“Anti-Dentite.” November 6, 2009. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjC8zpG6WKQ

     A clip where Kramer accuses Jerry of being an “anti-dentite” - a comparison of anti-semitism.

 

Berger, Arthur Asa. Jewish Jesters: A Study in American Popular Comedy. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 2001.

     Berger discusses various methods used by comedians to create humour, how particularly Jewish comedians have used these methods. Seinfeld (the show) is discussed and how it demonstrates how humour in sitcoms can be used to show American society and popular culture. This will give a clear overview of both Jerry Seinfeld himself as a comedian as well as Seinfeld the show.

 

Bounds, David. "“It’s a Festivus Miracle!”." Seinfeld-ism. Word Press, 7 Sept. 2011. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.

     Some background information on Festivus as well as other Seinfeld topics.

 

Brook, Vincent. “From the Cozy to the Carceral: Trans-Formations of Ethnic Space in “the Goldbergs” and “Seinfeld”.” The Velvet Light Trap 44, (Fall, 1999): 54.

     This article compares seinfeld to another sitcom from the 1950s which features prominent jewish characters. Brook looks at how these two shows display changes in history and how television in general has affected American culture. This article will be useful to show how Seinfeld has helped Judaism in popular culture.

 

Davis, Walter T. Jr., Teresa Blythe, Gary Dreibelbis, Mark Scalese, Elizabeth Winans Winslea and Donald L. Ashburn. Watching What We Watch: Prime-Time Television through the Lens of Faith. Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 2001

     Davis argues that main storyteller in today’s culture is television, and thus become a key element in society’s religious experience. He goes on to say that actors now take the place of religious leaders as they create meaning in people’s lives. The chapter on Seinfeld suggests that suffering defines life, and therefore the meaning of life can be found in the mundaneness of life since death or failure is always an immediate possibility. This book will offer a lot of insight into religion in television generally as well as what seinfeld means to religion - instead of just what religion means within seinfeld.

 

“George hates the Jews.” June 26, 2012. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-6UwDP23s4

     George gets mistaken for a leader of a Nazi party.

 

“George - Latvian Orthodox.” June 21, 2007. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVMjJiTjgxU

     George suggests converting to a new religion for a girl he recently started dating, when asked if he would he responds: “what do I care?”, showing once again that religion is not an important aspect to his life.

 

Gunster, Shane. "All about Nothing: Difference, Affect, and Seinfeld." Television & New Media 6.2 (2005): 200-23.

     Seinfeld is advertised as “a show about nothing”, but Gunster argues that the show offers the ability to make difference out of “general indifference”. The characters are able to create something out of nothing, they are critical of their surrounds and are therefore able to question the importance of it, i.e. religion.

“Interfaith marriage.” October 31, 2007. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-8GIEQjqW8

A priest discusses the Christian view of interfaith marriages.

 

Johnson, Carla. "Luckless In New York: The Schlemiel And The Schlimazl In Seinfeld.” Journal Of Popular Film & Television 22.3 (1994): 116.

     Johnson describes a Yiddish folklore of schlemiel and schlimazel, which according to him, is displayed in Seinfeld as the show follows the three main character’s failures and despair. This is a great example for this website to show classic Jewish culture that is included in the show.  

 

Krieger, Rosalin. "'Does he actually say the word Jewish?' - Jewish Representations in Seinfeld." Journal for Cultural  Research 7, no. 4 (2003): 387-404.  

     Krieger looks at how “Jewishness” is displayed throughout Seinfeld and how the show reflects actual conversations of Jewish cultural identity that were taking place in North America. Seinfeld is also described, by Krieger, as a “Jewish” sitcom since it is the first sitcom, since the 1950s, that the main character is defined (both directly and indirectly) as Jewish. This will be useful for this website as it will offer insight into Judaism in television in general, and more specifically examples of Judaism in Seinfeld and how it is helping to assimilate Judaism in modern culture.

 

Neil, Martin. "California Judge Ok'd Seinfeld's Festivus as Legitimate Religion, Ordered Special Meals for Inmate." ABA Journal (2010).

     An example of the impact Seinfeld has on on society.

 

“Puddy is a Christian.” October 25, 2008. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3BDY3tfs8M

     This clip shows Elaine’s thoughts on Christianity, as well she states she is not Christian.

 

Rosenberg, Roberta. “Larry David’s Dark Talmud”; or Kafka in Prime Time.” Studies in American Jewish Literature 32, (2013): 167-185.

     Rosenberg states that self-mockery is the key feature of Jewish humour, and this type of humour is liberating as well as the source of salvation for Jewish people. She claims that Larry David (the creator of Seinfeld), and seinfeld itself reveal a “postmodern system of ethics” and is both Jewish and funny at the core. This is useful as it allows for a underlying knowledge of the creator of Seinfeld, which will allow for a better understanding of the show.

 

“Seinfeld 9x24 - The Soup Nazi Scene.” January 13, 2011. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed November 9, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phkre1QDPuk

    One testimony given during the trial that the cast goes through on the series finale.  

 

“Seinfeld.”  2015. Wikipedia. Accessed October 5, 2015

     Wikipedia page for Seinfeld. This is useful for general background information on the characters.

 

“Seinfeld Blog.” 2014. Accessed October 5, 2015. http://www.stanthecaddy.com/

     A blog that provides scripts, quotes, episode summaries, and other interesting things about seinfeld.  This will be useful to get quotes, as well as to provide information for all episodes for the content of this website.

 

“Seinfeld Daily.” 2015. Tumblr. Accessed October 5, 2015. http://seinfeld-daily.tumblr.com/

     A Tumblr page for seinfeld pictures and quotes. This could be useful to provide additional creative aspects of the website.

 

“Seinfeld makes fun of Scientology.” June 6, 2008. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFBznGJbghQ

     A clip of George and Jerry making comments about Scientology. This shows their views on the religion.

 

"Stand-Up Compilation." May 24, 2013. Online Video Clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZGu5GJlfls 

    A compilation of Jerry's Seinfeld's stand-up from the show. Used for entertainment purposes on the front page. 

 

“The full story of Festivus.” December 25, 2014. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rzt-vj2gU

     The story of Festivus is told in this clip, a holiday created by George’s father to celebrate instead of Christmas because he was tired of the commercialization as well as the religion aspects.

 

“The Rabbi.” August 18, 2008.  Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmtPXzXxl90

     A clip showing a depiction of a religious leader in the show - a negative view.

 

“The shiksa appeal.” February 5, 2015. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0F_WFpT5II

     Elaine getts accused of having “shiksa (non-jewish woman) appeal”.

 

“Yada Yada.” January 12, 2010. Online video clip. Youtube. Accessed October 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSOgB-JPy0

     A clip showing Jerry expressing his concern that a dentist converted to Judaism purely for the jokes - which offends him as a comedian but not as a jewish person. Shows that Jerry’s religion is not important to him.