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Seinfeld's Humor Noir: A Look at Our Dark Side

2000; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 28; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01956050009602831

1930-6458

Irwin Hirsch, Cara Hirsch,

Narrative Theory and Analysis

Abstract Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly calls Seinfeld the most unabashedly Jewish show ever to reach a wide television audience. Greenberg, too, has referred to this sitcom as overwhelmingly Jewish in its ethos and compares it in this regard with the films of director Woody Allen. Allen's movies, however, for the most part do not appeal to a wide American audience and often fail economically despite acclaim from critics. Jerry Seinfeld et al. are consumed by vast audiences in the United States, despite the troop's very thinly veiled ethnicity. The primary purpose of this article is to offer some speculation about possible causes for this success. In other words, we want to articulate the profoundly personal issues that this show touches on that may account for its widespread resonance among a diverse American and even international audience. Additional informationNotes on contributorsCara Hirsch IRWIN HIRSCH is a professor of psychology and a supervisor in the postdoctoral program in psychoanalysis at the Derner Institute of Adelphi University. He has published articles on such subjects as the psychoanalytic relationship, comparative psychoanalysis, and male gender issues. CARA HIRSCH is a graduate student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at the Derner Institute of Adelphi University. Her future plans include working as a child psychologist.