Nine years ago, America watched comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan become friends on camera during a 20-minute episode of Seinfeld’s long-running docu-series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
Over massive pastrami sandwiches, fries, several cups of coffee and a lot of laughs in Manhattan’s 2nd Avenue Deli, the men seemed to go from acquaintances to besties in a matter of minutes, thanks to the magic of film editing.
But it wasn’t a made-for-TV bromance. Seinfeld, 70, and Gaffigan, 58, really are great friends. They text all the time, they meet up at comedy clubs, they co-starred in Seinfeld’s 2024 movie “Unfrosted” and now they’re in the midst of a 10-city arena tour that arrives at San Diego’s Pechanga Arena on March 27.
While both men tour regularly on their own — each has 40+ solo dates booked for 2025 — they built a t tour around visiting a handful of cities they both like, hadn’t visited lately or (in Gaffigan’s case) they really love the local food. For this tour, each comedian does a solo set, then they share the stage at the end. Gaffigan said his favorite part of touring with Seinfeld is what happens offstage.
Despite their seeming differences, the men complement one another. Seinfeld is a Jewish man from New York’s Long Island with a wry and sarcastic sense of humor. Gaffigan is a gentle-natured, self-deprecating Roman Catholic from Indiana. But they’re both clean comics who specialize in observational humor and they’re both married dads (Gaffigan has five children, ages 11 to 21, and Seinfeld has three, ages 20 to 24).
To help promote the tour, Seinfeld and Gaffigan agreed to a t phone interview with the Union-Tribune. Gaffigan called from his home in Manhattan’s East Village and Seinfeld from his office a few miles north on the Upper West Side.
As a longtime fan of Seinfeld’s self-titled TV series (which made him a billionaire) and “Comedians in Cars,” as well as Gaffigan’s dozen or so comedy specials, eponymous TV show, film and stage work, I had a long list of questions prepared for the interview.
But as soon as these men got on the same conference call line, they spent much of the next 20-plus minutes catching up, commiserating and delighting in making each other laugh. Rather than interrupt their very funny dialogue, I sat back, relished being their audience of one and let them riff (though I did manage to get in a few questions). Here’s a slightly edited recap of that Feb. 4 conversation.
Q: You two have been friends since 2016. What is it about each other that makes your relationship click?
Seinfeld: We laugh a lot. We just complain about everything. Some of its funny, some of it’s really not. It doesn’t matter which is which.
Gaffigan: We know we’re spoiled babies. It would be wildly inappropriate to complain about some of the things we complain about.
Senfield: (laughing) Will you look at the weave of this carpet?
Gaffigan: (laughing) People are dealing with real crises and … I don’t like that. It’s very strange … the lobby of this hotel.
Q: Jerry you’ve said you’re only comfortable around other comedians. Why is that?
Seinfeld: Comedians are embarrassed to it how extremely difficult they find it to talk to anyone that isn’t a comedian.
It’s a real struggle. We put on a show for regular people that we’re normal and when we get to be with each other, we take off this ridiculous “I’m normal” suit and be ourselves.
Gaffigan: There’s an absolute struggle with when you’re put into a normal environment. Not to say there’s anything wrong with this, but comedians like to embrace our cynicism without someone being offended or thinking we’re suicidal.
Seinfeld: I have a summer house in the Hamptons. I said to Jim, “you should come.” And he said “but wouldn’t people invite me to dinners and parties?” He was worried that he wouldn’t like it if people wanted to socialize with him. I think Jim is one of the best at functioning normally. He’s really good at it.
Gaffigan: (laughing) I’ve got you fooled. It’s a great act. Comedians go onstage and talk and they give the impression they’re these social people. They’re like actors who can’t deal with change or rejection — and I consider myself an actor — they put themselves in rejection’s’ way.
Both of you have had great success in life, so you don’t need to tour as much as you do. What keeps you both going?
Seinfeld: We do need to work. It’s not hard to spend money. We’re both just hanging on financially.
Gaffigan: (laughing) There is a sense, Jerry and I talk about this, the fact that we have figured out this ion. I’ve got such gratitude surrounding it that I don’t want to take it for granted.
The fulfilment is in the process. So, writing, editing and performing are the only things I like in my life. It’s like, for me, there’s these people who only feel alive onstage, but if I go a couple days without performing I get a little grumpy. I need that endorphin rush.
Seinfeld: I just like being in that world. I never felt at home on Earth until I walked into a comedy club. It’s how I feel right.
Q: Jim, one of your favorite comedy topics has been your weight battle, which you talked about conquering with a weight-loss drug in your latest comedy special “Skinny.” Has that changed your perspective on food, and do you and Jerry eat together when you’re on tour?
Gaffigan: Jerry eats more during that day than anyone I’ve ever seen, and I’m an eater. He eats breakfast and then he eats lunch. Then come around 5 o’clock, he’s so disciplined, he stops eating.
I have no discipline but I’m more of a late-night eater. Which is probably the healthiest time to do it. Especially a big steak and burgers. Then I can climb in bed and see how many nightmares I have. The great thing about an appetite suppressant is that I still have the desire but just consume like a human being rather than like a dog. (Seinfeld laughs)
Q: San Diego is the next-to-last stop on your tour. Are you looking forward to your visit here?
Gaffigan: It’s like paradise!
Seinfeld: And it’s right next to Tijuana! … People in San Diego think they should be happier than they are. They don’t know why they’re not happier.
Q: With all that’s happening in the country right now, especially post-election, are you finding audiences are keyed up and they really need a laugh?
Gaffigan: We live in such a 24-hour news cycle. I like to give these people credit that they are mourning whatever crisis, man-made or natural, but (at the shows) they go out of their way not to acknowledge that. I’d say that after 9/11 it was weird performing, but otherwise humans are always looking to embrace denial.
Seinfeld: We’re never in a good place. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world.
I went to the premiere of Amy Schumer’s new movie “Kinda Pregnant” last night and sat in a packed movie theater and everybody laughed their heads off from start to finish.
This is what a comedy show is. You’re enjoying the movie but also 50 percent of the fun is being around people who are laughing and everybody forgets what they were upset about. What an amazing feeling it was to sit in an audience. It’s like Jurassic Park with dinosaur rides.
Q: What are some of the things that are making you laugh right now?
Seinfeld: I’ve been thinking about the number of different fake identities I assume to be a husband and father.
I actually had a chameleon and the cute little lizard asks me “how were you able to transform yourself like that?” A nd I said to the lizard, “coming from you that’s a real compliment.” (Gaffigan laughs)
I have learned (audiences) really think that I’m this person who is thoughtful and empathetic to their problems and interested in their day, and they’re buying it.
Gaffigan: I’m going to a middle-school basketball game today, and then a girls high school basketball game after that. And there’s some anxiety in my life. It’s very “rah-rah” at the games and I think you shouldn’t say anything. I’m amazed at parents that lose it at these games. I can’t believe they really care.
I’m always nervous (about committing to the kids’ games) but don’t know what the schedule is. The last thing you want to say is “I’ll be there” and don’t show up and there’s 10 years of therapy.
Seinfeld: If your father showed up at everything you did, you’d think “what’s wrong with him. Is Dad OK?”
Gaffigan: My dad came to a couple football games but it would be weird if he came to everything. Now if you don’t go to a game, you’re considered the great Satan.
Jerry Seinfeld & Jim Gaffigan
When: 7:30 p.m. March 27
Where: Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego
Tickets: $86.50-$1,092
Online: pechangaarenasd.com/event/jerry-seinfeld-live/
