Book Seining

By Carolyn Wang

2 1/2 stars

I came across this book at the store the other day and realized, hey, that's the comedian who often appeared in those American Express commercials where he either gets locked out of his house or gets stranded on an island. And every Thursday night at nine o' clock, my dormmates would go berserk and crowd in the lounge to watch his show. So what's so special about this Seinfeld guy anyway?

Never have I imagined stand-up comedies to be collected and published as a book. SeinLanguage, a collection of "funny thoughts" by Jerry Seinfeld since the age of fifteen, has made it to one of the number one New York Times Bestsellers. The hardcover edition was first released in September 1993, and the paperback was available recently in January 1995. The book itself is very much in Seinfeld's own voice; therefore, "...you have to provide the delivery. So when you read it, remember timing, inflection, attitude.... The performance is up to you." His book consists of short commentaries on daily incidents, with occasional profound viewpoints towards life. He often interprets what I would consider as run-of-the-mill actions with sarcasm. But of course, that is simply how all typical slap-stick jokes are presented; they are funny for the first time, but not anymore if you recycle them.

The eight topics Seinfeld has commented on are: Freeway of Love, Personal Maintenance, Paldom, Shut Up and Drive, Job Security, The Thing Is the Thing, Out and Back, and The Ride of Your Life. Seinfeld often uses witty analogies to describe his every day observations in these categories. Likewise, he includes comments about life in general such as how people interact with each other. For example, in Freeway of Love, he relates women as fires and men as firemen. "To us, sex is an emergency, and no matter what we're doing we can be ready in two minutes. Women, on the other hand,...[are] very exciting, but the conditions have to be exactly right for it to occur." Personal Maintenance concerns personal grooming, health, and attire. "From showering to open heart surgery, we're always doing something to our selves." "One of the great mysteries to me is the fact that a woman could pour hot wax on her legs, rip the hair out by the roots, and still be afraid of a spider." Paldom is just a synonym for friendship. (By the way, the word "paldom" is not one of those SAT words you have forgotten. Seinfeld made it up.) "Friends are the DNA of society. They are the basic blocks of life." Travel and transportation are discussed in Shut up and Drive. "I love to travel.... I think destinations were invented just so we all wouldn't look like we were wandering around in a daze." In both Job Security and The Thing Is the Thing, Seinfeld describes himself as an entertainer, and compares his own job with other ordinary professions. As usual, he makes wisecracks such as "...a lawyer is basically the person that knows the rules of the country." Out and Back gives commentaries on things to do outside and inside of the house such as dining out, watching a movie, painting his apartment, etc. In The Ride of Your Life, Seinfeld expresses his philosophy on life. He does not give a deep thought discussion, but as usual, he interprets life in a casual, amusing way. "Life is truly a ride. We're all strapped in and no one can stop it."

With its sometimes witty comments and casual style, SeinLanguage is not a bad choice when you need a laugh. It's definitely philosophical, but don't waste your money on the hardcover copy.


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