
I grew up in the suburbs.
Didn’t like it, always wanted to live in the city.
Now, I wanna live in the suburbs…
I just want my kids to live my life over.
Now that’s narcissism.
—Jerry Seinfeld
On the latest episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s online talk show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Seinfeld takes a drive down memory lane. He picks up good friend Sarah Jessica Parker in her newly acquired 1976 Ford Country Squire Wagon LTD and the two relive their formative years. We learn that Parker, an Ohio native and one of eight children, spent a lot of time riding in the back of an LTD amusing herself with Mad Libs, an Etch A Sketch and some watercolors. Seinfeld grew up in Nassau County (Massapequa) and that’s where they went for coffee. While Seinfeld was happy driving on the streets where he grew up, he recalled that a car was like “angel wings” when living in the burbs. A young Seinfeld obsessed over whether to be a motorcycle guy or a sports car guy. Watching anti-hero Michael Parks on 70s television show Then Came Bronson was a real inspiration for the motorcycle and car aficionado. On his Harley, Parks represented freedom to the family man in the LTD wagon.
When they arrive at East Meadow’s classic Colony Diner, Seinfeld orders his usual coffee but Parker gets a chocolate egg cream. After they finish eating large plates of food, Seinfeld orders more coffee. Parker: “And you can drink coffee all day?” Seinfeld: “All day.” Parker: “It would give me horrible anxiety.” Seinfeld: “I like the anxiety.” One wonders how much caffeine, or anything, it would take to make Seinfeld anxious.
They pick up some pastries at Francesco’s Bakery in Hicksville and Parker takes the wheel for awhile. The show ends with the two of them happily eating the pastries in the back of the LTD whilst playing Cat’s Cradle with string in a nod to Parker’s childhood.
Check out the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee website for future shows.