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Parallels between Jerry Seinfeld and Jack Benny

By Jon

But it is something has always struck me about the similarities between Jack Benny and Jerry Seinfeld.

For instance:
  • BOTH were comedians
  • BOTH had historically successful (legendary?) comedy programs
  • BOTH surrounded themselves with a tight 'gang'
  • BOTH deferred the best jokes (or lines) to their fellow cast members.
  • BOTH were content to be the butt of the joke (when appropriate)
  • BOTH broke down the 4th wall (Benny talked to audience, Jerry did it via
  • Stand Up Somedy)
  • BOTH were usually the conduit for story lines (very involving only Mary/Phil or Kramer/Elaine for example)
  • BOTH involved preparing for and sometimes performing there show as part of
  • their situational comedy.
Even the cast member pairings
Each show had a wonderfully talented second tier of actors/actresses as well. From Jerry's parents to Professor LeBlanc, from From the 'Soup Nazi' to Jack's store clerk when Christmas shopping.

 Both of them had shows which, to some degree, had something to do with life in their homes. Jack in his home and Jerry in his New York apartment.

Dennis Day and Rochester did a job similar to what George Costanza did on Jerry's show.

Both had humorous storylines which people remember today regarding money. There was Jack's miserliness and when Jerry tried to save money by allowing Elaine to design and sew him "The Frilly Pirate Shirt".

Talented writers like Jack Benny and Milt Josefsberg to Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.

Jack started doing live performances and then used the medium of the day (Radio) and transitioned to the new medium (TV).

 Jerry started with Live stand up and then used the popular medium (TV) and eventually transitioned to the new medium (Streaming content)

Jack Benny and the TV show "Frasier" are also similar -- especially the comedic timing, fast when it had to be,
medium as needed, slow to let some things soak in. I don't know if it was all led by Kelsey Grammer, avowed admirer of Benny, or if the writers and the rest of the cast all caught the "Benny bug," but they did a fine job.



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Comments

  1. IIzThatIIzFebruary 9, 2021 at 10:55 PM

    The most obvious "parallel" between 'The Jack Benny Radio Program' and 'Seinfeld', is that both were shows about "nothing".

    The 'situations' created by Jack Benny and his writers revolved about the ordinary and mundane. Just common everyday occurrences. Jack shopping for Christmas gifts, or the Seinfeld cast shopping for a TV. Jack and the World Series, or Jerry at a Met's game. Dennis Days' and Mary's relatives .. Jerry and Georges relatives. Parallels abound.

    What Seinfeld was able to copy was the comedy of dull, ordinary situations experienced by 'everyman'. Neither show delved into manufactured comedy hi-jinks. Just the ordinary experiences of a well-defined small group of friends.

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