The Soup Nazi
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| Seinfeld episode | |
| "The Soup Nazi" | |
 The Soup Nazi |
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| Episode no. | 116 |
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| Airdate | November 2, 1995 |
| Writer(s) | Spike Feresten |
| Director | Andy Ackerman |
| Guest star(s) | Larry Thomas, Alexandra Wentworth & Ana Gasteyer |
| IMDb profile | |
| Seinfeld - Season 7 September 1995 - May 1996 |
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| List of all Seinfeld episodes | |
The Soup Nazi is the one hundred sixteenth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and also the character played by Larry Thomas. This was the 6th episode for the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Elaine finds an antique armoire she wants. George makes a mistake while trying to get his soup from the "Soup Nazi." George and Elaine discuss how annoyed they are by Jerry's sweet-talking with his current girlfriend, especially their calling each other "Schmoopie". Elaine makes an ordering error in front of the "Soup Nazi," and is banned for a year. Susan appreciates that George is finally showing his feelings in public. One of three episodes featuring Cedric and Bob, who are referred to as "street toughs."
[edit] The Soup Nazi
Yev Kasem (a.k.a. the Soup Nazi) was a character portrayed by Larry Thomas in the sitcom Seinfeld. The Soup Nazi was a stone-faced immigrant chef with a thick Stalin-esque moustache, who was well-known throughout the city for his delicious soups. He demanded that all customers in his restaurant follow his meticulous (and seemingly arbitrary) soup-ordering instructions to the letter, lest they be refused service by his insistent admonishment, "No soup for you!" Some of the soups that he served were cold cucumber, corn and clam chowders, jambalaya, turkey chili, mulligatawny, and crab and lobster bisques. He encountered his Waterloo when Elaine discovered his secret recipes. He made a brief cameo in the Seinfeld series finale, where his name was revealed to be Yev Kasem.
[edit] The real person who inspired the Soup Nazi character
His character was based on Al Yeganeh, an actual New York City soup vendor who runs Soup Kitchen International in midtown Manhattan. The store is open only part of the year. In the summer, his customers are greeted with a sign indicating he has gone to "Argentina for the winter".
According to an Associated Press article published 2005 April 29, Yeganeh plans to open a chain of soup stores under the name "The Original Soup Man" across the country.[1] The first franchise opened in Princeton, New Jersey on October 24, 2005. His company, Soup Kitchen International, plans to open 1000 outlets nationwide.
[edit] Trivia
- Like Jackie Chiles, the Soup Nazi has appeared in commercials after the end of the series. An advertisement by the Center for Consumer Freedom has him denying food to people he considers too fat.
- In the background, one can see a sign in the restaurant reading "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone."
- Yeganeh hates the Nazi label, but he is renowned both for his excellent soups and for his rude treatment of customers. Cosmo Kramer's inspiration, Kenny Kramer, agrees that Yeganeh's nickname is unfair, and jokingly suggests his nickname be changed to Al, The Soup Rat Bastard.
- Soup Kitchen International's original Midtown Manhattan location, now closed, is 259A West 55th Street, near 8th Avenue.
- Prior to his fictional counterpart's appearance on Seinfeld, the real Al Yaganeh was unflatteringly referred to by local patrons as the "Terrorist". His soups were renowned for their excellent quality, but his interactions with customers seemed somewhat capricious. Some were granted extra side items like candy or bread, but no clear rules for this attention were ever established. This arbitrariness was referred to in the show when George asked why he hadn't received any bread even though previous customers did. The Soup Nazi's reply was, "You want bread? Three dollars!!"
- Future Saturday Night Live cast member Ana Gasteyer appears as a customer with one line: "But I didn't do anything!"
- Larry Thomas appeared in the Scrubs season 3 episode "My Self Examination" as himself. He denies he is the Soup Nazi when asked by J.D. (Zach Braff), who then tricks him into saying the famous catch phrase.
- "No Soup for You!!" was a category on Jeopardy!'s November 30, 2004 Seinfeld-themed episode. This Jeopardy! episode is well-known as the one in which 74-time champion Ken Jennings lost for the first time.
- "The Soup Man of 55th Street," a profile of Al Yeganeh (with one of his recipes) appears on pp.70-71, 78 of Molly O'Neill's New York Cookbook (Workman Publishing, 1992) ISBN 1-56305-337-3
- Larry Thomas was nominated for an emmy in 1996 for his role as The Soup Nazi. (Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series) (Internet Movie Database, http://imdb.com/title/tt0098904/awards)
- On one episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX a mysterious chef, who happened to be a teacher, said "No Soup for you!" to Tyranno Hassleberry, who the chef was dueling to try and make them go back to Ra Yellow.
- On the series premiere of Show me the Money the first question answered referred to The Soup Nazi.
[edit] External links
- Soup Kitchen International - Official website
- The Original Soup Man stores - Official website
| Seinfeld |
|---|
| Characters |
| Main Characters: Jerry Seinfeld | George Costanza | Elaine Benes | Cosmo Kramer |
| Related to Jerry: Helen Seinfeld | Morty Seinfeld | Uncle Leo | Kenny Bania | Sally Weaver | Dr. Tim Whatley |
| Related to George: Estelle Costanza | Frank Costanza | Susan Ross | Mr. Wilhelm | Mr. Kruger | Lloyd Braun | George Steinbrenner |
| Related to Elaine: J. Peterman | David Puddy | Mr. Lippman | Justin Pitt | Sue Ellen Mischke |
| Related to Kramer: Newman | Mickey Abbott | Jackie Chiles | Bob Sacamano | Babs Kramer | Lomez |
| Other: Soup Nazi | "Crazy" Joe Davola | Minor characters in Seinfeld |
| Culture of the Seinfeld Universe |
| Festivus | Master of Your Domain | Regifting List of fictional films in Seinfeld | Coffee Table Book About Coffee Tables |
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| List of Seinfeld episodes | The Seinfeld Chronicles |
| Other |
| List of Seinfeld references to actual people | Running gags in Seinfeld |
