In Seinfeld, what first caused Jerrys hostility toward Newman?
The origin of the Seinfeld/Newman feud is never revealed. Newman’s dislike of Jerry appears to stem from anger at Jerry’s status as a relatively famous comedian. Newman considers Jerry to be undeserving of his fame, referring to Jerry’s audience as a “half soused nightclub rabble.” Newman’s own talents as a poet and wordsmith are not inconsiderable, yet similar recognition to Jerry has so far eluded Newman. When asked about why the character Jerry hates Newman, Jerry Seinfeld explained it in the Season 3 DVD inside look of the show: He was the first person on the show, my own show, who was coming on to sabotage me in some way. And so why would I not hate him forever for that?
When asked about why the character Jerry hates Newman, Jerry Seinfeld explained it in the Season 3 DVD inside look of the show: He was the first person on the show, my own show, who was coming on to sabotage me in some way. And so why would I not hate him forever for that? Newman’s character is a frequent source of annoyance to Jerry, such as in attracting fleas to the apartment (“The Doodle”), and generally making Jerry’s life more difficult. However, the depth of their enmity seems to vary between episodes — or even within the same episode (“The Soul Mate”) — and Jerry sometimes seems to consider him merely an annoying neighbor, much like Kramer, rather than an outright enemy. At times they even work together on some scheme, though with some reluctance on Jerry’s part (and usually with mutual friend Kramer as a buffer). In the final scene of “The Soup Nazi” their interaction is such that they could be taken for friends (although this is clearly based more on their shared love of th
