Seinfeld's Head on a Plate

In poking around the Internet just now, I came across a new story about Jessica Seinfeld, Missy Chase Lapine, and veggie-gate. Apparently, Lapine filed papers on Tuesday explaining why she was suing the Seinfelds in the first place, in preparation for a December hearing.

Lapine charges that Jessica Seinfeld knowingly plagarized her cookbook, The Sneaky Chef, when she published her own, Deceptively Delicious, about six months later. From what I've read, it's not even possible that Seinfeld stole from the book; publishing schedules are such that Seinfeld's book was basically done and on its way to the printer when Lapine's came out. I've also seen arguments that since the idea isn't original to Lapine, you can't accuse someone else of taking it. When this first developed last year, I did see a story that convincingly argued that perhaps HarperCollins took the idea, which Lapine had pitched them, and gave it to Jessica Seinfeld, knowing that her celebrity would sell the book. (And it did; Seinfeld's only qualification to write a cook book to feed kids is that she's a mother who cooks.) But more recently, that theory seems to have been debunked.

But still, I hope the Seinfelds get their asses handed to them in court. Their behavior, their arrogance, has just been abominable since this story came out. Personally, I've been shocked with what they've been able to say about Lapine; even more, I'm surprised that people like Barbara Walters and David Letterman have allowed the Seinfelds to come on their shows and say what they want about this woman, when Chase has virtually no media voice at all.

In these recent papers, Lapine explained that her daughter was alarmed after Jerry Seinfeld's stint on Letterman last year, when the so-called comedian said that people with three names turn out to be assasins. He also labeled Lapine a wacko. In a statement, Seinfeld's lawyers this week said, "As a comedian, Jerry has a right under the First Amendment to tell jokes. Ms. Lapine, on the other hand, was not joking when she maliciously accused Jessica Seinfeld, who also has young children, of plagiarism, a charge that is demonstrably false.'' But the thing is, I saw that Letterman episode. If Seinfeld was making jokes, it didn't come across as humor; it seemed pretty clear to me that he used his opportunity on national television to defame this woman and shoot her down. But you can decide for yourself; watch the clip on, ironically, Defamer: http://defamer.com/hollywood/revenge-comedy/seinfeld-to-letterman-whats-the-deal-with-that-crazy-woman-my-wife-stole-all-her-cookbook-ideas-from-316797.php

Twenty days later, Jessica Seinfeld went on The View to promote her cookbook and make more snide allegations about a woman who does have a legitimate gripe with her. (It may not be true, but there are striking similarities between those books that shouldn't just be brushed aside.) Jessica told Barbara and clan that Lapine is just jealous because she, Jessica, got to promote her book on Oprah. You can watch Jessica's tour-de-force here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/19/jessica-seinfeld-on-plagi_n_73306.html

All I can say is: unbelievable. I used to love Seinfeld but I find this feeling of revulsion welling up in me whenever I see his mug now. He needs to go away and take his attention-seeking wife with him.