Seinfeld Reference: The Complete Encyclopedia (11 page)

Relationships

According to closest friends and colleagues, Seinfeld is generous, decent and modest; however, a self-examination indicates that he dislikes people and fears having to speak with strangers because they are considered lesser human beings than himself.  Seinfeld goes to great lengths to avoid human contact.  He feels very awkward in one-on-one conversations, and only comes alive onstage.  He openly admits to his limited conversation skills, though seems quite capable of interviewing people he knows intimately or about whom he is somewhat interested.  Nevertheless, any future discussions about Seinfeld hosting a talk show appear highly unlikely.

Due to a firm career commitment, Seinfeld does not have many friends.  Most friendships were solidified during his struggling days as a New York City comic with future stars Larry David, Carol Leifer, Paul Reiser, Larry Miller, and Jay Leno.  However, despite only having a few close confidants, Seinfeld remains loyal to the inner-circle of friends.  Mario Joyner has been a friend for years (and regular opening act for Seinfeld's comedy shows), and usually spends New Years Day with Paul Reiser ("Mad About You") and comedians Larry Miller and Mark Schiff.  When developing friendships, Seinfeld gravitates toward extroverts to offset his introversion.  Usually this entails cordial "socializing" with fellow comedians or comedic writers to discuss new material, avoiding celebrity soirées, and occasionally participating in obligatory public appearances.

Seinfeld was a frequent guest on Howard Stern's talk-radio program, but took offense when the shock-jock began interrogating Seinfeld about his involvement with then 17-year-old Shoshanna Lonstein.  After their friendship fallout, the media giants, engaged in a publicity battle, mostly precipitated by Stern's efforts to poke fun at his popular rival.  When Stern began publicizing his book
Private Parts
, he made a special effort to ridicule Seinfeld.

Romance

Despite having hormonal urges at a young age, Seinfeld was always too shy to approach women.  The first romantic date came during his late-teens, and he did not lose his virginity until age 19 or 20.  Surprisingly, Seinfeld is open about no longer being master of his domain, but surprisingly revealed that he discovered the art of self-love after experiencing sexual intercourse, and was introduced to the concept by his college roommate.

Inevitably, the deprivation of child-parent emotional bonding was the fundamental source of Seinfeld's intimacy problems.  Shyness, lack of persistence, and fear of rejection also played a part in Seinfeld's sporadic and limited love life.  Surprisingly enough, he was briefly engaged in 1984, when he turned 30.  After dating a hotel manager for one month, the pair agreed to tie the knot, but the romance expired four months later when Seinfeld realized it would interfere with his career.

Two years later, after commencing a comedy career, Seinfeld began dating comedian Carol Leifer, who became the inspiration for Elaine Benes because the creators did not know any other appropriate women.  Although it was only a brief romance, the couple remained close friends.

The early-1980s saw limited romance because Seinfeld spent most of the year touring on the comedy circuit.  From 1986 to 1991 he had a roller-coaster liaison with publicist Stacey Effron, the daughter of his dentist.  Interspersed throughout this half-decade tryst was a flurry of momentary flings with models, actresses and waitresses.

Once the "Seinfeld" series was committed to a full season of episodes, the show's headliner began working seven days a week, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.  He lived and breathed "Seinfeld," immersing himself in the sitcom submarine and descending for eight months at a time.  Women were not a priority, and any potential romance quickly faded with his undivided attention to the show.  For example, after a guest appearance in 1991, Tawny Kitaen, ex-wife of Whitesnake leadman David Coverdale, commenced a brief romantic encounter with the sitcom star.  The relationship did not last because Seinfeld could not offer the attention she desired.

In May 1993, while walking through Central Park, Seinfeld met a rollerblading 17-year-old high school student, Shoshanna Lonstein, whose father was president of a wealthy computer hardware business.  After graduating from Manhattan's Nightingale-Bamford private school, Shoshanna attended George Washington University, in the heart of the District of Columbia, before transferring to UCLA to be near Seinfeld.  After an 18-month relationship, there were rumors of a breakup, but the romance lasted four years, until May 1997.  The split is credited to the same cause of all prior relationship killers--Seinfeld's uneventful, boring lifestyle--he only wants to talk about his career.  Shoshanna has since been romantically linked with David Schwimmer ("Friends"), and Jay Aston, son of a wealthy Manhattan plastic surgeon.  She is currently marketing her own line of designer clothing.

Seinfeld admits that his career has priority, and any woman interested in dating him must be patient.  For years he was constantly working on the series, and at all other times he was on the road with his comedy routine.  Seinfeld rarely has time to waste dining, entertaining, or romancing a woman.  An ideal date would entail staying at home, ordering pizza, and watching a ball game, or occasionally going out for dinner and a movie.  Naturally, his limited dating and inability to sustain a long-lasting relationship has precipitated rumors that he is gay.  However, the lengthy relationship with Shoshanna (and her youthful age) effectively dispelled this misconception.

Future

When "Seinfeld" had its last hurrah, Jerry Seinfeld already organized a list of short-term goals.  He began honing material for an international tour in Australia and Europe, and then a continental United States tour.  In August 1998 he returned to New York to tape an HBO comedy special.

The one-hour segment, edited from three Broadway performances, aired August 9, 1998 under the title "I'm Telling You For the Last Time," which is supposed to be the last performance of his current act.

Seinfeld hopes that the special will force him to write new material and facilitate the acclimation process into the realm of stand-up comedy.

Thereafter, Seinfeld intimates the possibility of opening a small production company or advertising agency, becoming a talk show host (something he always vehemently opposed as a career move), or cowriting a film with "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David.  However, do not expect him to provide a voice role to the animated show "South Park" because he already rejected an offer to star as a turkey.

Career Credits

The following is a comprehensive list of Seinfeld's acting and writing accomplishments, as well as industry awards and nominations.

Television

“Celebrity Cabaret” (pilot) 1977 (unaired)

"Benson" ep Fool's Gold 11.14.80 (ABC)

"Benson" ep Citizen Kraus 12.12.80 (ABC)

"Benson" ep Benson's Groupie 12.19.80 (ABC)

"Benson" ep In High Places 1.9.81 (ABC)

"Jerry Seinfeld: Stand-up Confidential" (special) 9.5.87 (HBO)

"An All-Star Celebration: The '88 Vote (special) 10.15.88 (ABC)

"Dick Clark Presents" (special) 10.15.88 (CBS)

"The Seinfeld Chronicles" (pilot) ep Good News, Bad News 7.5.89 (NBC)

"Spy Magazine Presents How to be Famous" (host) (special) 4.18.90 (NBC)

“Seinfeld” (series) 5.31.90 to 5.14.98 (NBC)

"Friday Night Videos" (host) 6.16.90 (NBC)

"The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (cohost) (special) 8.25.91 (FOX)

“A Stand Up Life” (telefilm, UK) 2.21.93

"Baseball Relief: An All-Star Comedy Salute" (special) 9.16.93 (FOX)

"NBC Super Special All-Star Comedy Hour" (special) 9.16.93 (NBC)

"Rolling Stone '93: The Year in Review" (special) 12.14.93 (FOX)

"The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (presenter) (special) 9.11.94 (ABC)

"Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld" (host) (special) 11.24.94 (NBC)

"Seinfeld - Highlights of a Hundred" (host) (special) 2.2.95 (NBC)

"Celebrity First Loves" (special) 2.8.95 (FOX)

"The 9th Annual American Comedy Awards" (guest) (special) 3.6.95 (ABC)

"The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (presenter) (special) 9.10.95 (FOX)

"David Letterman Special" (cameo) (special) 2.19.96 (CBS)

"Comedy Club Superstars" 4.27.96 (special) (ABC)

"NewsRadio" ep The Real Deal 5.7.97 (NBC)

“The Larry Sanders Show” ep Flip 5.31.98 (HBO)

"I'm Telling You For the Last Time" (special) 8.9.98 (HBO)

Writer - TV

"Jerry Seinfeld: Stand-up Confidential" (special) 9.5.87 (HBO)

"Seinfeld" - 32 episodes, 1989-1997

Executive Producer - TV

“Seinfeld” (series) 1996-1998

“Jerry Seinfeld: I'm Telling You for the Last Time" (special) 8.9.98 (HBO)

Producer - TV

“The Seinfeld Chronicles” ep Good News, Bad News (pilot) (episode) 7.5.89

“Seinfeld” ep The Stakeout (episode) 5.31.90

“Seinfeld” ep The Robbery (episode) 6.7.90

“Seinfeld” ep Male Unbonding (episode) 6.14.90

“Seinfeld” ep The Stock Tip (episode) 6.21.90

“Seinfeld” (series) 1991-1996

Movies

The Ratings Game
, aka
The Mogul
(The Movie Channel, cable 1984)

Rodney Dangerfield: "It's Not Easy Being Me"
(video 1986)

The Tommy Chong Roast
(video 1986)

Pros & Cons
(Cinemax 1999)

Emmy Nominations

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, NBC (Seinfeld ep "The Pony Remark," 1991)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, NBC (Seinfeld, 1992-96)

Authorial Credits

SeinLanguage
(comedy) (Bantam 1993)

Seinfeld Scripts: The First and Second Seasons
(HarperCollins 1998)

Sein Off: The Final Days of Seinfeld
(cowrote) (IT Books 1998)

* * * * *

JASON ALEXANDER

(George Costanza)

For many Americans who watch television, Jason Alexander is a recognizable and unforgettable face.  He regularly appears in every major television market as George Costanza on "Seinfeld," the animated pitchman for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Rold Gold pretzels, and the voice of an animated character in "Duckman."  To fans of theater, Alexander is a prolific performer.  From his Tony Award-winning performance to numerous Broadway productions, Alexander stuns crowds with inexplicable agility and gracefulness, and a mellifluous operatic tenor singing voice.  In retrospect, when reflecting upon his childhood days in New Jersey, it seemed almost inevitable that he would thrive in the limelight of the entertainment world.

Childhood

In 1959 Alexander Greenspan, an office manager at a manufacturing plant, met and married Ruth Simon, a nursing school director (both of whom are currently retired and living in a condominium in Coconut Grove, Florida).  Later that year, on September 23, 1959 the family welcomed Jay Scott, a future Broadway and Hollywood star, to their Newark, New Jersey home.  The Greenspans also raised their family in the neighboring suburbs of Maplewood and Livingston.

Besides acting and other entertainment-related interests, Alexander's childhood experience was traumatic.  Since kindergarten he constantly battled a weight problem (exceeding 200 pounds as an adolescent), suffered from allergies, and wore orthodontic braces throughout adolescence.  He was the subject of interminable ridicule, and living in constant terror of being verbally and physically abused by other kids, which instilled a fear of rejection and nonacceptance that persists to this day.

One childhood defense mechanism was using humor to win friends and defuse ridicule as a fat boy.  Although he was no class clown, Alexander implemented preemptive confrontational humor whenever necessary.  If he anticipated trouble, Alexander would perform stand-up comedy routines of popular comedians, such as Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, Bob Newhart, and George Carlin.  In the evenings he would listen to and memorize their acts, and then practice the impersonations to impress his peers.

In addition, Alexander was also interested in magic tricks, and as a college student, earned spare change performing the craft in Boston Commons.  His entire childhood was anachronistic because he did not have the same interests as other children.  At age five Alexander was listening to Broadway cast albums, such as
Man of La Mancha
and
The Fantasticks
, and at age 13, after watching Ben Vereen in
Pippin
, he was inspired to pursue musical theater.  Inevitably, he had to conceal his peculiar interests and avoid the humiliation of being recognized by peers, so Alexander attended an all-girls tap dancing class at a dance studio four towns away.

Alexander also gravitated toward theater in high school.  He was enthralled by actors, and spent countless hours in front of a television set studying performances.  His favorite actor was William Shatner, and to this day Alexander remains a devout
Star Trek
fanatic.  Acting became a source of empowerment--a source of control in his life.  Despite lacking thespian blood, Alexander was always attracted to the stage, whether high school plays or local community theater.  His parents discouraged acting as a career option, and thought their son should become an orthodontist while pursuing acting as a hobby.

Alexander has two half-siblings, Michael (b. 1940) and Karen (Greenspan) Van Horne (b. 1947).  According to Alexander, his sister was an amazing role model, a source of inspiration, and first introduced him to Broadway cast albums.  She is divorced and lives in Houston, working as a human resources accountant at Texas Commerce Bank.  In 1994 Van Horne was diagnosed with Scleroderma--a degenerative autoimmune disorder, which causes hardening of the skin and fatal scarring of internal organs--the same disease to which her mother succumbed.  She also suffers from Raynaud's phenomenon, which impedes circulation and causes numbness of the phalanges, and Polymyositis, an inflammation of the muscles.  Van Horne has undergone several surgeries to remove scar tissue from her esophagus that makes it difficult to swallow and inhibits absorption.  Consequently, she lost 50 pounds, and for the first time does not have to be on a diet.