The master of the television and stand-up comedy domain is making a comeback in a big way, and he's planning a stop in State College along the trail.
Jerry Seinfeld -- long absent from both the small screen (where his sitcom Seinfeld pushed the TV envelope for nine seasons) and on stage -- has recently resurfaced, and fans say they couldn't be more pleased.
"I think that [Seinfeld] has been ignored for awhile, and now all of a sudden people are realizing that he's still funny and still the best at what he does," Bryan Huber (senior-political science) said. "It's most definitely a positive thing for him to put out DVDs of his show and get back to doing stand up."
Huber is referring to both the recent DVD release of seasons one through three of Seinfeld -- a much anticipated disc set buyers are swallowing up -- and the fact that Seinfeld himself has returned to his stand-up roots with a tour stop in State College Feb. 17 in Eisenhower Auditorium.
Laura Sullivan, marketing director at the Center for the Performing Arts, said the performance happening so soon after the DVD release could either be a shrewd marketing tactic or a coincidence.
"The resurgence of the show on DVD and the recent special on TV (NBC's Nov. 25 airing of The Seinfeld Story) certainly are a very nice coincidence considering the timing of the show," Sullivan said. "I'm not sure if that was the plan, but clearly his popularity has not at all dropped off since the show ended..
Sullivan said the initial response to the show planned for 7 p.m. was so large that the center decided to add another performance at 9:30 p.m. the same night.
"The line at the box office was huge on the first day and our phone lines and Web site were backed up for hours," she said. "After we sold out in three hours, we phoned the promoter and asked if we had the option for a second show."
While the second show continues to fill up, local renting of the show on DVD has been steady since its release on Nov. 23.
Adam Savit, manager of Mike's Movies, 210 E. Calder Way, said customers have been looking forward to this show's availability for quite a long time.
"There was a pretty big buzz prior to the release and as far as a TV show on DVD, this is one of the biggest ones because it is probably the most popular show of all time," Savit said. "It has been renting very well, but there's been a good flow in and out of the store because we rent the discs individually, not in the complete package."
Huber attributes Seinfeld's longevity to the fact that he has a universal humor in his stand-up act.
"I think that his humor is something that's easily related to by everybody," he said. "Most people have been in the situations he describes and they all enjoy poking fun at themselves."
After the quick sell of the first show, Sullivan said she came to realize just how admired Seinfeld is among his fans.
"There is a huge demand out there for Jerry Seinfeld because he really doesn't tour that much and when he does, there are only limited engagements, so we're very lucky to have him here," she said.
Many people have complained about the rather high cost of ticket prices for the show, but Sullivan said she has no influence in the matter.
"We have no control over the prices because this is a promoter show," she said. "I was fearful initially, but it sold out in three hours so obviously people will pay these kinds of prices to see him. And this is going to be a rare chance to catch him in a smaller setting where everyone can feel close to the stage."
