Entrances and Exits

The man who brought the kavorka to the Seinfeld show through one of the most remarkable and beloved

television characters ever invented, Kramer, shares the extraordinary life of a comedy genius—the way he

came into himself as an artist, the ups and downs as a human being, the road he has traveled in search of

understanding.

“The hair, so essential, symbolizes the irrational that was and is and always will be the underlying feature

not only of Kramer but of comedy itself. This seemingly senseless spirit has been coursing through me since

childhood. I’ve been under its almighty influence since the day I came into this world. I felt it all within myself,

especially the physical comedy, the body movements, so freakish and undignified, where I bumped into things,

knocked stuff down, messed up situations, and often ended up on my ass.

“This book is a hymn to the irrational, the senseless spirit that breaks the whole into pieces, a reflection on the

seemingly absurd difficulties that intrude upon us all. It’s Harpo Marx turning us about, shaking up my plans,

throwing me for a loop. Upset and turmoil is with us all the time. It’s at the basis of comedy. It’s the pratfall we

all take. It’s the unavoidable mistake we didn’t expect. It’s everywhere I go. It’s in the way that I am, both light

and dark, good and not-so-good. It’s my life.”

—Michael Richards, from Entrances and Exits