Jerry Seinfeld packed the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall last night. Seinfeld has been doing stand-up comedy routines for 37 years and along the way appeared on late-night television shows and finally staring in his own sitcom Seinfeld. Obviously he has had years to master his craft and Jerry showed Friday night he still can deliver a fun evening of comedy. On this tour, he brought with him his ‘special guest’ Chuck Martin.
Martin is best known for his writing and production for the shows Arrested Development and The Marriage Ref. Tonight he showcased his stand-up talent as he opened for Jerry Seinfeld. His brief set included jokes about sports, balding, and Taco Bell. One of his funny bits was about steroids in baseball. He also made fun of baseball coaches. One was about baseball managers who wore the same uniform as players, and picked on Philadelphia Phillies’ Manager Charlie Manuel saying “You’re 74 years-old and your not going in!” He also worried about wearing cleats in the dugout because he might fall and break a hip. It was all funny stuff. Chuck’s set was short, funny, and he warmed up the audience for the headliner.
Jerry Seinfeld ran onto the stage with the energy of a comedian half his age. Diving into his routine he started out talking about ‘great’ and ‘sucks.’ It was a hilarious routine “Going to The Kennedy Center to to see me sounds ‘great’ but it is just something to fill a gap and make our lives sound better. However, everyone’s lives ‘sucks’ – some just more than others.’ The audiences roared with laughter. He made it clear that ‘great’ and ‘sucks’ is the only ratings we need. He demonstrated how close the two are by using an ice cream cone as an example. The scoop falls off onto the ground. It really ‘sucks’ but we say ‘great!’
Jerry next moved on to food. He touched on pop tarts and goes on to restaurants. He made observations on everyday life, especially coffee, hydrating, and electronics. There are many truths in Seinfeld’s humor and routine that made the audience howl. Next came reflections on being married and having children. One of the highlights was when he said “What a man wants in a relationship is like underwear. They want a bit of support and freedom.”
Drug commercials. followed with a hysterical segment about men with erections lasting longer than four hours going to the doctor’s office in ponchos. His ‘encore’ turned it into a ‘question and answer session’ with the audience. One audience member was turned down when he asked to borrow one of Jerry’s cars. Another asked him who he was going to vote for which he side-stepped with “Who cares?” Seinfeld doesn’t tackle the big issues; instead he provides comedy on the little everyday things.
Jerry Seinfeld provided 90 minutes of laughs and some that ‘sucked.’ But you couldn’t help feeling ‘great’ after watching this master at work.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes.
Jerry Seinfeld has two more sold-out performances on Saturday. August 4, 2012 at 7 PM and 9:30 PM, at The Concert Hall at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – 2700 F Street NW, in Washington DC. You may want to check online, or call (202) 467-4600 to see if any tickets have been released.
