Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main
protagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, video game, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy...
of the
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
televisionA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
sitcomA situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms...
SeinfeldSeinfeld 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. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(
1989The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.For the American TV schedule, see: 1989-90 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
–
1998The 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:...
). The
straight manA double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic device 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-
fictionalizedA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
version of
comedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of 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 SeinfeldJerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American comedian, actor and writer, whose style is often described as observational comedy...
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 CostanzaGeorge Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "Short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode...
, neighbor
Cosmo KramerCosmo Kramer, referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
, and ex-girlfriend
Elaine 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.Julia Louis-Dreyfus received extensive critical acclaim...
. 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 comedianStand-up comedy is a style of comedy where a comedian performs for a live audience, usually speaking directly to them. It is usually performed by a single comedian with the aid of a microphone, either hand-held or mounted on a stand...
, like the real Seinfeld) throughout the series. He is the most
observational characterObservational comedy is a style of humor based on making remarks about commonplace aspects of everyday life.In the United States, the style was popularized by comedians such as Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Robert Klein, Richard Pryor, Jay Leno and David Letterman in the 1970s, continued by Bill...
, 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 CafeMonk'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 2-part episodes), holding the distinction of being the only character in the show to appear in every episode.
Characteristics
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" 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" 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. One general trait on him, Elaine, and George, is not to let go of simplistic remarks and goes to great lengths to be proven right, like the time he rented a house in Tuscany, Italy just because the "Maestro" told him there were not any available or buying his parents the same car over and over again creating a great financial loss to him.
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 may threaten the group lifestyle. In the episode, "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 whilst crossing the street. In the episode, "
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."
Jerry rarely runs into major personal problems, unlike George and Elaine. In "
The Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 22nd and final 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" 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'll be fine." Many of the problems he does run into are the result of the actions of his archnemesis
NewmanNewman 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 with Kramer around, Kramer persuades Jerry to do some things that he's reluctant to do. In "
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 gets banned from the store, over an argument with the owner. This is until the owner bans him 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" is the 142nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 8th episode for the 8th season. It aired on November 14, 1996.-Kramer:...
" which Kramer and Jerry exchange apartments resulting in also switching personalities. Also there is a few episodes which Jerry does get into argument with Kramer in which he is incredibly stubborn, protecting his interest in episodes like "The Chaperone," "
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...
," "
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.-Plot:...
," and "
The CaddyThe Caddy is a film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It was filmed from November 24, 1952 through February 23, 1953. It was released by Paramount Pictures on August 10, 1953...
."
Jerry always wears a suit whenever he has to do his stand-up comedy act. There a few times which he has to wear unusual item of clothing. Kramer has persuaded Jerry three times in which he has to wear the "pirate shirt" in "
The Puffy Shirt"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfelds fifth season. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993.-Plot:...
", the cowboy boots in "The Mom and Pop Store" and the fur coat in "
The Reverse Peephole"The Reverse Peephole" is the 168th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode of the 9th and final season. It aired on January 15, 1998.-Plot:...
". Like Kramer, Jerry's hairstyle is rather short at the beginning of the series, though from Season 3 onwards, he normally wears it longer in the back. There is one noticible episode in which Jerry receives a bad haircut when he reluctantly agrees to get his hair done by an incompetant Italian barber in "The Barber".
As in real life, Jerry is a fan of comic book characters, particularly of
SupermanSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
, who is his hero. As far as sports, Jerry is a fan of the
New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League....
as evidenced as early as the "The Baby Shower" in which Kramer persuades him to install illegal cable by saying "The Mets have seventy-five games on cable this year." Jerry is also a fan of the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, known familiarly as the Knicks, are a professional National Basketball Association team based in New York City, and the most valuable franchise in the league, valued at $608 million...
,
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team plays its home games at Giants Stadium, which also serves as its headquarters, and trains at an adjacent practice facility within the Meadowlands Sports Complex...
and
New York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. In early episodes, a Yankees hat sat 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.
Jerry never smokes a cigarette but has been seen to smoke a cigar. He is seen smoking briefly in "
The Calzone"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode for the 7th season. It aired on April 25, 1996.-Plot:...
" through Cuban cigars with Elaine and "
The VoiceThe Voice can refer to:In music:* A common nickname for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Sandi Patty, Steve Perry, Bobby McFerrin, Yma Sumac, Frank Sinatra, B. W...
" with the Cuban cigar in which he bets that Elaine can't stop sleeping with
David PuddyDavid Puddy, usually just called Puddy, is a fictional character played by Patrick Warburton in the situation comedy Seinfeld. He is the on-and-off boyfriend of the character Elaine Benes.-Biography:...
and is laughing while receiving cash.
Background
Jerry grew up in New York with George, who, according to "
The Outing"The Outing" is the fifty-seventh episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 17th episode for the 4th season. It aired on February 11, 1993.-Plot:...
", 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"The Frogger" is the 174th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 18th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on April 23, 1998.-Plot:...
". Jerry and George attended school together at
Edward R. Murrow Middle SchoolEdward R. Murrow High School, founded in 1974 by Saul Bruckner and named for the pioneering television newsman Edward R. Murrow, 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 SchoolJohn F. Kennedy High School is a four-year comprehensive New York City public high school, located at 99 Terrace View Avenue in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx. The school serves grades 9-12 and is operated by the New York City Department of Education. The campus contains four other schools,...
and university at
Queens CollegeQueens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York.-History and enrollment:...
. After college, Jerry briefly worked as an
umbrellaAn umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against precipitation or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun, and 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 and went into stand-up comedy. Jerry's PIN code for his bank account is
Jor-ElJor-El is a fictional character from the Superman comic books, published by DC Comics. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster, he first appeared in Action Comics #1 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"The Secret Code" is the 117th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 7th season. It aired on November 9, 1995.-Plot:...
".
Family
Jerry's parents are
MortyMortimer "Morty" Seinfeld, portrayed in all but one episode by Barney Martin, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld. He is Jerry Seinfeld's father...
and
Helen SeinfeldHelen Seinfeld, played by Liz Sheridan, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld . She is Jerry Seinfeld's mother. Her husband—Jerry's father—is Morty Seinfeld....
, a retired
JewishAmerican Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens or resident aliens of the Jewish faith and/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
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
. Unlike George, who can't stand his parents, Jerry does love his folks, but he still prefers them living in Florida rather than New York, so that they don't interfere with his private life. Although born and raised Jewish, Jerry apparently doesn't practice and generally doesn't observe many traditions, unlike the real Seinfeld. As shown in "
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 and is considered a classic episode of the series....
", he does not keep kosher, as he is seen eating
crabCrabs 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.Crabs have a soft body covered with a hard shell. They are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, and armed with a...
bisqueBisque can refer to:* Bisque , a piece of unglazed pottery.* Bisque , a thick, creamy soup made from puréed seafood or vegetables.* Bisque , an off-white light almond color, usually seen on older kitchen appliances...
. He also has a sister (mentioned in "
The Chinese Restaurant"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and the show's seventeenth 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...
"), although she is never named, and
never appears on screenUnseen characters are never directly observed by the audience but are only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in frequent interaction with the...
. In order to avoid his old friend Joel in "
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 Horneck...
", 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 uncle,
LeoUncle Leo is Jerry Seinfeld's uncle, a minor character who appears in fifteen episodes. He is Helen Seinfeld's brother. While overlooked by younger and contemporary Seinfeld viewers, his marked eccentricity, mannerisms, and flamboyent and boisterous speech are deeply reminiscent of the character ...
, an eccentric minor (yet notable) character 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
PepsiPepsi is a carbonated soft drink produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. It is sold in many places such as retail stores, restaurants, schools, cinemas and from vending machines. The drink was first made in the 1890s by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina. The brand was trademarked...
. In "
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 once made...
", 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
PolishPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is 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" 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" 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" 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:...
".
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 Elaine 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 NoteThe Note is a summary and analysis of political news stories and trends published every weekday morning by ABCNews.com.Begun as an internal staff e-mail by then Political Director Mark Halperin, it was first published on January 14, 2002 and quickly became a must-read daily compendium of political...
" where it is revealed they went back to being just friends. Later in "
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.-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" 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
orgasmAn 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, the 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.
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 Tape
"The Tape" is the twenty-fifth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's third season. It aired on November 13, 1991.The episode was written by Larry David and Don McEnery and Bob Shaw and was directed by David Steinberg....
" 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 Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is former Major League Baseball player arguably considered the greatest fielding first baseman in the history of the game. He is now a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts.-Early...
and Elaine when Keith asks Elaine out.
- In "The 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.-Plot:Having neglected to ask the name of the woman he is dating, Jerry tries to solve the mystery...
", 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 Party
For other works with this title, see 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...
" 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 Cadillac
Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
and Elaine realizes how much money he has, she becomes very flirtatious towards him.
- In "The 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 her current boyfriend, Ben, for sex 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 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 says "Jerry, I've always loved...", 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 Vermont
The State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
.
- He dates Marla, a virginal woman in the closet business, in "The Virgin" and "The 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 Airport"The Airport" is the 52nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 12th episode of the 4th season. It aired on November 25, 1992.-Plot Summary:...
" and "The Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It 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 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.-Plot:Having neglected to ask the name of the woman he is dating, Jerry tries to solve the mystery...
" and "The Foundation"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 Raincoats
"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 Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 22nd and final 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 Foundation
"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 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.
They include:
- For refusing to taste his pie at the coffee shop ("The 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 elects not to share a piece of pie with him....
").
- For wearing the same dress on every date (she dumped him for snooping around her closet). ("The 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:...
").
- For eating her peas one at a time ("The Engagement").
- Because she had "man hands" ("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...
").
- Because she had once dated Newman, who had ended the relationship ("The 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 wouldn't let him play with her collection of antique toys ("The Merv Griffin Show")
- Because he kept spitting out the mutton she cooked for him and hiding it in her napkins. ("The Wink")
- Because he cheats on his "wife" to give another woman his family dry-cleaning discount. ("The 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.-Plot:...
")
- Because she thinks she saw him scratch his nose from the side, making it look like he picked it. ("The Pick
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
")
- Because she sucked on his fruit pits after he ate it. ("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:...
")
- Because she acted in the same manner as him: "I can't be with somebody like me! I hate myself!". ("The Invitations")
- 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 Sponge
"The Sponge" is the one-hundred & nineteenth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 7th season. It aired on December 7, 1995.-Plot:...
")
Jerry's famous guest star girlfriends
- Teri Hatcher
Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress who is best known for her roles as Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as Susan Mayer in Desperate Housewives and as Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies...
in "The Implant"The Implant" is the 59th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 19th episode for the 4th season. It aired on February 25, 1993.-Plot:...
" and in "The Finale".
- Marcia Cross
Marcia Anne Cross is an American actress, known for her portrayals of Bree Hodge on the TV show Desperate Housewives and Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the prime-time soap opera Melrose Place.-Career:...
in "The 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 Cox
Courteney Bass Cox , also known as Courteney Cox Arquette, is an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Geller on the sitcom, Friends. Courteney has also starred in Dirt and the Scream series, and has guest-starred in Scrubs. She is currently starring in Cougar Town.-Early life:Born in...
in "The 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.-Plot:...
".
- Jami Gertz
Jami Beth Gertz is an American actress. Gertz is known for her early roles in the films The Lost Boys, Quicksilver, Less Than Zero, the 1980s TV series Square Pegs with Sarah Jessica Parker, 1996's Twister, as well as for her role as Judy Miller in the CBS sitcom Still Standing with Mark...
in "The Stall"The Stall" is the seventy-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 5th season. It aired on January 6, 1994.-Plot:At a movie theater's restroom,...
".
- Jane Leeves
Jane Leeves is an English actress.After beginning her career on the Benny Hill Show, Leeves moved to the United States, where she performed in small roles until she secured a recurring part in the television sitcom Murphy Brown....
in "The Virgin","The 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 Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the consummate "MILF," 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 ,...
in "The Masseuse".
- Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist, writer, and former co-host on Air America Radio's The Majority Report...
in "The Invitations".
- Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress, known for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City....
in "The 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.-Plot:...
" and "The 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 Peet
Amanda Peet is an American actress.After studying with Uta Hagen, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles in television and indie movies. Featured roles in films such as The Whole Nine Yards brought her recognition and she was named one of People's "50 Most...
in "The 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 aired on May 15, 1997.-Plot:...
".
- Marlee Matlin
Marlee Beth Matlin is an American actress. Deaf since she was 18 months old, she is the youngest woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which she won at the age of 21.-Early life:...
in "The Lip Reader"The Lip Reader" is the seventieth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 6th episode for the 5th season. It aired on October 28, 1993.-Plot:...
".
- Catherine Keener
-Early life:Keener, the third of five children, was born in Miami, Florida, the daughter of Evelyn and Jim Keener, a manager of an automotive store. She is of Irish descent on her father's side and of Lebanese descent on her mother's. Her sister Elizabeth is also an actress. Keener attended...
in "The Letter".
- Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress, best known for her role as Grace Adler in the sitcom Will & Grace.- Early life :...
in "The 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 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.-Plot:...
".
- Christine Taylor
Christine Joan 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 Boys"The Van Buren Boys" is the 148th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld, and name of a 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 Graham
Lauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer, best known for her starring role as Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls.-Early life:...
in "The Millennium".
- Lori Loughlin
Lori Anne Loughlin is an American television actress. She is best known for her role as Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis on the ABC family series Full House. As of 2008 she plays Debbie Wilson on 90210, the spin-off of Beverly Hills 90210...
in "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:...
".
- Melinda Clarke
Melinda Clarke is an American actress known primarily for her work in television. Clarke is best known for her role on The O.C. as the cunning and manipulative Julie Cooper.- Personal life :...
in "The 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 Hargitay
Mariska Magdolina Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on the television program Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Hargitay is a winner of a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award....
in "The Pilot"The Pilot" is the two-part season finale episode from fourth season of Seinfeld. It is the sixty-third and sixty-fourth episode and aired on May 20, 1993....
".
- A. J. Langer
Allison Joy Langer Courtenay, Lady Courtenay , credited as A. J. Langer, is an American actress best known for her role as Rayanne Graff on the cult classic television series My So-Called Life.-Career:...
in "The Fatigues"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the hit 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 Fleetwood
The Fleetwood Metal Body Company began business in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania on April 1, 1909 and continued as an independent automobile body builder until acquired in 1925 by the Fisher Body Company, a division of General Motors...
and buys it back after his parents sell it, spending over $20,000. Jerry himself seems to only drive luxury European makes, such as BMW, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company. Founded in 1916, it is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. It owns and produces the MINI brand, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.-Company history:...
("The Smelly Car"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 15, 1993.-Plot:The strong body odor of a valet is left in Jerry's BMW 5 Series...
") and SAABSaab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish car manufacturer currently owned by General Motors, pending sale to the Koenigsegg Group. It is the exclusive automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by H.M., the King of Sweden...
, although in early episodes such as "The Ex-Girlfriend"The Ex-Girlfriend" is the sixth episode of NBC's sitcom Seinfeld, and the first episode of the show's second season. The episode was first broadcast on NBC in the United States on January 23, 1991, after being postponed for one week due to the commencement of the First Gulf War...
", he drives a mid-70s American coupe. 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 Watch"The Watch" is the forty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 6th episode of the 4th season. It aired on September 30, 1992.-Plot:...
") and occasionally urging him to find a new job.
- In "The Checks
"The Checks" is the 141st episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode for the 8th season. It aired on November 7, 1996.-Plot:...
", Jerry is revealed to be famous in Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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.)
- 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 Dot
"The Red Dot" is the twenty-ninth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the twelfth episode for the show's third season. It aired on December 11, 1991.-Plot:...
", Jerry's stand-up is cut short by Dick who is drunk over being "on the wagon" and "off the wagon".
- In "The 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 LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno, on NBC. It made its debut on May 25, 1992, following Johnny Carson's retirement as host of The Tonight Show. The nightly broadcast at 11:35 p.m. originated from NBC's studios, in Burbank, California and ran...
.
- 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 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 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 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...
later calls him to bump him from the Late ShowLate Show with David Letterman is an American 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 bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra,...
due to the poor middle-school performance.
- In "The 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 BaniaKenny Bania is a fictional character on the situation comedy Seinfeld played by Steve Hytner.-Overview:Bania is portrayed as a mediocre comedian who idolizes Jerry Seinfeld.-Characteristics:...
, 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 Hatcher
Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress who is best known for her roles as Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as Susan Mayer in Desperate Housewives and as Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies...
) comments that "he would have made a great Nazi" because "everything has to be just so."
- In "The 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.-Plot:...
", 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 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.Julia Louis-Dreyfus received extensive critical acclaim...
says that in some instances, his cleanliness can verge into a serious disorderMysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contact with dirt, to avoid contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is often referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive...
.
- In "The Voice", he throws out a belt because it touched the edge of a urinal.
- In "The 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.
- Jerry is horrified when Poppy forgets to wash his hands after using the bathroom, and refuses to eat the food he prepared in "The 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 elects not to share a piece of pie with him....
". His look is described like he had just "seen a ghost."
- Jerry almost gets into a state of panic when he finds out that Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
is not wearing any undergarmets under his pants in "The 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 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" is the 144th episode of American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 8th season. It aired on December 19, 1996.-Plot:...
" 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 LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman and first appeared in Action Comics #23 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Luthor is described as "a power-mad, evil scientist" of incredible...
". The origin of their feud is never explained.
Jerry's snide greeting for him with "Hello Newman" 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
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
("
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 December 19, 1996.-Plot:...
").
Despite their antagonistic relationship, Jerry and Newman have ended up working in unison on rare occasions. In "
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" is the 136th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 2nd 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" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It 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 walks out 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 allows Newman to use his bathroom (he told him to flush twice) and even sit down and watch
Edward ScissorhandsEdward Scissorhands is a 1990 comedy-drama fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film tells 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...
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.
- In "The Robbery
"The Robbery" is the third episode of the first season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired 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 episode, the character of Jerry...
" he calls himself the "Master Packer".
- In "The 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 them is a statue that resembles a statue his friend George Costanza broke...
" he is referred to as "the King of Comedy" by Raymond Bochinski.
- In "The Boyfriend
"The Boyfriend" is a two part episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 35th and 36th episode for the show, and 18th and 19th episode for the show's third season. It aired on February 19, 1992. In the 'extras' section of the Season 3 DVD, Jerry Seinfeld says it is his favorite...
" he calls himself Kel Varnsen to help George with his "Vandelay Industries". He also uses this alias in "The Puerto Rican Day"The Puerto Rican Day" is the 176th and penultimate 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. The episode...
".
- In "The 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 Maestro
"The Maestro" is an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on October 6, 1995. It was the series' 113th episode and 3rd episode for the 7th season. "The Maestro" earned a ratings share of 22.5/35. The Maestro character is played by Mark Metcalf....
," Jerry tells Elaine to refer to him as "Jerry The Great," because Elaine calls Bob Cobb (played by Mark MetcalfMark Peter Metcalf is an American actor in both television and film.-Life and career:Metcalf attended Westfield High School in Westfield, NJ. He is likely most known to two different generations for two notable roles...
) "Maestro."
- In "The Opposite
"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 22nd and final 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 is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
placed Jerry Seinfeld eighth on their list of the "50 Greatest TV icons". Jerry Seinfeld was nominated four times for the
Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television...
s for the Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series category, out of which he won one.