David’s departure from, 169–71, 174, 187, 190–94, 207, 252, 270
eighth season, 168, 171, 174–95
Emmys, 74, 91, 148–49, 180–81, 193
end of, 199–217
explosive endings, 61
on fall schedule, 62–63, 83–84
fifth season, 67–68, 76, 130–31, 142–43, 149, 160
finale, 205–15
four-episode order, 33–47
fourth season, 68–69, 83–84, 87–99, 112–16, 135, 145, 148, 155–56, 165–66
hundredth episode, 154
increase in controversial subject matter, 153–71, 184, 189, 196, 212
influence on other sitcoms, 138–40, 193, 196, 204, 223–25
Internet and, 134–37, 205, 225, 260–68
Jewishness and, 46, 146, 151, 159–60, 180, 184
life after, 215–17, 226–53
mixture of fiction and real life, 4–5, 54–58, 63–68, 88, 91, 103, 107–33, 153–54, 163–65, 175–76, 184–86, 228–38, 251–52, 269
name changed to, 35
nation, 134–52
New York–ness of, 46, 53, 96, 131–33, 152, 184–85
ninth season, 120–21, 163–65, 190, 194–98, 199–217
opening comedy monologues, 38
origin of, 7–20
pilot episode, 21–33
popularity and success, 81–84, 89, 100–101, 112, 123–25, 132–52, 184, 199–201, 225, 239, 244–45
post–Larry David changes, 172–98
profits, 141, 194, 199–200, 204
rated No. 1, 89, 140–41, 156, 199
salary negotiations, 194–95, 199–200
second season, 47–49, 50–62, 146
seventh season, 152, 163, 169–74, 176, 183
show “about nothing,” 113–14
sixth season, 69, 75, 76, 100–106, 153–55, 167–68, 174
syndication, 218–25
team mentality, 30, 138, 168
theme song, 37–40, 189
third season, 62–66, 77–84
Thursday night slot, 83–84, 89, 100–101, 115, 137–40, 202, 204
writers, 85–106, 125–30, 170–94
See also Elaine; George; Jerry; Kramer; specific actors, characters, episodes, directors, writers, producers, guest stars, and subject matter
Seinfeld, Betty, 10
Seinfeld, Helen, 64, 143, 146, 147
Seinfeld, Jerry, 5, 6
background of, 10–15
on Carson show, 13–14, 17
comedic approach, 8, 10–15, 52, 58–68, 80, 86–108, 189–91, 197–98
eighth season, 171, 174–95
Emmys of, 148
end of Seinfeld, 199–217
fame and fortune, 82–83, 147–50, 194–95, 241–43
fifth season, 67–68, 142–43, 149, 160
four-episode order, 33–47
fourth season, 68–69, 83–84, 87–99, 112–16, 145, 148, 155–56, 165–66
Golden Globe of, 149
as head writer and executive producer, 171–94
marriage and children of, 215–16, 243
ninth season, 120–21, 163–65, 190, 194–98, 199–217
origin of Seinfeld, 7–20
physical appearance, 8, 14, 25
pilot episode, 21–33
post–Larry David changes and, 172–98
post-Seinfeld life, 215–17, 241–43, 249–53, 268–70
salary negotiations, 194–95
second season, 47–49, 50–62, 146
seventh season, 152, 163, 169–74, 176, 183
sixth season, 69, 75, 76, 100–106, 153–55, 167–68, 174
stand-up routine, 7, 9, 11–20, 62, 147, 163, 201, 211, 216, 241–43, 246
third season, 62–66, 77–84
writers and, 85–106, 170–94
See also Jerry
Seinfeld, Jessica, 215–16, 243
Seinfeld, Kal, 10, 13, 201
Seinfeld, Morty, 64, 143, 146–47, 222
Seinfeld Chronicles, The, 20, 30, 35, 38
casting, 21–33
name changed to Seinfeld, 35
pilot episode, 21–33
testing phase, 31–32
waitress character, 29, 33, 40–45
Seinfeldia, 5, 217
bizarros and, 107–33, 226–38
emergence of, 218–25
fans and, 218–25, 254–70
fictional films and, 254–60
Internet and, 260–68
Seinfeld’s Stand-Up Diary, 9
SeinfeldToday, 261–68
Seinfeld 2000, 262–68
SeinLanguage (book), 147–48, 183
September 11 attacks, 229, 245
Serbu, Mark, 236–37
“The Serenity Now,” 160, 188
sets, 37, 72, 131, 152, 167, 172–73, 206, 250
building of, 167
earthquake damage, 130–31
Jerry’s apartment, 4, 72, 125, 131, 250, 260
Monk’s, 45
New York streets, 131, 152, 206
Sex and the City, 216
sexuality, 140
Seinfeld approach to, 88–91, 139, 140, 145, 154, 155, 165–66, 188
Shales, Tom, 47
Shalhoub, Tony, 28
Shandling, Garry, 95
Shapiro, George, 17–20, 26, 84, 109–11, 113, 200, 201, 216
Shatner, William, 142
Shelowitz, Jason, 255–59, 260
Sheridan, Liz, 147
Shields, Brooke, 164
“The Shoes,” 115
Short, Martin, 41, 186
“The Shower Head,” 190
Showtime, 14, 75, 95
Sid the parking guy, 161–62
Siegel, Lee, 240
Simon, Neil, 23, 25
Simons, Charmaine Nash, 72–73
Simpson, O. J., 153–54, 161
Simpsons, The, 47, 82, 182–83, 234
Sinatra, Frank, 214–15
single-camera approach, 19, 37, 79, 217, 224
Single Guy, The, 137
Sister Kate, 32
sitcoms, 9, 12, 14, 19, 35, 213
female creator-stars, 181–82
Must See TV, 10–101, 115, 137–40, 221
origin of Seinfeld, 9–20
Seinfeld influence on, 138–40, 193, 196, 204, 223–25
See also specific sitcoms and networks
Six Feet Under, 224
skinny mirrors, 76
Skrovan, Steve, 98, 102, 114–15
slap bass, 39–40
Slate.com, 263
Sleepless in Seattle, 130
“The Smelly Car,” 97
Smith, Chris, 60
Sopranos, The, 223, 244
Sorkin, Aaron, 171
sound mixing, 79, 170
“The Soup,” 103
Soup Kitchen International, 130, 203, 237
Soup Nazi, 4, 126–30, 175, 203, 210, 213, 225
post-Seinfeld fame, 233–38, 244
“The Soup Nazi,” 4, 126–30, 185, 203, 233–35, 244
South Park, 224
Spader, James, 192, 234
“The Sponge,” 76, 98
Stahl, Jeremy, 263
“The Stakeout,” 146
stand-up comedy, 7–8, 11–14, 62, 85, 87, 104, 147, 163, 201, 211, 216, 241–43, 246
Star Trek, 142
“The Statue,” 62
Steenburgen, Mary, 240
Steinbrenner, George, 132, 171, 227
Steinem, Gloria, 16
Steve Allen Show, The, 17, 146
Stewart, Jon, 101
Stiller, Jerry, 120–21, 143–46, 222
Stoller, Fred, 101–6
“The Strike,” 120–21
studio audience, 78–79, 165, 223
finale, 211
Studios USA, 217
Suddenly Susan, 106, 137, 164
Super Bowl, 5, 141 192, 204, 220
Seinfeld commercials, 237, 268–70
Superman, 174, 175, 182
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Susan, 140, 157–59, 163, 166
death of, 158, 169–70
Swedberg, Heidi, 157–59
syndication, 4, 5, 123, 136, 194, 204, 213, 218–25, 259
affiliate-network relations, 220–21
changes to scenes, 222
cycles, 224–25
table reads, 52, 58, 59, 64, 89, 91, 208–10
Tartikoff, Brandon, 17–19, 28–31, 35, 48, 138
Tati, Jacques, 70
Taxi, 137
Taylor, Christine, 182
TBS, 225
That Girl, 17
theater, 24, 25, 26, 147
theme song, 37–40, 189
“they’re real, and they’re spectacular,” 97, 182
Third Rock from the Sun, 104, 204
30 Rock, 224
thirtysomething, 172–73
Thomas, Larry, 126–30, 213, 225, 233–38, 244
Tierney, Lawrence, 54–57
Tinker, Grant, 137–38
Today Sponge, 98
toilet point of view, 189–90
Tomei, Marisa, 142
Tom’s Restaurant, 122–25, 131, 213, 215, 260, 268–70
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The, 13–14, 17, 34, 101
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The, 178, 213, 218
Travanti, Daniel J., 234
Trebek, Alex, 194
Tucker, Ken, 46–47, 213–14
TV Guide, 244
TV Land, 213
Twin Peaks, 101
Twitter, 257, 261–68
Two and a Half Men, 225
“The Understudy,” 76
Union Square, 137, 196
Universal Studios, 206
Updike, John, 132
USA Today, 208
USA Weekend, 148
valet with B.O., 97
Vandelay Industries, 2, 3, 4
Variety, 195, 197
VCRs, 135, 141
Veep, 246
Vega, Suzanne, 122
Veronica Mars, 224
Veronica’s Closet, 137, 196, 204
VHS, 135, 259
“The Virgin,” 97
“The Voice,” 196
Voight, Jon, 142–43
WABC-AM, 203
Wale, 260
Wallace, George, 37–38
Warburton, Patrick, 143, 243
warm-up comedians, 78, 85, 165, 203
Warner Brothers, 131, 202, 213
War on Festivus, 232
Washington Post, 47, 88, 159
Watching Ellie, 245
Wayans, Damon, 247
WB, 181
Weaver, Sally, 163–65
Welch, Jack, 200, 202
Welch, Raquel, 142
West, Howard, 26, 36, 200, 201
West Wing, The, 171, 224
Whatley, Tim, 174, 180, 182
Who’s the Boss?, 37, 39, 41
Wieseltier, Leon, 151
Will & Grace, 140
Wings, 35–36, 106, 168
Wire, The, 224
WNYW, 204
Wolff, Jonathan, 37–40, 140, 202
Seinfeld theme song, 37–40, 189
Wonder Years, The, 51
Woodburn, Danny, 73
WPIX, 221, 225
Wright, Bob, 199–200, 202
Wright, Tom, 162
writers, 50–51, 62–63, 85–106, 117, 125–30, 136, 170–81, 240
eighth season, 171, 174–95
end of Seinfeld, 204–9
factions, 192–93
female, 75–76, 180–83
fifth season, 67–68, 76, 142, 160
final script, 205–9
fourth season, 68–69, 83–84, 87–99, 112–16, 135, 145, 148, 155–56, 165–66
new system, 190–93
ninth season, 120–21, 163–65, 190, 194–98, 199–217
pilot episode, 21–33
post–Larry David changes, 172–98
post-Seinfeld life, 243–44
rewrite sessions, 191, 192
second season, 50–62, 146
seventh season, 152, 163, 169–74, 176, 183
sixth season, 69, 75, 76, 100–106, 153–55, 167–68, 174
third season, 62–66, 77–84
yearly staff purge, 87, 99, 106
See also specific writers and episodes
Writers Guild, 104, 223
X-Files, The, 101, 127
“The Yada Yada,” 179–81, 222
Yates, Monica, 43–44, 54–58, 75
Yates, Richard, 54–57
Yeganeh, Al, 130, 203, 237–38
YouTube, 256, 265, 266
Zoulis, Mike, 122–24, 215
Simon & Schuster
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Copyright © 2016 by Jennifer Armstrong
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First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition July 2016
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Interior design by Ruth Lee-Mui
Jacket Design and Illustration by Rinee Shah
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Armstrong, Jennifer Keishin.
Seinfeldia : how a show about nothing changed everything / Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. — First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Seinfeld (Television program) I. Title.
PN1992.77.S4285A86 2015
791.45'72—dc23
2015023755
ISBN 978-1-4767-5610-3
ISBN 978-1-4767-5612-7 (ebook)
Seinfeldia Page 31