NEW YORK — As “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” cruises into its 10th season, Jerry Seinfeld realizes that with great success comes the potential for lawsuits. He experienced it with the “Seinfeld” television series, his animated turn in “Bee Movie,” and now with his latest show. The lawsuit comes from Christian Charles, who claims he developed the concept, and is therefore the owner of the project. Charles directed the first episode of the series. Seinfeld says he’s not worried, though he’s a little hurt that the lawsuit comes from a friend. Earlier in the week, the comedian sat down with the Associated Press to discuss his favorite moments from “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” (the new season debuts July 6 on Netflix), whether it’s open season on comedians after politically polarizing incidents involving stars ranging from Samantha Bee to Kathy Griffin, and why you won’t hear about his political views. AP: Do you feel comedians are under attack these days? Seinfeld: Not really, because there’s so many voices that they are kind of canceling each other out. It seems to me that every single person everywhere is under attack in their comments section of whatever they think or whatever they said. … To me it has no impact because there’s too many, too much noise. It’s all just noise that just drowns — everybody drowns each other out. AP: It used to be that comedy was an escape. Seinfeld: It can still be that. My show, I don’t do any political humor, only because I’m not good at it, and I just do stuff that I think is funny. And so, you have no idea what my politics are and I kind of like to be pure, that it’s just about what I think is funny. AP: Tell me about the lawsuit filed against you. Seinfeld: I don’t know if you remember my TV series; a friend of mine sued me for $100 million that I took the whole idea from him. It’s a guy who lives in Queens. … When we did “Bee Movie,” there was guy who said, “I was going to do a movie about bees, so you owe us everything.” It’s unfortunate when it’s a … friend, and they decide to go for the money instead … That’s not the nicest moment, but I’m used to it. AP: How did you get the idea for the show? Seinfeld: It really started when I was doing the show called “The Marriage Ref,” which we came up with about 10, 11 years ago and it was celebrities trying to help regular people with their marriage. And so, we were shooting these things and we made a few of them. And I found that I could edit the conversation to make it funnier, that I could go into an edit and I could take 20 minutes of conversation and make it 20 minutes that was just OK and make it 10 minutes that was really funny. AP: So, it’s the comedians more than the coffee and cars? Seinfeld: Yes. It was really talking to comedians and having them not feel like they have to get a laugh because they have a lot of interesting thoughts. Comedians have very strange minds. That’s how they become comedians. And whenever there’s an audience, our instinct is to play to that audience. But if you get them away from the audience, they come out with other things that are interesting, that I thought people would like to hear. AP: I think I know your favorite episode was — with then-President Barack Obama? Seinfeld: That was. Being outside the Oval office and knocking on the window, and like he’s just some loser single guy, and I’m another loser single guy. It’s like a Jerry and George scene where I’m going, “What’s going on? I thought we were hanging out. Come on let’s go.” That was one of the most amazing moments of my life (and) he and the Secret Service allowed me to do that. AP: What’s another one? Seinfeld: Having the last interview with Jerry Lewis before he passed and getting to talk to him about how he writes and, and … how him and Stan Laurel worked together on a lot of his scripts. And, you know, to a comedy geek like me that’s the ultimate, to talk to somebody like that. AP: What about the episode with Julia Louis-Dreyfus? Seinfeld: It was incredible, you know. … I would never want to do like a conventional reunion-type episode. But for us to just sit together and talk, I think it’s nicer for the public to see that than something that’s really produced and performed.<doc-sep>It really started when I was doing the show called The Marriage Ref, which we came up with about 10, 11 years ago and it was celebrities trying to help regular people with their marriage. And so, we were shooting these things and we made a few of them. And I found that I could edit the conversation to make it funnier, that I could go into an edit and I could take 20 minutes of conversation and make it 20 minutes that was just OK and make it 10 minutes that was really funny.<doc-sep>Jerry Seinfeld is no stranger to lawsuits. Back in 1998, he was sued for $100 million by his childhood friend, Michael Costanza, for slander, libel and unauthorized use of his name, likeness and persona after he accused Seinfeld of basing the character played by Jason Alexander, George Costanza, upon him. In 2007, he was sued again by a team of Swedish animation students who had pitched an idea about a bee movie to Dreamworks in 2000. More recently, Seinfeld was sued for allegedly stealing the idea for Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. This latest lawsuit comes from Christian Charles, who has collaborated with Seinfeld for nearly 25 years. In fact, Charles directed Seinfeld’s American Express commercials. He also directed the 2002 documentary Comedian, featuring Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Gary Shandling. Charles claims that, around the time he was directing Comedian, he pitched an idea to Seinfeld for a show called ’67 Bug, with the alternative title Two Stupid Guys in a Stupid Car Driving to a Stupid Town. Seinfeld originally rejected the idea, but Charles claims that in 2011, he and Seinfeld began developing the same show and that Charles eventually directed a pilot for a show called Comedians in Cars Going for Coffee. Initially, according to Charles claims, Seinfeld abandoned the project, but then later warmed up to the idea. Locations were scouted, and guests were discussed. Charles even directed the pilot episode. However, according to Charles, the deal fell apart over money in 2012. Charles claims that he was the creator of the show, while Seinfeld claims that he “worked for hire” on a show that Seinfeld created. The project went ahead without Charles, who eventually brought suit against Seinfeld after Netflix purchased the rights to the series for $100 million. The lawsuit remains pending, but as Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee approaches its 10th season, Jerry Seinfeld seems to be unfazed by the pending litigation, as he told ABC News. He seems bothered only by the fact the lawsuit is being filed by someone he knows. “It’s unfortunate when it’s a …friend, and they decide to go for the money instead … That’s not the nicest moment, but I’m used to it.” Seinfeld contends that he came up with the idea while shooting his short-lived series, The Marriage Ref.<doc-sep>
Jerry Seinfeld is facing a lawsuit over the origins of "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." Christian Charles, a producer who directed the pilot, claims in the lawsuit that he, not Seinfeld, is the actual creator of the show. Charles says in the lawsuit that he approached Seinfeld in 2002 with the idea for the show and that Seinfeld initially rejected it, TMZ reported. Seinfeld argues that Charles sued after learning how much money Seinfeld was making for each episode after Netflix purchased the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The concept for "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" is simple, but a lawsuit has turned the series' origins into a complicated mess. Christian Charles, a producer who directed the pilot episode of the web series turned Netflix show, sued Jerry Seinfeld in February, claiming that he, not Seinfeld, is the show's actual creator. Last week, Seinfeld's attorney filed a motion to dismiss the suit, according to The Hollywood Reporter. TMZ originally reported the lawsuit, saying Charles claimed that he pitched the show idea to Seinfeld in 2002 and that Seinfeld wasn't interested at first. For those who don't know, the show is exactly what it sounds like: Seinfeld drives around with a fellow comedian in a fancy car, and they get coffee together. Charles says his original title ideas were "'67 Bug" or "Two Stupid Guys in a Stupid Car Driving to a Stupid Town," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Nearly a decade later, Charles' suit says, Seinfeld approached Charles about the concept again and the two filmed a pilot episode, TMZ reported. The lawsuit alleges that Seinfeld abandoned Charles when Charles tried to assert ownership of the show and that Seinfeld went on to produce the show on his own, TMZ said. After Netflix acquired the series last year, Forbes estimated that Seinfeld could make $750,000 per episode. A new season drops on the streaming service on Friday. Charles wants a "created by" credit and financial compensation, TMZ reported. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, Seinfeld's new court brief argues that Charles sued after finding out how much Seinfeld was making per episode, that the idea of the show is too broad to justify the lawsuit, and that it is a "textbook case" of being beyond a statute of limitations. But even with so much drama unfolding, Seinfeld seems more concerned about who's pursuing the lawsuit. Last week, Seinfeld told The Associated Press that it was "unfortunate when it's a friend and they decide to go for the money instead." He added: "That's not the nicest moment, but I'm used to it."