Creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld struck a cultural nerve with their hit TV show Seinfeld. Described as a show about nothing, the series centers around a group of friends living in New York City. The show excelled at observational humor, pointing out the absurdity in everyday life. In addition to the main characters Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer, the show satirized certain people, poking fun at stereotypes that were a source of frustration. Here are 15 types of people Seinfeld playfully teased about during the show’s nine seasons.
Close Talker
Perhaps no other side character is as memorable as the “close talker.” When Jerry meets Elaine’s new boyfriend, he gets freaked out at how close he gets. The unaware boyfriend brought his face inches from Jerry’s when they exchanged words, making the interaction awkward and uncomfortable. In real life, Jerry is a germaphobe, and apparently, the crew couldn’t stop laughing while they were shooting these scenes. You may know someone like this who gets so close to you when they talk that they practically spit in your face. Get a mint!
Low Talkers
In the “Puffy Shirt” episode, Jerry inadvertently agrees to wear a shirt that looks like something a pirate would wear. That’s because Kramer’s new fashion designer girlfriend talks quietly. She is a “low talker,” and everyone, including Jerry, struggles to hear her. Jerry doesn’t realize he’s agreed to wear her new design during a television appearance. Always asking someone to repeat themselves can be annoying. If they had only talked louder, many missteps could have been avoided.
High Talkers
Another talker Seinfeld satirizes is the “high talker,” who talks in a high-pitched voice. On the phone, Elaine mistakes her friend’s boyfriend for her friend because of his voice. She thought it sounded like a woman. Later, she accuses “her” of flirting with Jerry. Although a voice-over actress recorded the part, some men have unusually effeminate voices. You can imagine their frustration being caught in similar situations. It might be frustrating to be misgendered continuously. We don’t have control over the natural range of our talking voice, so it’s best not to tease.
Fast Talkers
In the same episode, the “high talker” is also introduced as a “fast-talker.” The character is a two-for-one annoyance. You likely know someone like this—they talk so fast that they don’t comprehend what they’ve just said. You might have to tell them to slow down. People usually speak fast when they are nervous or excited. In another episode, the show does a spoof on slick, fast-talking lawyers.
Double Dippers
Seinfeld is credited for bringing “double dipper” into the lexicon. In the infamous episode, George accompanies his girlfriend to a wake. He becomes involved in an altercation with his girlfriend’s brother when discussing the etiquette for party hors d’oeuvres. Generally, double dipping is frowned upon because you spread germs by putting the part you bit off into the communal bowl. You can avoid this by flipping your chip, pretzel, or other snack and dipping it a second time with the unbitten end.
Yada Yada Yada
The phrase “Yada yada yada” is often used to shorten a story. A storyteller uses it to skim over frivolous details, helping them get to the main point. In a Seinfeld episode, George dates a woman who often uses the phrase. He becomes curious about the details she is skipping and discovers she’s a shoplifter. Not everyone uses it to conceal illegal activity, but they may use it to speed up their story.
Anti-Dentite
In the same “Yada yada yada” episode, Jerry gets accused of being an “anti-dentite” who hates dentists. He talks with a priest about his dentists converting to Judaism for the jokes and makes light of the situation with his own: What is the difference between a dentist and a sadist? Newer magazines. The priest relays the joke to the dentist, who takes exceptional offense. Yada yada yada, Jerry suspects a procedure has been prolonged for that reason. The show satirizes anti-Semitism, with Kramer calling Jerry an anti-dentite. The creators found a clever way to poke fun at racists.
The Soup Nazi
The Soup Nazi is a beloved recurring character who is highly particular. In one episode, Jerry and George are in line, and George realizes he didn’t get bread with his soup. The Soup Nazi, known for his strict rules and no-nonsense policy, charges him for the bread, for which George contests that other customers got free bread. The Soup Nazi increases the price while he tries to argue, ultimately responding with the now iconic “No soup for you!” The show teases people who are strict and uptight, highlighting the absurdity, especially at the irreverent expectations for soup.
The Complainer
Another recurring character throughout the series is “The Complainer.” This is someone who is constantly negative, finding fault in anything good. Interactions with this character become unbearable for the gang, and hilarity ensues. You might know someone like this, a wet blanket. These types of people can find anything to complain about. Worse, they tend to bring people down with them. You must be in a particular headspace to tolerate someone like that.
The Regifter
Seinfeld has brought to light many social faux pas, including this one: regifting. In “The Label Maker” episode, Jerry gives a pair of Super Bowl tickets to Elaine’s boyfriend, who gives him a label maker as a thanks. Elaine suspects her boyfriend re-gifted her gift because it was the same label maker she had gifted him. The episode humorously discusses the ethics of re-gifting. In my opinion, re-gifting is okay so long as the other person doesn’t find out—the outcome Elaine’s boyfriend didn’t want to happen.
The Opposite
This was more of an experiment than a type of person per se. After a friend says his entire life has been built on wrong decisions, George concludes he’ll try to do the opposite of everything he ordinarily does. A woman agrees to go out with him despite telling her he is unemployed and lives with his parents. Perhaps you need a mix-up in your life. Try doing things you usually wouldn’t do. Take a different route. Cook a new recipe. It could lead to unexpected things.
The “Man-Hands”
In the episode “The Bizarro Jerry,” Jerry dates a woman with abnormally large hands. He struggles to accept his girlfriend has man hands and dumps her. Later, she squeezes Jerry’s hand when she catches him digging in her purse, affirming the harsh description. Unfortunately, females with large hands took the brunt of this joke. Physical appearance isn’t something you can control. Hopefully, you are not as vain as Jerry.
The Selfish Person
In this hilarious episode, Elaine is in a bathroom stall that runs out of toilet paper. She asks the person in the next stall to “spare a square.” The woman, who later turns out to be Jerry’s girlfriend, refuses to share. We can be selfish sometimes, but some people take it to the next level. Hopefully, if you end up with someone next to you in a bathroom stall needing a TP lifeline, you’ll do the right thing, unlike Jerry’s girlfriend. Imagine if you ran out of toilet paper. Would you want someone to help?
The Non-Laugher
In “The Switch,” Jerry dates a woman who doesn’t laugh at his jokes. Instead, she responds by saying, “That’s funny,” which irks Jerry as a comedian. It bothers him so much that he plans to break up with her. You might experience a similar frustration with your “non-laugher.” If something is funny, the proper thing to do is to laugh. It’s strange when you express your comedic delight by saying it’s amusing rather than laughing. However, maybe this doesn’t bother you like Jerry.
The Name Dropper
Sometimes, people use names as a way to assert their social status. In “The Caddy” episode, Jerry interacts with someone who is always name-dropping celebrities. When someone frequently name-drops, usually it’s to try and impress someone. But this plan usually backfires. People who constantly name-drop tend to seem insecure. The occasional name-drop is okay, but when you do it a lot, others will get sick of you and grow weary of your connection.
