Jerry Seinfeld Wrote A Scathing Rebuttal To ‘Some Putz’ Who Declared New York City To Be ‘Dead’

Jerry Seinfeld wants everyone to know that he noticed a certain column (published at LinkedIn) by entrepreneur, stand-up comedian, and co-owner of the Stand Up NY club James Altucher, who declared New York City to be “dead forever” amid the pandemic. Within the piece, Altucher argued that several of what he called the most important reasons to live in NYC (business opportunities, culture, food) no longer existed, and so, he’s declared that “it’s time to move out of NYC.” Well, the legendary comedian disagrees and penned a rebuttal in the form of a New York Times op-ed called “So You Think New York Is ‘Dead’ (It’s not.)”

Within the piece, Seinfeld declared that he will “never” leave or turn his back on NYC, and he argues that negativity won’t help people deal with this tough time. “The last thing we need in the thick of so many challenges is some putz on LinkedIn wailing and whimpering, ‘Everyone’s gone! I want 2019 back!’” Seinfeld wrote. “Oh, shut up. Imagine being in a real war with this guy by your side… Wipe your tears, wipe your butt and pull it together.”

Granted, Seinfeld doesn’t mention Altucher by name, but it’s clear who he’s talking about, not only by the LinkedIn detail but also when Seinfeld fires a shot at Altucher’s club. “I have been onstage at your comedy club Stand Up N.Y. quite a few times,” the Bee Movie star wrote. “It could use a little sprucing up, if you don’t mind my saying. I wouldn’t worry about it. You can do it from Miami.”

Yep, Altucher has already moved out of NYC, and Seinfeld sarcastically notes “the sharp focus and restless, resilient creative spirit” of Florida, which isn’t doing too great in this pandemic. In fact, Florida’s numbers are a lot worse than New York City right now, which Seinfeld believes will “change… mutate… re-form” but will never die. Yet he predicts that Altucher “will not bounce back. In your enervated, pastel-filled new life in Florida… I can’t think of a more fitting retribution for your fine article.”

Ouch? Kind-of, but Altucher should have anticipated plenty of attention coming his way while declaring the Big Apple to be dead after it survived many previous catastrophes. And Seinfeld’s column is finding plenty of support on Twitter.

Yet others are criticizing the piece as out of touch, given that Seinfeld’s wealth does “makes it easy to simulate the NYC of the past (or of fiction).”

You can read Seinfeld’s full op-ed at the New York Times.

(Via New York Times)