Jerry Seinfeld Recalls Cringey Moment With Michael Jordan In Locker Room
In the heyday of “Seinfeld,” Jerry Seinfeld rarely played second fiddle to anyone in the celebrity world.
But during an awkward moment in the Chicago Bulls locker room shown in the ESPN documentary series “The Last Dance,” the sitcom giant was apparently cut down to size by Coach Phil Jackson.
Seinfeld told Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday that he’d heard about the clip but hadn’t seen it. So the late show host gladly played it for him.
During the Bulls’ final championship run in the 1997-98 season, the video shows Seinfeld and Bulls icon Michael Jordan warmly greeting each other in the locker room. But when Seinfeld says, “Hi, Phil,” to an off-screen Jackson, it sounds like Jackson effectively dismisses the comedian and Seinfeld is left awkwardly turning his head.
“[He’s] kicking you out,” a laughing Jordan says.
On “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Seinfeld wasn’t too fazed by the moment, describing the locker room as “not a place I’d normally be.”
Seinfeld, who has a new comedy special on Netflix called “23 Hours to Kill,” quickly segued to a more substantive exchange he once had with Jackson. He recalled that at the time both his sitcom and Jackson were in their final seasons (Jackson as coach of the Bulls). “I remember teasing him about who do you think is gonna end bigger? Him or me?” Seinfeld said.
Fast forward to 1:50 or watch the entire interview above.
And check out the reactions below on Twitter when the clip circulated.
Jerry Seinfeld saying hello to Phil Jackson is now my new favorite moment of The #LastDance 😂 😂 #NYSM pic.twitter.com/Svia7k5dE7
— B-Mel (@DonBMel) May 4, 2020
this was almost like that time when Kesha tried to hug Jerry pic.twitter.com/ElC06R2VBD
— 7hacker (@7h4cker) May 4, 2020
Oh, he can say hi to Phil, but he can't find time to say Hello to his Uncle Leo?
— "Essential" Employee 🍄 (@ColonelComstock) May 4, 2020
I love how Jerry just embraces the awkward. Lol
— Jarred Ober (@Jayobie32) May 4, 2020
Perhaps this was an appearance about nothing.
— Bob Delaney (@rsteved) May 4, 2020
This needs a laugh track 😂
— 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙑𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙄𝙄 🦒 (@dirttymiike) May 4, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.