TIL: Jerry Seinfeld turned down 100m to do one more season

[InternetMeme]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...ntcmp=features

Mother of god

They offered him 5m (100m) to do ONE more season in 1998 (that kind of money in 1998!!!) and he turned it down for quality of life issues. Not sure if to give or

[bmoney 303]

downvote

[Chris Stack]

He probably said to himself "Jerry, what is $100M more going to buy you that you cant already afford?" And himself responded "Nada."

[InternetMeme]

He probably said to himself "Jerry, what is $100M more going to buy you that you cant already afford?" And himself responded "Nada."

If that was the case, why does Julia Louis-Dreyfus even act? She is worth over 3 billion and was worth over 2 billion when she signed on to Seinfeld

[Tornado2dr]

If that was the case, why does Julia Louis-Dreyfus even act? She is worth over 3 billion and was worth over 2 billion when she signed on to Seinfeld

Cause she likes it?

WHy did seinfeld go back and try stand-up again?

[White Jetta]

Should be in the First World Problems thread. I feel Jerry's pain.

[InternetMeme]

Cause she likes it?

WHy did seinfeld go back and try stand-up again?

Key word is Try

I think you misread my post. I wasn't saying they shouldn't act because of their wealth, was just running with the joke in his post. Internet is serious business.

[GTiTOM]

I really don't think he's worrying about it.

Jerry Seinfeld is an American comedian with a net worth of $800 million.

and

According to Forbes magazine, Jerry Seinfeld’s annual earnings in 1998 were $267 million, making him the highest-paid celebrity that year.

Even more surprising in that link: the Birdman from cash money records is worth $100M

[peoples_car]

Even more surprising in that link: the Birdman from cash money records is worth $100M

That's a shame.

[InternetMeme]

Even more surprising in that link: the Birdman from cash money records is worth $100M

He's actually worth a hair under 150m now. Still

[Fritz27]

He's actually worth a hair under 150m now. Still

He's a producer that has signed a lot of successful acts. Capitalism FTW.

[J-Tim]

I think that's more to do with the fact that he and Larry David were sick and tired of doing the show, plus the latter was already working on "Curb Your Enthusiasm".

[1.8Tquattro]

He's actually worth a hair under 150m now. Still

That's why you invest in earl rigs.

[20DYNAMITE07]

They were like, "Jerry, we'll offer you 100m for 1 season's worth of work..."

His response "Mehh..."

Their counter-

[TheDarkEnergist]

Not to be a dick but...so what?

Seems like a personal choice he made regarding his personal life. I think it's great that he clearly doesn't want more because he doesn't need more. A lot of people should be taking notes from him.

[Ubel GLI]

Not to be a dick but...so what?

Seems like a personal choice he made regarding his personal life. I think it's great that he clearly doesn't want more because he doesn't need more. A lot of people should be taking notes from him.

Send me a check for $200 Mil and I'll quit too , while I respect his choice let's not make this bigger than he is. He's not mother theresa

[TheDarkEnergist]

Send me a check for $200 Mil and I'll quit too , while I respect his choice let's not make this bigger than he is. He's not mother theresa

Well I certainly wasn't trying to turn the man into a saint. All I'm saying is he doesn't really subscribe to the normal greedy Hollywood/TV star formula of take take take take take. Too many of my favorite TV/Movie stars have done too much utter crap just for a paycheck. I just like that Seinfeld (the show) had a life which ended, and we don't have to sit through tired regurgitated attempts at re-living that life.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

Didn't need it. Didn't care.
Most people are surprised that a person can do this because we have no idea of how comfortable a guy like Seinfeld can live without ever having to work another day in his life.

to him.

[tbvvw]

Warren Littlefield was interviewed by Howard Stern 2 weeks ago and spoke about the subject.

Jerry was offered $5M per episode ($110M/yr), the most of anyone at the time.
When he turned it down, he told Warren something to the effect of, "you have a wife and kids and a life, I've got none of that, all I have is the show and if I don't go out and get a real life now, I'll be miserable forever!" According to Littlefield, Jerry put everything he had into that show (12-16 hr days were normal) for the entire lifespan.

BTW - Seinfeld in syndication still makes over $50M a year!

[chris@revotechnik]

He's a producer that has signed a lot of successful acts. Capitalism FTW.

AKA the hip-hop pyramid scheme

[Fritz27]

AKA the hip-hop pyramid scheme

Uh, not really.

Would you consider it a pyramid scheme if one car dealership made a lot of money because it sold more cars than most other dealerships? Is it a pyramid scheme if someone hires a really talented salesman that is good at selling XYZ widget?

[chris@revotechnik]

Uh, not really.

Would you consider it a pyramid scheme if one car dealership made a lot of money because it sold more cars than most other dealerships? Is it a pyramid scheme if someone hires a really talented salesman that is good at selling XYZ widget?

Don't get what a pyramid scheme is do you?

Most rappers make little to no money off their actual music.

They make money later getting a label that is working under a label that is working under a label that is working under a label. They then use their label to sign acts to then create label to work for this label who then create more labels.

Hence a pyramid...

Not saying he is not successful as a producer at all, but producer doesn't have to mean they did anything but sign you and sit in the corner collecting a percent of your sales.



not to mention the term I used isn't my own and is well known joke as this is extremely common in that area of the music industry.

[6cylVWguy]

All I'm saying is he doesn't really subscribe to the normal greedy Hollywood/TV star formula of take take take take take. Too many of my favorite TV/Movie stars have done too much utter crap just for a paycheck. I just like that Seinfeld (the show) had a life which ended, and we don't have to sit through tired regurgitated attempts at re-living that life.

Yeah, I don't believe this at all. With the money Seinfeld has, or is at least rumored to have, he's just as guilty of being greedy as anyone else. You're confusing the idea that Seinfeld likely felt that he has amassed what he feels is enough money to never have to work again with someone who isn't greedy. You think Seinfeld would have faded into the background if he only had a couple of million to his name? I highly doubt that! When you're rumored to be worth a few hundred million dollars, an additional hundred million isn't going to really help you acheive anything for yourself that you couldn't already do. And if you manage it correctly, you should be able to live an extremely comfortable life for the rest of your existence---as should your kids!

Seinfeld has gotten to the point where he doesn't need to do anything that he doesn't want to do and he doesn't need to do anything. I could only guess that any current or future project he involves himself in is done strictly out of love or passion for the project.

[TheDarkEnergist]

Yeah, I don't believe this at all. With the money Seinfeld has, or is at least rumored to have, he's just as guilty of being greedy as anyone else. You're confusing the idea that Seinfeld likely felt that he has amassed what he feels is enough money to never have to work again with someone who isn't greedy.

I'm not confusing anything. The man loves comedy. Having an insanely successful show that to this day still makes me and millions of people laugh doesn't strike me as greedy. It strikes me as successful. Explain to me how thinking "I have enough and don't need any more" isn't the opposite of greed.

Seinfeld has gotten to the point where he doesn't need to do anything that he doesn't want to do and he doesn't need to do anything. I could only guess that any current or future project he involves himself in is done strictly out of love or passion for the project.

That's uh...exactly the point I'm trying to make. He's not doing things because he wants more. He has enough and good for him. He earned it by making people laugh.

[ValveCoverGasket]

If that was the case, why does Julia Louis-Dreyfus even act? She is worth over 3 billion and was worth over 2 billion when she signed on to Seinfeld

whoa!

from doing what?

[TheDarkEnergist]

whoa!

from doing what?

Her father owns an Energy Corporation in Europe.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ric...fus-net-worth/

She's basically an heiress. And I want to bone her. Even now that she's old.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

whoa!

from doing what?

Billionaire dad.

[ValveCoverGasket]

Her father owns an Energy Corporation in Europe.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ric...fus-net-worth/

She's basically an heiress. And I want to bone her. Even now that she's old.

wow! awesome

i actually think she looks better (on tv) now than she did on seinfeld... i hate 90s hairdos

and i suppose acting would be a good career choice for someone whos already "set"... you dont need the work

[Justin]

Cause she likes it?

WHy did seinfeld go back and try stand-up again?

good question, I liked his show so I went to see him do stand up. The opening act was funny, I slept through his act...Talk about unfunny

[O_G]

I think it was a mistake. Seinfeld, the show, is the only thing he'll ever be known for (unless you count his atrocious stand-up) and it was better in its later stages, unlike most shows that peak early. The final episode, though, was awful. He was still young enough to have plenty of time for living and he could have changed the show's format to not have as many yearly episodes if he wanted more free time.

The ability to contribute so much to culture is a rare gift and it should be seen through.

[tbvvw]

He was still young enough to have plenty of time for living and he could have changed the show's format to not have as many yearly episodes if he wanted more free time.

He was 44, single with no kids, had $250M+ in the bank, and was working ~16 hour days doing the show. He had enough and walked away...most of us would have done the same thing.
He did what made himself happy...

[Tornado2dr]

good question, I liked his show so I went to see him do stand up. The opening act was funny, I slept through his act...Talk about unfunny

I find his stand-up to be quite funny, but it did not evolve...especially as maybe it could have if he didn't spend a decade on a TV show.

Seinfeld's stand up isn't appealing to a post 2000 audience...he isn't that raunchy, doesn't curse a lot, and doesn't have a lot of shock-value to his delivery.

Look at all the big names right now...they are all of those things.