Los Angeles, May 15 (IANS) Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has remembered his late “Seinfeld” co-star Jerry Stiller, saying he had the most amazing “comedic stuff”.
During an appearance in an episode of “What a Joke with Papa & Fortune” on SiriusXM’s “Netflix Is a Joke Radio”, Seinfeld opened up about working with Stiller, who died on Monday at the age of 92, reports people.com.
On the hit comedy series, Stiller played Frank Costanza, the father of Jason Alexander’s character George Costanza.
“You know, there was a writer on the show, Larry Charles, who came up with the idea — it was his thinking … ‘Who should we get to play George’s father?’ And he kept saying, Jerry Stiller, Jerry Stiller. I remember Stiller and Meara from the ’60s, but I hadn’t seen Jerry in a while and I just didn’t — and I thought, well, but he’s not bald,” Seinfeld, 66, said in reference to Alexander.
“But Larry just kept mentioning him and finally we brought him in,” Seinfeld recalled.
Seinfeld also shared that Stiller was “so perfect” for the role and brought “amazing comedic stuff” to the show.
“Those packages of just Jerry Stiller bits on my show are so unbelievably funny. What I loved about him is he so completes the George story. When you meet the father, you go, ‘Oh, now I understand why he’s like that’,” Seinfeld said.
“It was the perfect finishing of the painting of George Costanza was Frank Costanza. He had the most amazing comedic stuff,” Seinfeld added.
“We never gave Jerry Stiller a note. I never adjusted his performance once. Whatever he did, that’s it. We’re putting that out there,” Seinfeld said.
“I don’t know why he did it like that. I don’t know why he screamed on that line. It doesn’t matter. It’s funny. So funny. I am such a dedicated believer in if it’s funny, don’t touch it. I don’t care why it’s funny. I don’t care what the line was supposed to be. He said it that way, we’re doing it that way,” Seinfeld added.
“Seinfeld” airs in India on Zee Cafe.
–IANS
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