Jason Alexander: The Power of Laughter | THE THREAD Documentary Series
Jason Alexander is best known for his portrayal of the culturally iconic character of George Costanza on television’s Seinfeld. In this episode of The Thread you’ll meet the real Jason Alexander, a thoughtful, articulate man who couldn't be more different than the insecure, muddle-headed Costanza. The one trait they share is the ability to make us laugh about life’s all-too frequent absurdities. However, unlike the fictional Costanza, Jason Alexander is intentionally funny. He has a deep understanding of the importance of humor as a crucial tool for surviving, and even thriving, in the face of those absurdities – something he traces back to his Jewish heritage. Alexander has a gift for storytelling; without the need of a script he speaks wisely from both his head and his heart.
Actor Jason Alexander was born Jay Scott Greenspan in Newark, New Jersey on September 23, 1959. Alexander’s interest in the performing arts began at an early age taking his stage name at 15. While attending Boston University, the 20-year-old Alexander was cast in the lead of the short lived Broadway musical Merrily We Roll Along. He continued to perform in shows on and off Broadway, including a role in “The Rink'' with Liza Minelli, before starring in Jerome Robbins Broadway, for which he won the 1989 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series Seinfeld (1989-1998), for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. His other well-known roles include Phillip Stuckey in the film Pretty Woman (1990), comic relief gargoyle Hugo in the Disney animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), and the title character in the animated series Duckman (1994-1997). He has also made guest appearances on shows such as Dream On (1994), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001, 2009), and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019). He sang and was part of the writing team that won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding original song for The Bad Guys? in 2020; the song was used in a Brainwashed by Toons video for the comedy website Funny Or Die that depicted how anti-semeti images are used in cartoons. Alexander has been married to Daena E. Title, since May 31, 1982; they have two sons.
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Chapter Markers:
00:00 - Opening
00:32 - Introduction
02:01 - Fame and Connecting with the Audience
06:44 - Parents Proud of His Success
07:42 - Connection to Judaism
09:20 - Hope for America
13:57 - Mortality and Being of Service
17:06 - Importance of Storytelling
Jason Alexander, Actor
Interviewed By: David Bender
Interview Date: April 15, 2023
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