“Nobody said ‘why don’t we talk to this kid’”: It Took Jerry Seinfeld 9 Years of Gruelling Work to Land a Sitcom and Then He Got the Brilliant Idea For ‘Seinfeld’

The iconic ’90s sitcom Seinfeld is often described as a show about nothing. But the work put behind the show is not as simple as it is described. Jerry Seinfeld’s TV stardom was the result of a long, persistent journey supported by great teamwork.

Even though Seinfeld was already killing it in the comedy scene by then, NBC never thought to approach him about developing a show at that time. But as they say, good things come to those who wait, and a casual conversation with a fellow comedian sparked the idea of one of the most popular sitcoms ever.

From Standup to an Iconic Sitcom

Jerry Seinfeld‘s transition from standup comedy to sitcom was not a smooth one. But it was George Shapiro who sent a note to Brandon Tartikoff where he wrote that one day “Jerry Seinfeld is going to be doing a TV series on NBC.” This finally opened his door for NBC, where he had a pretty awkward meeting.

In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Seinfeld revealed the story behind the inception of the idea of Seinfeld. Talking about the initial struggles, he said,

I had been on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson for nine years. Nobody at NBC, 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.’

Later, when NBC called him for a meeting after they got to know about Shapiro’s note, they asked Seinfeld if he had any idea or concept for a show for the future to which he replied, “Not really, great meeting. I just always wanted to have a meeting like this.”

After a week of that awkward meeting, Seinfeld was chatting with Larry David at The Improv comedy club. It was at this moment that David helped Seinfeld have his eureka moment. Seinfeld said,

We start talking and then we go across the street to a Korean Deli. We’re making fun of everything in the deli. He (Larry David) goes ‘this is what the show should be. Two comedians just making fun of stuff as they walk around during the day.’ And that was it.

Seinfeld‘s approach was unique as compared to other shows at that time because of its storytelling. In fact, many of the show’s plotlines were inspired by Seinfeld and David’s real-life situations. The character of George Costanza was largely based on David himself. It’s no wonder the show felt so relatable.

Larry David’s Impact and Departure from Seinfeld

Although the show is named after Jerry Seinfeld, the driving force behind the show was mostly Larry David. As a co-creator, main writer, and showrunner for the first seven seasons, his impressions are quite visible in the show.

He wrote 60 episodes and turned it from a small sitcom into a TV phenomenon through his creative direction. David’s real-life experiences became the most memorable storylines and characters. Apart from Costanza, Kramer was also inspired by his former neighbor, Kenny Kramer. 

After seven successful seasons, it was a shock for everyone when David left the sitcom. He left it when the show was at its peak. In a 1998 interview with Charlie Rose, David explained,

I had been there for seven years, and that’s a long time to suffer the way I do in my daily life. Seven years is a long time for someone to executive produce a show like that.

He felt ready to move on and try something new, even though he still had plenty of ideas for the show. David’s departure was like the end of an era for Seinfeld.

The show continued for two more seasons after that, and many fans believe that it lost some of its magic without David. His unique perspective and comedic sensibility built the foundation of the show, which later felt missing sometimes.

Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix.