“Venal, selfish, self-absorbed, and crazy”: Seinfeld Star Wayne Knight on Why Other Sitcoms Like FRIENDS Can Never Catch Up to it
Appearing for an interview with Vice, Wayne Knight compared other sitcoms like FRIENDS with Seinfeld. While praising the show for its authenticity Knight even criticized it for the absurd ending. Although the actor believes he falls in the category of people who were disappointed by the end of the show, he also trusts in the fanbase of Seinfeld.
Despite all the love received by the show, there’s a controversial bit to its ending that audiences find overwhelming. Even star cast Wayne Knight expressed his disappointment related to the conclusion. Without shying away from his honest opinions regarding the TV show finale Knight purposefully scrutinized the entire show.
Wayne Knight Showered Seinfeld With Honest Praises
Seinfeld has been one of the most appreciated sitcoms of the 90s for its complete amoral appeal. Spawning fabulous episodes navigating the misadventures of neurotic stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his friends, the show ran from 1989 to 1998. Often described as a “show about nothing” Seinfeld stole hearts for its absurd reliability.
Thus, mining humor in life’s most mundane situations, celebrity star Wayne Knight who played Newman on Seinfeld sat to discuss his own show. Appreciating the tons of laughter he gained despite his recurring character than being a series regular, Knight expressed his honest opinions to Vice.
Discussing how the show ran for such a long period without frustrating its audience, the actor began disclosing facts. “First of all, it was a d***** good show” Knight began. Recalling how the show was “iconoclastic and bizarre in the sense that it was depicting people,” Wayne Knight believes it showed New Yorkers “more as they are than as they wish they were”.
Wayne Knight Unravels The Authenticity Of Seinfeld
Discussing the authenticity of the show, Knight began comparing it with other 90s shows like FRIENDS with Seinfeld. “A lot of comedy and a lot of TV is wish fulfillment where you’ll see families and hugs and lessons and idealized people. And there was nobody idealized on Seinfeld” Knight stated.
Calling the characters of the show, “venal, selfish, self-absorbed, and crazy” the actor mentioned, people’s relatability helped the show to run for a long time. “They were wonderfully recognizable because of that. They were like real people” Knight stated. It appears the actor genuinely enjoyed his time on the show despite making recurring appearances.
However, despite all the appreciation for the show, Wayne Knight eventually blurted out his disappointment related to the ending of Seinfeld. Just like the majority of the audience, even Knight felt, the show-makers “tried to pay tribute to all of the people who had walked through that set…And it didn’t quite land in the way that they wanted.” Scrutinizing the show, Knight not only hailed Seinfeld but also expressed his honest opinions regarding the absurd conclusion.
Read more: Sitcoms You Can Rewatch For Those Subtle Jokes And Plotlines!
Source: Vice
