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We here at the Handeland house watch a lot of television. Hell on Wheels, Breaking Bad, True Blood, Supernatural, American Horror Story, Boardwalk Empire . . . I could go on but I’ll refrain. Then there are our old-time favorites. Shows we’ve watched so repeatedly we know exactly what’s going to happen but we laugh anyway. Friends, I Love Lucy, Scrubs, That 70s Show. But the show that we love so much we’ve started to talk that way is Seinfeld.
Seinfeld was always billed as being about nothing. But, really, the show is about everything. Most of the time the laughs come from the recognition. We’ve all been in similar situations, we’ve met the same types of people. And therein lies the genius of Seinfeld. Seinfeld speak has become part of our language. We often see scenes from the show translated into daily life.
This hit me the other day when I picked up youngest son’s wallet and said “Hey, George, this thing is going to give you a backache.” Everyone in the house knew exactly what I meant.
When the same son was very small I remember IV saying to him once “Do you think before you talk?” and he answered, “No, because then I’d be a slow talker.” 
Wow. Too much Seinfeld already.
Further examples of useful phrases from Seinfeld are: Double-dipping, Re-gifting, Yada-yada-yada, Serenity Now, Shrinkage. What would I do without them?
Then there are the episodes we never forget. Remember the magic lougee? In this episode, Kramer and Newman have an encounter after a baseball game that replicates the Kennedy assassination. Genius.
The soup Nazi? Who thinks of this stuff? It seems far-fetched, a bit over the top, but haven’t we all known a place like this and a person like that?
Do you speak Seinfeld? What’s your favorite word or phrase? What’s your favorite episode?
67 Comments on “Seinfeld-speak”
You can track this conversation through its atom feed.
Nope, I can not stand “Seinfeld”.
The only show mentioned that I would ever watch is “I Love Lucy”.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 3:59 am.
Lucy is always a great choice.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:20 am.
The “Soup Nazi” episode is certainly one of the most memorable. We were at McDonalds the other day & told to shuffle along to the next step in the queuing process – I actually said to my daughter it was reminiscent of the “Soup Nazi” episode.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 4:09 am.
It always cracks me up when real life becomes a Seinfeld episode.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:21 am.
I am not a fan of Seinfeld. I am a huge fan of Supernatural, American Horror Story and Once Upon a Time. I am loving Home and Away at the moment because one of the characters are about to die or get hurt badly. I am a huge M*A*S*H fan and then there was All Saints, Blue Heelers, A Country Practice, Diagnosis Murder, The Nanny and shows like that.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 5:38 am.
MASH is another show I can watch over and over and it’s always funny.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:21 am.
M*A*S*H has it’s funny episodes and then there are the strangely moving and profound ones like Dreams, Quo Vadis Captain Chandler, the episode where Henry died, the episode when Sherman Potter finds out that he is the sole survivor of a group of friends from WW1 and he toasts them with French brandy before then toasting Hawkeye, BJ, Charles, Margaret, Father Mulcahey and Klinger. Then there is Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, this episode never fails to move me and leave me crying because out of all the characters in the show, I connect the most with Hawkeye and when he cracks up my heart just goes out to him.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:47 am.
The episode where Hawkeye cracks up–the one with the “chicken”-is heartbreaking.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:52 am.
I can’t say that I blame him for cracking up with seeing what he saw. Out of everything that he saw during that war, seeing the woman smother her “chicken” to avoid the whole bus being detected by the North Korean Army it would have killed a lesser man. I’m surprised that he didn’t lose it sooner.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:41 am.
Yeah, I’ve been know to sing “Yankee Bean” on more than one occasion.
When you’ve got nothing to do at work, you’re working on the Penske file.
When I’m late for something, I feel like my arrival is sadly Kramer-like.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 7:25 am.
Ah, the Penske file! Knew exactly what you meant.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:22 am.
We are huge Seinfeld fans in this house. We use Seinfeld phrases all the time. Serenity now is the one I use most often, when dealing with my kids. It’s a festivus miracle is used quite a bit, as well. Yesterday we were joking about the ‘man hands’ episode when I couldn’t get the lid off of a jar.
I loved the episode where Elaine dances (first you cry, then you cry cry again), and also the episode where she goes on a date with one of Jerry’s friends, and he ‘takes IT out’. I just love when she is describing it to Jerry and Kramer. There weren’t many episodes or characters on that show that I didn’t like.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:04 am.
Just saw the “it” episode the other day. Hysterical.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:22 am.
Seinfeld was one of the only shows I was allowed to watch as a kid. Love it!
Pretty sure the soup nazi wasn’t made up by the show, and is/was actually a NY institution, made famous by the show. They did that with a lot of things.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:07 am.
I heard that too about the Soup Nazi. Can’t imagine.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:23 am.
Since that show, I’ve never looked another Junior Mint in the eye again. For some reason, my dad got into Friends at that time. Dad wasn’t a major pop culture guy, so it was kind of odd to me that he liked the show. Then came the day that he pointed out that Grandma showed up every Thursday night after some club meeting or other and ruined his Friends watching. Keep in mind that I think the creators of Hank Hill (King of the Hill) had my dad in mind when they wrote that show. We quote King of the Hill more than Seinfeld around here.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:38 am.
There are certain shows that just click. We have a few Friends sayings we use around here as well.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:06 am.
Hello… Lori.
The Soup Nazi cracks me up every time I see it. I’m always saying, “No soup for you!” The Master of your Domain episode was funny as well, but I will leave it at that. There was another episode when Elaine was seeing David Puddy and she was talking about going to hell. She was freaking out saying, “The heat, my god the heat!” My coworker and I would say that when it was way to hot outside. I always seem to be in a better mood after I watch Seinfeld. The Golden Girls do that to me too!
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 8:43 am.
We like to say “these pretzels are making me thirsty” and then laugh and laugh.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:07 am.
My DH, who only misses Trivia questions if they deal with pop culture, read some article last week in which there were a lot of such references and he realized he did not recognize a single one. Even he found that pretty strange. Perhaps he will at least catch up with me, which is a 4 on a 1 to 10 scale.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:24 pm.
I have seen some Seinfeld, but it must have been popular during one of my periodic too-busy for tv stages. It’s amazing how much you miss in terms of pop culture over something like that.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:15 am.
I have a big black whole in certain areas as well. Back when my kids were little all I remember is Barney and Rug Rats.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:41 am.
OMG, we love Seinfeld! “It was cold wotuh!!” I’m not sure how to spell it like George said it, but that is a big one in our house. And, if the hub can’t remember a woman’s name, he calls her ‘Mulva’ LOL!! We also chuckle when we see the chocolate babka in the grocery store. My favorite episode is when Elaine is dancing and ‘sweet fancy Moses’. I’m totally laughing to myself right now!
I also love all the old shows you mention. I’m not sure if you have had a chance to check out Big Bang Theory, but that is SO funny! Sheldon never ceases to make me laugh–it’s like Monk (for the OCD tendencies) and Kramer (total odd ball) had a baby or something! LOL
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:25 am.
Also love The Golden Girls and Designing Women. Those shows always made me laugh, too.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:27 am.
Designing Women was delicious.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:22 pm.
I loved that show.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:54 pm.
I did not realize chocolate babka existed. But I do laugh whenever I buy marble rye.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:43 am.
Absolutely….you can’t go to a party with a lesser cinnamon babka you know… LOL
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:16 am.
“I don’t know how you guys walk around with those things.”
Elaine’s deadpan response to shrinkage.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:26 am.
In this house, I say that a lot.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:42 am.
Imagine my delight when late last spring I actually received a J. Peterman catalogue. I had never known it actually existed until then, and the descriptions were all surely written by Elaine.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:38 am.
My dad always got this catalogue. Just seeing the cover brought about snickers.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:42 am.
OH, gosh, I remember that catalogue.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:21 pm.
I came late to Seinfeld, but I loved it. The list of shows I love (and quote) is nearly endless. In fact, I pick up lines from shows so much that I’m not sure I can remember who said it first! I am a deep swimmer in pop culture.
“Would you like a cold beverage?” We say that a lot—straight from Sheldon’s mouth in Big Bang Theory.
“Yada, yada, yada.” The whole world says this, right? Everyone I know does.
I have met women with man hands. I have also met people who look beautiful in some lights and horrible in others—remember that episode?
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:12 am.
I could completely relate to the two face episode. It has happened to me.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:26 am.
LOL–I know both of those quotes. I think pretty much everyone I know says Yada yada as well. Like I said in an above post, if my hub can’t remember a woman’s name, he names her ‘Mulva’ which totally makes me snort with laughter and the aforementioned nameless woman thinks we are nuts.
I have met women with man hands and seen some folks have that light issue.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:29 am.
Mulva! Perfect. I need to start saying this to IV whenever he asks me the name of someone we know but he can’t remember. He will not be amused. I, however, will laugh and laugh.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:42 am.
In my house we speak Seinfeld SO often! I believe I say “no soup for you” at least once a week. I watched and re-watched every episode so many times I lost count. And I couldn’t possibly pick my favourite… though I did love the episode where they Elaine and George switched ‘lives’… you know the one… Elaine hits rock bottom and George gets promoted, but Seinfeld is happy because his life always evens out. Oh, and I also liked the episode with Elaine’s colleague that doesn’t move her arms. Ha!
PS. I also really love Friends. I, again, have watched and re-watched all the episodes many times. I often speak in Friends talk as well.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:48 am.
Jerry is Even Steven.
Oh, and I love the one with Raquel Welch and wasn’t it Molly Shannon. Great stuff.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:26 am.
Ya, it was Molly Shannon. So funny!
… this also made me think of Elaine’s other colleague that walked around with tic tacs in his pocket. Ha!
Oh, and “Serenity now!”
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 7:39 pm.
I love love Seinfeld! My husband can not stand it, but I still watch it almost on a daily basis. It is always one somewhere. My brother and I will call or text each other phrases all the time. My favorites? way too many to count. The marble rye, sponge worthy, no soup for you, Mulva, the bro, the junior mint, the big salad! I love every episode. I also watch Friends, 70′s show, Gilmore Girls, King of Queens and New Adventures of Old Christine is very funny also.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:47 am.
I think all restaurants should have a big salad.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 11:54 am.
I am one of those who could never get into Seinfeld, though I might try it again now that a few years have passed. Sometimes tastes change
I DO, however, find things from Seinfeld funny.
I have only watched some of Big Bang Theory, but have laughed when I watch it – might have to get that one on DVD.. and Scrubs is another one I was late to, but now have a complete crush on Dr Cox.
I got the DVDs of Boston Legal and went around for a bit saying “Denny Crane” when appropo..
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:11 pm.
I always love listening to a good Dr. Cox rant.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:27 pm.
My Big Bang Theory brother in law was visiting last weekend. I asked if he liked the show
He would fit right in. Nerds of the world, unite!
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:20 pm.
LOL “Denny Crane” oh, I SO loved that show!! I thought Shatner and Bergen MADE that show, although I loved James Spader too.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:52 pm.
Big Bang Theory is wonderful! One of our favorite shows. We say “Bazinga” all the time.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:58 pm.
I love Sienfeld.
The phrases we use as part of our daily language – Double-dipping, Re-gifting, Shrinkage.
Love the Soup Nazi – we refer to it in various forms all the time.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:23 pm.
I use “No soup for you” in every context. “No car for you!” “No allowance for you!”
Yada, yada, yada.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:28 pm.
“The sea was angry that day, my friend.” I love the completeness of that episode, where George poses as a marine biologist, Kramer starts golfing at the beach, and it all comes to one beautiful, hysterical conclusion.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 12:59 pm.
Definitely one of my faves. When George does nothing but holds up the golf ball . . . I was rolling on the floor.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:01 pm.
I love the episode about the man-zere.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:08 pm.
Another winner.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:55 pm.
I not only use the speak, I have lived the life. I have met the Soup Nazi in NY, I swear. And there was the time in NYC when a friend and I were having lunch and took “too long” (as in over 20 minutes) and the waiter threw us out. Seinfeld would have done that justice!
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 1:18 pm.
Ah, New York. I think Seinfeld does the place justice, except when they constantly run into people on the streets of Manhattan. That always kills me.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:56 pm.
We just invoked the Soup Nazi today. We were talking about the Cheese Geek at Fresh Market (he loves cheese, and if you pause by the cheese display, he will offer you samples like crazy and wax poetic about cheese), and someone said, “That’s sort of like the Soup Nazi.” It’s really not, since Cheese Geek is very friendly and would NEVER deny anyone cheese, but in the sense that he’s always trying to get you to TRY cheeses, he kind of is.
Hubby LOVED Seinfeld when it was on. I confess, it was not my favorite show. It had funny parts, but I just didn’t like the characters that much. I know, I know, I’m in the minority.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:53 pm.
I always thought that the reason the 4 of them hung out together was because no one else would. When you watch the last show and see all the things they did to people, NOT cool!
But funny . . .
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 2:58 pm.
I want to visit the Cheese Geek. Sounds like my kinda guy
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 3:13 pm.
We have to have sex to SAVE the friendship.
Sponge-worthy
They’re real, their all mine, and they are spectacular (Terri Hatchers breasts. LOL)
Shrinkage
Newman!
marble rye…
I could go on and on too!
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 6:24 pm.
I forgot Close talker! I worked with someone who was a close talker. LOL
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 6:25 pm.
Haha! “I was in the pool!! I was in the pool!!”
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 7:40 pm.
Once we get going there’s just so much.
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 7:02 am.
I have to admit I didn’t watch much Seinfeld. I do remember the Soup Nazi episode and my brothers have used that with each other frequently “No soup for you!” “No beer for you!” and the very worst “No chicken and dumplings for you!”
Our entire family LOVES MASH! We will watch it anytime it comes on. Sitting around the house at Mom’s at the holidays channel surfing and if an episode of MASH is on we all yell “Wait! Lets watch this!”
And I LOVE LUCY is forever a favorite. The Vita Meta Vegamin episode? OMG !! And of course the candy factory. And there is an episode where she makes toast, horribly burned and says “It’s only burnt on the black part.” She then proceeds to scrape all of the black part off and she is left with a square of crust with a giant hole in it. We use that phrase many, many times when describing food that is burnt “It’s only burnt on the black part!”
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 7:13 pm.
We just went to the fair and there were a lot of vita-meta vegamin sales people there. That always makes me snicker.
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 7:02 am.
Oh, I love that show!
The Soup Nazi episode is epic.
Oh, and when Kramer got the screen door from George’s father and suddenly, he became this cool summer dude. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard.
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 7:44 pm.
Unlike my significant other, who will watch reruns of ‘Seinfeld’ if he channel-surfs across one, I have always disliked that show. I did sort of watch it a couple of times but when I saw Elaine dump a perfectly good boyfriend because he took telephone messages for her when she was out and neglected to put an exclamation mark on a baby announcement (I think it was), that was it! I marked her as TSTL (except for the missing punctuation, he was a guy who took perfect messages–how rare is that?) and the rest of them as TATL (annoying) and I leave the room if it’s on (or get the channel changed immediately).
The only TV show I watch regularly is “The Big Bang Theory” (though it’s not perfect) and I frequently laugh out loud. This aversion to popular TV may be one of the reasons I read a book a day (or at most it takes 2 days). But I was glued to the TV for the Olympics again. Thank goodness for all the commercials so I didn’t get behind in my reading!
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 8:03 pm.
It was the Moops!
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 9:14 pm.