Well by this time, I had decided I better get a move on to meet Kenny Kramer for his tour. To give you background; the writer of Seinfeld, Larry David used to live across the hall from Kenny Kramer and it was his friendship with Kenny Kramer that inspired his character Kramer on the TV that also lives across the hall from Jerry. Due to Seinfeld's massive following, even to this day, Kenny decided to make some money from it, with Larry David’s wishes, and he started the tour. The tour explores the places in
So I get to the theater and there’s a group of about 25 people there. Kenny comes on stage and gives us an overview of his relationship to Larry, bits about the show and what he has in common with Kramer. Kenny did say there was a week a long time ago where he thought about putting levels in his apartment. Too funny! We watch Larry David interviews on a TV, and then he answers a few questions. Someone asks if he runs into rooms, and he said he never does or ever did. He showed us an array of products you could purchase on the day, like Vandalay Industries stickers, ASSMAN number plates and books. Kenny in person is very funny and he asks the audience how many Aussies there are. About two theirds of the group put their hand up. Kenny tells us that Aussies are crazy Seinfeld fans. I can’t deny that! Kenny says that a lot of the characters names on the show are real people he and Larry know and that Larry David is exactly like George. That was one of the reasons his stand up career was short lived, he was paranoid…just like George. Kenny also told us that he went for the position of Mayor of New York a couple of years ago and managed to get 2,000 votes. After Kenny’s introduction, we hop on his bus and get going.
During the journey he shows us a few clips and once we get to the hospital mentioned on the show, he hands out Junior Mints to all of us. We then get to the famous Monk’s Diner, or what should be called Tom’s Restaurant. We get off the bus and Kenny takes photos with us all outside of the restaurant. The restaurant looks a lot smaller in real life than the shots on the show. After some snaps we keep moving and see a few more sights. The most memorable was The Soup Kitchen which resides opposite NBC studios. This is where the Soup Nazi came from. They would eat from there at lunch and the owner was notorious for being just like the Soup Nazi. Kenny then shows us an interview he did with the real Soup Nazi. I kid you not, he was just the same! It was hilarious! People have to line up just so or he gets really angry. He also thinks Seinfeld ruined his business. Yeah right.
The tour finishes up and I go for a walk. I’m walking
I have dinner at ESPN Zone. Much like the TV channel it’s a bar and restaurant that has screens all over the place that play all sports, all the time. They even have tables with tvs at the end of them. It’s a great place for a die hard sports fan. After some poor service and a long wait to be served, I eat dinner and head across the street to Madam Tussauds. Luckily, Madame Tussauds is open till midnight so I had a couple of hours. I was hoping to see Lance Armstrong there (probably the closest I’d ever get!) but alas, he had been moved elsewhere. It was really busy there and hard to get to see all the celebs. It was pretty cool though, and kinda creepy cause they are soo life like. What I noticed more than anything was the fact that they are all smaller or thinner than you expect. I saw Johnny Depp, if only he was real! They showed the stats on how they make the models and so much time goes into each one to get it just right, it’s a real art form. Including the human hair. I got to talking to a guy there and we ended up making plans to go somewhere ‘local’ in a couple of days as I was over the crowds of
It had got to midnight and close time for Madam Tussauds, so I headed back to my hotel.
- Seinfeld is still hugely popular even after 10 years since it aired and Kenny really is like Kramer
- Carry an umbrella. I got caught in moderate rain during the day and it sucked.
- Not all New Yorker’s are arses, just the ones who work in retail. Rudest retail staff I’ve ever come across.
My teeny tiny hotel room with a window that looks out to a brick wall. It's a great hotel though. Bathroom and wardrobe is behind me.
The New York Times building is two doors down from my hotel.
Inside Toys R Us with the Ferris Wheel.
Kramer's Reality Tour bus.
Outside Monk's Diner with Kenny Kramer.
The Soup Kitchen. The inspiration for the Soup Nazi.
With the Naked Cowboy in Times Square. Yee-ha!
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