Jerry Before Seinfeld

original airdate: September 19, 2017

As part of a new arrangement with Netflix, who as of season 10 will now carry Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld filmed a new stand-up special for the streaming service, “Jerry Before Seinfeld,” which sees Jerry return to The Comic Strip, where he began his comedy career, to perform the material that first got him to his legendary gig on The Tonight Show in 1981.

FEATURED LOCATIONS

Fendi
598 Madison Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Lexington Avenue – 59th Street (N,R,W)
Jerry points out in the opening of the special that he was actually sitting on the ledge of the building at the corner of Madison and East 57th when he decided to make the leap into comedy, which is now a Fendi store.

The Comic Strip
1568 Second Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 86th Street (Q)
Jerry films the special at the Comic Strip, where he points out that he started his entire career there in 1976, both performing on stage, honing his craft, as well as working odd jobs in the club to gain spots at the club.

Massapequa, Long Island, NEW YORK (map)
Jerry mentions that his parents moved from Brooklyn to Massapequa, which he jokes is an Indian name meaning “by the mall.” He also laments that one does not live “in Long Island, you live on Long Island.”

Brooklyn, NEW YORK (map)
Jerry points out that he was born in Brooklyn, and that is his home borough.

The Famous Door (NOW CLOSED)
NE Adams Ave., Peoria, ILLINOIS (map)
Jerry jokes that he would have been funnier had he grown up at a whorehouse in Peoria, alluding to Richard Pryor’s childhood living situation. The The Famous Door was located along NE Adams Drive, just east of Fayette Street.

PHILIPPINES (map)
Jerry jokes that he once read that the yo-yo was originally invented as a weapon in the Philippines.

Disneyland
1313 Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, CALIFORNIA (map)
Jerry jokes that as an adult, he is used to long lines, unfortunately none of which are in relation for going to Disneyland.

Pittsburgh, PENNSYLVANIA (map)
Jerry jokes that he didn’t touch a thermostat until he was 28, and it was a hotel room in Pittsburgh when he “finally got the guts to make it a little warmer.”

KANSAS (map)
Jerry points out that the bookends on the stage were supplied by him, showing Superman leaving Krypton and landing in Kansas (although he is unsure about Kansas at first).

Roosevelt Island, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Roosevelt Island (F)
Jerry points out that he began performing the same year the Roosevelt Island Tramway was built, as he would joke “Great, the city’s going bankrupt. They’re putting up rides for us.”

Bronx, NEW YORK (map)
Jerry jokes that after the Roosevelt Island Tramway, eventually there may be a rollercoaster in the South Bronx…which would be the first rollercoaster where people scream on the flat part of the ride.

Ninth Ave., NEW YORK (map)
Jerry jokes about Ninth Avenue looking like “a modern wonderland of the future.”

LaGuardia Airport
Flushing, Queens, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard (N,Q)
Jerry mentions that he landed at LaGuardia, noting that “I like the ceiling height. It’s a very nice…it could be lower, but I think it’s good. It’s good.”

FLORIDA (map)
Jerry jokes about his parents retiring to Florida, noting that “they didn’t want to move to Florida. They got old and that’s the law, so…”