Jerry Seinfeld: So You Think New York Is ‘Dead’

(It’s not.)

I needed to read this today, after another looooong theatreless weekend and in preparation for the week ahead.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/opinion/jerry-seinfeld-new-york-coronavirus.html?smid=tw-share

me too. there is something sad and pathetic about the impatience of some people. but it doesn't really matter: people giving up on the city and leaving is a part of its fabric as well. The frequency of declarations of the death of New York is exceeded only by those of the death of Broadway.

"New York, New York. If you can make it here you will fail everywhere else." -- Sandra Bernhard (from memory)

SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

No one's forcing you to stay.

Thank you, Kad. Because I am supposed to care about the opinion of a man who is worth $950 million, has a $5 million dollar home on the UWS, and a $17,000 coffee maker in his $40 million dollar East Hampton estate.

NAWP.

This should have been written by a real New Yorker who has actually struggled during this pandemic. Ridiculous.

"No one's forcing you to stay."

He mentioned in another thread he left the city, so it doesn't really matter.

Shocking.

Sutton Ross said: "Thank you, Kad. Because I am supposed to careabout the opinion of a man who is worth $950 million, has a $5 million dollar home on the UWS, and a $17,000 coffee maker in his $40 million dollar East Hampton estate.

NAWP.

This should have been written by a real New Yorker who has actually struggled during this pandemic. Ridiculous."

I take it you either did not read (or could not understand) Seinfeld’s NYT piece. He’s AGREEING that NYC is far from “dead”. At least you are consistent.

SouthernCakes said: "Why are New Yorkers like this?! It’s hilarious. Like you can’t see any fault in the city at all?! Okay girl."

Where on earth did you get the impression that New Yorkers can't see fault in the city? You lived here for 8 years and don't understand the municipal pasttime? That pretty much tells us everything we need to know about you.

If you want to read an elegant explanation of the essence of New York, watch the segments (especially the last few) of the Public Theater's only docu-play The Line in which the Indian ER doc will explain it to you. (He has elegant explanations of some other things about which you could use a little learning too.)

Glad to have you not-here. Sounds like the feeling is mutual so that's good.

I don't see anyone here who is bitter besides you. Sorry about your misfortunes. Sorry you don't get NYC. It's cool though; everyone doesn't like the same thing. Some people like Hamilton; some prefer Hello Dolly. You like London. I like NYC. Be where you be happy. Don't worry about us. We be fine.

Mr. Wormwood said: "NYC & Broadway will certainly be back in time as will most everything else we love about the city."

I agree with everything you say in your post. It is kinda astonishing how little folks attend to history and how impatient we have become. At the moment we are one of the few safe harbors in the country; that does not sound like a step toward the grave to me.

SouthernCakes said: "Lived here for 8 years. And I’m still at a loss as to why people think it’s the greatest city in the world! I love aspects of
It, but greatest? Not to me. I think London got it right.
"

I love London but for vibrant raw energy give me Mexico City.

Seinfeld’s point is well taken: major cities have ebbs and flows; London survived the Bubonic plague in the 1600’s that killed off a quarter of the population. Hell, Paris took 2 centuries to recoup after the Black Plague killed off a third of its population.

Both cities are still standing.

So I agree that this is unlike anything New York has ever faced before (as the original author noted, New York has never been shut down for 5 straight months), but saying that's a clear sign the end is near and the city will never recover is just ridiculous (or at least ridiculously premature--I hope it will end up being ridiculous).

One thing that I could see happening as a result of this, though, is Manhattan becoming less the center of New York City. Obviously it will still exist and the tourists will still flock there and it will revitalize itself once again. But with so many people already moving to the other boroughs over the past decade or so and especially now that many are discovering they can work from their apartment in Queens without having to travel into the city every day, I'm wondering if those neighborhoods will eventually start to overtake Manhattan itself. So that will be interesting to watch in the next 10 years or so.