Bob Odenkirk Had Never Seen Seinfeld When He Was Offered A Guest Role

Bob Odenkirk was no stranger to comedy or television when he appeared in a 1996 episode of “Seinfeld” titled “The Abstinence.” Odenkirk had been writing in television for years, with shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” on his resume. He was also trying his hand at acting, with bit roles in film and television, including “The Cable Guy” and “Roseanne.” It was at this point in his career when an opportunity on “Seinfeld” came along.

The actor, however, recently admitted that he hadn’t seen the show at the time he has cast. “I did not watch ‘Seinfeld’ until after it was a long over,” Odenkirk told GQ in 2021, though he did know fellow comedian and series creator, Larry David. Despite not watching, Odenkirk came away impressed by the show and the cast’s chemistry. He said:

“I was just offered that role on ‘Seinfeld.’ And it was a great experience. You know, ‘Seinfeld’ worked like a laugh machine, and not in a bad way, not in a cold and unfeeling and mechanical way, but in a reliable and professional way. So, I went in, acted it, didn’t have to exaggerate the person, just played him earnestly. It was a great, great experience. They were such a team, on the same page, working together so well, that you just try to catch up and just say your lines at the right time, and everything would be okay.”

If we want to give credit where it is due, we might owe Odenkirk’s appearance on the show in part to his “schmoopie” at the time.