.gif)
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Encyclopedia
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist
of the American
television
sitcom
Seinfeld
(1989
–1998
). The straight man
among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized
version of comedian
Jerry Seinfeld
was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.
The series revolves around Jerry's misadventures with his best friend George Costanza
, neighbor Cosmo Kramer
, and ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes
. He is usually the voice of reason amidst his friends' antics and the focal point of the foursome's relationship. An eternal optimist, he rarely runs into major personal problems. Jerry is the only main character on the show to maintain the same career (a stand-up comedian
, like the real Seinfeld) throughout the series. He is the most observational character
, sarcastically commenting on his friends' quirky habits.
Much of the show's action takes place in Jerry's apartment located at 129 West 81st Street, apartment 5A. He and his friends also frequent Monk's Cafe
.
Jerry appeared in all 180 episodes of Seinfeld (including several two-part episodes), holding the distinction of being the only character in the show to appear in every episode.
Jerry is generally completely indifferent to what goes on in his friends' lives, seeing their misery as merely an entertaining distraction, as well as an opportunity for joke material. He often plays along with their hare-brained schemes, often just to see them fail. In the episode "The Serenity Now
", Jerry lets out his emotions and cries, and is perplexed by the experience ("What is this salty discharge?"). In "The Foundation
" Elaine points out that he has "never felt remorse," to which Jerry replies, "Yeah, I feel kinda bad about that." He will often nonchalantly state, "That's a shame" when something bad happens (often due to his or his friends' actions). A recurring joke is Jerry not helping Elaine carrying groceries or heavy objects. Jerry, George and Elaine all share a general trait of not letting go of other character's remarks and going to great lengths to be proven right. In one episode, Jerry goes out of his way to rent a house in Tuscany, Italy, just because "The Maestro" told him there weren't any available. Another example was when he bought his parents the same car over and over again, creating a great financial loss.
Despite his usual indifference to his friends and their actions, Jerry apparently is quite satisfied with his life, to the point that he actually feels worried about anything that might threaten the group lifestyle. In "The Invitations", for example, Jerry admits that he feels depressed about George getting married, seeing as how George will eventually leave the group and Jerry will never see him again. Once Elaine told him that she was "getting out" of the group, Jerry became so worried about a near future of just him and Kramer that he unknowingly almost walked into a car while crossing the street. In "The Bizarro Jerry
", Jerry also grows panicky about losing the group dynamic when Kramer becomes too busy with his fake job and Elaine temporarily leaves to join the bizarro group, claiming that "The whole system's breaking down!" Jerry himself perfectly sums up his relation to his three friends in the episode "The Letter". In a deleted scene from that show, he claims that his friends are "not more important" than his girlfriends, but "they're as important."
Unlike George and Elaine, Jerry rarely runs into major personal problems. In "The Opposite
", this tendency is explicitly pointed out, as Jerry goes through a number of experiences after which he invariably "breaks even," even as his friends are going through intense periods of success or failure. In "The Rye
", during a particularly trying time for Elaine, she angrily tells Jerry, "You know, one of these days, something terrible is going to happen to you. It has to!" Jerry simply replies, "No, I'm going to be just fine." Many of the problems he does run into are the result of the actions of his archnemesis Newman
, a disgruntled postal worker. In "The Old Man", George asks "What kind of a person are you?" in which Jerry replies "I think I'm pretty much like you, only successful."
However, Kramer persuades Jerry to do things that he's reluctant to do. In "The Mango
", Kramer gets Jerry to buy fruit for him after Kramer is banned from the store over an argument with the owner. This continues until the owner bans Jerry, because his order is similar enough to Kramer's that it's obvious he's buying fruit for Kramer. The most famous example is in "The Chicken Roaster
" in which Kramer and Jerry exchange apartments. This results in the two of them also switching personalities. In several arguments with Jerry, Kramer is incredibly stubborn, protecting his own interests. Examples of this include arguments in "The Chaperone," "The Face Painter
," and "The Caddy." Probably the only exception is "The Kiss Hello
" in which Kramer kissed Jerry as George walked in.
Jerry always wears a suit whenever he has to do his stand-up comedy act. In a few cases, Jerry wears an unusual item of clothing. Kramer has persuaded Jerry to wear the "pirate shirt
" in "The Puffy Shirt
", the cowboy boots in "The Mom & Pop Store
" and the fur coat in "The Reverse Peephole
". Like George, Jerry's hairstyle remains relatively the same throughout the series, though the length and thickness of it alters, especially from Season 3 onwards. There is one noticeable episode in which Jerry receives a bad haircut when he reluctantly agrees to get his hair done by an incompetent Italian barber in "The Barber".
As in real life, Jerry is a fan of comic book characters, particularly of Superman
, who is his hero. As far as sports, Jerry is a fan of the New York Mets
as evidenced as early as the episode "The Baby Shower" in which Kramer persuades him to install illegal cable by saying "The Mets have 75 games on cable this year." Jerry is also a fan of the New York Knicks
, the New York Giants
and the New York Rangers
. In early episodes, a Yankees hat sits on the counter near his computer. Later on, by the middle of Season 3, it was replaced with a Mets cap, possibly to better reflect Jerry's real-life support of the Queens side. In the first episode of Season 7, Jerry is shown watching a Yankees game while on the phone with George.
Jerry never smokes a cigarette but has been seen smoking a cigar. He is seen smoking a cigar briefly in "The Calzone
" and "The Wizard". In "The Voice", Jerry is smoking a Cuban cigar while laughing and receiving money from Elaine (she bet that she could stop sleeping with David Puddy). Jerry also does not appear to have any particular interest in alcohol
as he is rarely seen drinking beer or any other alcoholic beverage; however, he is seen drinking beer with George once in "The Shower Head
," wine at various meals, and keeps a bottle of Hennigans scotch in his apartment, though he claims that he only uses it as a paint thinner
.
", were friends ever since an encounter in gym class in their school days, although in "The Betrayal
," Jerry mentions that he once beat George up in the fourth grade. Flashbacks in episodes such as "The Library" portray Jerry and George in high school. A pizza place which they frequented is portrayed in "The Frogger
". Jerry and George attended school together at Edward R. Murrow Middle School
, John F. Kennedy High School and university at Queens College
. After college, Jerry briefly worked as an umbrella
salesman and reportedly invented the "twirl" to make the umbrella look more attractive. He eventually quit the job in order to focus more on his comedy career. Jerry's PIN code for his bank account is Jor-El
, who is the father of Superman and George's PIN code is BOSCO, the chocolate sauce brand as portrayed in the episode "The Secret Code".
couple living in Florida
. Unlike George, who can't stand his parents, Jerry gets along reasonably well with his parents but he still prefers they live in Florida rather than New York, so that they don't interfere with his private life. Although born and raised Jewish and considers himself a Jew, Jerry apparently doesn't practice and generally does not observe many traditions, unlike the real Seinfeld. As shown in "The Soup Nazi
", he does not keep kosher, as he is seen eating crab
bisque
. He also mentions having a sister in the episode "The Chinese Restaurant
", though she is never named, never appears on screen, and is never mentioned again after this episode. In order to avoid his old friend Joel in "Male Unbonding
", Jerry pretends to have promised to tutor his nephew; it is unclear if the nephew really exists or is simply fabricated as part of the excuse.
Jerry has an eccentric uncle, Leo
, who appears in 15 episodes. Uncle Leo has a son, Cousin Jeffrey, who works for the parks department, about whom he constantly talks, but who never appears. In "The Stake Out", Jerry speaks to an "Uncle Mac", as well as a cousin "Artie Levine". In "The Truth", Jerry mentions a cousin named "Douglass" who has an obsession with Pepsi
. In "The Pony Remark
", Helen, Morty, Jerry, Elaine, and Leo attend a 50th-anniversary party for Manya and Isaac, an elderly couple whose relationship to Jerry is never explicitly defined. Manya is described as a Polish
immigrant. In the same episode, Jerry references having an "Aunt Rose", and Helen mentions a family member named "Claire" who is getting married. In "The Soup" episode, Jerry mentions an "Aunt Silvia", who he compares to Elaine in terms of conversation.
Jerry's maternal grandmother, Nana, is an elderly woman with memory problems, occasionally unable to tell the past from the present, living alone in the city. Nana makes appearances in "The Pledge Drive
", "The Kiss Hello
", and "The Doodle
".
According to the Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm
, Elaine has a daughter, Isabelle, through a sperm donation from Jerry.
are depicted as having dated in the past and apparently a lot longer than they each date other people in the series. During the run of the show, they are shown mainly as good friends, sometimes even joking with one another about their failed dating relationship. However, they do date briefly during the run of the show. In "The Deal", they create a set of rules whereby they can sleep together but remain only friends
. Their theory is ruined, however, when Elaine gets upset at Jerry for wanting to leave after a sexual encounter instead of sleeping over (one of the rules they discussed was that sleeping over was optional). By the end of the episode the two decide to be a couple again, which lasts until "The Note" where it is shown that they went back to being just friends. Later in "The Pen
" Jerry tells his parents that "we decided that we don't work out as a couple." That is the only time in the run of the show they are shown as anything more than friends. In "The Mango
", Jerry is upset at learning that Elaine had faked her orgasm
s while they were together. The fact cause such problems between the two, that Elaine agrees to sleep with Jerry in an effort to "save the friendship". The final scene, however, shows the two in bed, with Jerry looking distraught and gesturing towards his private area, indicating he was not able to perform (Paralleling an earlier scene with George having the same problem). According to the reunion episode featured in the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm
, Jerry donated the sperm for Elaine's daughter. Elaine wants her daughter to know that Jerry is her father but he is uncomfortable with the thought. By the episode's end, the daughter is said to refer to Jerry as "daddy" to Jerry's discomfort.
There are hints throughout the series that suggest that Jerry and Elaine still have feelings for each other:
Jerry gets dumped:
Jerry dumps them:
"The world's first truly mutual breakup"
While Jerry's career is successful and his opening and closing stand-up bits always go as planned, his stand-up performances depicted within the show can go awry at times.
, describing him as his "sworn enemy" in "The Andrea Doria
" and showing general contempt for him at their every meeting. Newman usually reciprocates, although at other times he seems quite pleased by Jerry's hostility, as if it is a testimony to his effectiveness at irritating him. Seinfeld has also commented in interviews that Newman is his "Lex Luthor
". The origin of their feud is never explained.
Jerry's snide greeting for him with "Hello Newman" (in response to Newman's "Hello Jerry") becomes a trademark of their relationship. Even Jerry's mother utters the greeting, with as much displeasure as Jerry, in "The Raincoats, Part 2". Jerry wants to be rid of Newman so badly that he once even helped him on his postal route so that he could get a prized transfer to Hawaii
("The Andrea Doria
").
Despite their antagonistic relationship, Jerry and Newman have ended up working in unison on rare occasions. In "The Sniffing Accountant
", Jerry worked with Kramer and Newman to find out if their accountant was on drugs. In "The Soul Mate
", Jerry and Newman help each other with their romance problems. Newman told Jerry about Kramer's crush on his then-girlfriend, Pam, while Jerry helps Newman get a chance to date Elaine.
Certain instances would even define their relationship as one of friendship, or at least mutual tolerance, built around their shared friend, Kramer. In "The Pick
", Jerry casually walks over to Newman's apartment and brings him back to his own, to examine Elaine's Christmas card. Newman apparently puts up little fight and doesn't make any sarcastic remarks, then leaves without a confrontation. In "The Old Man", Jerry says "my friends" in reference to Kramer and Newman and in "The Bottle Deposit" he has no qualms about leaving Kramer and Newman alone in his apartment, trusting they'll "keep an eye on one another." Finally, in "The Barber", Jerry (albeit reluctantly) allows Newman to use his bathroom (he told him to flush twice) and even sit down and watch Edward Scissorhands
with him, a move which comes back to haunt him later.
placed Jerry Seinfeld eighth on their list of the "50 Greatest TV icons". Jerry Seinfeld was nominated four times for the Golden Globe Award
s for the Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series category, out of which he won one.
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(1989
1989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
–1998
1998 in television
The year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
). The straight man
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
version of comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.
The series revolves around Jerry's misadventures with his best friend George Costanza
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
, neighbor Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
, and ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
. He is usually the voice of reason amidst his friends' antics and the focal point of the foursome's relationship. An eternal optimist, he rarely runs into major personal problems. Jerry is the only main character on the show to maintain the same career (a stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, like the real Seinfeld) throughout the series. He is the most observational character
Observational comedy
Observational comedy is a style of humor based on making remarks about commonplace aspects of everyday life. It is the most common type of humor used in stand up comedy.The humor is based on the premise of "It's funny because it's true."-External links:* *...
, sarcastically commenting on his friends' quirky habits.
Much of the show's action takes place in Jerry's apartment located at 129 West 81st Street, apartment 5A. He and his friends also frequent Monk's Cafe
Monk's Cafe
Monk's Café is a fictional coffee shop from the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The exterior of Tom's Restaurant on the corner of West 112th Street and Broadway, near Columbia University, is often shown on the show as the exterior of Monk's, though the interiors were shot on a sound stage. The coffee shop is...
.
Jerry appeared in all 180 episodes of Seinfeld (including several two-part episodes), holding the distinction of being the only character in the show to appear in every episode.
Personality
Jerry is the most grounded character in the show, a figure who is "able to observe the chaos around him but not always be a part of it." Plot lines involving Jerry often concern his various relationships - Jerry often finds "stupid reasons to break up" with women which, according to Elaine, occurs "every week."Jerry is generally completely indifferent to what goes on in his friends' lives, seeing their misery as merely an entertaining distraction, as well as an opportunity for joke material. He often plays along with their hare-brained schemes, often just to see them fail. In the episode "The Serenity Now
The Serenity Now
"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode of the 9th and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.-Plot:...
", Jerry lets out his emotions and cries, and is perplexed by the experience ("What is this salty discharge?"). In "The Foundation
The Foundation (Seinfeld)
"The Foundation" is the 135th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode of the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 19, 1996.-Plot:...
" Elaine points out that he has "never felt remorse," to which Jerry replies, "Yeah, I feel kinda bad about that." He will often nonchalantly state, "That's a shame" when something bad happens (often due to his or his friends' actions). A recurring joke is Jerry not helping Elaine carrying groceries or heavy objects. Jerry, George and Elaine all share a general trait of not letting go of other character's remarks and going to great lengths to be proven right. In one episode, Jerry goes out of his way to rent a house in Tuscany, Italy, just because "The Maestro" told him there weren't any available. Another example was when he bought his parents the same car over and over again, creating a great financial loss.
Despite his usual indifference to his friends and their actions, Jerry apparently is quite satisfied with his life, to the point that he actually feels worried about anything that might threaten the group lifestyle. In "The Invitations", for example, Jerry admits that he feels depressed about George getting married, seeing as how George will eventually leave the group and Jerry will never see him again. Once Elaine told him that she was "getting out" of the group, Jerry became so worried about a near future of just him and Kramer that he unknowingly almost walked into a car while crossing the street. In "The Bizarro Jerry
The Bizarro Jerry
"The Bizarro Jerry" is the 137th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the third episode for the eighth season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on October 3, 1996. The title and plot extensively reference the Bizarro and Bizarro-Earth concepts that originally...
", Jerry also grows panicky about losing the group dynamic when Kramer becomes too busy with his fake job and Elaine temporarily leaves to join the bizarro group, claiming that "The whole system's breaking down!" Jerry himself perfectly sums up his relation to his three friends in the episode "The Letter". In a deleted scene from that show, he claims that his friends are "not more important" than his girlfriends, but "they're as important."
Unlike George and Elaine, Jerry rarely runs into major personal problems. In "The Opposite
The Opposite
"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 21st episode of Season 5. It aired on May 19, 1994. This was the first episode shot for Season 5, but it was intended to be the season finale. This is the last episode Tom Cherones directed...
", this tendency is explicitly pointed out, as Jerry goes through a number of experiences after which he invariably "breaks even," even as his friends are going through intense periods of success or failure. In "The Rye
The Rye
"The Rye" is the 121st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the seventh season. It aired on January 4, 1996.-Plot:...
", during a particularly trying time for Elaine, she angrily tells Jerry, "You know, one of these days, something terrible is going to happen to you. It has to!" Jerry simply replies, "No, I'm going to be just fine." Many of the problems he does run into are the result of the actions of his archnemesis Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
, a disgruntled postal worker. In "The Old Man", George asks "What kind of a person are you?" in which Jerry replies "I think I'm pretty much like you, only successful."
However, Kramer persuades Jerry to do things that he's reluctant to do. In "The Mango
The Mango
"The Mango" is the sixty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on September 16, 1993, and is the premiere of the show's fifth season. The episode's working title was "The Orgasm." It was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Tuesday, August 17, 1993...
", Kramer gets Jerry to buy fruit for him after Kramer is banned from the store over an argument with the owner. This continues until the owner bans Jerry, because his order is similar enough to Kramer's that it's obvious he's buying fruit for Kramer. The most famous example is in "The Chicken Roaster
The Chicken Roaster
"The Chicken Roaster" is the 142nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 8th episode for the 8th season. It aired on November 14, 1996.-Kramer:...
" in which Kramer and Jerry exchange apartments. This results in the two of them also switching personalities. In several arguments with Jerry, Kramer is incredibly stubborn, protecting his own interests. Examples of this include arguments in "The Chaperone," "The Face Painter
The Face Painter
"The Face Painter" is the 109th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 23rd episode for the 6th season. It aired on May 11, 1995. The table reading for "The Face Painter" was held on March 26,1995.-Plot:...
," and "The Caddy." Probably the only exception is "The Kiss Hello
The Kiss Hello
"The Kiss Hello" is the one hundred and third episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 16, 1995. Although this was the 103rd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode...
" in which Kramer kissed Jerry as George walked in.
Jerry always wears a suit whenever he has to do his stand-up comedy act. In a few cases, Jerry wears an unusual item of clothing. Kramer has persuaded Jerry to wear the "pirate shirt
Poet shirt
A poet shirt is a type of shirt made as a loose-fitting blouse with full bishop sleeves, usually decorated with large frills on the front and on the cuffs. Typically, it has a laced-up V-neck opening, designed to pull over the head, but can have a full-length opening fastened by buttons...
" in "The Puffy Shirt
The Puffy Shirt
"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993. Larry David, the creator of the show, cites this episode as one of his favorites in the series.-Plot:George is upset because he is...
", the cowboy boots in "The Mom & Pop Store
The Mom & Pop Store
"The Mom & Pop Store" is the 94th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 8th episode for the 6th season. It aired on November 17, 1994.-Plot:...
" and the fur coat in "The Reverse Peephole
The Reverse Peephole
"The Reverse Peephole" is the 12th episode of the ninth season of the television comedy series, Seinfeld. It was written by Spike Feresten and directed by Andy Ackerman. In this episode, Kramer and Newman reverse the peepholes on their apartment doors, which could lead to the landlord kicking them...
". Like George, Jerry's hairstyle remains relatively the same throughout the series, though the length and thickness of it alters, especially from Season 3 onwards. There is one noticeable episode in which Jerry receives a bad haircut when he reluctantly agrees to get his hair done by an incompetent Italian barber in "The Barber".
As in real life, Jerry is a fan of comic book characters, particularly of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, who is his hero. As far as sports, Jerry is a fan of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
as evidenced as early as the episode "The Baby Shower" in which Kramer persuades him to install illegal cable by saying "The Mets have 75 games on cable this year." Jerry is also a fan of the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. In early episodes, a Yankees hat sits on the counter near his computer. Later on, by the middle of Season 3, it was replaced with a Mets cap, possibly to better reflect Jerry's real-life support of the Queens side. In the first episode of Season 7, Jerry is shown watching a Yankees game while on the phone with George.
Jerry never smokes a cigarette but has been seen smoking a cigar. He is seen smoking a cigar briefly in "The Calzone
The Calzone
"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode of the seventh season. It aired on April 25, 1996.-Plot:...
" and "The Wizard". In "The Voice", Jerry is smoking a Cuban cigar while laughing and receiving money from Elaine (she bet that she could stop sleeping with David Puddy). Jerry also does not appear to have any particular interest in alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
as he is rarely seen drinking beer or any other alcoholic beverage; however, he is seen drinking beer with George once in "The Shower Head
The Shower Head
"The Shower Head" is the 126th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 15, 1996.-Plot:...
," wine at various meals, and keeps a bottle of Hennigans scotch in his apartment, though he claims that he only uses it as a paint thinner
Paint thinner
A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints or clean up after their use, although all such solvents have other uses. Commercially, "paint thinner" is usually a name for mineral spirits.Products used as paint thinners include:*Mineral spirits...
.
Background
Jerry grew up in New York with George, who, according to "The OutingThe Outing
"The Outing" is the fifty-seventh episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 17th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on February 11, 1993.The line ".....
", were friends ever since an encounter in gym class in their school days, although in "The Betrayal
The Betrayal
"The Betrayal" is the 164th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the eighth episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on November 20, 1997. The episode is colloquially referred to as The Backwards Episode due to its use of reverse chronology, starting with the final scene and playing...
," Jerry mentions that he once beat George up in the fourth grade. Flashbacks in episodes such as "The Library" portray Jerry and George in high school. A pizza place which they frequented is portrayed in "The Frogger
The Frogger
"The Frogger" is the 174th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 18th episode for the 9th and final season. It first aired on April 23, 1998.-Plot:...
". Jerry and George attended school together at Edward R. Murrow Middle School
Edward R. Murrow High School
Edward R. Murrow High School, is located in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York and is part of the New York City Department of Education....
, John F. Kennedy High School and university at Queens College
Queens College, City University of New York
Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York. It is also the fifth oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning. The college's seventy seven acre campus is located in the heart of the...
. After college, Jerry briefly worked as an umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
salesman and reportedly invented the "twirl" to make the umbrella look more attractive. He eventually quit the job in order to focus more on his comedy career. Jerry's PIN code for his bank account is Jor-El
Jor-El
Jor-El is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Shuster, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman's biological father....
, who is the father of Superman and George's PIN code is BOSCO, the chocolate sauce brand as portrayed in the episode "The Secret Code".
Family
Jerry's parents are Morty and Helen Seinfeld, a retired JewishAmerican Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
couple living in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Unlike George, who can't stand his parents, Jerry gets along reasonably well with his parents but he still prefers they live in Florida rather than New York, so that they don't interfere with his private life. Although born and raised Jewish and considers himself a Jew, Jerry apparently doesn't practice and generally does not observe many traditions, unlike the real Seinfeld. As shown in "The Soup Nazi
The Soup Nazi
"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995....
", he does not keep kosher, as he is seen eating crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
bisque
Bisque (food)
Bisque is a smooth, creamy, highly-seasoned soup of French origin, classically based on a strained broth of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish...
. He also mentions having a sister in the episode "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
", though she is never named, never appears on screen, and is never mentioned again after this episode. In order to avoid his old friend Joel in "Male Unbonding
Male Unbonding
"Male Unbonding" is the second episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld to be produced, and aired on June 14, 1990 as the fourth episode of the first season. In it, Jerry Seinfeld tries to avoid meeting an old childhood friend, Joel Hornick...
", Jerry pretends to have promised to tutor his nephew; it is unclear if the nephew really exists or is simply fabricated as part of the excuse.
Jerry has an eccentric uncle, Leo
Uncle Leo
Uncle Leo is a fictional character portrayed by Len Lesser in 15 episodes of the American sitcom Seinfeld. He is Jerry Seinfeld's uncle and Helen Seinfeld's brother.-Character:Uncle Leo is very eccentric...
, who appears in 15 episodes. Uncle Leo has a son, Cousin Jeffrey, who works for the parks department, about whom he constantly talks, but who never appears. In "The Stake Out", Jerry speaks to an "Uncle Mac", as well as a cousin "Artie Levine". In "The Truth", Jerry mentions a cousin named "Douglass" who has an obsession with Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
. In "The Pony Remark
The Pony Remark
"The Pony Remark" is the second episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the seventh episode overall. The episode was written by series co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, based on a remark David made once....
", Helen, Morty, Jerry, Elaine, and Leo attend a 50th-anniversary party for Manya and Isaac, an elderly couple whose relationship to Jerry is never explicitly defined. Manya is described as a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
immigrant. In the same episode, Jerry references having an "Aunt Rose", and Helen mentions a family member named "Claire" who is getting married. In "The Soup" episode, Jerry mentions an "Aunt Silvia", who he compares to Elaine in terms of conversation.
Jerry's maternal grandmother, Nana, is an elderly woman with memory problems, occasionally unable to tell the past from the present, living alone in the city. Nana makes appearances in "The Pledge Drive
The Pledge Drive
"The Pledge Drive" is the 89th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 6, 1994.-Plot:...
", "The Kiss Hello
The Kiss Hello
"The Kiss Hello" is the one hundred and third episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 16, 1995. Although this was the 103rd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode...
", and "The Doodle
The Doodle
"The Doodle" is the one hundred and sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode for the 6th season. It aired on April 6, 1995.-Plot:...
".
According to the Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Elaine has a daughter, Isabelle, through a sperm donation from Jerry.
Relationships
Jerry is notorious for his detached approach towards relationships and for breaking up with women for the slightest of flaws or for the most minor of reasons. According to the ninth-season DVD release of the series, 73 different partners have been seen or alluded to over the course of the series.Elaine
Jerry and ElaineElaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
are depicted as having dated in the past and apparently a lot longer than they each date other people in the series. During the run of the show, they are shown mainly as good friends, sometimes even joking with one another about their failed dating relationship. However, they do date briefly during the run of the show. In "The Deal", they create a set of rules whereby they can sleep together but remain only friends
Casual relationship
A casual relationship, colloquially known as a fling, is a physical and emotional relationship between two people who may have a sexual relationship or a near-sexual relationship without necessarily demanding or expecting the extra commitments of a more formal romantic relationship...
. Their theory is ruined, however, when Elaine gets upset at Jerry for wanting to leave after a sexual encounter instead of sleeping over (one of the rules they discussed was that sleeping over was optional). By the end of the episode the two decide to be a couple again, which lasts until "The Note" where it is shown that they went back to being just friends. Later in "The Pen
The Pen
"The Pen" is the twentieth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the third episode of the third season. It aired on October 2, 1991. This is the only episode in which both George and Kramer do not appear.-Plot:...
" Jerry tells his parents that "we decided that we don't work out as a couple." That is the only time in the run of the show they are shown as anything more than friends. In "The Mango
The Mango
"The Mango" is the sixty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on September 16, 1993, and is the premiere of the show's fifth season. The episode's working title was "The Orgasm." It was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Tuesday, August 17, 1993...
", Jerry is upset at learning that Elaine had faked her orgasm
Orgasm
Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...
s while they were together. The fact cause such problems between the two, that Elaine agrees to sleep with Jerry in an effort to "save the friendship". The final scene, however, shows the two in bed, with Jerry looking distraught and gesturing towards his private area, indicating he was not able to perform (Paralleling an earlier scene with George having the same problem). According to the reunion episode featured in the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Jerry donated the sperm for Elaine's daughter. Elaine wants her daughter to know that Jerry is her father but he is uncomfortable with the thought. By the episode's end, the daughter is said to refer to Jerry as "daddy" to Jerry's discomfort.
There are hints throughout the series that suggest that Jerry and Elaine still have feelings for each other:
- In "The Stake Out", Elaine becomes jealous when Jerry flirts with another woman, Vanessa, at a party that Jerry is accompanying her to.
- In "The TapeThe Tape"The Tape" is the twenty-fifth episode of Seinfeld. It is the eighth episode of the show's third season. It first aired on November 13, 1991.The episode was written by Larry David and Don McEnery and Bob Shaw and was directed by David Steinberg.-Plot:...
" when Jerry listens to an erotic message on his tape recorder, he becomes obsessed with finding who's the person on the tape; eventually, he pushes George into revealing that it's Elaine and it's supposed to be a joke. - In "The Boyfriend", Jerry becomes jealous of both Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
and Elaine when Keith asks Elaine out. - In "The Junior MintThe Junior Mint"The Junior Mint" is the 60th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 20th episode of the 4th season. It aired on March 18, 1993.-"Mulva":...
", Elaine asks Jerry to accompany her to the hospital as her boyfriend, Roy, to fool one of her ex's. Jerry smiles and responds "Well, I believe I've played that role before to some critical acclaim." - In "The Dinner PartyThe Dinner PartyThe Dinner Party is an installation artwork by feminist artist Judy Chicago depicting place settings for 39 mythical and historical famous women. It was produced from 1974 to 1979 as a collaboration and was first exhibited in 1979. Subsequently, despite art world resistance, it toured to 16 venues...
" Jerry and Elaine are sitting in the back of Kramer's car. Since Kramer doesn't have a heater, Jerry tries cuddling with Elaine to stay warm, but she refuses and pushes him away. - In "The Cadillac" after Jerry buys his parents a CadillacCadillacCadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
and Elaine realizes how much money he has, she becomes very flirtatious towards him. - In "The AbstinenceThe Abstinence"The Abstinence" is the 143rd episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on November 21, 1996.-Plot:...
" when Elaine is denying sex to her current boyfriend, Ben, in the hope that it will help him pass his medical licensing exam, she begs Jerry to have sex with her, but, after a brief moment of consideration, he turns her down. - In "The Serenity NowThe Serenity Now"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode of the 9th and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.-Plot:...
" when Jerry's emotions come flooding out after being locked up, he confesses his love for Elaine and proposes to her. Later the horrifying tale of George's life frightens him back into his formerly cold demeanor and he takes back his proposal. - In "The Finale", when they think their plane is about to crash, Elaine is about to say something but the pilot manages to steady the plane, so in the courtroom, Elaine finishes her comment by saying later "I've always loved United Airlines."
Long term relationships
Other than Elaine, Jerry has only dated a few other women for more than one episode:- He starts dating Vanessa in "The Stake Out" and breaks up with her in "The Stock Tip". Although she is only seen in these two episodes, Jerry dated her throughout the course of four episodes (three in production order). They break up because of an uncomfortable weekend trip to VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. - He dates Marla, a virginal woman in the closet business, in "The Virgin" and "The ContestThe Contest"The Contest" was the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer that his mother caught him unaware while he was masturbating...
" and Tia, a model, in "The AirportThe Airport"The Airport" is the 52nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 12th episode of the 4th season and aired on November 25, 1992.-Plot summary:...
" and "The PickThe Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
". These relationships are strange in that both women break up with Jerry for reasons of disgust, rather than it being the other way around. - He dates Dolores (a.k.a. Mulva) in "The Junior MintThe Junior Mint"The Junior Mint" is the 60th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 20th episode of the 4th season. It aired on March 18, 1993.-"Mulva":...
" and "The FoundationThe Foundation (Seinfeld)"The Foundation" is the 135th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode of the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 19, 1996.-Plot:...
". (Season 4 then Season 8). This was the only time he dated a woman in 2 non-consecutive episodes. - He dated Rachel over the course of four episodes, and she appears in all these episodes: "The RaincoatsThe Raincoats, Part 1"The Raincoats" is a two-part episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 82nd and 83rd episode. This was the 18th and 19th episode for the 5th season...
" (a two-part episode), "The Hamptons" , and "The OppositeThe Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 21st episode of Season 5. It aired on May 19, 1994. This was the first episode shot for Season 5, but it was intended to be the season finale. This is the last episode Tom Cherones directed...
". Rachel ends the relationship, but Jerry, who was "even steven" at the time, didn't become upset, and was confident that he would find another girlfriend (which he did in the deleted scene for that episode).
Engagements
Only twice in the entire series has Jerry considered marriage.- The first time was with his "perfect" girlfriend, Jeannie, in the Season 7 finale, "The Invitations", but he soon learned that he didn't want to be with someone exactly like himself. In the first Season 8 episode, "The FoundationThe Foundation (Seinfeld)"The Foundation" is the 135th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode of the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 19, 1996.-Plot:...
", Jerry tells Elaine that he had a perfectly mutual break-up with Jeannie over the summer. - Jerry almost got engaged a second time, to Elaine. In the Season 9 episode "The Serenity NowThe Serenity Now"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode of the 9th and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.-Plot:...
", after Jerry undergoes a personality change and becomes deeply sensitive and emotional, he proposes to a shocked Elaine. She leaves the apartment, but returns later to accept his proposal. By that point, however, he had gone back to his old self and he turns her down.
Breakups
Jerry's approach to relationships is notoriously fickle, and he has broken up with women, or provoked them into breaking up with him for some of the most trivial of reasons.Jerry gets dumped:
- Because he admitted to changing the size 32 to size 31 of all his jeans because he "doesn't want to be a 32" ("The SpongeThe Sponge"The Sponge" is the 119th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the ninth episode for the seventh season. It aired on December 7, 1995.-Plot:...
"). - For snooping around her closet having become suspicious of her wearing the same dress on every date ("The SevenThe Seven"The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 13th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 1, 1996.-Plot:...
"). - Because he is caught spitting out fatty meats his girlfriend cooked for him in to napkins after going on a health kick ("The Wink").
- Because she discovered he'd been getting her drunk so he and his friends could play with her collection of antique toys ("The Merv Griffin Show").
- Because he refuses to use her toothbrush ("The Doodle")
- Because he cheats on his "wife" to give another woman his family dry-cleaning discount ("The WifeThe Wife"The Wife" is the eighty-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 17th episode of the 5th season, it was originally broadcast on March 17, 1994...
"). - Because she thinks she saw him scratch his nose from the side, making it look like he picked it ("The PickThe Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
").
Jerry dumps them:
- For eating her peas one at a time ("The Engagement").
- For refusing to taste his pie at the coffee shop and later getting her father's restaurant shut down by the health board("The PieThe Pie"The Pie" is the seventy-ninth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the 5th season. It aired on February 17, 1994.-Plot:Jerry is miffed after his girlfriend Audrey refuses to take a bite of his pie....
"). - Because she had once dated Newman, who had ended the relationship ("The Big SaladThe Big Salad"The Big Salad" is the 88th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 2nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on September 29, 1994.-Plot:...
"). - Because she wouldn't give him a massage ("The Masseuse").
- Because she got covered in toilet water after a pipe exploded ("The Pothole")
- Because she liked a commercial that he hated ("The Phone Message").
- Because she had man hands ("The Bizarro Jerry").
"The world's first truly mutual breakup"
- Because she(his fiance) acted in the same manner as him: "I can't be with somebody like me! I hate myself!". ("The Invitations")
Jerry's famous guest star girlfriends
- Teri HatcherTeri HatcherTeri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress, writer, and presenter. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman...
in "The ImplantThe Implant"The Implant" is the 59th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 19th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on February 25, 1993.-Plot:...
" and in "The Finale". - Marcia CrossMarcia CrossMarcia Anne Cross is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and as Dr...
in "The SlicerThe Slicer"The Slicer" is the 163rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 9th and final season. It first aired on November 13, 1997.-Plot:...
". - Courteney CoxCourteney CoxCourteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
in "The WifeThe Wife"The Wife" is the eighty-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 17th episode of the 5th season, it was originally broadcast on March 17, 1994...
". - Jami GertzJami GertzJami Beth Gertz is an American actress. Gertz is known for her early roles in the films Sixteen Candles, Crossroads, The Lost Boys, Less Than Zero, the 1980s TV series Square Pegs with Sarah Jessica Parker, and 1996's Twister, as well as for her role as Judy Miller in the CBS sitcom Still Standing...
in "The StallThe Stall"The Stall" is the seventy-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the twelfth episode of the fifth season, and first aired on January 6, 1994.-Plot:...
". - Jane LeevesJane LeevesJane Leeves is an English film, stage, and television actress, comedienne and dancer.Leeves made her screen debut with a small role in the 1983 popular British comedy television show The Benny Hill Show. Leeves moved to the United States, where she performed in small roles until she secured a...
in "The Virgin","The ContestThe Contest"The Contest" was the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer that his mother caught him unaware while he was masturbating...
" and "The Finale". - Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
in "The Masseuse". - Janeane GarofaloJaneane GarofaloJaneane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...
in "The Invitations". - Kristin DavisKristin DavisKristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
in "The PotholeThe Pothole"The Pothole" is the 150th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 20, 1997. This episode earned Andy Ackerman an Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction...
" and "The Butter ShaveThe Butter Shave"The Butter Shave" is the 157th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is also the first episode of the ninth and final season. It aired on September 25, 1997.-Plot:...
". - Amanda PeetAmanda PeetAmanda Peet is an American actress, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. After studying with Uta Hagen at Columbia University, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles on television, before making her film debut in 1995...
in "The Summer of GeorgeThe Summer of George"The Summer of George" is the 156th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was also the 22nd and final episode of the 8th season. It originally aired on May 15, 1997.-Plot:...
". - Marlee MatlinMarlee MatlinMarlee Bethany Matlin is an American actress. She is the only deaf actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which she won for Children of a Lesser God. Her work in film and television has resulted in a Golden Globe award, with two additional nominations, and four Emmy...
in "The Lip ReaderThe Lip Reader"The Lip Reader" is the seventieth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the sixth episode of the fifth season, and first aired on October 28, 1993. The episode brought in a 20.4 rating and 31 share.-Plot:...
". - Catherine KeenerCatherine KeenerCatherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
in "The Letter". - Debra MessingDebra MessingDebra Lynn Messing is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for her role as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace and as Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife....
in "The Wait OutThe Wait Out"The Wait Out" is the 133rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 23rd episode for the seventh season. It aired in the U.S. on May 9, 1996.-Plot:...
" and in "The Yada YadaThe Yada Yada"The Yada Yada" is the 153rd episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 19th episode of the 8th season, it aired on April 24, 1997 and was nominated for an Emmy.-Plot:...
". - Christine TaylorChristine TaylorChristine Taylor-Stiller is an American actress.- Early life :Taylor was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joan, a homemaker, and Skip Taylor, an owner of a security company. She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania...
in "The Van Buren BoysThe Van Buren Boys"The Van Buren Boys" is the 148th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, and name of a fictional New York street gang. Their sign is crossing the hands, with one hand with all the fingers 'up' and spread out. The other hand has all but the thumb and pointer finger up, for a total of eight...
". - Lauren GrahamLauren GrahamLauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer. She is best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls and Sarah Braverman on Parenthood.-Early life:...
in "The Millennium". - Lori LoughlinLori LoughlinLori Anne Loughlin is an American actress, best known for her role as Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis on the ABC sitcom Full House. As of 2011, she portrays the role of Debbie Wilson on 90210, the spin-off of Beverly Hills, 90210...
in "The Serenity NowThe Serenity Now"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode of the 9th and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.-Plot:...
". - Melinda ClarkeMelinda ClarkeMelinda Patrice Clarke is an American actress who has primarily worked in television. Clarke is best known for playing Faith Taylor on the daytime drama Days of our Lives, the manipulative and cunning Julie Cooper-Nichol on The O.C., and the professional dominatrix Lady Heather on CSI...
in "The Muffin TopsThe Muffin Tops"The Muffin Tops" is the 155th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the eighth season. It aired on May 8, 1997.-Plot:...
". - Mariska HargitayMariska HargitayMariska Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as New York City sex crimes Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC television drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role that has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.The daughter of actress...
in "The PilotThe Pilot, Part 1"The Pilot" is the two-part season finale episode of the fourth season of Seinfeld. It makes up the sixty-third and sixty-fourth episodes and first aired on May 20, 1993....
" (not his girlfriend) She simply came in to read for the pilot and Jerry flirted with her. - A.J. Langer in "The FatiguesThe Fatigues"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the sixth episode for the eighth season. It aired on October 31, 1996.-Plot:...
"
Career and finances
Jerry is very successful financially, and occupationally stable in comparison with his friends (and perhaps with other stand-up comedians in general). He never seems to be at a loss for money, in comparison to both George and Elaine, whose careers go through both highs and lows but are often unsuccessful or short of money. Throughout the series Jerry suffers numerous financial and material losses, but these do not seem to have long-term impacts on his situation. Examples include:- Jerry buys his father a Cadillac FleetwoodCadillac FleetwoodLawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac in its early years. In 1916 he joined the Fisher Body Company which had been formed by two of his brothers in 1908. Larry was one of four of the seven Fisher brothers who brought Fisher Body Corporation under the General...
and buys it back after his parents sell it, spending over $20,000. Jerry himself seems to only drive luxury European makes, such as a black BMWBMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
5-series ("The Smelly CarThe Smelly Car"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 16, 1993.-Plot:...
") and a SAABSaab AutomobileSaab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
900 Convertible, although in early episodes such as "The Ex-GirlfriendThe Ex-Girlfriend"The Ex-Girlfriend" is the first episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixth episode overall. The episode first broadcast in the United States on January 23, 1991, after being postponed for one week due to the start of the First Gulf War...
", he drives a mid-70s American coupe, and also a Chevrolet Sport VanChevrolet VanThe Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the same vehicle class as the Ford Econoline van and the Dodge Ram Van.The term "Chevrolet van" also refers to the entire series of vans sold by Chevrolet...
in The Junk MailThe Junk Mail"The Junk Mail" is the 161st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 5th episode of the 9th and final season. The episode aired on October 30, 1997.-Plot:...
episode. In "The Apartment", it is revealed that Jerry could easily lend Elaine $5,000 for an apartment. Also, Jerry is regularly called upon to pay the check for the group at Monk's and allows Kramer to depend on him for food. Despite his apparent financial security, his parents seem to think he needs money, offering to pay for everything when they visit him (even if they have no money, as seen in "The WatchThe Watch"The Watch " is the forty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the series, and first aired on September 30, 1992.-Plot:...
") and occasionally urging him to find a new job.
- In "The ChecksThe Checks"The Checks" is the 141st episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC on November 7, 1996.-Plot:...
", Jerry is revealed to be famous in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where he appears in the opening montage of Japanese TV's "Super Terrific Happy Hour" and he even continues to earn royalties from each appearance (although each royalty check is only for twelve cents, due to the heavy difference between the worth of Japanese and American currency.)
- Jerry spends most of the series making a living from stand-up comedy, except for the periods when he and George co-write their own sitcom. Jerry also acts in the pilot episode of their show "Jerry", playing himself.
- Twice, Jerry is encouraged to switch to a career at Bloomingdales in their Executive Training Program. First his parents suggest it after he bounces a check; then in another episode, George and Kramer suggest it after he starts dating a "loser".
While Jerry's career is successful and his opening and closing stand-up bits always go as planned, his stand-up performances depicted within the show can go awry at times.
- In "The Red DotThe Red Dot"The Red Dot" is the twenty-ninth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the twelfth episode of the show's third season. It first aired on December 11, 1991.-Plot:...
", an inebriated Dick cuts Jerry's stand-up short over the usage of the phrases "on the wagon" and "off the wagon".
- In "The Trip, Part 1The Trip, Part 1"The Trip" is a two-part story of NBC's popular sitcom, Seinfeld. Airing on August 12, 1992 and August 19, 1992, it kicked off the fourth season of the show.-The Trip, Part 1:...
", the hotel chambermaid throws Jerry's notes away causing him to stumble and bumble his way through a performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
- In "The Fire", Jerry is thrown off his act by Kramer's girlfriend Toby, who heckles him and later sees his entire crowd run for the exits when George screams "he's got a gun!" when referring to a prop comic.
- In "The Diplomat's ClubThe Diplomat's Club"The Diplomat's Club" is the 108th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 22nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on May 4, 1995.-Plot:...
", Jerry's manager oddly warns him that the pilot of the plane in which he flew to the show in was in the audience. Jerry tells that there is no way that could bother him but when he takes the stage, he can't stop looking at the pilot.
- In "The AbstinenceThe Abstinence"The Abstinence" is the 143rd episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on November 21, 1996.-Plot:...
", Jerry is twice bumped from playing an assembly at his old middle-school. When he finally takes the stage, he's promptly booed for his opening act about homework. David LettermanDavid LettermanDavid Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
later calls him to bump him from the Late ShowLate Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
due to the poor middle-school performance.
- In "The Butter ShaveThe Butter Shave"The Butter Shave" is the 157th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is also the first episode of the ninth and final season. It aired on September 25, 1997.-Plot:...
", Jerry intentionally "takes a dive" to expose Kenny Bania, whom Jerry had accused of benefiting from the fact that Jerry warms up the audience for him.
- In "The Finale, Part 2", Jerry performs stand-up for his fellow inmates in jail but gets no laughs (except from Kramer) and is heckled and threatened by a prisoner who was in for grand theft auto (the last scene of the series).
Cleanliness
Jerry has an obsessive insistence on cleanliness and neatness.- A girlfriend of his (played by Teri HatcherTeri HatcherTeri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress, writer, and presenter. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman...
) comments that "he would have made a great Nazi" because "everything has to be just so."
- In "The PotholeThe Pothole"The Pothole" is the 150th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 20, 1997. This episode earned Andy Ackerman an Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction...
", Jerry inadvertently knocks his girlfriend's toothbrush into the toilet bowl, and after she uses it, he is unable to bring himself to kiss her. As revenge, she proceeds to put one item of his in the toilet without telling him what it was; a distraught Jerry, thinking it could be anything, ends up throwing away virtually every item in his apartment in panic. Upon learning it was the toilet brush, he reassures himself that it can be replaced (his girlfriend is later bombarded with toilet water following a plumbing accident in her bathroom, causing him to break up with her). ElaineElaine BenesElaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
says that in some instances, his cleanliness can verge into a serious disorderMysophobiaMysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited in repeatedly washing...
.
- In "The OutingThe Outing"The Outing" is the fifty-seventh episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 17th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on February 11, 1993.The line ".....
", Jerry comments that most people think he's gay because he's "thin and neat".
- In "The StatueThe Statue"The Statue" is the sixth episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the show's eleventh episode overall. In the episode, protagonist Jerry Seinfeld inherits some old possessions of his grandfather. One of these is a statue, resembling one that his friend George Costanza broke...
", he acts like a child at Christmas when he finds that his apartment is totally clean and that the cleaner cleaned the little area between the wall and the fridge.
- In "The Voice", he throws out a belt because it touched the edge of a urinal.
- In "The Butter ShaveThe Butter Shave"The Butter Shave" is the 157th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is also the first episode of the ninth and final season. It aired on September 25, 1997.-Plot:...
", he throws out a shoelace because it touched the floor of a men's room.
- In "The CouchThe Couch"The Couch" is the 91st episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 5th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 27, 1994.-Plot:Kramer plans to start a "pizza business where you make your own pie" with Poppie . Jerry and Elaine's discussion of the abortion issue causes trouble at Poppie's...
", rather than have the cushion cleaned, he gives away his couch because Poppy peed on it due to his stomach issues.
- In "The Blood", when Kramer announces that he moved his blood from the blood bank into the building, Jerry panics until Kramer tells him that the blood is in his apartment. Jerry tells him that if any blood gets into his apartment he will "freak out". Later when Kramer's freezer breaks, Jerry freaks out again, checking his freezer for the blood, thinking that the bowl of jello and the jug or tomato juice is blood. Kramer proceeds to drink the juice, causing Jerry to freak out even more.
- Jerry is horrified when Poppy forgets to wash his hands after using the bathroom, and refuses to eat the food he prepared in "The PieThe Pie"The Pie" is the seventy-ninth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the 5th season. It aired on February 17, 1994.-Plot:Jerry is miffed after his girlfriend Audrey refuses to take a bite of his pie....
". His look is described like he had just "seen a ghost."
- While Elaine is talking to Jerry about a seemingly germaphobic woman in her office in "The Apology", Jerry starts meticulously cleaning a spot where Kramer spilled soda. Eyeing him, she comments that the woman (and by the look of it Jerry also) must be "probably one of those neurotic clean freaks."
- Jerry almost gets into a state of panic when he finds out that KramerCosmo KramerCosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
is not wearing any under shorts in "The Chinese WomanThe Chinese Woman"The Chinese Woman" is the 90th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.-Plot:...
".
- During the course of events in the episode "The Limo", Jerry and George are misidentified as Nazis. Elaine remarks that Jerry is not a Nazi, "he's just neat."
Newman
Jerry has a long-running hatred of NewmanNewman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
, describing him as his "sworn enemy" in "The Andrea Doria
The Andrea Doria
"The Andrea Doria" is the 144th episode of American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC on December 19, 1996.-Plot:George is excited about the new apartment he is going to move into...
" and showing general contempt for him at their every meeting. Newman usually reciprocates, although at other times he seems quite pleased by Jerry's hostility, as if it is a testimony to his effectiveness at irritating him. Seinfeld has also commented in interviews that Newman is his "Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
". The origin of their feud is never explained.
Jerry's snide greeting for him with "Hello Newman" (in response to Newman's "Hello Jerry") becomes a trademark of their relationship. Even Jerry's mother utters the greeting, with as much displeasure as Jerry, in "The Raincoats, Part 2". Jerry wants to be rid of Newman so badly that he once even helped him on his postal route so that he could get a prized transfer to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
("The Andrea Doria
The Andrea Doria
"The Andrea Doria" is the 144th episode of American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC on December 19, 1996.-Plot:George is excited about the new apartment he is going to move into...
").
Despite their antagonistic relationship, Jerry and Newman have ended up working in unison on rare occasions. In "The Sniffing Accountant
The Sniffing Accountant
"The Sniffing Accountant" is the sixty-eighth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, being the fourth episode of the series' fifth season. It aired on NBC on Thursday, October 7, 1993....
", Jerry worked with Kramer and Newman to find out if their accountant was on drugs. In "The Soul Mate
The Soul Mate
"The Soul Mate" is the 136th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the second episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 26, 1996....
", Jerry and Newman help each other with their romance problems. Newman told Jerry about Kramer's crush on his then-girlfriend, Pam, while Jerry helps Newman get a chance to date Elaine.
Certain instances would even define their relationship as one of friendship, or at least mutual tolerance, built around their shared friend, Kramer. In "The Pick
The Pick
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
", Jerry casually walks over to Newman's apartment and brings him back to his own, to examine Elaine's Christmas card. Newman apparently puts up little fight and doesn't make any sarcastic remarks, then leaves without a confrontation. In "The Old Man", Jerry says "my friends" in reference to Kramer and Newman and in "The Bottle Deposit" he has no qualms about leaving Kramer and Newman alone in his apartment, trusting they'll "keep an eye on one another." Finally, in "The Barber", Jerry (albeit reluctantly) allows Newman to use his bathroom (he told him to flush twice) and even sit down and watch Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
with him, a move which comes back to haunt him later.
Nicknames
- A few times, Elaine refers to him by his full name "Jerome". In "The Truth" George's girlfriend also refers to him as Jerome, as does the crazy stepmother of Jerry's girlfriend in "The Millenium."
- In "The RobberyThe Robbery"The Robbery" is the fourth episode of the first season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired as the third episode of the season on June 7, 1990. It was written by Matt Goldman, therefore making this the first Seinfeld episode not written by the show's creators: Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.In the...
" he calls himself the "Master Packer". - In "The StatueThe Statue"The Statue" is the sixth episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the show's eleventh episode overall. In the episode, protagonist Jerry Seinfeld inherits some old possessions of his grandfather. One of these is a statue, resembling one that his friend George Costanza broke...
" he is referred to as "the King of Comedy" by Raymond Bochinski. - In "The BoyfriendThe Boyfriend, Part 1"The Boyfriend" is a two part episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It makes up the 35th and 36th episodes of the show, and 17th and 18th episodes of the show's third season. It first aired on February 12, 1992. In the 'extras' section of the Season 3 DVD, Jerry Seinfeld says it is his favorite episode...
" he calls himself Kel Varnsen to help George with his "Vandelay Industries". He also uses this alias in "The Puerto Rican DayThe Puerto Rican Day"The Puerto Rican Day Parade" is the 176th and antepenultimate episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on May 7, 1998, and was the 20th episode of the 9th and final season. It was the show's second-highest-rated episode of all time, with 38.8 million viewers, only behind the series finale...
". - In "The ContestThe Contest"The Contest" was the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. In the episode, George Costanza tells Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer that his mother caught him unaware while he was masturbating...
" he calls himself "Lord of the manor". - In "The Limo" he refers to himself as "Dylan Murphy" along with George as "O'Brien" just to get in the limo.
- In "The MaestroThe Maestro"The Maestro" is an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on October 5, 1995. It was the series' 113th episode and 3rd episode for the 7th season. The title character is played by Mark Metcalf.-Plot:...
," Jerry tells Elaine to refer to him as "Jerry The Great," because Elaine calls Bob Cobb (played by Mark MetcalfMark MetcalfMark Howes Metcalf is an American actor in both television and film.-Early life:Metcalf attended Westfield High School in Westfield, New Jersey.-Film and television work:...
) "Maestro." - In "The OppositeThe Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 21st episode of Season 5. It aired on May 19, 1994. This was the first episode shot for Season 5, but it was intended to be the season finale. This is the last episode Tom Cherones directed...
" Kramer refers to him as "Even Steven." - In "The Baby Shower" Kramer refers to him as "Cable Boy."
Reception
The Seinfeld cast was placed sixth on Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters. In 2007, Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
placed Jerry Seinfeld eighth on their list of the "50 Greatest TV icons". Jerry Seinfeld was nominated four times for the Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
s for the Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series category, out of which he won one.