Jerry Stiller Still Doesn’t Know If The Costanzas Were Italian
There were many unanswered questions about the Seinfeld series. Who is Elaine’s mom? Did George have a brother? Why not try the pie? But perhaps the most perplexing question of all, is why is George’s family culturally Jewish in every way, but named Costanza?
Even Jerry Stiller doesn’t know.
This week Stiller appeared via video at a gala for the Museum of Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot and said “It was never really clear if the Costanzas were Jewish or Italian or what they were.” He said that he and his onscreen wife and George were given an Italian sounding last name– Costanza– but in several episodes you see his character Frank enjoying Jewish delicacies. “I cooked Jewish food and ate knishes and kasha varnishkes in bed,” he said. When people asked him about it he always answered that the Costanzas were a Jewish family in the witness protection program. Stiller was appearing as part of a celebration of the museum’s current exhibit on Jewish Humor, where a replica of Seinfeld’s famous apartment is currently on display in Tel Aviv, Israel.
“What about the Costanzas’ living room?” Stiller joked, “What are we, chopped liver? Oy, serenity now!”
Jerry Stiller is 91 years old.
