Netflix released a new stand up comedy show with Jerry Seinfeld called “Jerry before ‘Seinfeld’”on September 19.

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It takes place at the Comic Strip in NYC where Seinfeld started his whole career. He talks in front of an audience reminiscing back on his youth and some of the first jokes he ever told. His first joke at the Comic Strip was: “ I’m left-handed. Left-handed people do not like that the word left is so often associated with negative things: Two left feet, left-handed compliment, what are we having for dinner — leftovers. You go to a party, there’s nobody there, where did everybody go? They left.” Not a bad first joke--everyone has to start somewhere.

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During the show Seinfeld noted of his past, “Would I have been funnier if I grew up in Peoria in a whorehouse raised by prostitutes? Absolutely. But this is what I had to work with.” Instead Seinfeld was born in Brooklyn NYC and grew up in Massapequa New York. “Jerry before ‘Seinfeld’” showed a lot of old clips and pictures from the beginning of his career. Ever since he was a child, he wanted to be a stand-up comedian regardless of financial reward. This career used to be considered as a novelty act, a sentiment that is no longer true.  

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The special presented information about Seinfeld’s past.  Notably, he shares that his parents never knew he was funny, and, when he revealed to them that he wanted to be a comedian, they said: “Ok, but you’ve never done anything funny.” He related this moment to coming out of the closet by telling his parents that he was in fact a funny person.

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When his parents first saw his comedy act at the Comic Strip club, he was very nervous because he was showing them this whole different side of himself that they had never seen before. Both of his parents were orphans so they made sure Seinfeld was grateful with what he had because it was more than they ever did; they never took him to Disneyland or anywhere elaborate. However, Seinfeld didn’t want anything normal: he wanted to be in a more fun place-nowhere boring.

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And he got what he wanted:  he slowly became more famous and began the journey that really blew up his career, the TV show “Seinfeld.” “Jerry before ‘Seinfeld’” gives us a glimpse of his life prior to fame and brings laughter to anyone who watches. I was pleasantly surprised by the whole show--Jerry has definitely aged since his show “Seinfeld,” but he was nonetheless still very funny--humor never really dies.