Thankfully, a long time ago I decided to read political press coverage “across the political spectrum.” Had that not been the case, I clearly would have missed reading Nell Scovell’s column in the Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-real-man-jerry-seinfeld-misses-is-guilty-bad-boy-hunter-biden?
It is clear from Scovell’s analysis that Seinfeld’s comment about wanting to be “a real man” and his “real man” icons from his youth that he has no understanding of his toxic masculinity and how negative it is for everyone around him. How fortunate that Scovell enlightened Seinfeld that he is validating none other than Hunter Biden as a “real man” at his worst moments. God knows there are plenty of those.
Let’s take a look at this analysis.
Scovell cites a comment and some behavior Seinfeld mentioned as one of the four people who come to mind as real men. She has no idea what he actually meant by that. She asserts her own conclusions. It is doubtful that he knew the information shared by Scovell about Sean Connery because I knew nothing of that. Never heard of it. Then she bridges to that to the thought in her mind Seinfeld “yearns for dominant masculinity.”
Personally, if I were commenting on men I thought were “real men” when I grew up, I would have invoked Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. They were the king of cool. It so happens both of them had no hint of scandal or mistreatment of women. Paul was married to Joanne Woodward for fifty years. Both served in the military. If there was something that tarnished their reputations, it wouldn’t deter from all the good they did. I would have thought Seinfeld would have invoked these two men since they all are car guys.
I know a little about Jerry Seinfeld. I saw him in comedy clubs long before he became “Jerry Seinfeld.” Other than watching his show, which I recently rewatched from start to finish and found it still hilarious from start to finish, I have seen his live act in recent years. He is the rare comic today who can do 90 minutes of comedy without using anything approaching an inappropriate word. He never delves into politics. He does “schtick.” Maybe someone needs to remind Scovell – herself a comedy writer – that Seinfeld’s ‘complaining’ is schtick. Does she classify George Carlin as a “complainer?” If Seinfeld is a complainer, what was Carlin? They specialize in observational comedy. But if you want to taint someone you label them a “complainer.”
In the meantime, Seinfeld has never had a hint of scandal about him. Unless you consider he invited a woman out not knowing she was recently married. She abruptly divorced her husband and has been married to Jerry for 25 years. They have three children.
If you ask Seinfeld what he thinks a real man is (as I write this on Father’s Day), he will most likely tell you the same thing I would since we are the same age and have lived similar lives other (than him earning a billion dollars). Real men are committed to their marriage. Real men are committed to their children. Real men work to support their families. Real men support their community. Real men would never hit a woman and certainly not get them to take crack cocaine. Real men open doors for women (yes, they still do). Real men today treat their wives as equals with separate and distinct responsibilities in the relationship. Real men are the designated “sherpa” in the family. Real men come running when his wife screams from the bathroom because a spider is lurking in plain sight.
Jerry Seinfeld was never considered controversial until he went to Israel with his entire family after October 7th, because of the apparent profound impact on his humanity and Judaism. Interviewer Bari Weiss asked him about his support of Israel (from which interview Scovell deduced his “toxic masculinity” on display), Seinfeld did not really answer in words. He was too choked up about the entire matter. Scovell might have noted that since she probably believes his tearing up while onscreen was why he yearns for dominant masculinity.
Where Scovell shows her colors and really goes off the rails is when she somehow ties Jerry Seinfeld to Hunter Biden. Biden — one of the most dysfunctional humans walking the planet — versus Seinfeld — one of the hardest working and committed family men around. You have to have a demonic mind to somehow find a connection from Seinfeld’s comment to Hunter Biden.
This is all about hatred for Israel. How else can anybody explain the recent spate of criticism of a person (Seinfeld) who has stayed out of the political arena his entire career and has never mentioned anything about New York’s problems, failed policies, and overall mess there despite being a committed New Yorker.
Scovell was born Jewish, but it ends there. Who knows why she would take a simple comment by Seinfeld in a 50-minute interview and be so accusatory toward him and put words in his mouth. I watch a lot of police dramas. The detectives always say they don’t believe in coincidence. I don’t either. These people may not be anti-Semites, but they sure act the same. Live with that Nell Scovell.
