Things read - Week 31

My obsession with Jerry Seinfeld might be new here but for people who know me know how obsessed I am with the guy. So naturally, whenever something even remotely comes across I pick up like a true fan. And, thankfully I am delighted every time. (Most recently this interview where he cheekily mentions how you just need espresso, weightlifting and meditation to be happy).

Couple of weeks ago, I picked up the autobiography of Michael Richards - Entrances and Exits. Michael is one of the four cast members from the TV series 'Seinfeld' where he plays an eccentric character: Kramer. As you progress through the series, you get to see Kramer evolving from just a side character to being the star of the show (bagging three Emmy's) without having a solid punch line or a well written character arc. He becomes the star by being “over the top” in his reactions and still “fit into the scene.”

Michael takes through his life starting from his childhood to landing his Seinfeld role to crashing at a show then finally picking up himself and mostly staying out of the sight in a way how Kramer would if he got intellectually serious. Even in this book, knowingly or unknowingly, Michael sounds like Kramer. He often talks about the dedication it is required for an actor to do the justice to the role he is given. And probably (he never mentions it in the book), he has dedicated his life to the character 'Kramer' even though the show ended 27 years ago.

After having watched and rewatched Seinfeld several times, the book reads like Kramer's monologue to me but more thoughtful and even more introspective. It's hard for me read it like Michael Richard's autobiography. There're constant reminders sprinkled throughout the book that Michael is not as goofy as the character Kramer (duh!). Like for example, he collects first edition books, a hobby I would normally not associate with show biz people (or Kramer).

Like Jerry, I am also an avid collector, but my pursuit involves books. I initially set out to purchase first editions of any classic novel and then went on to collect the complete works of early nineteenth-century American literature from Washington Irving to Mark Twain. As long as Seinfeld continued, I started collecting English literature, European literature, the Greek and Latin classics, Chinese and Indian philosophy, and the collected works of Russian writers. And of course, Yeats.

He reads. A lot.

How will I retire? I won’t be running for anything; I may be running away from everything. I’ve got my eye on the wilderness. I want to have a small stone cabin, take off the mask, read great books, and just sit with the land. It’s sort of like Kramer, when he says, “Up here, I’m already gone.”

After Seinfeld and some failed attempts at other TV shows, he quietly moved to NYC with his fiancé and took up photography, taking photos for himself.

With my camera, I’m on the streets most of the day, all over the city. I’m not disguised or hiding behind sunglasses or underneath a hat. Just with my camera, I want to be around everybody. NYC is certainly the place for this. I’m looking at everything. I’m shooting everything. I’m into people, and, man, the city has them all! Unlike LA, where I’m in a car all the time, whizzing past it all, or hiking up into lonely places.

If you remotely wondered the story behind the character Kramer, this book is a treasure trove. You can see how the character behaves the way he does and how much related Michael and Kramer are. Sometimes I felt unjust for Michael that he never broke the very mould he created for his own character.