Sure, Newman can be very annoying, but this is what makes him such a great character. All of us are in situations where there is someone around who we can't wait to leave. It makes us appreciate more the time that he (or she!) isn't there. However, I think Newman is the best `once in a while' characters. He fills his niche very well. I would even have to say that he even tops Larry from Three's Company in this repect. It was great when Newman was saying everything that Kramer was feeding him at Bleeker Bob's. He is a great complement to Kramer: the courtroom scene.
-John