WE DON'T KNOW THEM AT ALL

Have you ever watched “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”? Jerry Seinfeld picks up friends and they hang out over breakfast.

Now I will admit to not being the biggest fan of the stand-up comic Seinfeld, but the show Seinfeld was great. Many, many, many people pick it as their favorite comedy of all time. While I wouldn't buy a ticket to his performance, Jerry is cool in my book because he loves cars and seems to be a genuine good guy.

Anyhoo......

This particular episode caught my attention because it had Michael Richards in it. You know, he played “Kramer” and had that unfortunate incident with a heckler some years ago. They talked about their life doing the show and after, letting you in on things that even the DVD didn't include. It's obvious that they are being honest in the stories they tell and their feelings related to them. It's also obvious that they are true friends and not just two people who happened to work together.

Richards brings up the fact that, seven years later, he is still broken up by that night at the Laugh Factory and hasn't performed since. From his tone and the look of concern on Jerry's face, there's no hiding the regret he still carries and is affected by.

Some of you would say he deserves to suffer because of his unfortunate choice of words that night. Others would hope he would have gotten over it by now. I think it is sad that anyone has damaging affects linger for so long. Jerry tries to help by supporting his friend through the whole regrettable experience, but as we all know, no one can just say it's OK. We have to feel it on our own and believe it.

I wonder how many people will look at this show and realize that no matter how rich or famous these two people are, on THIS day, they are just two friends talking. Just like we all do. They share some regrets, retell some stories, have some laughs, and try and deal with the difficulties. Theirs are just a bit different than ours, but they are just as real.

I wasn't surprised that Michael was hesitant to just “get coffee” at the local diner, because he knows it brings unwanted attention, and he even has a disguise ready! It was nice to see that he had a good day despite the uneasiness. They met some fans and clowned around, just like we would hope they would do if it was US.

We have no idea how it feels to be recognized EVERYWHERE you go, people asking for some time, an autograph, or more, even when you don't have the time or energy. I'm sure the newness of THAT wears off quickly. We only see the glamor, the nice clothes, the red carpet, and the money. While it would be great to use your famousicity for something you are passionate about, helping others, or other good deeds, the downside is huge and I would guess, not completely understood by the general public. You can't have a bad day, a bad hour, a bad minute, without running the risk of it exploding on the internet. Imagine the pressure....

We see only a small slice of who a celebrity is, yet we (yes, I did too!) judge them entirely on it. Does that sound right to you?

...didn't think so.