The Real Genius Behind Seinfeld Was Larry David All Along

It is a wonder that in the world of ever-spawning TV shows the ones that aired 10, 20, or even more years ago are still relevant. Such old TV classics somehow manage to spark debates that seem never-ending.

This is the case for the sitcom, Seinfeld. It premiered in 1989 and ended in 1998, never making it to this century. But it must be something special to provoke discussion in 2023. No wonder it’s deemed one of the best sitcoms ever made. Some people, however, think that the genius of this series is wrongly attributed to Jerry Seinfeld himself.

Although it was named after him, the Seinfeld show wasn’t created solely by Jerry.

The comedian and the actor who played his fictionalized cameo on the show co-wrote it with Larry David. In fact, Larry David was Seinfeld’s head writer and executive producer for seven of the sitcom’s nine seasons.

Many feel that Jerry Seinfeld gets undeserved credit for the series simply named after him. Unlike the other show's characters, he wasn't even that funny. And that is almost a sin for a comedian. The other characters, however insufferable, did the heavy lifting, many fans say.

With that in mind, you might be interested to know that Seinfeld's George Constanza, Jerry's best friend on the show, is based on Larry David himself. Perhaps it is this degree of reality that the sitcom owes its popularity to. But George seems to be more popular with fans than Seinfeld's titular character.

Nevertheless, Jerry Seinfeld is not unanimously dismissed. Some people speak highly of both his character on the show and him as a comedian.

‘I think that was part of the charm of the show. He was the "normal" one of the group but still kind of an asshole. They all balanced each other out. The show would have been too obnoxious and chaotic with just the others characters and too boring with just Jerry,’ one Redditor writes.

Either way, Larry David's work on Seinfeld should not be forgotten. In many respects, he is the genius who made the sitcom one of the most successful shows in history.