"Seinfeld" pushed a lot of boundaries. With episodes discussing topics like masturbation and an accidentally burnt Puerto Rican flag, the show has been know to stir up a few controversies.
But those behind the iconic sitcom decided guns were just not funny.
Jerry Seinfeld participated in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session Monday, Jan. 6, to chat with fans about comedy, his new web series, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," and his former hit television series. When one inquisitive Redditor asked if there were any "Seinfeld" plots that had to be scrapped because they "pushed the limits too far," Seinfeld revealed there was once a gun episode in the works.
"There was one episode where Jerry bought a handgun," he said. "And we started making it and stopped in the middle and said '[T]his doesn't work.' We did the read-through and then cancelled it. A lot of other stuff happened, but trying to make that funny ended up being no fun."
Seinfeld is supposedly on the National Rifle Association (NRA) "enemies list," and his former "Seinfeld" co-stars have been vocal about their gun control stances.
After the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on the hit show, took to Twitter to push for a ban on assault-style weapons in July 2012. Mere months later, following the Newton Elementary School massacre, Julia Louis-Dreyfus joined the "Demand A Plan" PSA calling for tougher firearm legislation.
It might not be a surprise that a "Seinfeld" gun episode was squashed. The 59-year-old star is famous for his wry humor, free of sex, swearing or violence.
"A person who can defend themselves with a gun is just not very interesting. But a person who defends themselves through aikido or tai chi? Very interesting," he told the Guardian of his take on comedy, which hinges on observations of life's minutiae. "It's so much easier when you're talking about something that really is important. You've already got a better foundation than someone who's bringing up something that does not need to be discussed."
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