To his credit, Seinfeld, who also produced the film, doesn’t sugarcoat the process, allowing Charles to film his pursuit even as he fumbles with his new routine. But he’s also energized by the pressure of performing live, even when the going gets rough, which it does occasionally. Rebuilding his act from scratch, he seems as vulnerable as any comic just starting out. Despite his enormous wealth and success, Seinfeld works the Manhattan comedy clubs much like he did 20 years ago, racing after hours from one dreary joke hall to another in hopes of getting a few minutes onstage. A film about the art of comedy and Seinfeld’s own quest, it reveals working comics as they strive to make it in a business that Seinfeld calls “like going to work in your underwear.”ĭirected by Christian Charles and produced by Gary Streiner (the creative team behind those credit card commercials), Comedian presents stand-up comics as working stiffs. Those expecting to see a rollicking comedy may be disappointed, as Comedian is a serious look at the business of being funny. This engaging and entertaining documentary was shot during a 14-month period starting in February 2000, following Seinfeld as he travels across the country building his new act. Comedian, released recently on DVD from Miramax, shows this process. Would he take his millions and fade from view à la Johnny Carson, or would he attempt a second TV show, like fellow comics-turned-turned-sitcom-stars Bill Cosby and Bob Newhart? Even as his Seinfeld costars crashed and burned in their solo sitcoms, Seinfeld himself remained curiously low-key, only popping up in the occasional American Express commercial.īut in early 2000, Seinfeld decided to build a whole new act of stand-up material, which meant a return to the comedy dives where he started in the mid-’70s. Fans speculated on what would be next for the man who had become one of the biggest pop icons of the nineties. In 1998 comedian Jerry Seinfeld committed what some called career suicide by pulling the plug on both his wildly popular TV show and the stand-up act he had been cultivating for 20 years.
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