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Legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld explained the reason behind his “clean” comedy in an interview this week, saying it forces him to be “good” with his words instead of relying on crude jokes to get laughs.
The “Seinfeld” producer appeared on the “We Might Be Drunk” podcast with fellow comedians Mark Normand and Sam Morril. During the interview, he explained his decision to avoid profanity.
Normand told Seinfeld that “a lot of people have a misconception about you, that you’re a clean guy,” joking that he was initially nervous about bringing up drinking when he first met him.
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Jerry Seinfeld performs during the 18th Annual Stand Up For Heroes Benefit Presented By The Bob Woodruff Foundation And The New York Comedy Festival at David Geffen Hall on Nov. 11, 2024, New York City. (Valerie Terranova/Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)
“What could I care about?” Seinfeld responded. “It’s style. I just love style. Do you think people would be upset if they heard a curse?”
Expanding on that idea, Seinfeld told the hosts that writing clean material “forces me to be as beautiful and attractive as I want to be.”
Seinfeld, who created his iconic sitcom with comedy legend Larry David, shared an anecdote about the show’s most popular episode, “The Contest,” which he felt exemplified how the “purity” of comedy forces writers to work harder.
In an episode that aired in 1992, the four main characters make a bet about who can go the longest without masturbating. The real name is never used, however, and references to the action are made with various names. It is often praised as one of the best episodes of the game.
“I remember Larry saying, ‘I just talked to NBC. They don’t have a problem with us using the word masturbation.’ I go, ‘No, that’s not cool. Let’s not use it,’” Seinfeld recalled. “That’s very interesting. You have to be good with words.”
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Comedian Larry David arrives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala 2015 celebrating the opening of “China: Through the Looking Glass,” in Manhattan, New York, on May 4, 2015. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)
Normand quickly recognized the episode Seinfeld was referring to, noting that the exchange led to the show’s famous “master of your domain” bit.
“That’s the only reason I care about cursing. It’s like, you’re ready to get that laugh without you. And that’s what makes us happy, right?” Seinfeld added.
In addition to keeping his humor clean, Seinfeld said he also keeps his mental and physical health in check, never does drugs and limits his drinking to “a glass of wine with Italian food.”
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Jerry Seinfeld attends the 2024 Met Gala celebrating “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” on May 6, 2024, in New York City. (Photos by Noam Galai/GC via Getty Images)
Noting the rampant drug use among many comedians of his generation, Seinfeld questioned how it was possible for up-and-comers to “suffer from a lack of motivation” given their busy careers.
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“It’s just stupid. It’s so stupid. This is all you have to work with,” Seinfeld said, pointing to Normand’s head. “This is a musical instrument. This is your beautiful piano. Let’s put us— in here.”
