Seinfeld’s Gay Crisis: Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That
Of all of Seinfeld’s iconic catch phrases, one of the most iconic is made up of just seven little words: “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” It may be hard to believe now, but in its early years Seinfeld was a struggling show that was nearly canceled more than once — and to make matters worse, there was a rumor following its creator and star. In the years before Seinfeld aired, gay rumors were a huge problem for celebrities, and just the sort of pressure that could spell disaster for a struggling show. So what did the creators of Seinfeld do about it? This is the story of how a struggling show confronted a risky rumor and coined one of TV’s most famous catch phrases … and how it almost never happened.
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Thanks to GLAAD for supplying the footage of the 1994 award ceremony!
@JustinCoasters
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
8:10 To start the Outing Episode talk
@HaidynThyme
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
I think the most beautiful part of “not that there’s anything wrong with that” is that the joke isn’t about homophobia, the joke is that Jerry and George are overreacting (to a degree, obviously homophobia among other people was still very extensive)! Part of the joke is that there isn’t actually anything wrong with being gay, so the fact that they’re freaking out about it is worthy of laughter!
@barrymanuel126
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
And yes, there is something wrong with that… read leviticus,
@autumn7809
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
In high school, I had a very Christian choir director. One of my friend’s mothers was a very fun and funny person, and when she was talking to him about something, she referenced this. I’m not even sure what she was talking about, but she referred to something about gayness and said, “not that there’s anything wrong with that!” It went over his head and he said, “actually I think there is something wrong with it.”
@FateOfTheElephant
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
The background music is very distracting
@Nick-f4w2n
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
I love how Larry David is the real George Costanza. Jason Alexander absolutely nailed that role
@JFKonkel
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
@ 16:51 the screen turns into The Brady Bunch's famous 9 square grid with Alice from the 2 movies in the center… did I miss something??? LOL
@vladimirfroane3652
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
NO SOUP FOR YOU!!!!
@jacobsmithjr
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Managers and agents don't get enough credit. If it weren't for agents and managers tenacity, who knows how many celebrities wouldn't have a career!
@moorbilt
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Post Context 11:58
@drstevej2527
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
They didn’t understand the difference between normal people and Hollywood.
@gecho111
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
13:54 Kind of said ruined like Stewie.
@TheWatcherLogopolis
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Exactly what I wanted. Thanks dudes!
@robinvik1
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
"When he lived with comedian George H. Wallce for 13 years"
Are you seriously hitting us with the 'they were just roommates' halfway through the video?
@martinbruce5979
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
We have to all admit, the test audience wasn't wrong. Jerry wasn't a strong lead in the pilot. He grew so rapidly on that show, but the first couple of episodes he only carried the watch on his wrist.
That changed very quickly though. Rest is history.
Edit: Seinfeld is the complete opposite of Webster. Webster had a few amazing episodes in the start, hit from day one, then just rode that wave with the same jokes regurgitated and people staying for lovable characters. Seinfeld was the craft of real comedians, not show makers, only growing as a show as the creators learned to make the show. Definitely one of the 50 funniest sitcoms ever, maybe even in the top thirty on a good day. Which makes it the funniest American sitcom ever!… after Curb.
…and maybe Arrested Development.
@agranero6
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Liberace was worried that his career would be in jeopardy if public though his was gay? Was that a secret? He was the model for Elton John's aesthetics.
@kingyachan
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
10:01 why would anyone possibly think Liberace might be gay
@Okcindy
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
This video eats
@markmcphee6996
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Fridays was NOT a failed show. It was much better than SNL at the time.
@conscientiousobserver8772
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
"Lesbian comedian Carol Leifer". I'm so sure she enjoys that qualifier. /s
@billygoatguy3960
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
it's a shame seinfeld has lapsed into adapting far right attitudes these days when he worked with some kind of nuance
@LeonardTyson
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
Kramer, Jennifer Aniston and Julie Brown also came from little known 'Fridays'
@carlredbird3054
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
In the late 80's through the 90's being considered gay was the same as being considered hiv positive. At that time hiv was a literal death sentence destroying the lives of anyone how got it also they weren't completely sure how easily it could pass from o e person to another. In the documentary scream queen documentary the actor mark patton explained that if you were hiv positive you could not work in Hollywood because they would do blood test before getting hired for a part
@GuyTheArtist
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
I keep wanting to fix your shirt collar.😢
@amonynous9041
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
It never even crossed my mind Jerry could ever be gay. He's so not gay, I can't believe people thought he's gay.
@highdough2712
September 9, 2026 at 6:28 am
In defence of WKRP, it was during a time when police were raiding gay bars and literally arresting people, and those arrested would often lose their jobs, friends and family. So Les’s reaction is very understandable.