Television concepts and applications

Television

Americans frequently refer to television characters as if they knew them, as if they were friends. A prime example is the way the show Seinfeld infiltrated American society. In the article "Common Culture," the author notes how television shows like Seinfeld have "the capacity to displace our sense of reality and to replace it with one that is generated by the media itself," (2). Therefore, George, Elaine, Jerry, and Kramer become as real as our own friends and neighbors; we talk about them, their habits, their quirks, and they way they dress as if we have known them for years. And we have: the show Senfeld was on the air for a decade and remains syndicated in reruns. In some localities, Seinfeld reruns air several times per day. Seinfeld episodes have become more real than our daily lives in the way they replaced small talk in "water cooler" conversations in the workplace. "Our real social and domestic lives can come to seem less 'real' than the fictional ones brought to us by this technology," (3). Several Seinfeld episodes have given rise to ubiquitous phrases, idioms, slang, and neologisms that few people in America do not recognize. For example, in one episode of the show, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George enter into a contest with one another to see who can go the longest without masturbating. The episode, called "The Contest," became a hot topic in the workplace and no doubt gave rise to similar contests in real life. Numerous other Seinfeld episodes have had this power over American public discourse and private life too: from the Soup Nazi to "yada yada," the show Seinfeld shows how "programs, characters, and situations enter the general discourse of the shared culture just as Bible stories or the narratives of classical mythology provided shared points of reference in other eras,"...not that there's anything wrong with that (7).

Seinfeld is a crucially-acclaimed as well as popular show and therefore cannot be criticized for being "bland entertainment," (4). However, the infiltration of Seinfeld quotes and characters into real life proves that Americans tend to develop long-term relationships with television shows and their characters. "The Contest" in particular brings out some of the core cultural elements of Seinfeld, and encapsulates the power of the show over the American public. For example, the episode brings out the unique relationships between the four main characters on the show. A solid bond exists between Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer, one that few foursomes in real life enjoy. Few real-life foursomes engage in outlandish masturbation contests, let alone the other fiascoes the Seinfeld bunch get into. Real-life friendships may therefore strive to emulate the ones depicted on Seinfeld, but often come up short. Jerry and Elaine, who were once a couple, remain close friends like few ex-lovers could. Likewise, a healthy antagonism exists between all four characters, and in spite of rampant misunderstandings and arguments they never have a serious falling out. In the real world, egos are far more sensitive than they are on Senifeld, and friendships far more fragile. Therefore, Seinfeld could be creating a sort of friendship-envy, the sense that "our lives would be improved if we were to become more like those characters," (3).

The Contest" draws attention to the level of humor that pervades the lives of television show characters, especially characters on sitcoms. While many people do enjoy hearty laughter and excitement with their friends on a regular basis, few in real life do so to the extent of the Seinfeld characters. It is possible that people who watch the show are attempting to discover ways to enliven their real-life friendships, to infuse more humor and outrageousness in them. Whether through devising masturbation contests or not, individuals use ideas from shows like Seinfeld to add color and lightness to their often troubled lives. When our relationships fall short of being as lighthearted as the relationships depicted on Seinfeld, we may be disappointed.

In the spirit of "The Contest," when we claim that we are "master of our domain," we are relying on Seinfeld to provide us with euphemisms related to sex. Seinfeld was full of euphemisms and neologisms. Viewers who gather around the water cooler to discuss "The Contest" do so partly to divert attention away from their own personal lives. Talking about "The Contest" is far easier than talking about our own sex lives. Moreover, our personal lives seem so boring in comparison to that of George, Elaine, Jerry, and Kramer that talking about their antics seems more interesting than talking about where we ate for dinner last night. Seinfeld brings out many of our personal insecurities: about sensitive topics like masturbation but also about our discomfort with our relationships and our social lives.