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tv   Larry King Live  CNN  December 27, 2010 12:00am-1:00am EST

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unit. whatever size that unit maybe. >> realize that you're never going to have all the answers to everything, and not to worry about that. what you need to do is figure out where you have gaps in your knowledge and who's going to know the answers to those things and learn from them. i mean, i've had several positions where i really knew very little, but i knew there were people there who were experts. this was their life. you learn who to trust. it's important to figure out who to trust. learn who to trust and to me the most important thing that's helped me the most is empowering good people. we put good people in place and tell them we'll respect your judgments and work together and get it done. amazing what you can accomplish. >> lessons lon leadership. now the challenge to you is to put these all to good use in 2011. thanks to all of you for being part of my program this week. i will see you next week.
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>> larry: tonight -- >> my final appearance on the "larry king live" show. >> larry: jerry seinfeld. >> faked them all. >> larry: he has kept one of hollywood's most buzzed-about secrets until tonight. >> but this is beyond new. >> larry: the comic reveals the true identity. >> it's like not even news, it's total shock. >> oh, come on, jerry, please, please, please, please. >> larry: someone we've only read about. one of the funniest men on the planet is here. >> to me the only thing missing on this show is a menu. >> larry: jerry seinfeld is next on "larry king live." ♪ [ playing the theme to "jerry seinfeld" [. >> larry: good evening. i have to say this, jerry seinfeld is an actor, author, director and comedian. >> keep going. >> larry: you may not know who he is. he's making his broadway
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directing debut with colin quinn's one-man show "long story short: history of the world in 75 minutes." and he wrote the foreword to an all new "letters from a nut." one of the funniest books you'll ever read. and tonight he'll reveal the secret author a little bit later. jerry's been a frequent guest, longtime friend to the show. watch, we'll show you some examples. >> look at this piece of junk. look at it. give me a camera. look at this. this is like a $4.95 opening act. you're a headliner now. this is a nice weather map you have here. this looks like a game of risk. >> larry: what about financial success? you don't have financial worries? >> no. >> larry: how has that changed you? you can buy anything you see. >> yeah. i want that clock. here's the question. >> larry: no, go ahead. >> who's the victim? where's the victim here? >> larry: you. >> you're your own victim. >> larry: this looks like qvc,
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doesn't it >> and that's not all you get. you get the knives. >> larry: what do you make of the earlier conversation that bumped you 20 minutes? >> i can't tell you how flattered i am that it takes the president's genitals to push me back 20 minutes. that's how big a star i am. >> larry: tell us about that movie. >> that shot of you and katzenberg nose to nose, i have not seen that since i left hebrew school. >> larry: next week on bee larry king -- >> no, he looks like you, and he has a show with suspenders and different colored dots behind him. the old guy glasses and quotes along the bottom from the guest you're watching even though you just heard him. it's not even a new one. this thing -- do you take this in your luggage? oh, boy, what a budget. good-bye, clock! get another one! >> larry: we used to have a little clock here and we used it frequently until seinfeld's last appearance
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and then we couldn't afford another one. why did you take our clock? >> larry, this is my final appearance on the "larry king live" show. >> larry: "larry king live" leaves in december. >> no, you'll be here. but i'm going. >> larry: oh, i see. >> and because it's my final appearance -- >> larry: no. >> -- i have in my hand -- >> larry: what? >> -- a clock that i am going to give you. it's the cheapest clock i could find. it's $3. but i wanted a clock that looked most like the clocks that you usually have on this show, which i could never even conceive that you don't know what time it is, or you need to -- so i'm replacing the clocks that i have been stealing all these years. i am putting one down. and it's got a snooze. can we get a shot of that? it's got a snooze, because when you get older, that's what counts. >> larry: this clock shall be a permanent part of "larry king live." it shall be embellished in our hearts. >> at the smithsonian.
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>> larry: we'll go to the smithsonian when we send the set over. by the way, what prompted to you take it the first time? >> it's just annoying that a big-time, big-shot guy like you has a piece of eye-sore like that. it offended me. >> larry: all right. tonight -- >> how's the ride tonight in the midwest? it's an inexpensive item. >> larry: that's correct. you're going to put the rumors to rest tonight about who wrote "letters from a nut." it was identified as ted l. nancy, which of course was a nom de plume. >> it was a nom of plume. now, this idea of this character started 15 years ago. and when the idea arose, we decided to keep it a secret, who was writing these letters. >> larry: and tonight we'll meet that person. >> tonight you're going to meet
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the person who has conceived of this entire character. and it was really thought of -- we did it as a kind of a gag just for ourselves to have fun. and the books took off. and there's been, i think, four or five of them now. they've been best sellers. and it was never intended to be that. >> larry: the trouble with the book if it's called trouble, you can't read it without breaking up. we'll read some letters later. this guy writes crazy lefts to people. >> crazy letters. and they answer him >> larry: he writes to hotels, businesses, corporations. >> because everybody's so afraid of owe fending a customer now. no matter what they ask him for, they say, we don't know if we can have 10,000 hamsters. >> larry: why did you choose "larry king live" to reveal it? >> i have to be honest with you. >> larry: please. >> this is the funniest show on tv. >> larry: what? >> this show makes no sense and -- >> larry: so it applies -- >> you sit here and ask these questions night after night, and nobody answers them, and nobody cares, and it goes on and on and on.
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and you sit here and you look like you're ready to order. this is what this show looks like to me on tv is a guy in a deli waiting to order. to me the only thing missing on this show is a menu. i always figure you're going to look up and go, is the corned beef lean? is it lean? >> larry: so you've chosen us. >> because this show is funny. do i want to do the "60 minutes" funny? >> larry: no. >> no. >> larry: so, in other words, when you see me with president carter, you laugh? >> yeah. >> larry: you do laugh? >> yeah, because it's -- you know, you're like an uncle who cornered somebody at a thanksgiving dinner, and you just start peppering them with questions, and they're holding this piece of cake and they can't get away. you keep asking the questions and they're avoiding the answers. that's what you are. you're like an annoying relative that people love but you're annoying.
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>> larry: okay. you -- by the way, i was honored to appear in "bee movie." >> i loved new "bee movie." let me tell you why you were in "bee movie." first of all, you have been in more movies -- >> larry: 26, i think. >> -- than any talk show host. and that is because the show makes no sense. it's just -- >> larry: that's why they want me. >> that's why they want you. but there's something about, we thought if there was a fantasy universe where bees lived and talked like people, then no matter what universe you could conceive of, there would be some version of larry king there. that's how omnipresent you are. >> larry: omnipresent? >> you're a part of -- so much a part of culture. the idea of a world with no larry king is inconceivable. that is why cnn will change their mind before this season is over -- before, what is it, december 18th. >> larry: 16th. >> 16th? it will go to the 18th. that's how strong you're going
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at this point. >> larry: you're on a roll. >> yeah. >> larry: you are on a -- by the way, you directed me in "bee movie." >> i did. >> larry: and of all the movies i do, you were the most -- maybe next to warren beatty in "bu "bullworth" that drove me crazy, you were the most involved director. changing little scripts, little lines. >> i'm an artist. i wanted -- you weren't quite giving me larry king. >> larry: that's right. give me more. >> too much larry, not enough king. too much king, less larry. >> larry: will you do a sequel? >> to "bee movie"? >> larry: yeah. >> no. >> larry: why? >> i loved it -- my -- in case you haven't noticed if you look at my career a. you see what i do, being a stand-up comedian aside, i do things and then i just walk away. have you noticed that? and i never go back. do you think i'll do another sitcom? >> larry: no. >> no. can we roll the clip, by the way, of you asking me -- it was
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my favorite. one of your producers asked me what was my favorite moment of being on larry king. my favorite moment was when you asked me if my show was canceled. do you remember that? >> larry: and you got ticked. >> no. i was joking. >> larry: you were acting. yeah. >> but it was a big internet sensation, you know, because people thought that i was really upset. >> larry: but yet you did it pretty good. and then we were on conan the next night. both of us were on conan the next night. >> that's right. don't make me -- >> larry: the cast of "seinfeld" reunites next. for pain?
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♪ >> george costanza. >> yeah? >> is getting married! >> no. >> kramer, how am i going to wear this? i can't wear this. >> this looks better than anything you own. i'm out. >> you faked with me? >> yeah. >> you faked with me. >> yeah. >> no. >> yeah. >> what about the breathing and the panting and the moaning and screaming? >> fake, fake, fake, fake. >> you want bread? >> yes, please. >> $3.
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>> what? >> nothing for you. >> larry: that's too funny. the cast of "seinfeld" recently reunited on "curb your enthusiasm." let's take a look at some behind-the-scenes footage as they all walk onto the set -- >> it was a year ago. >> larry: once again. let's go back in time. >> all right. >> oh, my god. wow. >> look. you got granite countertops. >> upgrade. >> oh, this is the same. >> this is the same. >> the experience of walking out and seeing the sets was interesting. the coffee shop set is exactly the same. >> frank, take one. >> what's wrong? >> what's wrong? what's wrong? >> i kept thinking about the moment when i would stand in the kitchen and lean against that counter again. what is it with the blackberry people? i couldn't believe i was going to do that again. hello, newman. >> i'm just really enjoying
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performing with larry because he was always there with us but we never got to do a scene together. so now we're doing scenes together. it's just fantastic. >> larry: what was that like to go back? >> it was mind-boggling. it was mind-boggling because they rebuilt the set and we were all there. and so, you know, this is 12 years ago. you walk away. it's like if you go back to your old neighborhood, you can see the neighborhood, but if you go back to your old house, it's not the same. >> larry: not the same. >> so it was the same. so we got to really go back in time. >> how do you explain the success of "curb your enthusiasm"? that works. >> it's just a brilliant show. >> larry: it's brilliant. >> and larry has all the gifts. you know, he knows how to write. he knows how to cast. he's funny himself. you know, it's one of my favorite shows. >> larry: how did "seinfeld" come about? >> it came about because nbc had talked to me about doing a show, and i was standing in the "catch
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a rising star" on first avenue in 1988 with larry david. and i said, so nbc is talking to me about, you know, that they might want to do something. i can't think of anything to do. so then we go across the street to a korean deli, and we're buying some food to eat, some, you know, junk, you know, chips and things, and we start making fun of everything. he says, this is what the show should be, two comedians just talking. and that's what we started with. >> larry: and did nbc -- was it a hit from the get-go? >> no. four years. >> larry: they stayed with it? >> yeah. it had good demographics. you know, we had a good audience that was whatever the advertisers want. but we didn't have -- very low ratings. very low ratings. >> larry: you continue now to do your stand-up. do you play vegas? >> i do about 100 shows a year. >> larry: that many? >> yeah, all over the country. >> larry: new material? >> not all the time. as much as i can. >> larry: but a lot -- you write all your own --
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>> i write all my own stuff, yeah. >> larry: success -- >> want to hear a joke? >> larry: yeah, do a joke. go ahead. tell me something funny. aha! >> that's the worst setup for a comedian and you know it. >> larry: i know that. you can't do that. >> any guy in a deli knows that, you don't tell a comedian to be funny. >> larry: you got me back in the deli. >> i love you in the deli. i don't know why this is not a deli set. there should be sandwiches here and waiters walking around. >> larry: why with this deli thing? >> that's where you belong, in a deli. >> larry: this is the world. >> speaking of food -- >> larry: i'm going to get to that in a minute. oh, no. >> sorry to go out of order. you want to hear a joke. >> larry: i've got -- >> two peanuts were walking along, one was a salted. it's a kids' joke. >> larry: i know. "letters from a nut." the secret revealed next. ♪
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>> larry: "letters from a nut" by ted l. nancy with an introduction by you. >> yeah. >> larry: explain this. is there a guy named ted nancy? >> there is a guy but i've never met him >> larry: he gets a big cut of this book. >> well, i know a guy who knows him. >> larry: the hero of this book. >> yeah. >> larry: he wrote all the letters? >> yeah. >> larry: that was a little
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falsehood there, because in a minute, you're going to meet who the real ted nancy is with a new addition of "letters from a nut." but a first -- another first. >> one of the things that's great about being me -- >> larry: among many. >> among many is that i get to present people that i love that have great talents and great things. and i use you to do this. >> larry: i'm your prop. >> yes. >>. >> larry: okay. >> i wouldn't say prop. i would say you're my -- you're my -- >> larry: i'm your idol. >> you're my idol, okay, if that helps you. now tonight is three people that i'm really here to talk about because i don't talk about myself. it's not about me. >> larry: i know. >> and this -- for the first time, my wife had a huge hit book two years ago. >> larry: unbelievable. >> called "deceptively delicious." i thought of the title. but she did everything else. and it was a giant hit she's finally come out with a sequel. i know your wife loves this book. >> larry: loved it. >> i know you drove all around
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san francisco trying to find a copy -- >> larry: i got the last copy -- copy they had. >> i got the first copy of the sequel which has never been seen anywhere before this appearance on "larry king live." here it is. "double delicious," and it's signed from my wife to your wife, shawn, warmest regard, jessica. that's for you, larry. >> larry: and this book is in stores when? >> i think you can buy it now. >> larry: okay. jessica seinfeld, "double delicious." you saw it here first. >> but she's not here. >> larry: i know. >> she's going to be on "oprah" next month. >> larry: oh, good. i've heard of that show, too. >> she's also finished. >> larry: she goes to "oprah," you come here. i like that. >> another one gone. nobody can hold a job around here. >> larry: we're going to do a show together in a deli -- >> but the most exciting thing tonight -- go ahead. >> larry: jerry read one of my favorite letters back in 1997 when he was here. it's about, of all things, mickey mantle's toenails.
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watch. >> this is a letter to the national baseball hall of fame museum in cooperstown. >> larry: my kind of place. >> i have a valuable which i would like to donate to the great hall of fame in cooperstown. in 1960, i was an employee of a hotel in miami where mr. mickey mantle was staying. as i was setting up the room service tray i noticed mr. perhapsle clipping his toenails. i watched out of the corner of my eye. high clipped every toe, he was then called out of the room. at that moment i dropped to the carpet and secured all the toenails that had been clipped off. there are almost ten nails, nine and some shavings, but a full set. >> larry: they answered. >> they answered, dear, mr. nancy, we are very interested in your story of the mickey mantle toenails. this is the hall of fame in cooperstown. >> larry: correct. >> they want the nails! they want them! >> larry: all right.
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that's -- all these are nutty letters. jerry, who's with you here? >> now, the man sitting next to me, the reason i am bringing him out tonight is because in the 15 years since we have been doing this, the internet has started up, and a lot of people have been out there taking credit for these letters. >> larry: oh, really? >> and saying i wrote the books and they're for sale on my site. because of the internet, and you know what that's all about, it was time to reveal the mystery. it's his fifth book coming out. ladies and gentlemen, the real author of "letters from a nut" is barry p. marter, sitting next to me, who has been a colleague of mine for over 25 years. >> larry: colleague in what ways? >> he's a comedian, a comedy writer. >> larry: how have you lived, barry, in anonymity through all of this with famous books? you know you did them. >> well, i don't know how to answer that. >> let's move on to our next guest. >> larry: barry, we'll have you back soon.
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probably december 17th you'll be back. >> no, i just -- you know, i was just writing them and it just got out of hand. and, you know. >> larry: you did it originally as a lark? >> i did them about -- i started about actually 16 years ago in '94. >> it was a fritos bag, wasn't it? was eating a bag of fritos. >> the actual way it happened is i was sitting in the bedroom, with my girlfriend phyllis murphy. and she was kind of like -- it was like 4:00 in the morning. she was watching television. this is actually how the whole thing came about. she was watching television. i was kind of mindlessly sitting on a chair eating a bag of fritos, and i was -- >> you weren't thinking of the fritos. delisia don't interrupt him. he's on a roll. >> the frito bag said, do you want to talk with us? you got any issues? we want to hear from you. who's going to write fritos? so i was kind of -- a nut. that's who and she was kind of looking at me -- >> larry: did you write to them? >> well, not at that point. at that point i just kind of drafted a letter. the next day i noticed that these, you know, presidents'
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messages were all over. i had some bon ami cleanser. and they actually had a thing on the side. it was a smudgy stamp from the president. do you have some issues? tell us what's on your mind. signed like gordon brookhart iii or gordon bruman the iv. >> larry: if you can remember the first letter, and we'll read some of the new ones. more with jerry and barry after the break. ( woman ) even with an overactive bladde
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♪ >> larry: you remember your first letter? >> gosh, it's been about 15 years. >> larry: did you ever write to fritos? >> i did write to fritos. >> larry: what did you ask them. >> i said i bought a bag of fritos and actually described a frito. i said they were all curled and crunchy and salty and hard and threw the bag away. i bought another bag and i got the same thing. it was curled and crunchy and hard. i said, help me, fritos, help me. i just kind of -- i even wrote to the bon ami guy. i said your name was smushed and smudged. gordon brukariii or iv, i thought, the fifth guy named gordon brukar, what a weird life he's got. we just kind of communicated. that was actually in one of the books. >> larry: he's a little nuts, your friend? >> a little? let me read you a letter he
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wrote to the oakland chamber of commerce. >> larry: oakland chamber of commerce. >> oakland chamber of commerce. i want to come to your city for the tiny man convention. let me be clear, we are not midgets, small persons, diminutives, petitios or fun size. we are tiny men. i would like to buy tickets to the performance of tiny bennett. this is a tiny man that sings like tony bennett. they write him back. dear mr. nancy, we could not find any information on a show appearing with mr. tiny bennett. but i attached a schedule for tony. he writes back to them. i told you it's not tiny, it's small mccartney. he is a fun sized man that looks like paul mccartney. these correspondence go back and forth. >> larry: they answer. >> they answer. because they're so afraid of losing a customer. >> larry: they answer because of fear? >> yeah, fear. >> larry: let's do another one.
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this is about -- this is about opening a sandwich stand in a casino bathroom. do you have that? >> yes. >> larry: okay. read this letter. >> do you want to read it? >> go ahead. you read it. >> okay, i'll read it. >> larry: who is it to? >> this is to the chinook winds indian casino. i want to sell ham sandwiches in your restrooms. he wants to have a sign on the restroom mirror that says we have the potty melt. can you direct me to what office i would contact to request casino credit? they reply, dear mr. nancy, we thank you for your interest but at this time we are not interested in putting any businesses in the restroom. we have five food outlets for our customers. thank you for considering us, but at this time we are fine. >> larry: what do you make of -- i mean, your mind is wild. >> i think so. >> larry: yeah. i mean, you are -- you know you're a little nuts. >> well -- >> what do you think is the craziest one you ever wrote? >> larry: mickey mantle was --
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>> mickey mantle was pretty crazy. >> hamsterdam was one. >> larry: what of that? >> i had written a letter to a hotel in amsterdam. i said i am implementing my plan and need to know what health permits i need. my play is called hamsterdam. the telling of your beautiful city using hamsters. i need to bring 300 loose hamsters into your hotel and this is for 12 nights. the hotel replied, our hotel cannot accommodate 300 hamsters in a room. please. i wrote them back. i understand your concern about keeping 300 hamsters in my room. it is wrong. i now realize this is a disease issue. that is why i've decided to restage my hamsterdam play. it is now called amsterclam. it is the telling about your beautiful city using clams. i will check in with 500 clams and have them live with me. clams are not like filthy hamsters, they are wet. please alert housekeeping so when they open the door they can spray. >> larry: oh, man. now, let's hear about your
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request to bring an ice machine to a hotel. >> we had other better ones. >> all right. >> larry: okay. >> there's one -- i like the one where you wanted to check in. i like the one you wanted to check in -- >> larry: the new "letters from a nut." >> hold it up, larry. that's how we get sales. >> larry: okay. thank you, jer. one more. >> i like this one that i wrote to -- i was trying to get a sign made. i'm opening a business next to a cuckoo-roo restaurant. my business is called i am the walrus. i need one big sign that i'll put next to them that says i am the walrus coo coo carew. >> you know coo coo carew chicken and elroy's? >> larry: of course. hair, you're a genius. >> that is allfully nice of you. >> larry: thank you for introducing him to the world. all you people on the internet, here he is. >> finally the mystery is over. >> larry: the name is barry marter, the book is "all new letters from a nut by ted l. nancy." this is ted nancy. jerry stays with us. we'll be right back. socket.
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>> get married do we have to get rid of any evidence that we've ever had a prior relationship. she wants this guy to get rid of a sofa and she's got her husband's old prosthetic leg. are you kidding?
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>> it matches the couch they had sex on, the plastic leg -- it's a recipe for disaster. >> it's getting weirder. >> it's ridiculous. >> it is getting weirder. >> they're so moronic, i don't even want to help them. >> larry: that is from jerry's show "the marriage ref." madonna, ricky gervais. what qualified them to give advice? how did you come up with this? >> i just love talking about marriage fights. i find them funny. and i love to hear what -- how people respond to other people's marital issues. other people's marital issues are comedy for the world. >> larry: not yours? >> not mine, no. and not yours. >> larry: no, not mine. but theirs. >> but theirs. anybody else, it makes you laugh. so i just thought it would be fun to have a show with funny people coming on and talking about marriage. it seems to provoke natural comedy. i love that show >> larry: when is that on? >> it's coming back on nbc i
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think the beginning of next year. in january next year. >> larry: it's not on the early one though? >> i don't know what they do. but they're starting to shoot them now, the next season. >> larry: explain television to me. >> explain television? it's very simple. >> larry: like "seinfeld" you lasted four years without being a hit. couldn't happen today, right? >> i don't know about that. don't you believe quality always survives somehow? >> larry: you really believe that. >> you buffed out laughing at that? >> larry: quality survives. >> quality survives somehow, always. not always, but most of the time. don't you believe in that. >> larry: meaning a television network would stick with a though having -- >> anything that's good, eventually somehow finds its way. you have to believe in that or you don't go into this business, right? >> larry: i guess so. yeah. it can be disappointing -- you have to deal with -- >> i've never been disappointed. fortunately. >> larry: you've always had success? >> always. yes. no, i'm just kidding. >> larry: how do you deal with the suits in the business? >> the suits? the lawsuits? or the guys wearing suits? >> larry: the guys at the top. >> i agree with them.
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it's like a wife. you agree. you say that makes perfect sense. from now on we're going to do it that way. and then you do whatever you want. >> larry: because the suits don't watch. >> they don't know. they don't even watch their own network. >> larry: so you agree with them. they call you in, you've got a "seinfeld" episode that they didn't like, you say we'll change it >> when we were doing "seinfeld," they would come in and say, we don't understand what you're doing. but go ahead. that was the way "seinfeld" worked. >> larry: why did it work? >> it worked because there was a very loyal, powerful audience out there that loved what we did. and no matter how crazy it was, they stuck with us. and the networks, they do watch that. and they understand that. so even though they didn't get it, they knew the audience got it. and the audience liked it. so we were free. and that's the ultimate thing in this business, when you're free to do whatever you want. that's the ultimate. >> larry: and you have attained that now. >> i have.
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>> larry: yeah, you have -- >> well, obviously. i don't need to be here. i'm here because i'm free to do whatever i want. >> larry: so you actually chose to come here? >> i choose to come. i am no place that i don't want to be. >> larry: what time do you wake up? what do you do in the morning? what do you do? >> do you really want to know? >> larry: yeah. >> i have three kids. >> larry: that's enough. >> they're 9, 7 and 5. if you have three kids, it's like having a blender, but you don't have the top. you wake up ready. you hit the ground ready. so i wake up and i have breakfast with the kids. and we watch elmo. and people say to me, are you ever going to do another tv series? i say, i watch elmo every morning. and he jumps around and he tells jokes or she. i dent even know what the hell this thing is. i watch elmo every morning, i think, you know what, let him just bust his little red ass. >> larry: jerry is headed for broadway. broadway is next. you take just once a month.
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>> larry: we're back with jerry seinfeld. we're joined by colin quinn. colin is a comedian, writer and his new broadway show "long story short: history of the world in 75 minutes" debuts, you said november 9th, right? >> that's 13 days after jerry's wife's book really comes out. >> larry: october 26th jerry's wife's book comes out. >> october 28th. >> larry: stop. okay. >> 26th. >> larry: tell me about -- >> my wife's book. >> larry: why are you producing a broadway show? >> i'm directing, larry. >> larry: directing, objection. >> i wear a cape. i have a beret. i have a cane. >> he sits like this in the third row. hmm. >> i don't know. >> really? >> larry: how did this come about? >> this is a great story.
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we started this in the spring, right? >> right. >> we were sitting around. we have breakfast together, colin and i, multiple times a week. like you, you go to nate and al's. right? >> larry: right. >> we have a place here. i'm not going to mention the name. >> not the diner from "seinfeld." >> larry: okay. >> and i said to him, i said, you know what you should do, you should do a one-man show because one of the things that a comedian has that no other person, an actor doesn't have, is if you don't feel like dealing with networks or producers, you can go right to the audience and present what you do, and he was looking to do something, and he was thinking of television, movies, talking to people and having meetings. and it gets annoying. i said let's just do a one-man show where you can just go out and do your thing. >> larry: what's "the history of the world in 75 minutes"? >> jerry wasn't done. larry, "the history of the world in 75 minutes" -- >> he goes and writes this thing.
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>> larry: oh. colin, i don't know why you're laughing. >> i don't know. nobody's paying attention. you asked him -- he said, i don't want to read this one. i want to read another one. you're larry king. >> larry: okay. >> i'm sorry. >> larry: what is "the history of the world -- >> jerry's on fire tonight, have you noticed? >> larry: he's cooking. >> he's rolling tonight. >> larry: what's "the history of the world in 75 minutes"? >> just that. that's exactly what it is. >> what don't you get about that? >> larry: do you begin with genesis? >> no, no, no. way before that. >> larry, no offense, i start with the new testament. no, i'm kidding. we started with the cavemen. we get to genesis in a way. >> larry: you have cave men? >> and then the birth of larry king right after that, right? >> larry: oh. >> oh, i'm sorry. i made a joke. excuse me. for making fun of anything. >> the greeks first. the greeks first. >> larry: when you're directing a one-man show what do you tell him, move to the left, stand there? what do you do?
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>> that's what i do. exactly that. move to the left. >> move to the left. >> i go, who do you have to know to get a latte around here? that's what i do. >> larry: it's all a monologue, right? background scenes? >> all the background scenes, yeah. a bunch of background stuff and music and lighting. >> but colin really has a very -- is very smart. he doesn't seem smart. but he's very intelligent. he's well read. and he knows about culture and, you know, different -- >> larry: he's smart. right? >> he's really smart, yeah. >> erudite. >> larry: he's erudite. >> just the fact that i know the word "erudite" tells me i'm smart. >> he knows about serbian empires and ottomans. >> larry: will the public get it though? >> it's a comedy. i know comedy. he's smart. >> larry: but do you know serbian empires? >> no, i don't know half of what he's talking about. >> larry: so why are we going to laugh? >> no, i'm just kidding. because we present it as a comedy. it's a comedy telling of the history of the world in 75 minutes. is that clear, larry?
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>> larry: did you write it? yes. did you write it all? >> he wrote the whole thing. >> larry: and you're the director? >> i'm the director. >> larry: are you nervous? >> have you ever seen -- this doesn't look like broadway to you. >> larry: no. >> you're thinking broadway? maybe off-broadway. >> tommy tune, kristen chenowith. >> larry: are you nervous about opening night? >> we're terrified. >> larry: are you in rehearsal? >> sure. we rehearsed yesterday. >>. >> larry: you do it in 75 minutes. you know what you're doing. there's no intermission, i guess. >> no. here's the great appeal. this is why you'll love a show like this. you can think, i can be at dinner by 9:00. >> that's right. >> done by 9:00. asleep by 12:00. >> larry: so you can pitch this easy to people. get out early. >> we will get you the hell out of there. that is why people love this show. >> larry: you would really like it if they look at their watch. >> yeah. >> larry: it means you're succeeding. you won't like it. >> we apologize if it's 76 minutes.
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>> he's been on a roll. i'm not going to make it to the next segment, am i? be honest with me. >> larry: no, you're not. but november 9th. helen hayes theater. >> but wait. you know how rare it is, you know because you know a little bit about this business. we started in -- how many seats down there in 45 bleaker? 100-seat theater. we did a 100-seat theater. investors came in. they loved the show. we didn't want to take it to broadway. >> no. >> we were just screwing around. and they go, this is a broadway show we go really? they said, we'll put up all the money. >> that is true. >> larry: you didn't put up any of your own money? >> no. well -- >> larry: good luck, colin. >> thank you, larry. >> larry: we'll be back with more of this. by the way, if you understand this, please send us a card, i understand this. cnn. don't go away. that play music. the creativity, the innovation, there's definitely a tie there. one thing our scientists are working on is carbon capture and storage, which could prevent co2 from entering the atmosphere. we've just built a new plant to demonstrate
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how we can safely freeze out the co2 from natural gas. it looks like snow. it's one way that we're helping provide energy with fewer emissions.
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>> larry: jerry seinfeld remains with us. time now for our hero segment. anderson cooper reveals our top ten for 2010. >> i'm anderson cooper. all year we've been introducing you to our cnn heroes. everyday people changing the world. well, today we're announcing the top ten cnn heroes for 2010. the honorees are in alphabetical order, guadalupe arizpe de la vega. she's providing quality health care in the increasingly violent juarez, mexico. susan burton. her re-entry program helps female ex-convicts get back on their feet. linda fondren, she's brought her
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community together to shed pounds. anuradha koirala rescues and rehabilitates nepali girls from sex trafficking. narayanan krishnan serves meals to the homeless by hand. magnus macfarlane-barrow feeds more than 400,000 kids every day. harmon parker builds bridges connecting kenyans with life-changing resources. aki ra restores safety by finding and defusing land mines planted by the khmer rouge. evan wadongo is lighting the way to prosperity for rural kenyans with his solar powered lanterns. and dan wallwrath, who builds custom homes for wounded veterans returning from service. congratulations, the top ten cnn heroes of 2010. which one inspires you the most? go to cnnheroes.com to vote for cnn hero of the year. >> larry: okay, jer, follow that. >> yeah, thanks, larry. let's throw up the zapruder film
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also. >> larry: you like our heroes segment. >> i love heroes. that's nice. >> larry: everyday people. >> that is the classiest thing on cnn. i love it. don't you think? that's really classy. >> larry: do it every thanksgiving, i think. >> that's great. that's great. no jokes. >> larry: have you done heroic things ever? >> what was this? >> larry: this is a heroic thing? >> this is like a medevac. yeah, i mean i come on -- you're on a show here as a comedian with no audience? that's, you know. >> larry: but there's people here. >> yeah, i guess. but what's funny about this show is that there's no audience but you can still bomb. you could still go right down the tubes. >> larry: when's your next in-person appearance? >> i'm in memphis tomorrow night, friday. >> larry: memphis? >> memphis, tennessee. yeah, the good people of memphis. >> larry: theater? big theater? >> no, it's a little 100-seater. of course it's a big theater. it's a huge theater. i don't know what it is. >> larry: do you ever, no, truly, do you ever bomb anymore? are you too big to bomb? >> no one's too big to bomb. no one's too big to bomb. >> larry: you don't
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automatically -- >> no. >> larry: bob hope said you have them for the first minute. >> yeah, you get a free minute because if you have a -- if you're well known but after -- >> larry: right. >> but as i would like to say, nobody laughs at a reputation. >> larry: you've got it. >> if you're funny that night, they laugh. if you're not, they don't. they want to say, i went to see this guy. he bombed. they're dying to tell that story. >> larry: how self-confident you are. >> yes. >> larry: we'll be back with our remaining moments with seinfeld. he's in memphis tomorrow night. don't bother. they're sold out, i'm sure. >> until then. "double delicious." october 26th. >> larry: don't go away. we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] this is lara.
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>> larry: wish we had more time, jerry. when we did this scene in the "bee movie," you pulled up in one of the wildest looking cars. >> oh, really. >> larry: you are a car freak. >> i'm a total car nut, yeah. >> larry: how many cars do you own? >> more than i need. >> larry: why? you only need one to get somewhere. why? >> because when you're in a car, you're inside, and you're outside. and you're moving. and you're still all at the same time. >> larry: you're moving and you're still. >> you're moving and you're still. and you're inside and you're outside. >> larry: so why do you need four of them or five of them? >> because i love that experience. >> larry: what's your favorite car?
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>> my favorite car is a porsche 73 rs that only a porsche fanatic would know. >> larry: what does it do that other cars -- >> it makes certain sounds, it has a certain feel to it. you have -- it's just a hobby. it's an interest. >> larry: are you a fast driver? >> no. i drive reasonably. >> larry: do you drive -- you live in the city of new york. >> i live in new york city, yes. >> larry: you drive around new york city? >> no, i leave. i go outside the city, and i drive. >> larry: i don't know why -- you have space to park all these cars? >> i have a little garage i keep my cars. i keep most of the cars someplace else. i'm not telling the thieves where they are. >> larry: you lived in l.a. for a while, didn't you? >> i lived in l.a. for 18 years. from 1980 to the end of the show in 1998. then i came right back to new york. because i believe that new york makes you funny. and l.a. makes you less funny. >> larry: why? why would a city? >> some cities are funny. did you ever watch the local
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news in new york? and they interview a garbage man? >> larry: yeah. >> he's always funny, right? >> larry: that's right. not funny in l.a. >> not funny. garbage men not funny in l.a. >> larry: what's another funny city? >> minneapolis is funny. miami's funny. wouldn't you agree? >> larry: yeah, miami is funny. >> tijuana is funny. >> larry: is new haven funny? >> new haven is not funny. >> larry: toronto? >> funny. >> larry: montreal? >> less funny. >> larry: you've got to be so hip to get there. do you have any goals left? look at all. you've got a broadway show, books. >> i wasn't kidding you. i love these people i brought on the show tonight, barry marter, colin quinn. i love these people. i think they have great talents and that is my goal, that the public should connect with this, this talent that hasn't quite been discovered yet. so that's my goal for barry and for colin. >> larry: and you will succeed because you're a good guy and a funny guy. >> thank you, larry.

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