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Seinfeld calls wife's cookbook scandal "hilarious"

Oct 26, 2007, 05:58 PM | by Gregory Kirschling

Categories: Celebrity Couples

Seinfeld_lJerry Seinfeld weighs in with what he thinks of the recent accusations of plagiarism aimed at his wife Jessica's new cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious." “Hil-arious! Hilarious. Hilarious,” the comedian tells EW. “I was saying to her this morning, I’m really regretting that I’m not doing the sitcom right now. 'The Puree Plagiarizer’ is a Seinfeld episode: ‘You stole my mushed-up carrots! I invented mushed-up carrots!' It’s just absolutely a riot to me."

Earlier this month, Jessica Seinfeld appeared on Oprah to discuss Deceptively Delicious, her book about—as the subtitle puts it—“Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.” After that, Delicious shot up the best-seller charts. But then online observers pointed out recipe similarities between Seinfeld’s book and Missy Chase Lapine’s April book The Sneaky Chef, which also advocates sneaking healthy ingredients into kids’ food.

In a statement, Jessica said she’d “never seen or read” The Sneaky Chef, and on the phone with EW, her husband further sprang to her defense.

“Unfortunately [when you] try to do things nowadays, there’s always someone that comes out of the walls," Seinfeld says. "My tendency is just to laugh at these people because I know what they’re doing. So I don’t feel threatened by it, but it's a little harder for [Jessica]. I think she’s not as comfortable as I am.”


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suzy Tue, Nov 6, 2007 at 09:09 AM EST

The beautiful, genuinely talented, and classy Shoshanna Lonstein, who does have original ideas and executes them with great style, was too good for Jerry. So, he settled for no-class Jessica, who allowed the Nederlanders to spend a fortune on her wedding to Eric while she was cheating with Jerry. Then she let them pay for a honeymoon in Italy while she plotted to dump her husband for the wealthier Jerry.

lulu-me Sat, Nov 3, 2007 at 12:46 PM EST

Well, if you're celebrity or married to one, it is very easy to promote your book...All doors are just open. It doesn't even matter if you're total talantless crap. The other woman didn't even get on oprah although tried 5 times with the SAME idea. It's just the way life is.

lala Fri, Nov 2, 2007 at 09:33 AM EST

"More Money for the Millionaires!"
Great comment! So true. Those rich bastards are so greedy, get a life!

Marco Thu, Nov 1, 2007 at 07:18 AM EST

Jessica Seinfeld is great Friends!
http://www.mybestwork.6x.to/

Susan Dawson Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 03:20 PM EST

Wow - lots of nasty comments coming out of this cookbook, and let's face it, the two books were being printed at the same time, so how could she have copied? But what bothers me most is that while everyone seems okay with calling Jessica Seinfeld an "adultress," no one seems to be comfortable calling Jerry Seinfeld an "adulterer," or is adultery always the woman's fault in our society?

Bianquita Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 02:07 PM EST

Visit http://www.spymac.com/details/?2290689

Xtremes-Project Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 03:32 AM EST

Very good Jessica;)
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2292170

Rogue Tue, Oct 30, 2007 at 05:19 AM EST

YEAH RIGHT...THIS WHOLE THING WITH THE COOKBOOK IT'S STUPID! GO HOME JESSICA!

http://misstrendy.org/miss_trendy.html

Baby Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 11:36 PM EST

I agree with Disgraced in New York.

http://www.spymac.com/details/?2283088

Susan Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 07:28 PM EST

I agree with Disgraced in New York. Don't support this woman's 'literary' effort. Buy the ORIGINAL. And sending 12 pairs of expensive shoes to 'Thank' Oprah for having you on her show... Oprah, Jessica, Jerry should all hang their heads in shame!!

J&O's Mom Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 04:50 PM EST

Wow
Jessica Seinfeld has a lot of power to get you all this riled up.

Gayatri Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 03:20 PM EST

Unfortunately [when you] try to do things nowadays, there’s always someone that comes out of the walls,"

Someone comes out of the walls? Excuse me, but Missy Lapine came out of the 'walls' about six months before your wife did and submitted her manuscript, complete with recipes, to Harper Collins twice in 2006 before your wife even came up with this idea.

"My tendency is just to laugh at these people because I know what they’re doing."

What exactly is Missy supposed to be doing? Per you?

"So I don’t feel threatened by it, but it's a little harder for [Jessica]. I think she’s not as comfortable as I am.”

Oh, but she should be. After all, she's married to you, isn't she? And didn't your romance begin when she was newly married to SOMEONE ELSE? Once an adulteress, now a plagiarizer. It's time she got "comfortable" with doing what she does on a regular basis.

kelly Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 12:11 PM EST

I love his quote from the article “Unfortunately [when you] try to do things nowadays, there’s always someone that comes out of the walls," Seinfeld says. "My tendency is just to laugh at these people because I know what they’re doing. So I don’t feel threatened by it, but it's a little harder for [Jessica]. I think she’s not as comfortable as I am.” I don't think the first author came out "the walls", she was published FIRST.

Sag Harbor Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 11:30 AM EST

In Jerry's comments about it all being HILARIOUS you can really hear his anger coming through like he is saying, "STOP CALLING MY LYING WIFE A LIAR, DAMMIT!" Nothing worse than an ANGRY CLOWN like Jerry Seinfeld. You should have married QUALITY Jerry, not this unattractive con-artist! Once a con-artist, always a con-artist, even if you put her in a mansion! She cannot help herself.

Sag Harbor Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 11:27 AM EST

Jessica Seinfeld is the new Heather Mills! (but not pretty at all)

East Hampton Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 11:19 AM EST

Yeah, right, he thinks it is "hilarious" that his wife and her LOWLIFE literary agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, engineered this plagiarism scandal -- and those morons thought they could get away with! (IT did not matter to them if they destroyed the real author in their plot. They could care less! Evil women!) But, instead they got caught! He is probably thinking: "I SHOULD HAVE MARRIED THE BEAUTIFUL & TALENTED SHOSHANNA LONSTEIN! HOW did I get so rich and all I get is this pinched-face, nose jobed, LYING plagiarizer -- with terrible hair (does she cut it with her cuisinart?)"!
Yeah, I sure he is laughing his head off! Jerry, Take a look at your LIFE and wife -- NOT hilarious. Tragic, maybe? I feel a Paul McCartney-Heather Mills style divorce for Seinfeld on the horizon!

East Hampton Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 11:19 AM EST

Yeah, right, he thinks it is "hilarious" that his wife and her LOWLIFE literary agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, engineered this plagiarism scandal -- and those morons thought they could get away with! (IT did not matter to them if they destroyed the real author in their plot. They could care less! Evil women!) But, instead they got caught! He is probably thinking: "I SHOULD HAVE MARRIED THE BEAUTIFUL & TALENTED SHOSHANNA LONSTEIN! HOW did I get so rich and all I get is this pinched-face, nose jobed, LYING plagiarizer -- with terrible hair (does she cut it with her cuisinart?)"!
Yeah, I sure he is laughing his head off! Jerry, Take a look at your LIFE and wife -- NOT hilarious. Tragic, maybe? I feel a Paul McCartney-Heather Mills style divorce for Seinfeld on the horizon!

emma Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 09:52 AM EST

i think she had NOTHING to do with writing this book and missy did get ripped off a little. but these recipes have been around FOREVER and we all know it. but jessica seinfeld didn't make up the recipes, do the photography, commentary, or anything for the book. a whole team did all that and she is just the name on the front to sell the book. that's the book publishing industry for you and you cannot figure that out, you need to get your head way out of the sand. whoa!

Tuzo Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 01:28 AM EST

SDAY and Abbie have it right. The vitriol oozing out of this page is unbelievable!

SDAY Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 12:41 AM EST

Wow, I can't believe how vicious these comments are over a cookbook.

Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 12:05 AM EST

I would be ashamed to show up in public looking like she does

Mon, Oct 29, 2007 at 12:04 AM EST

I can't get over her bad looks...

Amy Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 11:13 PM EST

To all of you, I would recomend the article on MSN Slate "Not That There's Anything Wrong With That
Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook is unoriginal, but it's not plagiarism."
By Steven A. Shaw it can be found at http://www.slate.com/id/2176563/?GT1=10538.

Trudie Truth Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 10:27 PM EST

JERRY: YOUR WIFE COPIED A MANUSCRIPT THAT HAD NO AGENT AND WAS REJECTED BY HARPER COLLINS. THEN, HER IDENTICAL BOOK COMES OUT FROM HARPER COLLINS. (while the real book was published elsewhere -- which Jessica did not know ... she thought she could steal it and that manuscript would never see the light of day!) I DOUBT THAT YOU REALLY THINK THIS IS "HILARIOUS." YOUR WIFE IS A DISGRACEFUL FRAUD, A PLAGIARIST, AND THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT IT. I HOPE YOU HAVE A PRE-NUP! JESSICA WILL BE PUREEING YOUR FINANCES WHEN YOU GET DIVORCED!

Virginia Triolo Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 09:17 PM EST

Good Luck with the book. My only regret is that I cannot afford to buy
the book so I could cook the recipes for muself. I hate vegetables.

Julie Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 08:41 PM EST

You mean that Jessica Seinfeld isn't donating all the proceeds from her book to charity? Hasn't this woman heard of Oxfam? She could feed hundreds if not thousands of people with the proceeds. The most disgraceful part of this whole story will be if it's true that she's keeping a cent for herself. Mrs Seinfeld learn from Paul Newman.

randyfitzimmons Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 08:23 PM EST

Bottom line is, she is a bored socialite with delusions of grandeur. All of a sudden she realizes simply because she is Jerry Seinfeld's wife doesn't make her infallible. Flaunting your wealth on Oprah Winfrey by buying her 24 pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes doesn't help much, either. Seriously, she kind of makes me sick.

Ruth Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 07:34 PM EST

How easy it is to judge from afar. To those who have crowned themselves kings and queens of morality: publicly trashing others is not exactly indicative of moral superiority.

Emily Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 07:21 PM EST

It sure seems fishy to me...but the whole premise of the book seemed ridiculous to me. You are a child. I cook, you eat. Period. It's called living in reality. Catering to brats today has gone WAY out of control.

Mountain Daddy Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 06:33 PM EST

This woman and Jerry both have no morals...she had no morals when she dropped her husband to cheat around with Jerry and she has no morals when she stole that book. Seinfield can laugh it off if he wants, but she is a thief and an adulturess.

Disgusted New Yorker Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 04:29 PM EST

I have another idea for a Seinfeld episode: Elaine is a gold-digger who marries the son of a wealthy family of theater producers. She comes back from her honeymoon and, since she left her job to plan for the huge wedding, she has nothing to do but go to the gym. There she meets a famous comedian who’s even richer, so she cheats on her husband and divorces him.

The next year, she marries the comedian, uses his wealth and fame to become prominent in New York, and when she hears a publisher rejected a book about sneaking vegetables into children’s food, she has the “wonderful idea” of doing the book herself. Her husband agrees to go on Oprah to promote his latest movie, but only if his wife is invited to promote her stolen wares. “Her” book becomes an instant bestseller, and when people accuse Jessica –sorry, I meant Elaine—of plagiarism, Seinfeld laughs it off. Hilarious, isn’t it?

annie Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 04:16 PM EST

Well, this is the same man who couldn't understand why people would question his morals--when he started "dating" Jessica only weeks after she'd come back from her honeymoon. So how can you expect he'd give a damn about his wife being a plagiarist? The Seinfelds wouldn't recognize moral if their personal chef served it to them for lunch.

Abbie Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 02:30 PM EST

Jessica Seinfeld began working with her publisher on the book in 2005. As someone suggested, the release of the book was without a doubt timed to coincide with Bee Movie. Too bad Bee Movie didn't come out a few months earlier, say maybe last March, then everyone would be saying Lapine copied Jessica.

Abbie Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 02:20 PM EST

Let's burn her at the stake! How dare she hide veggies in her kids' food! How dare she write a book and make money off it! The rich get richer, how disgusting! She makes me sick! Celebrities never have affairs and get divorced! How DARE she tarnish all celebrities by doing so! Because that kind of thing NEVER happens in Hollywood or anywhere else in the USA!

So high and mighty, (almost) all of you. Get over it.

Jan Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 02:07 PM EST

I'm glad I heard all of this before I bought the book. In fact, this is the first I have heard of her floosiness, that really is besides the point, the point is that since the publisher was offered to book prior by another author and turned it down, they knew full well what was going on. To make this short..I'm buying the original.

creolecutie Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 12:56 PM EST

Who cares about her book? Jessica is a lie and a cheat. Isn't this the same woman who dumped her 1st husband during their honeymoon after bumping into Jerry? She is obviously a gold digger and is trying to make $ anyway she can.

FRAUD!!!

kelly Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 11:17 AM EST

Not surprised by the accusations. I never liked her since she left her husband so quickly.I love how she portrays herself as some type of Hampton Woman.But getting your kids to eat veggies is called parenting,they'll never like them if not eating them as they are instead of hiding them in some other food like brownies.

To Becca Brown Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 10:55 AM EST

Hey genius. Seinfeld ended years ago. And what is great about it? You clearly never got the show.

mom Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 10:53 AM EST

Hmm. I fed my kids vegatables. They understand what a balanced meal is. How do you hide an ear of corn in a cookie? Be a responsible adult and teach your kids how to eat right. Anyway Jessica, I hope your hired help can read enough English to make your recipes, you sleaze.

Becca Brown Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 09:48 AM EST

I saw the episode on Oprah and LOVE IT! GREAT IDEA! And, a great Seinfeld would-be episode too!

mikeyc Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 09:01 AM EST

plagarism?- he should be more concerned on not marrying Elaine vs a Sandra Bollock "look-a-like'

Shaye Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 07:04 AM EST

I have no respect for a woman who is nothing but a money grubbing selfish, cold, heartless person. OH YEAH Jessica! Think that alot of us forgot that you are an adulterer. Having just been married not even several hours and dumped your husband as soon as some rich celebrity made a play for you. You are disgusting and your book can burn in the trash girl.

Brian Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 06:58 AM EST

I thought we were finally done with
Seinfeild when his show ended! I never cared for him then and now we have to hear about his wife perhaps
using someone elses recipes as her own
in a cook book. On My! Is rehab far behind?

janet Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 02:14 AM EST

I think it's absolutely ridiculous trying to trick children to eat healthy. And she should feel ashamed for stealing someone else's idea. Shame on you Jessica!

randyfitzimmons Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 12:39 AM EST

I hope she gets sued for TONS. Her book has sold millions due to all the exposure for an idea that is not really hers to begin with. It's called RESEARCH. The fact that she is pocketing all this money rather than donating it to a good cause (perhaps ones involving feeding children) would redeem her, but the rich just get richer, I guess.

Sam Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 12:21 AM EST

Brenda, funny you think Seinfeld owes the public for a hilarious, popular sitcom that he co-created and became super-wealthy off of. This is class warfare at its worst. He really doesn't answer to you or his other fans and you're free to boycott his syndicated re-runs etc. For the plagiarism charges to have merit, the publishers would have had to aided this effort. I assume the original manuscript was written well before Lapine's book came out.

brenda Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 12:03 AM EST

"These people" have a perfect right in America to speak up, if they feel that their work has been copied. Jerry Seinfeld needs to get off his high horse and remember that there were a lot of "these people" who watched his show and made him the big, fat celebrity that he is today. It says more about him that he would pick on the author than about her claims that Jessica borrowed from her book. One is a legitimate complaint; the other is sour grapes.

Star (cont) Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 08:20 PM EST

Why do you need to sneak veggies? Serve them decently cooked veggies as part of a meal instead of sneaking microscopic amts of veggies into other foods. Be a mother!!!! It's "eat your vegatables" not "eat your cookies".

Star Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 08:18 PM EST

I could care less if she plagarized. I do have a few questions. Why does this woman need the regognition and $ from a book. Why would he get involved with an adultering space cadet.

lauren Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 05:33 PM EST

gimme a break! it is weak excuse for a book in the first place, the recipes are horrible AND it was plagiarized? this girl needs to get something original to do. stop trading up on other people's ideas like she trade up on husbands...

Gia Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 02:59 PM EST

omg..
http://www.mactanque.com

LM Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 02:13 PM EST

From what I understand the recipes are similar but the real crime is that Jessica's are worse.

Jessica Seinfeld showed her lack of character with how she humiliated her first husband so publically and immorally.

It's unlikely this cookbook would ever have been published without the Seinfeld name attached.

More money for the millionaires!

Joe Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 01:58 PM EST

The Sneaky Chef was published 6 months prior to the release of Seinfeld's book and they share 15 of the same recipes, so I can see why the other author isn't happy. At least change the recipes a bit...

Elaine Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 01:17 PM EST

I lost all respect for Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld when they began an affair nanoseconds after she married Mr. Nederlander.

keiren63 Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 12:08 PM EST

He's being a bit specious with his comments...the author didn't come out of "the walls": she had a book published this year that did well. Others pointed out the similarities first. And it's more than "pureed carrots"...it's similar recipes, similar suggestions and even similar wording...

ceejay Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 10:44 AM EST

Even if the idea of sneaking food into kids' lunchboxes is not new, I would not put it past Jessica to plagiarize her book, thinking that maybe, just maybe being married to a celebrity, she would be more successful with her book. After all the writer of The Sneaky Chef to my knowledge, was never invited by Oprah. I've always thought of this Jessica woman, as very sneaky herself.

Danielle Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 10:16 AM EST

plagiarism...no. It's really just not that original an idea. What is the real funny factor though is the 'cross promotion' going on. How convenient for Jerry's Wife to be on oprah the week before he is on to talk about his new project. And the today show (Although i believe it was Renee who did the press for the movie on that show). And it's also really funny that the no name's book was rejected twice by the publisher before they aggressively recruited Jerry's wife for hers.

I think Jerry is wrong. This woman is way smarter and more adept at the politics of life than he knows. She should teach a class to women at the New School.

rae Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 01:59 AM EST

geeeeezzzzzz.......now you people need a celebrity to tell you how to feed your kids..I am so glad that tv is not my master....so tv telling you ALL what to do tomorrow??.....lol

Jager Sat, Oct 27, 2007 at 01:37 AM EST

c'mon... people have been fooling kids into eating healthy for THOUSANDS of years - you can't tell me that a "similarity" to another recipe is considered plagiarism. Heck, I've cooked up a couple things and people said, "this reminds me of a recipe I read in so-and-so magazine". Sorry, I didn't read that recipe, just so happens creativity isn't all that dissimilar...

Mel Fri, Oct 26, 2007 at 10:59 PM EST

Plagiarized or no, surely folks knew that Jessica Seinfeld was not the first person to find creative ways to hide veggies from their kids! You've made her (another) millionaire because she went on Oprah, and now you're scandalized? Whatever! She saw you coming.

becky Fri, Oct 26, 2007 at 10:23 PM EST

every review talking about how Sinfeld killed in the bee movie!

http://www.spymac.com/details/?2290046

jrok Fri, Oct 26, 2007 at 08:46 PM EST

I want to see that episode of sienfeld


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