Jerry Seinfeld Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Story of Famous “Seinfeld” Golf Ball Speech
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David’s Impromptu Writing Session
Jerry Seinfeld
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM
The legendary sitcom, Seinfeld, gave us many iconic moments, but one of the most memorable ones almost never happened. Jerry Seinfeld, during his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes story of the beloved “Marine Biologist” episode. Seinfeld and Larry David, the show’s co-creator, wrote a crucial scene just hours before filming, leaving actor Jason Alexander, who portrayed George Costanza, with mere minutes to memorize the script.
Seinfeld confessed, “We don’t have the golf ball goes into the blowhole of the whale. We don’t have it — it was never in the script.” However, their impromptu writing session turned out to be a stroke of genius.
From Last-Minute Idea to Iconic Monologue
In the fifth season’s 14th episode, titled “The Marine Biologist,” George Costanza delivers a remarkable monologue in his attempt to impress a woman. During the monologue, George reveals that Kramer’s golf ball ended up stuck in a whale’s blowhole. The famous speech begins with the unforgettable line, “The sea was angry that day my friends.”
Seinfeld vividly recalls the inspiration that struck the night before shooting the scene. The idea emerged when he suggested to David, “What if what puts the whale in distress is Kramer’s golf ball?” With the beach as the setting, George would be walking alongside the woman, creating a connection between the two storylines. Working late into the night, the duo crafted the speech that would become an iconic Seinfeld moment.
The real hero of the day, according to Seinfeld, was Jason Alexander. Despite being handed a two-and-a-half-page speech, Alexander, a TV veteran, accepted the challenge to memorize and perform it in just half an hour. Seinfeld couldn’t help but be amazed by Alexander’s talent and how flawlessly he delivered the speech.
The impeccable execution by Alexander elevated the performance of everyone that day, even impacting Seinfeld himself. Seinfeld recalls watching Alexander, with awe in his eyes, as he recited the lines. The live audience’s laughter validated the power of television and the exceptional abilities of actors like Jason Alexander.
