Julia Louis-Dreyfus Fans Are Somehow Shocked That She Posted A Picture with Jerry Seinfeld
In a shocking revelation for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ most terminally online fans, the comedy legend just publicly implied that she’s still friends with the guy who helped her earn hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jerry Seinfeld’s public image changed dramatically in the 27 years following the conclusion of Seinfeld. The comic's biggest projects since ending his all-time great sitcom are a talk show about driving around drinking coffee and an animated kids’ movie about a bee that has sex with a human woman, and renewed scrutiny of Seinfeld’s personal life during his heyday further soured his reputation in certain circles. Add Seinfeld's dubious personal politics on top of all that, and you have the perfect poster child for the class of cranky, spoiled, vaguely conservative, has-been superstars on whom social media loves to dunk.
Louis-Dreyfus, meanwhile, only became an even bigger star following her time playing Elaine Benes, and the Veep lead is now an icon to an entire Millennial generation that seemingly merged their parasocial relationship with Selina Meyer with the culture war discourse that dominates their Twitter feed.
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When Louis-Dreyfus posted a picture with Seinfeld at the Chanel fashion show in New York City to her Instagram this past weekend, her followers flooded into the comments section to remind the 64-year-old A-lister that her old co-star isn't on her internet-approved list of public associates:
“So disappointing to see you supporting him today,” the top commenter chided Louis-Dreyfus.
“JULIA NOOOO” another wailed.
One Instagram user inquired, “do you remember when he dated that 17 year old?”
“You really went and made that the first picture knowing it would be the most seen? As a fan, this is seriously disappointing and, quite frankly, disturbing,” an extremely parasocial stan lectured the Seinfeld star. “You knew what the reaction would be to him.”
Many, many more followers added their own condescending, Twitter-speak criticisms of the post, such as; “Oh no, Julia. No no. This ain't it. Nope.”
And, of course, the classic: “It’s not too late to delete this post.”
Louis-Dreyfus' inexplicably controversial Instagram post even made it into the Twitter discourse over Seinfeld's sins, though there were a few voices of reason pointing out that two long-time colleagues hanging out is not, in fact, some out-of-left-field heel-turn that will soon be addressed by the Hague:
Now, to be clear, anyone on or off Twitter has a right to find the very sight of Seinfeld distasteful – after dating a 17-year-old when he was 38, Seinfeld spent his post-Seinfeld years rapidly morphing into one of the most insufferable anti-woke comedians in our culture. In Seinfeld's head, the reason why nobody under the age of 45 wants to go see his stand-up shows is because leftism and cancel culture taught them to be offended by his tedious, milquetoast punchlines about elevator etiquette and the little stickers on fruit at the grocery store.
Hell, even Louis-Dreyfus dunked on Seinfeld after he claimed that “the extreme left and PC crap” killed comedy on television. “I think there’s a lot of talk about how comics can’t be funny now,” Louis-Dreyfus posited in the wake of Seinfeld's 2024 comments, adding, “I think that’s bullshit." Later on in that same interview, Louis-Dreyfus addressed the popular claim that our modern social climate is incompatible with comedy, making the side-eyed quip, “Maybe some people aren’t laughing at your jokes, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be made.”
But, really, for as annoying as his public persona may be, and for all his shitty politics, and in spite of the fact that he was the fourth funniest lead on a show that he named after himself, Seinfeld is still a huge part of Louis-Dreyfus' life, career and legacy. Despite what Twitter may claim, it is, in fact, possible to be friends with someone whose political values stand in stark contrast to your own, especially if you spent a decade working together at the absolute top of your industry.
Also, for anyone who still feels the need to tweet some snarky RuPaul's Drag Race reaction GIF at Louis-Dreyfus over the Instagram post, just know that you're playing right into Seinfeld's self-victimization complex.
