How education and upbringing influenced the life of Jerry Seinfeld. A timeline of key moments.
Jerry Seinfeld is a highly acclaimed American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer known for his observational comedy. He has earned significant recognition, including a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards, along with Grammy nominations. He has consistently been ranked among the greatest stand-up comedians, securing positions in Comedy Central's and Rolling Stone's lists of all-time greats.
In 1935, "A Night at the Opera" was released, which Seinfeld mentioned as one of his 5 favorite films.
On April 29, 1954, Jerome Allen Seinfeld, known as Jerry Seinfeld, was born in Brooklyn, New York. He later became a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer.
In 1955, the same model of the Porsche 550 Spyder was manufactured, that Seinfeld later owned. The car was the same model and pearl-grey color of the car James Dean was driving in his fatal crash.
In 1967, "The Graduate" was released, which Seinfeld mentioned as one of his 5 favorite films.
In 1967, a Fiat 500 was manufactured, a model that Seinfeld later owned.
In 1971, Steve McQueen drove the Porsche 917 Chassis 022 film Le Mans.
In 1972, "The Heartbreak Kid" was released, which Seinfeld mentioned as one of his 5 favorite films.
In 1976, Jerry Seinfeld graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and theater.
In 1979, "The In-Laws" was released, which Seinfeld mentioned as one of his 5 favorite films.
In 1984, Seinfeld mentioned he was engaged but called it off on national television with Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
In 1992, "Glengarry Glen Ross" was released, which Seinfeld mentioned as one of his 5 favorite films.
In May 1993, Seinfeld met 17-year-old Shoshanna Lonstein in Central Park and started dating her.
In 1994, Jerry Seinfeld received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Queens College.
In 1997, Seinfeld's relationship with Shoshanna Lonstein ended, citing press coverage and missing New York City.
In August 1998, Seinfeld met Jessica Sklar, who was married at the time, at a Reebok Sports Club.
On December 25, 1999, Jerry Seinfeld married Jessica Sklar, with comedian George Wallace as the best man.
In 1999, Seinfeld auctioned a Breitling Chronomat watch for charity at an event in New York City, selling it for $11,000.
In 1999, Seinfeld's Porsche 959 was made U.S. street legal under the "Show or Display" federal law.
In 2000, Jerry Seinfeld made political contributions to George W. Bush's and Al Gore's presidential campaigns, as well as to four Democratic Party primary candidates.
In 2000, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld bought Billy Joel's house in Amagansett, New York, for $32 million.
In 2001, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld created the charitable organization Good+Foundation after their first child was born.
In 2002, Seinfeld acquired Steve McQueen's Porsche 917 Chassis 022, driven in the 1971 film Le Mans.
In 2002, Seinfeld purchased property on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and built a $1.4 million garage to store his Porsches.
In February 2004, Seinfeld wrote an article for Automobile reviewing the Porsche Carrera GT.
On November 18, 2004, Jerry Seinfeld donated the "puffy shirt" from the Seinfeld episode of the same name to the National Museum of American History.
In 2004, Jerry Seinfeld made political contributions to four Democratic Party primary candidates.
In 2008, Seinfeld was involved in a car accident when the brakes on his 1967 Fiat 500 failed, but no one was hurt.
In 2009, Jerry Seinfeld appeared at a David Lynch Foundation benefit for Transcendental Meditation, alongside Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
On June 23, 2010, Seinfeld called four innings of a Mets game on SportsNet New York, with Keith Hernandez.
In December 2012, Jerry Seinfeld stated that he had been practicing Transcendental Meditation for 40 years. He also promoted its use in treating PTSD on Good Morning America with Bob Roth of the David Lynch Foundation.
In 2013, Seinfeld responded to NPR about the influence of coffee culture in the U.S.
In 2014, Jerry Seinfeld revealed that he invited Woody Allen to be on "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" but hadn't heard back and that Joan Rivers was supposed to be a guest before she died.
In 2014, Seinfeld made statements suggesting he related to the autism spectrum, later clarifying his comments.
On November 5, 2015, Jerry Seinfeld participated in the David Lynch Foundation's "Change Begins Within" benefit concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City to promote transcendental meditation for stress control, expressing his enthusiasm for the technique as a life and work tool.
In 2018, Seinfeld and his family traveled to the West Bank to participate in an anti-terrorism training camp, drawing criticism.
In a May 2024 GQ interview, Seinfeld revealed that a Bialetti moka pot is one of his must-haves.
In 2024, Jerry Seinfeld received an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Duke University.
In 2025, when a social media influencer and ambush activist said "Free Palestine", Seinfeld shook his head and replied “I don't care about Palestine.”