Jerry Seinfeld: So You Think New York Is ‘Dead’

[macbeth]

(It’s not.)

I needed to read this today, after another looooong theatreless weekend and in preparation for the week ahead. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/opinion/jerry-seinfeld-new-york-coronavirus.html?smid=tw-share

 

[Jordan Catalano]

I was so happy to wake up today and read this. I really needed it this week.

[HogansHero]

me too. there is something sad and pathetic about the impatience of some people. but it doesn't really matter: people giving up on the city and leaving is a part of its fabric as well. The frequency of declarations of the death of New York is exceeded only by those of the death of Broadway.

"New York, New York. If you can make it here you will fail everywhere else." -- Sandra Bernhard (from memory)

[SouthernCakes]

Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.

[Fosse76]

SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

No one's forcing you to stay.

[Kad]

The pronouncements of NYC’s death- almost uniformly from wealthy white folks- lately have been really tiresome and melodramatic.

[Sutton Ross]

Thank you, Kad. Because I am supposed to care about the opinion of a man who is worth $950 million, has a $5 million dollar home on the UWS, and a $17,000 coffee maker in his $40 million dollar East Hampton estate.

NAWP.

This should have been written by a real New Yorker who has actually struggled during this pandemic. Ridiculous. 

[SouthernCakes]

Fosse76 said: "SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

No one's forcing you to stay."

Why are New Yorkers like this?! It’s hilarious. Like you can’t see any fault in the city at all?! Okay girl. 

[Sutton Ross]

"No one's forcing you to stay."

He mentioned in another thread he left the city, so it doesn't really matter. 

 

[SouthernCakes]

I don’t even follow what y’all are mad about in this thread! ?

[Sutton Ross]

Shocking.

[JSquared2]

SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

Bye. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. 

[JSquared2]

Sutton Ross said: "Thank you, Kad. Because I am supposed to careabout the opinion of a man who is worth $950 million, has a $5 million dollar home on the UWS, and a $17,000 coffee maker in his $40 million dollar East Hampton estate.

NAWP.

This should have been written by a real New Yorker who has actually struggled during this pandemic. Ridiculous."

I take it you either did not read (or could not understand) Seinfeld’s NYT piece. He’s AGREEING that NYC is far from “dead”.  At least you are consistent. 

[Sutton Ross]

Yup. I read every word and UNDERSTOOD his English, thanks. You clearly don't understand what I am saying about it, though. Which is not shocking considering........

At least you are consistent.

[HogansHero]

SouthernCakes said: "Why are New Yorkers like this?! It’s hilarious. Like you can’t see any fault in the city at all?! Okay girl."

Where on earth did you get the impression that New Yorkers can't see fault in the city? You lived here for 8 years and don't understand the municipal pasttime? That pretty much tells us everything we need to know about you. 

If you want to read an elegant explanation of the essence of New York, watch the segments (especially the last few) of the Public Theater's only docu-play The Line in which the Indian ER doc will explain it to you. (He has elegant explanations of some other things about which you could use a little learning too.) 

Glad to have you not-here. Sounds like the feeling is mutual so that's good. 

[SouthernCakes]

Wow! Y’all are some bitter ass Betties. Damn!

I left the city because my entire industry is shut down for over a year - lost my health insurance through the process - and couldn’t afford my rent.

Lordy. Y’all are ruthless awful people.

[HogansHero]

I don't see anyone here who is bitter besides you. Sorry about your misfortunes. Sorry you don't get NYC. It's cool though; everyone doesn't like the same thing. Some people like Hamilton; some prefer Hello Dolly. You like London. I like NYC. Be where you be happy. Don't worry about us. We be fine. 

[Mr. Wormwood]

The writer of the original piece (who Seinfeld does not mention by name) has been a little pissy and defensive on Twitter today but I'm glad Seinfeld wrote this.

Yes, it's been terrible in NYC. But no NYC is not permanently ruined. I think because no one alive now was of an age to remember the last time our country was this impacted by a global pandemic (1918), everyone is making pretty silly statements about how certain things our gone forever. History actually shows that people rebound pretty quickly from pandemics even if there are some societal changes (for example, we will certainly think more about and pay more attention to public health than we did before).

NYC & Broadway will certainly be back in time as will most everything else we love about the city.

[HogansHero]

Mr. Wormwood said: "NYC & Broadway will certainly be back in time as will most everything else we love about the city."

I agree with everything you say in your post. It is kinda astonishing how little folks attend to history and how impatient we have become. At the moment we are one of the few safe harbors in the country; that does not sound like a step toward the grave to me. 

[hork]

HogansHero said: "I don't see anyone here who is bitter besides you.."

He didn't say anything remotely bitter. Everyone else is attacking him for expressing a disagreement with Seinfeld about New York being the best city in the world, which is absurd (the attacks, not the disagreement) and the definition of "bitter."

[skies]

SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

I love London but for vibrant raw energy give me Mexico City.

Seinfeld’s point is well taken: major cities have ebbs and flows; London survived the Bubonic plague in the 1600’s that killed off a quarter of the population. Hell, Paris took 2 centuries to recoup after the Black Plague killed off a third of its population.

Both cities are still standing.

 

[HogansHero]

hork said: "He didn't say anything remotely bitter. Everyone else is attacking him for expressing a disagreement with Seinfeld about New York being the best city in the world, which is absurd (the attacks, not the disagreement) and the definition of "bitter.""

Best to know the definition before you write about it: 

bit·ter
/ˈbidər/
adjective
1. having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet.
2. (of people or their feelings or behavior) angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment.

The only person angry, hurt or resentful because of their bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment is southerncakes. It's understandable but the fact remains that no one else here has exhibited bitterness. (You, on the other hand, have exhibited officiousness, but that's another matter.) 

[Broadway Joe]

We'll be better off when we finally get a new Mayor. I can't wait to never see or hear from our current moron ever again. It shows how truly awful he is when people can't agree on anything anymore yet virtually everyone no matter their political party or views all think you stink at your job.

[Jordan Catalano]

We all need to do everything we can to get Maya Wiley elected mayor when she runs.

But I spend my time between NYC and London (well, I used to before all this) so I see the plus and minuses of both. Right now it’s hard to see positives of anything when we’re stuck at home all day everyday but New York is slowly coming back. Trustworthy doctors are still saying that vaccine should hopefully be ready in January. Obviously everyone won’t get it right away but that’s our key to things getting to whatever new normal will look like and January is only 17 weeks away.

[Broadway61004]

So I agree that this is unlike anything New York has ever faced before (as the original author noted, New York has never been shut down for 5 straight months), but saying that's a clear sign the end is near and the city will never recover is just ridiculous (or at least ridiculously premature--I hope it will end up being ridiculous).

One thing that I could see happening as a result of this, though, is Manhattan becoming less the center of New York City.  Obviously it will still exist and the tourists will still flock there and it will revitalize itself once again.  But with so many people already moving to the other boroughs over the past decade or so and especially now that many are discovering they can work from their apartment in Queens without having to travel into the city every day, I'm wondering if those neighborhoods will eventually start to overtake Manhattan itself.  So that will be interesting to watch in the next 10 years or so.