One sentence eventually led to the creation of the hit comedy show, Seinfeld. Many different projects, like TV shows and films have some interesting origin stories. When Jerry Seinfeld had an initial meeting with top executives about creating a show, he didn't have an idea yet. Eventually, Seinfeld and Larry David came up with the idea for one of television's most popular comedy shows.
Although top comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David came up with the concept for "the show about nothing" together, what led to the two coming up with a show in the first place? During an interview with Howard Stern, Jerry Seinfeld revealed the one sentence that eventually led to the creation of Seinfeld.
Jerry Seinfeld Said He Could Never Top The Success He Found With 'Seinfeld'
Some TV shows are created at the right time, with a fantastic cast and great writing, and within a few seasons viewers are absolutely hooked. Jerry Seinfeld found massive success with Seinfeld.
The show became one of the most popular and influential comedy shows in television, with numerous celebrity guests and hilarious moments. The hit sitcom ran for nine seasons, and Jerry Seinfeld even turned down an incredible $110 million to return for a tenth season. By then, members of the cast felt the show had run its course.
During an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Jerry Seinfeld revealed he could never top the success of Seinfeld with another show. Host Howard Stern said, "You could never really go back and do another sitcom. The fear would be 'How could I ever top Seinfeld?"
The Seinfeld co-creator and star agreed, "It's guaranteed. You can't top it. You can't get close to it."
Stern continued, "It's iconic. Everything was lined up. Everything was perfect. The casting was right."
The comedian agreed, adding that he didn't deserve all the credit for the show. "I'm not arrogant and stupid enough to think, 'I did that'. I know that I...got caught in what we call 'the perfect storm', a good one. Me and Larry, fit together perfect."
Stern asked "how did Seinfeld know he should team up with Larry David." The actor revealed, "In comedy, certain guys, it's like it's funny right away. You're talking, all of a sudden [within] two minutes you've hit into something hilarious."
At this point, Stern asked about the origins of the show, thinking it had first started with Seinfeld and Larry David. However, the comedian revealed that the show had actually gotten its start before their meeting.
Jerry Seinfeld Revealed To Howard Stern The Sentence That Led To Him Creating 'Seinfeld'
Before creating his hit comedy sitcom Seinfeld, and becoming the A-list star he is today, Jerry Seinfeld had worked for, and been fired from another comedy show, Benson. Afterward, the comedian worked harder on his stand up act, and it paid off, because he then landed a job working on The Tonight Show.
Jerry Seinfeld made appearances on The Tonight Show for years doing stand up comedy routines. During an interview with Howard Stern, he revealed how one sentence, sent in a note by an executive, eventually led to the creation of his hit show, Seinfeld.
Jerry Seinfeld, who is also friends with Howard Stern, explained to the host when he was asked to create a show. Stern first asked if it had started with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, commenting, "You guys start to talk, and you say, 'We've gotta write a sitcom together'."
Seinfeld explained, "No, I had had this meeting at NBC where they said, 'George Shaprio sent a note to Brandon Tartikoff. One sentence." Revealing the note's contents, Seinfeld said, "'Call me a crazy guy, I have a feeling, some day Jerry Seinfeld is going to be doing a TV series on NBC.'"
Continuing, added that he'd been "killing" on The Tonight Show for years before he finally got noticed. "I had been on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson for nine years. Nobody at NBC, nobody, not one person, after nine years of going on Carson three and four times a year, and killing, nobody said, 'Why don't we talk to this kid?'"
Stern agreed, commenting, "Nine years of killing on The Carson Show should have triggered something in them."
At First, Seinfeld Had No Idea What The Show Would Be About
During Jerry Seinfeld's interview with Howard Stern, the Bee Movie actor mentioned that he'd originally had no clue what his show was going to be about, as his goal was really to just get his foot in the door.
The comedian told Stern, "So he sends this letter. I come in for the meeting, they go, 'Do you have anything you would like to do if you ever did a show for us?' I said, 'Not really'."
During the meeting, he was unprepared with a show idea, as he'd been hoping for the opportunity to just be asked.
Sterns laughed at this, "great meeting," he said. Seinfeld continued, "I said, 'I just always wanted to have a meeting like this. This is really what the goal was' (laughs)."
After his meeting, Seinfeld met up with his friend, comedian Larry David. While discussing ideas for shows, the two came up with the idea for "a show about nothing."
"So a week later, this is all true. I'm talking with Larry David at The Improv, I tell him the story. We start talking and then we go across the street to a Korean deli, we're making fun of everything in the deli, he goes, 'This is what the show should be.'"
"'Two comedians just making fun of stuff as they walk around during the day.'" Finished with the story Seinfeld concluded, "And that was it."
