Jerry Seinfeld Claims Fans Don't Quote Seinfeld Lines When They See Him
As with most things that become massively and enduringly popular in the public consciousness, "Seinfeld" fans love to quote their favorite lines. Some of the show's famous catchphrases and pieces of dialogue have become worn from overuse, and still others have essentially become adopted by the English lexicon and are now in use completely separate from "Seinfeld" affiliation — like the term "re-gifting," for example. But with a series as beloved as "Seinfeld," there are still plenty of deep cut lines that still have the power to arouse smiles, chuckles, and possibly full-on belly laughs in the right person: try out a "pulp can move, baby!" the next time the situation calls for it and see what happens.
Some fans might assume, given the immense quotability that "Seinfeld" possesses, that the series star and co-creator Jerry Seinfeld would find himself bombarded by "Seinfeld" quotes (or possibly ideas for potential crossovers) from fans any time he leaves the house. But interestingly enough, the comedian revealed in an interview that this actually isn't the case.
He says fans usually have other things to say to him in public
The tidbit comes from a Netflix "Ask a Comedian" promotional video featuring Jerry Seinfeld (YouTube), where Seinfeld answers questions from fans. One fan asked which of the many quotable lines of "Seinfeld" he gets pelted with the most, and Seinfeld's answer was somewhat surprising: "They don't really quote lines," he said. "They ask me, 'Where's Kramer?' They ask me if the show is coming back." But the comedian seems to reserve the most fondness for casual interactions from fans: "I like in New York they go 'Hey, Jerry!'"
That fits with another anecdote Seinfeld shared about an interaction with a fan, one that he cited during a Reddit AMA session in response to a question about "the most bizarre/surreal location" he'd ever been recognized in.
"[W]e stopped in this tiny town and somewhere in the Midwest whose name escapes me at the moment, and the town was honestly no more than 2 blocks long, ... and there was a guy there, walking past us, and I was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, and the guy says as we walk by 'Hey Jerry' and kept walking...[it] blows my mind that not only was he NOT SURPRISED that i was in this town, population 115, but that I just walked by him, he recognized me and he [didn't feel] the need to say anything more than 'hi.'"
So, if any fans come across Jerry Seinfeld while they're out and about, a simple 'hello' offers the best chance to leave a positive impression on the comedian.