The Classic Seinfeld Episode That Jason Alexander Couldn't Relate To

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The only thing you can reasonably expect from an episode of "Seinfeld" is some variation of Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), George (Jason Alexander), and Kramer (Michael Richards) causing trouble wherever they go. It's in their nature to sow chaos. The beloved sitcom was unlike any other comedy on television because it reveled in its characters' psychopathy without the catharsis of moral resolutions – barring the divisive series finale. But as much as these four were the face of the show, "Seinfeld" was made great on account of its memorable batch of side characters, with one of the most famous being the infamous Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas).

When it comes to the best episodes of the series, "The Soup Nazi" is no doubt one of them. The main throughline follows the "Seinfeld" crew making trouble at a local hot soup place run by a man (later revealed as Yev Kassem) locals have dubbed the Soup Nazi on account of his strict demeanor. When you come in, you place your money on the counter, give your order, move to the left, get your food, and leave. Any interruptions to the process result in a loud "no soup for you" decree.

New Yorkers will stand in long lines just to get in, despite the hostile customer service, because the soup is just that good.

The season 7 episode came about because writer Spike Feresten told series co-creator Larry David about the place he used to frequent in Manhattan called Soup Kitchen International, which was run by its strict owner named Ali "Al" Yeganeh — a man whom customers used to call the Soup Nazi (via DVD featurette). It ended up being the first episode Feresten wrote for "Seinfeld," funnily enough. Wayne Knight knew the establishment firsthand, having bore witness to the long lines, expensive prices, and shortchanged bread. As it would happen, it turns out Jason Alexander himself also ate at Soup Kitchen International before, yet seemed to have a much different experience.

In a "Seinfeld" DVD featurette, Jason Alexander talked about how once he heard details about the episode, he realized he had visited the infamous soup place before and couldn't relate to the episode. "I mean, I've eaten there many, many times and just not had the experience that Spike (Feresten) had had," he said. It's a funny coincidence because George receives the brunt of the Soup Nazi's wrath after requesting his free bread despite being told to let the omission slide. Given everyone else's testimonials, Al Yeganeh certainly made a lasting impression on his other customers.

"The Soup Nazi" never used his real name, nor the kitchen's, yet Yeganeh's notoriety among the locals made it easy to connect the dots. In some ways, the episode lives up to the idea of the creation of "Seinfeld" regarding how a comedian gets their material. Yeganeh took issue with the show inadvertently making him even more famous, going so far as to chew out Jerry in real life when he made a trip over to Soup Kitchen International years later. You typically run the risk of being used for a comedy writer's personal gain later on if you're rude to them.

Larry Thomas ended up channeling Omar Sharif's Sherif Ali from "Lawrence of Arabia" when it came to adopting his accent. He was so attached to the character that he received an Emmy nomination, reprised his role in a bunch of commercials, and even wrote an autobiographical book, "Confessions of a Soup Nazi: An Adventure in Acting and Cooking."

As for Yeganeh himself, the Iranian-American soup maker decided to franchise Soup Kitchen International from one location into many, changing the name to The Original Soupman. Although he initially had his issues with the "Seinfeld" fame, Yeganeh ended up coming to terms with this surprising legacy and even recruited Thomas' likeness to promote the restaurants. The former may not be directly involved with the restaurant's operation anymore, but still holds onto the franchise and recipe rights.

Every episode of "Seinfeld" is currently streaming on Netflix.