Jerry Seinfeld’s Little Accident
You must have heard by now that Jerry Seinfeld had a little accident out in the Hamptons this week. It seems he was driving one of his vintage cars when the car’s vintage brakes failed. This is where the story gets interesting. Jerry knew he was in trouble and when he saw he was approaching a busy intersection, to avoid killing untold numbers of pedestrians, he swerved the car, skidded out of control and flipped over.
Now I’m glad Jerry’s okay, ’cause he seems like a good enough guy. But what I find interesting is how the story turned into “Jerry The Hero” because he swerved to avoid the busy intersection and potentially killing a mother pushing a baby carriage, an old man with a walker and a pregnant woman in bare feet.
Must everything have a narrative?
Isn’t it just possible Jerry was thinking, “Oh my God, if I don’t do something, I’m going to get crushed like a grape by a semi?” And that’s the real reason he swerved? An understandable sentiment and nothing to be ashamed of, but was it the press agent that decided to make this into the most heroic action taken since cars were invented, or was it Jerry himself?
I honestly don’t think it was Jerry, ’cause he doesn’t seem like a guy who would do that kind of thing. I can only believe it was a way for Jerry’s publicity people to show him they’re working hard for the mega bucks he no doubt pays them. He may have buckets of money, an animated movie and a sweet, young wife who can hide stuff in brownies, but that doesn’t mean he can just throw his reputation down the drain.
If God forbid, someone had gotten hurt, how do you think the story would have ended then? I’ll tell you how, “Super rich comedienne mows down unsuspecting pedestrians while taking out his expensive, toy car for a joy ride.” So that’s why his press staff went into well paid action, and that’s why we got “Jerry The Hero.”
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.