The hit show “Seinfeld” may have been a self-proclaimed show about nothing, but producer and star, Jerry Seinfeld at the sold-out Wang Theater on Friday reassured the audience that there are a lot of laughs about everything still left in his career.
During his 70-minute set, Seinfeld’s deadpan jokes and catchy wit that made his NBC show a household name for the last three decades captivated the audience. His knack for sounding like a moderately grumpy, technology-hating “average Joe” father of three while ragging on 5-Hour ENERGY was hilarious and endearing. As he moved into his children’s pre-bedtime routine which is nothing less than a royal coronation, it was clear that he has mastered the art of transitioning through topics with ease and fluidity.
Seinfeld is no stranger to stand-up, having started his career going out on tour and doing comedy specials. Solving the everyday problems of his neurotic cohorts on his Sitcom Hall of Fame show, he has been the famous funnyman with an ability to deliver a healthy amount of sarcasm that people of all ages can understand.
Despite the obvious difference in wealth and power between Seinfeld and his audience, he did a fantastic job in fooling us we are one in the same. Changing up and refreshing punch lines to make subjects that every person in the audience could relate to, like public bathrooms, the ridiculously boring nature of golf, Facebook, PopTarts and caller ID, he unearthed comical genius from the mundane.
Shaking up the conventional introduction where the comedian typically provides a slick delivery of all the mishaps that occurred before stepping on stage, Seinfeld ran out and despite his popularity on-screen, appeared to be surprised by the packed house in front of him.
Of course, Seinfeld interpreted his experience for the audience and broke down the crowd into two groups: the people who wanted to be there and the others who were there out of peer pressure, boredom or any other conglomerate of reasons why they had nothing better to do on a Friday night than see an, “old, rich, tired guy rant.”
From purchasing the tickets, coordinating between multiple parties on pre-and post- show plans coupled with the delicacy a man must exercise when asking his wife if she is ready, Seinfeld congratulated the audience on all the effort it took to get from their home to the venue.
“My job is to slightly distract you while you sit in a different chair,” he said to kick off the show. Pinpointing the emotions and reactions we all feel but rarely express, he set the tone for easygoing and relatable quick humor that left the crowd roaring from the get-go.
For lovers of “Seinfeld,” moments of his performances highlighted his ability to morph the smallest observations into a brilliant commentary on modern society.
“I could text you this whole thing and we could get the hell out of here,” he said. Seinfeld is open about his hatred of texting and it’s influence on face-to-face interaction that wasn’t present when he first appeared in the limelight.
He even poked fun at the postal service and its attempts to stay afloat against the surge of technology. Mocking the recent increase of the cost of a stamp by another penny he joked, “Just make it a dollar. If you have money leftover, get yourself some pants and a real car.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Jerry Seinfeld stand-up if he didn’t touch on the qualms of marriage. He prides himself on his longstanding 16-year nuptial to Jessica Seinfeld and his belief that the key to staying together is zipping your lip and nodding to your wife’s opinions as much as possible.
“When I got married, we had a very small wedding. I rented a tuxedo … Even a Halloween costume is purchased outright. An 8-year-old child makes a stronger commitment to being a skeleton than a man makes to being a mature and dignified individual as a husband,” he said.
Even though the show ended on a potty joke, Seinfeld received a rousing standing ovation and looked genuinely touched by the audience’s appreciation.
Finishing off with a quick question and answer session, Seinfeld reassured the audience that although his award-winning NBC show may be in the past, his intentions to get back to his roots as a stand-up comic are only beginning.