I have no idea how to review stand-up comedy shows (although I’ve done it before). I mean, when you think about it – isn’t comedy subjective? If you talk about the content, aren’t you spoiling the joke for people who want to watch it? How do you review a stand-up comedy show if you can’t really talk about the content (the jokes)? The list goes on and on.
But you know something? Jerry Seinfeld was born in April 29, 1954 (which makes him 70 years old at the time of writing). And as a friend pointed out to me, this is his first show in Singapore. Yes, he’s a 70-year-old man doing new things. I’m not even 70 (or 60, or… okay I’m gonna stop here), and I’m terrified of doing new things.
So it’s heartening, in a way, to see him perform, to see him try, to have my very first live experience of him be in Singapore (as opposed to another country). This isn’t a review per se, it’s more like a collection of spoiler-free thoughts and reflections about his show.
Synopsis
Jerry Seinfeld Live is the name of his 2024 tour (actually, I think it’s the name of all his tours). The Singapore show took place on 14 June, 9pm at the National Indoor Stadium – and it was the only show in Singapore. Following this, Seinfeld will be moving on to Australia for the rest of this leg of the tour, before returning to the US for the rest of the year. I’m consulting Seinfeld’s website and tour dates for this info, so it might be subject to change.
Relatable situations
If there’s one thing that I’d want to emulate about Seinfeld, it’s how he creates humour from the most relatable of everyday situations, from the most banal and dreary of actions. Said friend also pointed out that Seinfeld’s humour doesn’t come from crassness or inappropriate situations, but from the inanity of the things we do on a day-to-day basis. For that, to be able to elicit a laugh without having to resort to dick jokes – that’s an impressive comedy skillset. After all, bawdy jokes are the easiest to get a chuckle or to, but to limit oneself from low-hanging fruit and use more challenging material is an incredible measure of skill.
Great opening act by Mario Joyner
I quickly Googled Mario Joyner, who did the opening act for Seinfeld’s show, whose credentials speak for themselves. But even if I didn’t know who he was, I really liked his 15-minute opener. It was punchy, the comic timing was right, and the range of topics he covered was surprisingly broad for that short time. Although he doesn’t speak fast or mumble, he delivered a bevy of material without stopping to breathe (or so it seems). The only quibble I had was with a particular beverage joke, which didn’t quite make sense in the context of Singapore (which was how it was presented). Nevertheless, I found myself looking him up on YouTube (mostly on the Just For Laughs channel, he doesn’t seem to have one of his own).
Poked fun at his own ticketing system
There’s a huge list of rules and regulations that are sent prior to the event. I kid you not when I tell you that the security feels tighter than going into a government building. I get it though, I guess there may have been incidents that led to this (every time you see an “XXX is prohibited here”, it means that someone tried XXX before, no matter how weird XXX is).
So when Seinfeld appeared, he promptly told the audience to snap away with phone cameras (this was a set-up for something else), also acknowledging that the ticketing rules may be have said otherwise. Perhaps it was intentional, perhaps it was not – but I like a comedian that can poke fun at his own logistics (because, well, not sure what repercussions there might be).
Energy was not as expected
I feel a little horrible saying this, but the energy was not as high as I’d expected (given what I’ve seen on social media, which again, only shows the best side of us). It’s horrible because I’m saying that a 70-year-old and a 62-year-old who’ve just taken a 19-hour flight here (and are probably jetlagged) aren’t as energetic and spry as a 30-something comedian… but maybe I should have bought tickets closer to the stage. In any case, Seinfeld’s energy did pick up suddenly halfway, when he went through routines that felt more familiar to him and he was more comfortable with the audience.
Some jokes needed more contextual adaptation
While a large number of jokes were good, some of them didn’t really hit home given our cultural context. I could see how they’d work in the US, but they totally didn’t make sense here, given how our society works when it comes to the dead. I don’t know how international comedy tours work, or if material is run through a test audience from the country that the performer is intending to go. But a bit more research (or even running by the jokes through a local comedian) would have helped a lot in contextualising the jokes to the local audience.
Conclusion
Would I go for a Jerry Seinfeld Live show again? Yes, but probably in a more intimate setting, and probably in his home country. I’m glad for this new experience though – if he made me laugh given that so many odds were stacked against him (context, age, energy, large impersonal stadium) – imagine how it’d be if he were performing at his best.
Ultimately though, learning that this was first show at 70 (he didn’t mention this at all during the show) was what inspired me. I want to do new things too, just like Seinfeld, when I’m 70.
Jerry Seinfeld Live in Singapore ran at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 14 June, 2024.
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com.
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Its good that the support of a zionist is still very strong in Singapore. Could you imagine if a fundamentalist muslim or christian were to hold a stand up comedy event? The horror!