No comedy show has had the success of Seinfeld over the years and with Netflix set to purchase the rights for a healthy $400 million, those reruns will just keep ticking over. Jerry Seinfeld, as not just the actor but also the writer and producer, has amassed a near billion dollar fortune from the show over the years, which was reportedly in constant syndication around the world ever since the early nineties.
But as funny as the show still is to audiences some 32 years later, there has certainly been a shift in society over that time which has made some jokes a little faux pas these days. We’ve rounded up the top 10 funnies from the series that, although still comedy gold, are a little more risky in their current day acceptance.
1. George’s Cane
After an injury where a cane was temporarily needed, George realizes that all the attention and perks he was receiving were too good to turn down. So, he fakes the duration of the injury and continues working as “disabled.” From getting encouragement from his colleagues when he purposely trips people to having a female co-worker carry him to his desk, he certainly made the most of it.
2. The Black and White Cookie
Season 5 saw Jerry have an upset stomach after a dinner party where he believes that a particular cookie is the culprit. The cookie in question is known as a “black and white cookie” and upon hearing this, Elaine asks, “Are they not getting along?”
3. Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That!
Jerry and George are thought to be gay when a stranger eaves drops on a conversation they have with Elaine, who finds it funny to out them. Things backfire when the stranger turns out to be a reporter interviewing Jerry and proceeds to publicly out them, much to their shame and anger. But whilst they are obviously upset, the comment “not that there’s anything wrong with that” is brought up nearly a dozen times to lament the PC world we live in.
4. The Fake Breasts
Jerry dates a beautiful woman but suspects she’s had surgery. Rather than asking her outright or indeed, minding his own business, he sends Elaine into her sauna, undercover. Trying to find the answer, she pretends to trip and lands in the poor girl’s chest with arms outstretched.
Needless to say, when she discovers Jerry and Elaine are friends, she feels ashamed and embarrassed. She leaves Jerry with a final “they’re real, and they’re spectacular”.
5. The Virgin
One of Jerry’s new dates is a woman who admits to being a virgin. Rather than brush over the fact and give her the sensitivity one should, the group focuses on it intently, to the point where she no longer has a name and is solely known as “the virgin”.
With individual sexuality and people’s right to be treated equally and with respect being a lot more in the limelight these days, it probably wouldn’t fly.
6. Meeting at the Movies
The foursome arranges to watch a movie together and end up spending the entire episode at either the wrong cinema, wrong showing or even wrong film. Whilst it’s a hilarious episode, it’s a scenario that just wouldn’t happen in this day and age with smartphones.
7. The Interracial Couple
When Elaine starts dating a new guy, Darryl, she doesn’t really feel a spark until Jerry mentions that he may be the first black man she has dated. Elaine, not believing Jerry but also more interested in the relationship now, becomes obsessed in finding out his race, but feels asking would be offensive.
When she takes him to a Spanish restaurant as a neutral option and he refers to their relationship as inter-racial, she becomes excited and boasts to the waitress about her black boyfriend. He denies this and she’s confused when he says it’s because she’s Hispanic, her black hair, foreign last name and penchant for Spanish food. Their passion immediately diminishes when they both realize they are just “a couple of white people”.
8. The Soup Nazi
The latest must-go restaurant is a soup kitchen with fare to die for, but the owner is incredibly strict and will only serve people who stick to his do-not-touch, order-and-move, pay-and-leave, ordering criteria. He is consequently labeled the “soup nazi.”
9. The Pony
Sticking to the holocaust, Jerry offends his great auntie, Manya, when he makes a joke about kids with ponies being the worst. As it turns out, Manya made her way to America after the war as an immigrant, with her pet pony, whom was her only friend.
Jerry can’t believe his luck when the night is ruined by his insensitivity towards immigrants saying, “Who figures an immigrant’s going to have a pony? I mean in all the pictures I saw of immigrants on boats coming to New York harbor, I never saw one of them sitting on a pony!”
10. The Diplomat’s Club
Kramer becomes entangled in a huge wave of betting with a stranger at the airport when they start to wager on plane arrival times. Kramer has a gambling problem from before and he used to keep it in check, however this situation makes him awaken the old spirits. Today it would be probably less controversial as anyone can play online casinos anytime without delay. Kramer would be a victim of Pay n Play casinos, as the ones listed on this website. But even without online casino, Kramer continually kept losing to the Texan. Eventually, Kramer owes him thousands before his luck changes and he eventually wins a small fortune when Jerry’s flight is delayed, possibly due to Jerry himself. When the man realizes it was Jerry who delayed the flight and they are friends, he becomes convinced the bet was rigged, and destroys up the check for Kramer.
At the same time George tries to butter up his black boss by saying he looks like Sugar Ray Leonard, which backfires when he’s accused of racial bias. Determined to prove him wrong, George seeks to find a black “friend,” taking Jerry’s exterminator to dinner with his boss as proof. When the exterminator admits they aren’t really friends, George’s boss leaves in immediately, leaving George to foot the bill. As the black waiter approaches with the check, he states “Sugar Ray Leonard can eat here on the house,” sending him sprinting for his boss.