will be celebrating. But Jerry pointed out that by specifying the "millenium New Year's Eve", he had actually booked December 31, 2000--a year AFTER the huge worldwide celebration.
Yes, he had *intended* to book December 31, 1999. But he *didn't*! And that's why Jerry pointed it out--Newman had screwed up and made the reservation for a date one year too late. That's the whole joke, see?
Yes, they all realize that the big party date is December 31, 1999. Which makes Newman's sheduling mistake funny--he booked the facility for December 31, 2000.
[sigh] No, Jerry's statement is correct. Which do you think is more logical: that we all understand the correctly-worded joke and you've misunderstood it, or that we are all wrong (including the writers of Seinfeld, not to mention their cast and crew) and that you are the only one who is right?
John
Thank you for explaining what I was trying to say more clearly. I realize the joke takes a second to get but it isn't that difficult.
Scott
On Mon, 22 May 2000 20:00:17 GMT, "John Twernbold" wrote:
Actually, Seinfeld and the writers *are* at fault... for letting such a crucial, episode-ending joke be so poorly written it had to be explained and explained and explained!
I believe there is no way in hell Newman booked Dec. 31, 2000 for his party. What kind of hotel / event center would book 12/31/2000 for someone specifically wanting a 'millenium new years eve party?' Let's be reasonable: Nobody. Even in 1978! When Newman presumably got his reservation form in the mail, it would have had a date on it.
How was Jerry to know Newman made the wrong date of his party? He didn't get an invitation, and presumably the invitation had the date "12/31/99," or "Millenium party" on it. Would Newmie have sent out an unvitation to he guests for 12/31/2000? No, of course not. But how does Jer know what date Newman has? The joke supposes Jerry knows Newman had a reservation for 12/31/2000, which cannot be proven from the information in the episode. How? Did Jerry get a hold of the room's booking agent?
Do you think Christopher Cross would have made such a crucial reservation willy nilly?
I hope it was a good party. Christopher Cross Rulz!
John Twernbold wrote:
crucial,
Yeah, you're correct--it's not very clear. As for it not being realistic: c'mon, this is *Seinfeld*. If you're going to nitpick this joke, how do you explain nearly every plot and subplot ever used? They're ALL unrealistic. But funny! :-)
John
I think Jerry was saying that by reserving a date for the Millenium that the restaurant would reserve it for Dec. 31 2000 instead of Dec. 31 1999 because the Millenium New Years Eve party would be 2000 not 1999
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