The Sea Was Angry That Day, My Friends …
“The sea was angry that day, my friends …”
If you know the story, you know the punchline. Maybe you also know the story behind the punchline. If not, grab a seltzer and read on. Because it’s a story about obsession. An obsession for story. And the word.
Which is everything, really.
It goes something like this, as distilled from Jerry’s appearance on The Rich Eisen Show a while back:
The aptly named “Marine Biologist” episode of Seinfeld had George masquerade as a marine biologist for, yes, dating purposes. In a typical Seinfeld storytelling construct, a side plot involves Kramer practicing his golf swing at the beach.
As written, the episode originally had no connection between Kramer hitting golf balls into the ocean and the scene where, as these things happen, George and his date stroll up to a beached whale. A cry rises from the gathered crowd, “Is anyone here a marine biologist?”
Now, this is where the obsession comes in.
It’s the night before they shoot George’s monologue. Jerry and co-writer Larry David work over the script. It must be around two in the morning at this point. The show’s not there yet. That is, until Jerry says, “What if what puts the whale in distress is Kramer’s golf ball?”
That sets up everything.
“What, is that a Titleist?”
And with that, a moment was made.
Jerry insisted, though. “‘Titleist.’ It has to be ‘Titleist.’ It’s the funny golf ball.”
Now if you’re a storyteller, any kind of storyteller, you immediately get that. No explanation needed.
Titleist is THE word.
That set off a morning of frenetic calls. Without the okay from Titleist, they couldn’t say it. The show needed clearance. So let’s give it up for Titleist brand and legal, who offered it up. They greenlit a piece of TV history. Because “Callaway” doesn’t land. Not like “Titleist” does.
Yes, storytelling comes down to “Titleist.” And words like it. Just as it comes down to the person who obsesses over them. One must obsess. And insist. Like Jerry did.
Whatever its wellspring, be it empathy, understanding, experience, gut-sense, hard-earned research, what have you—THE word comes from obsession. A quest. Once complete, you feel it when you write it.
And people feel it when they see it.
Which is everything, really.
* Thanks to the folks at Jerry.ai for the blog inspo.