Jerry Seinfeld Slams Royal Wedding: Comedian Calls It 'Circus Act,' 'Absurd'

Jerry Seinfeld may want to change up a few bits of his stand up routine. At least while he's in the United Kingdom.

The comedian, out promoting his major June stand up concert in England, appeared on the morning show "Daybreak" on the country's ITV station on Thursday. When the interviewer, Adrian Chiles, brought up the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Seinfeld gave Britain perhaps the biggest American shakeup since Thomas Jefferson's 1776 declaration.

"Well it's a circus act, it's an absurd act," Seinfeld said (via the Daily Mail). "You know, it's a dress-up. It's a classic English thing of let's play dress-up. Let's pretend that these are special people. OK, we'll all pretend that -- that's what theater is."

After a few backhandedly kind words about British theater, Seinfeld said, "And that's what the royal family is -- it's a huge game of pretend. These aren't special people -- its fake outfits, fake phoney hats and gowns."

It's safe to assume that Seinfeld isn't on the invite list for the wedding, which takes place in two weeks. To see who did make the cut -- including William's co-pilots and ex-girlfriends -- view the list here.

For more, click over to the Daily Mail.

Comments

[krmudgn]

04:29 AM on 04/27/2011

i had pledged to boycott all accounts of this wedding but i have to go with seinfeld...but thats the end of it for me.

[layman]

09:47 PM on 04/25/2011

Just a bunch of snooty people hanging out, thinking that they are doing something of global concerns, being self agrandizing. Many of those former and current Brit colonies are certainly not thrilled about this pretentious exercise.

[Startreklivz]

08:06 PM on 04/25/2011

The British Royal Family used to be reigning monarchs.

Now they open shopping malls and live extravagant lives of opulent luxury with no job description nor performance requirements at taxpayer expense, waving from the balcony.

Sounds like what the Republicans want to accomplish for the Ueberklasse in America ....

[Ajita Kamal]

06:45 PM on 04/24/2011

New found respect for Jerry. Never cared for the show, but I'm liking this, and the Trump diss.

[CalGrad2000]

04:51 PM on 04/24/2011

Perhaps the Royal family should throw their weight behind stopping Trumps new Golf resort - the one that shouldn't have been approved in the first palce.

[nana4g]

10:12 AM on 04/22/2011

Americans endure on a daily basis the antics and circus of lives of our celebrities, their serial marriages,"sleep overs", divorce, procreation, custody battles; how naked they can get; how many times they are rehabed; what they eat, don't eat; how they colon cleanse; their medical expertise on all things re health, as though it were dogma. And these people are not representing any historical heritage, tradition; they are simply entertainers, some of them are here today and gone tomorrow. And those who are in the biggest circle of the circus, are usually the ones with the least talent and contributions to art. If our media can obsess with the pathos of Charlie Sheen, Lindsey Lohan, the vacuuousness of Jennifer Aniston, the parenting of Brangelina, the sexual exploits of 15 year old "stars", then I believe the British people, and other monarchal nations, can revel in the marriages of their respective Royal Families, who, at least have a historical lineage to trace. As I eagerly watch these proceedings, I see history, pomp, circumstance, and, in this case, much poignant joy, since this young Prince grew up before our very eyes and has turned out seeminly very, very well, in spite of turbulent and trying life events.

What is more "absurd" and more of a "circus" is when American celebs fly to European castles and mansions and have their own outrageous weddings, pretending to be persons of historical significance, when they are just entertainers and celebrities.

[Lola2000]

01:38 AM on 04/23/2011

fine - if they support themselves - why should the working class support them - with their taxpayer pounds?

[WillieBlack]

04:31 PM on 04/23/2011

I guess if it didn't suit us, we'd do something else instead.

[CalGrad2000]

04:48 PM on 04/24/2011

First the Royal family gets little support from the taxpayers. For example the repairs to Windsor castle were paid for by opening up Buuckingham palace to tourists. The funds that are spend on the family are considered a good investment thanks to tourist dollars. a changing of the guard at Buckingham palace wouldn't make much sense without the royal family. Lets also not ofrget that the Rotal family staying in London during the blitz helped the morale in London tremedously during world war 2. And having a head of state that is not such a bad thing to have.

[miesque]

08:29 AM on 04/25/2011

BRAVO!

[PaleMail]

07:53 AM on 04/22/2011

William & Kate have been living together on and off for years and finally decided to marry. Without the Royal branding these two are unremarkable people, and any Windsor family mystique following the Charles/Diana fiasco is thankfully dissipating.

[USBrit]

05:47 PM on 04/24/2011

It ties in to the ofttimes odd issue of tradition in England, a force that is far from understandable to the average American. Just tune your TV to something else - I certainly won't be watching them.

[miesque]

08:30 AM on 04/25/2011

Oh no, you won't be watching them? Have THEY been told? Perhaps they'll cancel the wedding when they find out!

[miesque]

08:46 AM on 04/25/2011

Amazing how many spiteful, bitter, hateful, down-right mean people there are in this world and most of them choose to comment on stories they profess not to care about.

[chaap]

05:12 AM on 04/22/2011

ya.. what's with all the fuss. get married already..

[ElenaOfJersey]

10:21 AM on 04/24/2011

They are getting married. Planning a proper wedding takes time, even when you're NOT a royal.

[layman]

09:38 PM on 04/25/2011

"proper" ? What is ? What isn't ?

[silverspirit2011]

09:46 PM on 04/21/2011

Thank you Jerry - a new UK fan

[Marty Jarvy]

07:08 PM on 04/21/2011

Interesting that this hasn't really hit the British press...

The Daily Mail, btw, is a very right-wing tabloid (especially by British standard) known for it's dubious stories, and scandal-mongering...their website is partly aimed at foreign readers.

It didn't feature too highly on that.

I've just watched a popular British program which reflected the British peoples' general acceptance of the Royal Family as symbolic figures, primarily there for the benefit of tourist income. Much of the US is rather more interested in the monarchy than most British people are.

Nonetheless, the wedding will be a bit of a show. Certainly there's no opposing side to Jerry Seinfeld's comments.

[Demetrios Kondylas]

10:15 AM on 04/29/2011

JERRY! YOU FORGOT TO MENTION YOUR MULTI MILLION DOLLAR MANSION IN THE HAMPTONS LONG ISLAND NY YOUR MULTI MILLION DOLLAR APARTMENTS IN NYC YOUR MULTI MILLION GARAGES WITH YOUR MULTI MILLION CARS! I CARE LESS 'BOUT THE BRITS! BUT JERRY I THINK YOU LIVE LIKE A KING! SO RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.

[DrakeUnlimited]

06:43 PM on 04/21/2011

Parasites.
Fn'F yaull

[NegSpin]

05:49 PM on 04/21/2011

The royals themselves have to know it's all fake.

[ctwhite]

02:53 PM on 04/21/2011

Jerry Sienfeld is a putz!

[WillieBlack]

12:27 PM on 05/02/2011

Ah, but he's a RICH putz!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_seinfeld#Personal_wealth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_seinfeld#Car_collection

I guess when you're this wealthy, you don't need to show much respect or tolerance for anyone.

[HiramWdwsn]

12:45 PM on 05/02/2011

Jerry Seinfeld earned a living and he was very good at what he did. The Royal Family hasn't done anything that has economic value. And Fresh Prince of Buckingham didn't do anything in his life to earn a living because he never needed just because at least some Britons believe that they're ordained by God to be their sovereign ruler! Nice going Sherlock.

[Hans Wurst]

02:36 PM on 04/21/2011

It's kind of funny hearing that from an ENTERTAINER.

[Dave24]

02:47 PM on 04/21/2011

But he would *admit* that he's an entertainer, unlike the royals.

[Hans Wurst]

03:18 PM on 04/21/2011

Part of the royal entertainment is not to admit that it is for entertainment.

[nana4g]

10:21 AM on 04/22/2011

It's also in poor taste, to demean and dismiss the culture and tradition of another society. As long as Jerry Seinfeld does not have to foot the bill or have his life interrupted, what should he care? There is plenty of critiqing of his own celebrity culture in which he can engage and may have an impact, because there is nothing more absurd, more circus-like, than the lives and lifestyle of the American celebrity entertainer whose sole contribution to our society is shock and outrage, heavy on the shock and outrage and short on the art and talent.
I find it perfectly acceptable for a British subject/citizen to comment any way they see fit, but totally inappropriate for someone like Jerry Seinfeld to disrespect the tradition, heritage, of someone else, particularly when his celebrity culture and society is so shallow and lacking in any class or taste. Some of their gaudy weddings that last less than 5 years, are nothing but circus, especially when they fly off to European castles and pretend to be something they are not.

[Lola2000]

01:37 AM on 04/23/2011

they live off working class taxpayer's monies - it's deplorable

[miesque]

08:40 AM on 04/25/2011

Yes, all this from a man who owns a $4,500,000 "apartment" in New York and spent $1,500,000 to puchase and rennovate a "garage" not far from his apartment so he could store his 5 cars. Nope, nothing "ABSURD" about Jerry!

[Boognish represent]

01:03 PM on 04/21/2011

One of the things I hate most about every society is their belief that they have the right to NOT be offended. If someone says something to me that is "offensive," it does not bother me because I know they are wrong. If the British believe in the importance of their royalty than what does it matter if someone speaks against it? There are a lot of people in the world and you are bound to have a conflict with some of them, so why hide under what our mommies and daddies and teachers taught us when we were 8: that only sugar and spice and everything nice should be said. This is life. People disagree. Get the **** over it.

[LeahAriadne Ray]

02:32 PM on 04/22/2011

I like it! I have a friend who always says "offend" is not a transitive verb. I can do lots of things to you -- kiss you, kick you, whatever -- but it isn't in my power to offend you; you can take offense, but that's your action. I am sure the British royal family doesn't care two pence -- excuse me, tuppence -- about what JS said, and why should they? He's got his world, they've got theirs, and both worlds are pretty sweet.

[miesque]

08:41 AM on 04/25/2011

Perhaps YOU need to get over the fact that people disagree with those who disagree.