The Soup Nazi

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“The Soup Nazi”
Seinfeld episode

The Soup Nazi
Episode no. Season 7
Episode 116
Written by Spike Feresten
Directed by Andy Ackerman
Guest stars Larry Thomas, Alexandra Wentworth & Ana Gasteyer
Original airdate November 2, 1995
Season 7 episodes
Seinfeld - Season 7
September 1995 - May 1996
  1. "The Engagement"
  2. "The Postponement"
  3. "The Maestro"
  4. "The Wink"
  5. "The Hot Tub"
  6. "The Soup Nazi"
  7. "The Secret Code"
  8. "The Pool Guy"
  9. "The Sponge"
  10. "The Gum"
  11. "The Rye"
  12. "The Caddy"
  13. "The Seven"
  14. "The Cadillac, Part 1"
  15. "The Cadillac, Part 2"
  16. "The Shower Head"
  17. "The Doll"
  18. "The Friars Club"
  19. "The Wig Master"
  20. "The Calzone"
  21. "The Bottle Deposit, Part 1"
  22. "The Bottle Deposit, Part 2"
  23. "The Wait Out"
  24. "The Invitations"
List of Seinfeld episodes

"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995 and is considered a classic episode of the series.

The Soup Nazi is also the name of the titular character played by Larry Thomas. The term "Nazi" is used as an exaggeration of the over-regimentation he constantly demands of his patrons.

Contents

[edit] The episode

The episode opens with Jerry saying that the Soup Nazi makes great soup. He takes care to "prep" George on the strict code of behavior required by the Soup Nazi in his store. This code is simple; do not be loud and annoying, do not take forever on your order, do not try to make small talk with the Soup Nazi, do not stand around idly (place your order, then step to the side), and do not make complaints about your order. However, when George orders soup he complains that he didn't get any bread. When the Soup Nazi tells him he has to pay for it, George objects, since other people got free bread. So the Soup Nazi refuses George service with his famous catchphrase "No soup for you!".

George and Elaine discuss their annoyance with Jerry's and his girlfriend's sweet-talk, particularly when the couple calls each other "Schmoopie." George behaves in a similar way with Susan to illustrate the point that such behavior is embarrassing to others, but Susan misinterprets George's intentions and thinks that George is finally showing his feelings in public. Meanwhile, Elaine purchases an antique armoire, but cannot move it into the building on a Sunday. Leaving Kramer to guard the armoire — which she must leave on the sidewalk — Elaine goes to purchase some soup. Elaine's behavior at the Soup Nazi's restaurant (including telling him he looks like Al Pacino and doing an Al Pacino impression) prompts him to shout, "No soup for you!" and ban her for one year. Elaine's armoire is then stolen by a pair of gay "street toughs" who intimidate Kramer.

Kramer, through continual praise and flattery, gains favor with the Soup Nazi, who gives Kramer his own antique armoire. Kramer gives the armoire to Elaine as a replacement for her stolen one. Elaine thanks the Soup Nazi for the armoire, but the Soup Nazi declares that he never would have given it to Kramer if he knew it was for Elaine. Elaine discovers the Soup Nazi's secret recipes in the old armoire. To get revenge against him, she tells him that she's going to give away his recipes. Her victory comes with a price, as the Soup Nazi decides to sell his remaining stock, close the business, and move to Argentina, to the dismay of everyone who loves his soups.

[edit] The character

The Soup Nazi was portrayed by Larry Thomas, who was nominated for a 1996 Emmy for the role.[1] Thomas, who did not realize that the character was based on a real person, received the inspiration for his portrayal from Omar Sharif’s performance in Lawrence of Arabia.[2]

A stone-faced immigrant chef with a thick Stalin-esque moustache, he is renowned throughout Manhattan for his soups. He demands that all customers in his restaurant meticulously follow his strict queuing, ordering, and payment policies. Failure to adhere to his demands brings the admonishment, "No soup for you!", whereupon the customer is refunded and denied his or her order.

The Soup Nazi character makes a brief cameo in the Seinfeld series finale, in which his name is revealed to be Yev Kasem.

The first reference to the character (though not by name) seems to have come years before the Seinfeld episode in the 1993 movie Sleepless in Seattle. In the film, a magazine writer discusses writing a story: "This man sells the greatest soup you have ever eaten, and he is the meanest man in America. I feel very strongly about this, Becky; it's not just about the soup." Nora Ephron comments on the DVD that she believes this is the first entertainment-media reference to the Soup Nazi.

[edit] The menu

(These soups appear on the menu board in the episode)
Mulligatawny
Crab Bisque
Turkey Chili
Jambalaya (which is not really a soup, it's a Cajun rendition of paella)
Black Bean
Chicken Broccoli
Clam Bisque
Split Pea
French Onion
Mushroom Barley
Tomato Rice

[edit] Inspiration

The character Yev Kasem was inspired by Al Yeganeh, a New York City soup vendor who ran Soup Kitchen International in midtown Manhattan at 259A West 55th Street, near 8th Avenue. The store closed during the summer; a sign posted outside informs customers that the chef is in "Argentina for the summer".[3]

According to an Associated Press article published April 29, 2005, Yeganeh planned to open a chain of soup stores called The Original Soup Man. The first franchise opened in Princeton, New Jersey, on October 24, 2005. His company, Soup Kitchen International, plans to open 1,000 outlets nationwide.[4] Soup Kitchen International's original West 55th Street location is now closed.

Prior to his fictional counterpart's appearance on Seinfeld, the real Al Yeganeh was unflatteringly referred to by local patrons as the "Terrorist." His soups were renowned for their excellent quality, but his interactions with customers seemed somewhat capricious. Some were granted extra side items like candy or bread, but no clear rules for this attention were ever established. This arbitrariness was referred to in the show: when George asks why he doesn’t receive any bread though previous customers have, the Soup Nazi replies, "You want bread? Three dollars!"

Before the episode was written, much of the cast of Seinfeld (including Wayne Knight) had been to Soup Kitchen International. One day, during production of the eighth season of Seinfeld, Jerry and several writers went to Yeganeh's soup stand for lunch. Upon recognizing Jerry, Yeganeh launched into a profanity-laced rant about how "The Soup Nazi" episode had "ruined his life", and he demanded an apology. Jerry gave what writer Spike Feresten described as "the most sarcastic, insincere apology" he'd ever heard. Yeganeh bellowed "No soup for you!" and ejected Jerry and his friends from the restaurant.[5]

Cosmo Kramer's inspiration, Kenny Kramer, mentions on his own website that he agrees that Yeganeh's nickname is unfair. He jokingly suggests his nickname be changed to "Al, The Soup Rat Bastard."

[edit] Aftermath

Like Jackie Chiles, the Soup Nazi has appeared in commercials after the end of the series. In an advertisement by the Center for Consumer Freedom, he denies food to people he considers to be too fat. Larry Thomas also appeared as himself in the Scrubs episode "My Self-Examination." He denies he is the Soup Nazi when asked by J.D. (Zach Braff), who then tricks him into saying the catch phrase, "No soup for you!"

The Soup Nazi has been referred to in other television shows as well. In one episode of the third season of Arrested Development, George Bluth, Sr. reveals he mistook Saddam Hussein for "the guy who plays the Soup Nazi," and for that reason was blamed for "light treason." Larry Thomas went on to guest star on the show as a Saddam Hussein impersonator.

"No Soup for You!!" was a category on Jeopardy!'s November 30, 2004, which had Seinfeld-themed category names for the Jeopardy! round.

On TV.com, users rated this the best ever episode of Seinfeld.

[edit] References

  1. ^ See "Awards for Seinfeld." Internet Movie Database.
  2. ^ Confessions of a Soup Nazi
  3. ^ See a profile of Yeganeh in "The Soup Man of 55th Street." New York Cookbook. ed. Molly O'Neill. Workman Publishing, 1992. pp. 70-71. ISBN 1-56305-337-3; See one of his recipes on p. 78. of the same work.
  4. ^ See the official website at The Original Soup Man.
  5. ^ See the Season 7 DVD extras, in which during the episode's "inside look", Feresten recounts this story.

[edit] External links

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