Jerry Seinfeld Was Offered $100 Million to Do One More Season Of 'Seinfeld' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-29-2012, 10:16 AM

Fox411: ‘Seinfeld’ had an even rockier start than 'Cheers.'

WL: In the history of pilot reports, ‘Seinfeld’ has got to be one of the worst of all time. I have it next to my desk; it says overall evaluation ‘weak.’ The audience did not like the show and that scared us, but we did manage to find money to film four episodes to hold the show intact by making one less two-hour Bob Hope special, and it did ok. It was against repeat competition in the summer and then we just took a deep breath and ordered 13 more.

"I only found out when doing this book that Megan Mullally and Rosie O’Donnell both auditioned for the part of Elaine in ‘Seinfeld'"

- Warren Littlefield

Larry David of course said, ‘I don’t have any more stories to tell, Jerry turn the order down,’ and Jerry said, ‘No we’ll do 13 more episodes’ and we put it up against ‘Home Improvement’ and it got slaughtered, but we still really liked what they were doing. It made us laugh, so we stuck with it and ultimately that reward was enormous.

Fox411: How much did you offer Jerry to do another season of ‘Seinfeld?’

WL: Over 100 million dollars. We offered him five million dollars an episode. We didn’t mess around. What we put on the table was unheard of. We went in there with a staggering sum and there was tremendous confidence that no one could walk away from it.

He came to me and said, ‘I don’t have a life, I’m not married, I don’t have kids.’ We gave it everything we had, he was tempted, but in the end it was a quality of life decision.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...#ixzz1wGgbBV2k

Schmoopie · 09-20-2012, 02:31 AM

That is an insane amount but I'm impressed that he didn't continue the series for another season just for the money. I think they ended the show at the right time even though I was very sad to see it go. It's classic and timeless (the jokes anyway-"Nothing" ever ages!) and it's still doing great in syndication! Sometimes airing a show for too long just kills it, IMO. Better that they went out while they were still on top.

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-20-2012, 07:18 AM

That is completely INSANE!

I've never understood what's so funny about this show. I've tried watching it but rarely, if ever, end up laughing. I don't find it funny although it's better than Friends but both shows are awful.

My faves are 3's Company, The Jeffersons, Fresh Prince, Family Ties, and Too Close For Comfort. I'll never understand what people see in Seinfeld or Friends!

loaferman · 09-20-2012, 08:47 AM

The show did not hit its stride until they had a good number of episodes under their belt. Then they had their heyday and in the last season it had begun to decline. Seinfled no doubt saw this and decided to go out on top. I'm sure he didn't need more money and he is probably obscenely wealthy today without having taken to $100 million. That said $100 million in 1990's dollars had to be extremely painful to walk away from. He may have felt like he had no life outside the show but to hang on for 1 more year to get that money had to be tempting. I'm sure the season that followed would have been a mix of average and mediocre. I wonder if Jerry counter offered to do fewer episodes for the $100 mil.? I bet NBC would have taken him up on 15 -20 episodes.

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-20-2012, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loaferman

The show did not hit its stride until they had a good number of episodes under their belt. Then they had their heyday and in the last season it had begun to decline. Seinfled no doubt saw this and decided to go out on top. I'm sure he didn't need more money and he is probably obscenely wealthy today without having taken to $100 million. That said $100 million in 1990's dollars had to be extremely painful to walk away from. He may have felt like he had no life outside the show but to hang on for 1 more year to get that money had to be tempting. I'm sure the season that followed would have been a mix of average and mediocre. I wonder if Jerry counter offered to do fewer episodes for the $100 mil.? I bet NBC would have taken him up on 15 -20 episodes.

Seinfeld's net worth is estimated to be $800 million so I think he's doing ok!

Obviously the DVD and syndication rights of Seinfeld have brought in well over $100 million that he turned down to do one more season!

Schmoopie · 09-21-2012, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

Seinfeld's net worth is estimated to be $800 million so I think he's doing ok!

Obviously the DVD and syndication rights of Seinfeld have brought in well over $100 million that he turned down to do one more season!

I think he's doing quite well! I wonder if he ever dreamed that a little mid-season replacement show would end up making him so rich and so popular? At least he still seems to have a down to earth personality-on the outside anyway.

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-21-2012, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I think he's doing quite well! I wonder if he ever dreamed that a little mid-season replacement show would end up making him so rich and so popular? At least he still seems to have a down to earth personality-on the outside anyway.

Especially for a show about NOTHING that isn't even funny. Maybe that moron Kramer did goofy things from time to time but it's not a laugh out loud show like the antics of Jack Tripper on Three's Company.

Who is Warren Littlefield? Seinfeld producer?

AKA · 09-21-2012, 02:44 PM

Three's Company was one of the most overrated shows of the '70s. It shouldn't have lasted nearly as long as it did.

Blackout · 09-21-2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

Especially for a show about NOTHING that isn't even funny. Maybe that moron Kramer did goofy things from time to time but it's not a laugh out loud show like the antics of Jack Tripper on Three's Company.

what planet are you from?

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-21-2012, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad

Three's Company was one of the most overrated shows of the '70s. It shouldn't have lasted nearly as long as it did.

Wrong dude! You mean Seinfeld was overrated!

Look at those 4 dorks repeatedly on the cover. They're trying to make you laugh since the show doesn't!

icecream · 09-21-2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

Wrong dude! You mean Seinfeld was overrated!

Look at those 4 dorks repeatedly on the cover. They're trying to make you laugh since the show doesn't!

It's in poor taste to bash a show on its own board.

AKA · 09-21-2012, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

Wrong dude! You mean Seinfeld was overrated!

Look at those 4 dorks repeatedly on the cover. They're trying to make you laugh since the show doesn't!

Nope. I meant exactly what I said. Unlike you, though, I don't make a habit of going to the message board of a show I don't like so I can take a big, steaming dump on it.

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-21-2012, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad

Nope. I meant exactly what I said. Unlike you, though, I don't make a habit of going to the message board of a show I don't like so I can take a big, steaming dump on it.

Hey I saw it under "New Posts" so I didn't come here just for Seinfeld. I admit the humor in 3's Company can be silly but at least you laugh. With Seinfeld you don't even laugh!

Schmoopie · 09-23-2012, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catsrule

It's in poor taste to bash a show on its own board.

As the moderator for this board, I have to agree with this. It's fine if people don't like Seinfeld but please try to refrain from bashing the show because most of the people who read threads on the Seinfeld board are fans (like myself).

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-23-2012, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

As the moderator for this board, I have to agree with this. It's fine if people don't like Seinfeld but please try to refrain from bashing the show because most of the people who read threads on the Seinfeld board are fans (like myself).

All right, fine. I'll leave this thread then!

Bye!

05-29-2012, 10:16 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Jerry Seinfeld Was Offered $100 Million to Do One More Season Of 'Seinfeld' Fox411: ‘Seinfeld’ had an even rockier start than 'Cheers.' WL: In the history of pilot reports, ‘Seinfeld’ has got to be one of the worst of all time. I have it next to my desk; it says overall evaluation ‘weak.’ The audience did not like the show and that scared us, but we did manage to find money to film four episodes to hold the show intact by making one less two-hour Bob Hope special, and it did ok. It was against repeat competition in the summer and then we just took a deep breath and ordered 13 more. "I only found out when doing this book that Megan Mullally and Rosie O’Donnell both auditioned for the part of Elaine in ‘Seinfeld'" - Warren Littlefield Larry David of course said, ‘I don’t have any more stories to tell, Jerry turn the order down,’ and Jerry said, ‘No we’ll do 13 more episodes’ and we put it up against ‘Home Improvement’ and it got slaughtered, but we still really liked what they were doing. It made us laugh, so we stuck with it and ultimately that reward was enormous. Fox411: How much did you offer Jerry to do another season of ‘Seinfeld?’ WL: Over 100 million dollars. We offered him five million dollars an episode. We didn’t mess around. What we put on the table was unheard of. We went in there with a staggering sum and there was tremendous confidence that no one could walk away from it. He came to me and said, ‘I don’t have a life, I’m not married, I don’t have kids.’ We gave it everything we had, he was tempted, but in the end it was a quality of life decision. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...#ixzz1wGgbBV2k
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

09-20-2012, 02:31 AM	#2
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	That is an insane amount but I'm impressed that he didn't continue the series for another season just for the money. I think they ended the show at the right time even though I was very sad to see it go. It's classic and timeless (the jokes anyway-"Nothing" ever ages!) and it's still doing great in syndication! Sometimes airing a show for too long just kills it, IMO. Better that they went out while they were still on top.
	__________________ In memory of my wonderful husband. I love and miss you more than words can say, but I will always and forever keep you in my heart. September 23, 1961-January 14, 2019

09-20-2012, 08:47 AM	#4
loaferman Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 23, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 642	The show did not hit its stride until they had a good number of episodes under their belt. Then they had their heyday and in the last season it had begun to decline. Seinfled no doubt saw this and decided to go out on top. I'm sure he didn't need more money and he is probably obscenely wealthy today without having taken to $100 million. That said $100 million in 1990's dollars had to be extremely painful to walk away from. He may have felt like he had no life outside the show but to hang on for 1 more year to get that money had to be tempting. I'm sure the season that followed would have been a mix of average and mediocre. I wonder if Jerry counter offered to do fewer episodes for the $100 mil.? I bet NBC would have taken him up on 15 -20 episodes.
	__________________ “It was ‘Will and Grace,’ it was the social media. Literally. That’s what changed peoples’ attitudes. That’s why I was so certain that the vast majority of people would embrace and rapidly embrace” gay marriage, Biden said. “Think behind of all that, I bet you 85 percent of those changes, whether it’s in Hollywood or social media are a consequence of Jewish leaders in the industry. The influence is immense, the influence is immense." -Vice President Joe Biden May 2013

09-20-2012, 07:18 AM	#3
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	That is completely INSANE! I've never understood what's so funny about this show. I've tried watching it but rarely, if ever, end up laughing. I don't find it funny although it's better than Friends but both shows are awful. My faves are 3's Company, The Jeffersons, Fresh Prince, Family Ties, and Too Close For Comfort. I'll never understand what people see in Seinfeld or Friends!

09-21-2012, 02:44 PM	#8
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Three's Company was one of the most overrated shows of the '70s. It shouldn't have lasted nearly as long as it did.