Concerts

Join in the laughs with Jerry Seinfeld in Worcester

The comedian returns to his stand-up roots with two shows at The Hanover on Sept. 10.

Jerry Seinfeld performs at the David Lynch Foundation Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York in 2015. Robert Altman /Invision/AP, File

By Ed Symkus

2 minutes to read

Finding out that Jerry Seinfeld is back on the road doing standup – he comes to the Hanover Theatre in Worcester for two sets on Sept. 10 – got me to thinking that anyone who was a fan of his long-running TV show “Seinfeld” has a favorite memory of it. Mine is a double – one that comes out of moments from the first and last episodes.

The pilot opens with Jerry and George sitting in a diner, chatting. Jerry, staring at George’s shirt, says, “Seems to me, that button is in the worst possible spot. The second button literally makes or breaks the shirt. Look at it. It’s too high! It’s in no-man’s-land.” George replies, “Are you through?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I10CsVcmGj0

The final episode concludes with Jerry and George (and their pals) in a jail cell. Jerry, staring at George’s shirt, says, “See now, to me, that button is in the worst possible spot. The second button is the key button. It literally makes or breaks the shirt. Look at it. It’s too high, it’s in no-man’s land.” George replies, “Haven’t we had this conversation before?”

Nice touch! “Seinfeld” – originally titled “The Seinfeld Chronicles” – was a co-creation of Seinfeld and his friend Larry David. It had a nine-season run and remains one of the most popular shows in TV history. Of course, Jerry Seinfeld, before playing a fictionalized version of himself on that show, also had a successful stand-up career.

A mid-’70s Queens College graduate, he soon after built up the courage to do an open mic night at Catch a Rising Star, landed a spot on a Rodney Dangerfield TV special, had a recurring role on the TV show “Benson,” then knocked one out of the park when Johnny Carson had him on “The Tonight Show.” And he never looked back.

When his NBC show (running from 1989-1998) wound down, he would, among other endeavors, re-enter the world of stand-up; do some comedy specials; write, produce and provide a voice for the animated film “Bee Movie”; and create and star in the series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”

A self-admitted introvert who becomes an extrovert when he hits the stage, he still gets up there to talk about the everyday, run-of-the-mill things that irk him, that endear audiences to him. Thank goodness the theater lights are always on him. That way he can’t see anyone’s shirt.