Split Like An Amoeba
Jerry Seinfeld
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Atlanta
May 2, 2008
A few weeks ago, a mere day after tickets had gone on sale for Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up show here in Atlanta, I was distraught (though not entirely surprised) to discover that the event had very promptly sold out. So having given up and forgotten about it, by sheer fluke, after reading the Athens weekly entertainment guide (think of an analogue of Inpress or Beat magazine), I found out that another late show for the same evening had been added. After missing out on seeing Seinfeld in Melbourne a few years ago, and being a fan of the TV show since high school, this was one of those things I simply had to see. A belly laugh was also definitely in order.
The venue was the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta's Midtown area. I still have some photos of the theatre's exterior from when I first visited here in 2005. From the outside, it has a narrow frontage, and is pretty unspectacular. One of my workmates told me yesterday that the theatre was threatened with demolition a while ago, and it took lots and lots of community protests to save it, and initiate its restoration. This restoration is proudly described as "ongoing" on the theatre's website, and is apparently one of the only venues in the country to have this sort of process in place.
Once you enter the theatre, you can understand what sort of a treasure would have been lost if this beautiful building had been knocked down. From the quirky portaloo-sized ticket booth and the arcade-like entrance out front, to the eerily Forum-like faux amphitheatre ceiling inside, the Fox is opulent and plush. The seating on the ground level is arranged more or less just like Melbourne's Forum, complete with the rich gold and crimson colour scheme.
Even though a lot of people found Jerry too whiny and annoying on Seinfeld, he was always my favourite character. I've always liked his dry humour and the way he can expose people's neuroses so adeptly. If you think about going to a stand-up show, the person up there isn't telling you anything that you don't already know - it's just the way that it's done is a whole lot more appealing and clever than any of us could ever do it. I can't even remember when the Seinfeld show ended, but since then, Jerry's lost nothing of his ascerbic view of the world - particularly his fellow Americans. For a visitor who's temporarily transplanted themselves here, his observations on Yanks - such as their obsession with coffee and having the most up-to-date technology, the nonsensical pharmaceutical ads, accumulating junk and crapifying their possessions, working the word ass into every expression, and setting up house at Starbucks - made me laugh so hard that my face hurt.
It's refreshing to go and listen to someone like Jerry Seinfeld who doesn't dwell on politics (at least not for too long) and instead uses the idiosyncracies of humans - himself included - as his main fodder. His lambasting of the notion of cleaning up after yourself at the cinema (my cash, your trash!), hating kids' birthday parties, the difference between being in a long-term relationship versus actually being married (ie, the former equating to paintball versus the latter equating to using real guns in Iraq) and trying to discipline his own children (making him feel like a "small time mob boss, hurting things they hold dear") were a scream.
It used to be said that the TV show Seinfeld, was a "show about nothing". But if you think about the sort of comedy that Jerry Seinfeld peddles, and the way he's got people so perfectly worked out, it was actually a whole lot more than that.
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Atlanta
May 2, 2008
A few weeks ago, a mere day after tickets had gone on sale for Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up show here in Atlanta, I was distraught (though not entirely surprised) to discover that the event had very promptly sold out. So having given up and forgotten about it, by sheer fluke, after reading the Athens weekly entertainment guide (think of an analogue of Inpress or Beat magazine), I found out that another late show for the same evening had been added. After missing out on seeing Seinfeld in Melbourne a few years ago, and being a fan of the TV show since high school, this was one of those things I simply had to see. A belly laugh was also definitely in order.
The venue was the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta's Midtown area. I still have some photos of the theatre's exterior from when I first visited here in 2005. From the outside, it has a narrow frontage, and is pretty unspectacular. One of my workmates told me yesterday that the theatre was threatened with demolition a while ago, and it took lots and lots of community protests to save it, and initiate its restoration. This restoration is proudly described as "ongoing" on the theatre's website, and is apparently one of the only venues in the country to have this sort of process in place.
Once you enter the theatre, you can understand what sort of a treasure would have been lost if this beautiful building had been knocked down. From the quirky portaloo-sized ticket booth and the arcade-like entrance out front, to the eerily Forum-like faux amphitheatre ceiling inside, the Fox is opulent and plush. The seating on the ground level is arranged more or less just like Melbourne's Forum, complete with the rich gold and crimson colour scheme.
Even though a lot of people found Jerry too whiny and annoying on Seinfeld, he was always my favourite character. I've always liked his dry humour and the way he can expose people's neuroses so adeptly. If you think about going to a stand-up show, the person up there isn't telling you anything that you don't already know - it's just the way that it's done is a whole lot more appealing and clever than any of us could ever do it. I can't even remember when the Seinfeld show ended, but since then, Jerry's lost nothing of his ascerbic view of the world - particularly his fellow Americans. For a visitor who's temporarily transplanted themselves here, his observations on Yanks - such as their obsession with coffee and having the most up-to-date technology, the nonsensical pharmaceutical ads, accumulating junk and crapifying their possessions, working the word ass into every expression, and setting up house at Starbucks - made me laugh so hard that my face hurt.
It's refreshing to go and listen to someone like Jerry Seinfeld who doesn't dwell on politics (at least not for too long) and instead uses the idiosyncracies of humans - himself included - as his main fodder. His lambasting of the notion of cleaning up after yourself at the cinema (my cash, your trash!), hating kids' birthday parties, the difference between being in a long-term relationship versus actually being married (ie, the former equating to paintball versus the latter equating to using real guns in Iraq) and trying to discipline his own children (making him feel like a "small time mob boss, hurting things they hold dear") were a scream.
It used to be said that the TV show Seinfeld, was a "show about nothing". But if you think about the sort of comedy that Jerry Seinfeld peddles, and the way he's got people so perfectly worked out, it was actually a whole lot more than that.
posted by yossarian | 3:18 AM
3 Comments:
Ahh one of the best sitcoms I've seen! He would've been great to see live and I still laugh listening to his stand up cd. The foyer of the theatre looks great!
Wow Yossarian! That would've been one helluva show to go and see. Was a tad disappointed with the talent at this year Com Fest. Seinfeld's definitely at the pinnacle of comedy/social commentary.
...The Fox looks gorgeous, good thing they decided against tearing it down. Something about those theaters which amplifies the experience regardless of who you're seeing ie. The Palais, Forum and Regent back home!
that is such a beautiful looking theater. And to see Jerry! so ironic!!! i really like the way you described stand up, the thing about they way they dont tell us things we dont already know...very clever and true.
I forgot to tell you that i recently went and saw Ross Noble do a gig...funny but not the best i've seen...not sure if you've seen him but he's very erratic and he NEVER finishes a story!
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