Jerry Seinfeld
I'm Telling You For The Last Time (Universal Records)
By: Alex Steininger
You've all seen his hit TV show, SEINFELD. You all know Jerry decided he wanted to do other things, and not let the show linger on and on, so they had their 'final' episode back at the end of the TV season this year. But what has Jerry Seinfeld been up to since leaving TV?Even though he was very successful with his TV show, Jerry will always be most passionate about performing in front of a live audience. So, of course, when the show aired it's last episode, he went right back to the live performance.
Recording his first live performance since the TV show ended at the Broadhurst Theater on August 9, 1998 for HBO, he has also decided to release this performance (along with other performances leading up to this one) as his first-ever comedy album.
That's right. Jerry is releasing a comedy album. But is it as funny as the TV show or his other stand-up comedy performances on the tube? In short, yes!
Covering a vast pool of material -- previously used on the TV show and other TV appearances -- this disc serves as a 'best of' for Jerry's stand-up show. But it's still worth your time. Unlike other comedy albums, which get old after one or two listens, Jerry's able to keep you entertained on each and every listen. Sure, you'll get to the point where you know what the punch line is, you know what is going to be said, but the way Jerry projects his voice and carries out each joke is not repeatable in your mind, with someone else telling the joke, or here.
I could repeat the disc here, but then it wouldn't be as funny. I could translate the jokes word for word, but upon reading them you'd wonder why everything is so funny. So, I won't attempt it. The important thing is that this disc is funny!
Such topics he covers are: "Cab Drivers," "Air Travel," "Halloween," "Olympics," "Clothing," "Late TV," "Crooks," and the "Bathroom." Other topics he decides to cover include: "Phones," "Supermarkets," "Drugstores," "Doctors," and "McDonalds." After listening to this album (assuming you're a fan of the TV show), you'll recognize some of the jokes. But they're still as funny, and serve as a great reminder as just how great SEINFELD was (is).
Ending with a "Q & A" session for the people in the audience, Jerry sheds a little light into himself, and amazingly enough, has some comedy for each question asked. Especially two of them. One relating to birthdays and the other regarding his favorite SEINFELD episode. Of course, I'm not going to tell you what was said. You'll have to check that out for yourself.
Then, as Jerry leaves the stage (and the CD nears an end), the CD closes out with thirty seconds of applause. Quite a fit ending to a spectacular performance. This has to be the best comedy album I've ever heard (beating out Dennis Leary's "No Cure For Cancer," and anything by Bill Cosby or George Carlin).
It may leave you craving more Seinfeld, in both forms, as it did for me, but it also serves as a new chapter in Jerry's career. A chapter I can't wait to dive deeper into. I'll give this disc an A+.
