Jerry Seinfeld on his place in American sitcom history | American Masters

Jerry Seinfeld on his place in American sitcom history | American Masters | PBS

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Күн бұрын

Official website: www.pbs.org/americanmasters | #AmericanMastersPBS
On August 13, 2008, comedian Jerry Seinfeld discussed his collaboration with Larry David, the evolution of the American sitcom and the lure of stand-up comedy. Interview conducted by director Michael Kantor for the six-hour PBS comedy series, “Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America” (2009).
Chapters:
00:00 - How the American brand of comedy formed at the intersection of struggle and opportunity
02:56 - Stand-up’s solitary nature appealed to Jerry Seinfeld
07:05 - Meeting Larry David and conceiving their “show about nothing”
10:17 - How Seinfeld and David brought the sitcom back to its stand-up comedy origins
13:03 - Maintaining a nationwide audience in the digital age
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Пікірлер: 106

@urbanstarship 7 күн бұрын

I'm a 70s child. I never thought movies, rock n' roll, late night TV and the sitcom would ever die, but I guess they have.

@lynnturman8157 6 күн бұрын

The internet killed everything.

@lynnturman8157 5 күн бұрын

@@Eelis0 ANYBODY who actually experienced those things before the internet will tell you they did not suck.

@ariaayres 5 күн бұрын

I 'm a 90s kid and witnessed the end of the sitcom. I miss it dearly. I wanna bring em back but idk how

@bigbaby9189 20 сағат бұрын

there's good stuff everywhere but we don't get the simplicity of just turning on the tv and sitting back. I like the addition of being able to watch interviews and insights like this these days

@tillinternet 9 күн бұрын

This man has a doctorate in comedy

@johns7530 8 күн бұрын

That show was truly a gift to humanity. I watch episodes sometimes even now. Comedy in general has gotten me through a lot of rough times, and I know I am not alone in that. There are other funny sitcoms, but I don't think the magic that made this show will ever come again. As Jerry said to the other 3 before their last episode, whenever anyone remembers one of them, they will remember all four. The show was truly a remarkable and unforgettable work of art. 🙏

@sheilagraham3674 7 күн бұрын

I never get tired of his insights.

@JeffBiggs1982 5 күн бұрын

You wanna do it? Get up there and do it! Great simplification of it.

@shaggycan 7 күн бұрын

Seinfeld is a comedy mechanic. Maybe even an engineer.

@hackiest 9 күн бұрын

weird thing is I enjoy listening to Jerry talk about comedy more than listening to his actual comedy

@counterflow5719 8 күн бұрын

I've been calling Seinfeld the Dean of comedy for several years now. He understands comedy, he's done comedy, and he "knows where all the bodies are buried" in comedy.

@judithkleiner4438 7 күн бұрын

He is a master comedian.

@Splintered- 6 күн бұрын

He understands the formula behind creating the joke. He is invested in the science of it.

@JeffBiggs1982 5 күн бұрын

His comedy is pretty damn good too

@wendygorman1027 7 күн бұрын

Time and place. Love Jerry.

@bucksdiaryfan 6 күн бұрын

Someone should do a movie about the whole "stand up and then breakfast" era... it would be a quasi community filled with a lot of unique personalities all struggling together

@rutherose23 5 күн бұрын

Jerry needs to do a life advice show

@Alan.Endicott 9 күн бұрын

You have to respect someone that studies and explores and hones his craft as Jerry does. You know those honorary degrees they give commencement speakers? Jerry should be given a PhD.

@judd442009 10 күн бұрын

70 years old -- still going strong and keeping us laughing.

@daveleephoto 9 күн бұрын

This was filmed ten years ago or more

@BenSkyLakewood 9 күн бұрын

This was filmed when he was in his 50s

@JayBenedictBrown 8 күн бұрын

I learned so many of the same things that Jerry did. I was a touring comedian for 10 years, but never made the big leagues. However, it amazes me how much similarity there was in our two experiences. My girlfriend made the same comment when we saw Jerry’s documentary “comedian” several years ago.

@LivingOurDreams1950s 9 күн бұрын

He’s a very sharp intelligent man of the world

@MapleSyrupPoet 8 күн бұрын

Great insights 😅

@HarryJoiner 10 күн бұрын

1:12 - This is like James Brown saying “ain’t no funk in Iowa.” Which he actually said btw, to drumming legend and native Iowan, Bill Stewart.

@jasonsaleem552 7 күн бұрын

Thank you!

@splorn 9 күн бұрын

Great interview Pure and Simple

@s3cr3tsquar333 Күн бұрын

that was brilliant. jerry is a comedy genius. very well said.

@ighdesigns 5 күн бұрын

Turned in Grandpa Simpson yelling at clouds.

@michelelafiura5272 9 күн бұрын

That was supposed to be me in the gym he met and married 😭

@GalileoSmith 2 күн бұрын

I think of a friend of mine, Larry Levinson, and the spontaneous, deadpan conversations we would have. _Me: I'm going to watch the Red Sox game. Larry: I used to play baseball. Me: No kidding? Were you good? Larry: I played in the Major Leagues. Me: You did? You seem kind of small to play Major League baseball. What are you, 5'7" and 140 lbs.? Larry: It's deceptive because I'm bigger than how I look. Me: Really? How big are you? Larry: I'm 6'6" and about 230 lbs. Me: You're right, you, are bigger than how you look._ Now, imagine you are in a workplace breakroom and you witness that conversation.

@Raelspark Күн бұрын

I'd like to see Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano do The Odd Couple. I can see Ray playing Oscar, and Jerry as Felix. But then again, you already had that with "Seinfeld" with Jerry and Kramer.

@5cloudwalker 5 күн бұрын

Watch the Marvellous Mrs. Maisel to see the genesis of a comedian 😊👍

@matsfrommusic 9 күн бұрын

And keep cutting till the guy feels better... that's pretty funny :)

@arlenerubenstein6762 9 күн бұрын

I think this interview was earlier, not recent. He looks younger here.

@arlenerubenstein6762 9 күн бұрын

He was in his 50s here.

@thewalkingdunning-krugeref9664 8 күн бұрын

Jerry literally looks like he's in his 40's.

@Burgmannn 3 күн бұрын

15:42 Marc Maron just started crying somewhere.

@roccocupido5082 6 күн бұрын

BLIGHTED. ‼️🇵🇸

@redreliever 2 күн бұрын

One Italian here. Always been an avid consumer of Seinfeld's episodes. I loved them totally. I have just to make a couple of remarks. 1.Watching them now I can say they have lost something, meaning that in 1996 there was NO way I'd prefer to watch a new episode of Friends over one of Seinfeld; now though I'm not so sure which one I'd choose if I could get a random episode of one of the two series (maybe the very 90's greyish blue "Seinfeld" photography doesn't help). 2.Never liked the Jerry Seinfeld's bits: neither standing up, nor the filmed ones in the series and I really hate him as an actor, but I really love his writing, that band of four altogether, his more serious speeches about anything and also Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. What if he had the timing and the delivery of Norm McDonalds?

@catdaddydonbrewer007 3 күн бұрын

Other than the sitcom Seinfeld, there's no other piece of comedic artwork that would separate him from any other one hit wonder. Larry David is more vital to the success they had than Jerry Seinfeld is, but even he didn't ride that wave of success for the rest of his career while doing nothing else. He created another series that arguably is the best comedy series in history. Seinfeld made the bee movie.

@randyzeitman1354 9 күн бұрын

Yea ... comedy is the reframing of pain.

@brianbell3417 9 күн бұрын

Is Seinfeld the funny, insightful, coolest cat out there? Spin this interview.

@squaretriangle9208 3 күн бұрын

He loves what he does, Seinfeld was the best show

@Phil-tt3xg 9 күн бұрын

He made arguably the greatest t.v. show of all time, and is one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all-time, rare double standard.

@hlf_coder6272 8 күн бұрын

How is that a double standard? A double standard implies unfairness or hypocrisy.

@Phil-tt3xg 8 күн бұрын

@@hlf_coder6272 Okay mister technical, double threat, by the way, you're the only one who had a problem with it.

@TheRealTurkFebruary 7 күн бұрын

@@Phil-tt3xg I also had a problem with it. Not just the misuse of a wildly common term, but also that you think Seinfeld is among the greatest standup comedians of all time. Without that sitcom, nobody would know who he was. Without Larry David, whatever he ended up doing with NBC would’ve been canceled before the first season finale.

@Phil-tt3xg 7 күн бұрын

@@TheRealTurkFebruary He would still be a great stand-up, without the fame.

@MapleSyrupPoet 8 күн бұрын

"Restrictions that make things funny" 😊 nice ...tell that to "out of the box" guys 😅

@udishomer5852 7 күн бұрын

Seinfeld is 53 here

@FreshGrey-pm4vw 3 күн бұрын

ohhhh - I wondered bc he looks younger than the recent interview with Bensinger.

@greekre 10 күн бұрын

omg hes still with us

@roncaruso931 10 күн бұрын

No kidding. Your surprised he is still alive? In 2024, he is only 69.

@greekre 10 күн бұрын

@@roncaruso931 not that hes alive that hes on my feed

@roncaruso931 9 күн бұрын

@@greekre ok

@jp783 9 күн бұрын

Does Seinfeld consider All In The Family a sitcom, I wonder?

@hollebwood 9 күн бұрын

Sometimes I wonder if Seinfeld considers a walnut a food. We should get together and wonder about stuff.

@lynnturman8157 6 күн бұрын

of course

@PopGunEnt 8 күн бұрын

It’s so strange all these comments about how unfunny he is / always was etc. I’ve always felt that way about Jay Leno - one of the least funny people that’s ever been born on this planet. But if you listen to every major comic INCLUDING Dave Letterman to this day (2024) they all say Leno was the BEST comic. It’s why Leno hosted for Carson so many times before he actually got the job. And even Letterman admits it. There’s something about these surgical standup comics that just don’t hit the same way, it’s like it’s not “funny haha” it’s a more cerebral deeper level of humor that makes us all connect differently. Anyway, i’ve never really been impressed with Jerry’s standup, but his sitcom is one of the funniest shows that’s ever existed and prob ever will, and he’ll tell you himself it’s because of the three other actors.

@Joe-sg9ll 5 күн бұрын

have you heard the benign violation theory? his show was subversive (at the time) it's now reached full steam

@truefreedom9308 6 күн бұрын

Seinfeld has a position it so the camera shows Central Park out the window.

@jilltagmorris 7 күн бұрын

❤🎉😊🎉❤

@Skottink 9 күн бұрын

I hope my age isn't what people find to be the first compliment that they attach to me

@DarkCode 7 күн бұрын

Amazing he looks 40 but is 70

@ChrissyCAGirl 6 күн бұрын

OMG. Everybody thinks where they came from is best and no other area is as good. No surprise there.

@LivingOurDreams1950s 9 күн бұрын

This is the best he has ever looked. I don’t like his current look it’s psychotic he has his hair shave down to his head where is strange glasses he needs to go back to this look this was his best!

@lulufavs4519 8 күн бұрын

HE WAS IN HIS FIFTIES DURING THAT INTERVIEW. HE IS NOW 70yrs old AND LOOKS GREAT!

@blaketurner7989 8 күн бұрын

Ahh, yes, Seinfeld, the most "you had to be there" show of all time😂.

@belak1551 7 күн бұрын

What does that even mean?

@blaketurner7989 7 күн бұрын

@@belak1551ahhh, you had to be there..

@belak1551 7 күн бұрын

@@blaketurner7989 I’m only 30 so obviously I didn’t to see the show when it was airing live but to me it’s the funniest and best written show I’ve ever seen.

@antar1485 9 күн бұрын

This man does not look anywhere near 70. God bless him.

@davemiller4721 9 күн бұрын

Correct - he looks more like 54, which he was when this was taped.

@Gracchus66 7 күн бұрын

Seinfeld is okay at standup , funny and all that though there are many who are way funnier. And after watching CYE it was clear who was the real genius behind "Seinfeld".

@FreshGrey-pm4vw 3 күн бұрын

i like how close the camera is on his face. things are not very funny in 2024.

@tonyclifton265 8 күн бұрын

there are no great comics coming out of bora bora; it's not a funny place LOL

@stevengerrrard 10 күн бұрын

: )

@AlanDavidDoane 6 күн бұрын

"Let's eliminate the class system," said one of the richest white men on the planet, certain in his knowledge that no one funny ever came from Bora Bora.

@Joe-sg9ll 5 күн бұрын

gee. oh. why. is the three letter word that explains the theory

@ClassicGameMusic 8 күн бұрын

Larry David must be a better writer than a standup comedian because he’s annoying and terrible on stage.

@caesarvolz6945 9 күн бұрын

Jerry should have written and stayed behind the camera. His acting is the worst thing about the show. His acting was bad when I watched 30+ years ago and is even more distracting now. He almost ruins the show. Seinfeld is to TV as Tarantino is to movies. Don't try to act in your work.

@lynnturman8157 6 күн бұрын

Well, if you've ever listened to his interviews, he's the first one to tell you he's not a good actor. But obviously whatever acting he did (or didn't do) worked considering how successful his TV show was.

@caesarvolz6945 6 күн бұрын

@@lynnturman8157 I'm glad Seinfeld agrees he's a bad actor. But he definitely doesn't think he's as bad as he actually is/was. And yeah, the show was successful despite his horrible acting.

@lynnturman8157 6 күн бұрын

@@caesarvolz6945 He was smart. He hired three of the best comedic actors in the business to be on his show.

@williamtorrible4925 9 күн бұрын

Jerry owes me $500,000 or his soul. I will take either. Shiva who the Government calls me the Creator and I know my life is a movie. Jerry stole material from my life and I want compensation or I will deny you Heaven.

@hopperbopper 7 күн бұрын

You need a mental hospital

@Joe-sg9ll 5 күн бұрын

@@hopperbopperare those worth $500k? he'd probably prefer cash

@artboy789 4 күн бұрын

Very very interesting

@BenSkyLakewood 9 күн бұрын

Enjoy his work but he is way to proud of his profession.

@jamesc210 3 күн бұрын

Fan of Seinfeld but Jerry really is pompous and has pretty boring insight. You'd think he's saving the world by talking about airplane bathrooms and breakfast on-stage