Jerry Seinfeld Admits He Never Overcome Heckling at Stand-up Show 30 Years Ago: “It Was Mean”

During a recent interview with Graham Bensinger, Jerry Seinfeld shared that he still vividly remembers a heckler who managed to get under his skin during a stand-up show way back in 1993, almost three decades ago. The incident occurred during a performance in Boston, where Seinfeld took the stage after Adam Sandler's opening act.

"I had this amazing bit about weddings. It was fantastic. It was so long. It covered everything. And I worked on it and worked on it and worked on it. It takes me forever," Seinfeld told Bensinger. Explaining how comedians dedicate their time to perfecting their art. "I start into the bit and somebody yells, ‘Heard it.' And that was a tough one. I still think about it. It was mean. It was true." Comparing it to the current scenario, the comedian said, "I think now audiences are a little more sophisticated. These are pieces that we work on for months and months and months; you don't do it once and works. Every scene you see in a movie, they did that 18 times — one time it was good. Same with comedy. I've done it 100 times, now I finally got it," per The Hollywood Reporter.

Reflecting on the past, the star, director, and co-writer of Unfrosted believe that such an incident might not occur in today's shows. He perceives that modern audiences may have a greater understanding of the effort and process behind crafting a comedy set compared to audiences back then. Spilling the beans on the writing process, he shared, "Things happen on stage that do not happen anywhere else in life. You're in hyperspace. The brain is sped up because you're in a fight or flight condition, which is what makes it so addictive. It's very adrenaline-fueled."

Previously, in an interview with Parade, the comedian shared, "I love to write stand-up comedy and I do it pretty much every day. That makes me feel alive and makes me feel like my life is worthwhile because I’ve been doing it my entire adult life," when asked what keeps him in the action. Reflecting on the legacy of Seinfeld, he added, "It stood the test of time. I think that’s the greatest test of anything that people make. If it’s looked back upon fondly, then that proves it was well done." 

Disclosing why he loves giving live performances he said, "It’s the purest form of comedy and it’s the most amazing performing experience I’ve ever had, and I feel fairly comfortable in saying that I’ve done it all. It’s like if you’re going to be on the water, some people want to be on a yacht and some want to be on a surfboard. I’m more of the surfboard type. Stand-up is surfing; it’s like you’re right on top of the energy of an audience."