Jerry Seinfeld, a household comedy name we all came to admire through his classic sitcom, has recently found himself attracting some unintended attention. The world took notice when Seinfeld harshly criticized the ‘extreme left’ for hindering comedy in a candid interview with The New Yorker’s podcast.
From that point forward, the media’s praise he used to enjoy took a nosedive. A ‘reassessment’ of his career was put into motion, pushed by outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter who forecasted this new outspokenness could damage him professionally. Interestingly, an idea that’s rare when a star leans left.
CNN jumped on the bandwagon with an article focused on the unease surrounding Seinfeld’s clean humour, while Slate questioned, “What’s the Deal with Jerry Seinfeld?”
Seinfeld has also started expressing his Jewish faith more openly, visiting families of Hamas hostages in Tel Aviv which became another topic of discussion. He’s come under fire for not addressing the Israeli government, condemning war, or acknowledging Gaza’s plight.
Looking at it objectively, many celebrities neglect the Israel hostages situation without triggering any media fuss.
Protests staged by 30 pro-Palestinian students during Seinfeld’s address at the Duke University commencement were widely reported. However, the comedian unperturbed, shared words of wisdom to the graduates. Stressing on the significance of effort irrespective of the task at hand – a sentiment lost on the protesters.
Why chastise Seinfeld? Because he supports Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorist attacks, because he doesn’t hold the same views as them. Although loved by most, a handful of students felt Seinfeld wasn’t an appropriate choice to address graduates, citing his stand on Israeli views.
Preceding heckling incidents took place earlier too, during a New York event featuring The Free Press founder Bari Weiss.
Seinfeld however continues to be a beloved character across the globe, his humor appreciated by many, and his personal and professional life rarely crossing political lines.
However, this criticism has upgraded him to the likes of J.K. Rowling, who remains ostracized by the hard left for stating her stance on the trans movement. Both Seinfeld and Rowling are seen as figures challenging the left-ideology. The former for criticising the decline of comedy due to the extreme left and the latter for her opinions regarding the trans community.
Even so, neither appear to repent their views or be willing to change. J.K. Rowling’s status among the left is unlikely to be reinstated unless she apologises and supports the trans cause.
To keep the criticism intense, The Daily Beast brought back an embarrassing chapter from Seinfeld’s past regarding his relationship with a 17-year-old when he was 38. However, the harshest public blow came from Howard Stern, who invited Janis Ian to sing an updated version of her hit song “At Seventeen” to ridicule Seinfeld.
At the end of it all, it seems the left is determined to tarnish Seinfeld’s image and disregard his contributions to the world of comedy. For the rest of us, the man remains a beacon of laughter, even in challenging times.
