Seinfeld

1 Pages 334 Words

TV/Radio Final Paper – Seinfeld

The television series Seinfeld was one of the most influential, highest grossing, and beloved shows in history. It was a show that people would set their lives to, make sure that they were home on Thursday nights at 9pm, with the TV tuned in to NBC. The term “watercooler conversation” was coined to Seinfeld, because people would always discuss the previous night’s episode that day with their co-workers. The four cast members, (Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, and Julia Louis – Dreyfus), have basically been unanimusly inducted into the viewers’ TV hall of fame.
It all began in 1989, when some NBC executives had attended a stand up routine by Jerry and commishioned him for a sitcom pilot. They received a tape about the day – to – day life of jerry Seinfeld and his two best friends, George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer. The show’s one basis was “nothing”. It was about nothing. Just about everyday life of four people living in New York City, without any actual story. NBC executives were skeptical about the premise of the show, but agreed to go with it for a six – episode deal. Even NBC entertainment president Warren Littlefield wondered, “Shouldn’t there be, like, any stories?” (People Magazine p. 14).
However, it was not just Seinfeld who created the show, but it was his real – life best friend Larry David, for whom George was created after, who came up with a lot the show with him. They based many of the episodes after their
real – life experiences, as well as their thoughts on life. Such an episode was the Contest, in where he four see who can hold out the longest from masturbating, which David won in reality. Another show based on their lives was The Chinese Restaurant, where the gang waits to be seated at a Chinese restaurant, but never do. These types of stories appealed to the mass audiences because they were so common in real – life....