Bonzer Words!: Two Jerrys
Kevin Trask remembers a night in a New York theatre - the night of the Two Jerrys. Jerry Lewis was on stage, and Jerry Seinfeld was in the audience.
Kevin writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please vist www.bonzer.org.au
It was Tuesday the 6th of May 1995 and my wife Cate and I were in New York. We had booked our seats at the Marquis Theatre on the corner of Broadway and 46th Street (right on Times Square) to see Jerry Lewis perform in the famous American musical Damn Yankees.
It’s funny how many stars you see wandering around the streets of New York. I jokingly remarked, “We might even bump into Jerry Seinfeld.”
We had purchased our tickets via the Internet and we had terrific seats three rows from the front—right in the middle. I snuggled down in my seat to read the programme when my wife leaned over and whispered in my ear “Don’t look around now but Jerry Seinfeld is sitting behind us.” Oh sure, I thought, but when I did eventually turn around—there was Jerry Seinfeld sitting in the row right behind us with his girlfriend!
The lights went down and the show started and there was Jerry Lewis standing onstage right in front of us. Having played Applegate in a local production it took me about two seconds to accept that he was much better than I could ever have been. I noticed that his eyes never actually looked in our direction but I soon realised that he intentionally did not want to eyeball Jerry Seinfeld.
At interval Jerry Seinfeld and his girlfriend remained in their seats and we could hear them discussing the show. By this time the word had gone around the theatre that one of America’s most popular television stars at that time was in the audience.
I kid you not, there were about 50 people leaning with their backs against the stage just staring at him. We heard one man come up to him and ask for an autograph. Jerry said, “I don’t think that would be a very good idea.” And he was right—it would have started a stampede.
The second act began and by the end of Damn Yankees we were all up on our feet for a standing ovation. Jerry Lewis was just sensational. On that particular night Jerry was working with the understudy in the lead role of Lola and he graciously took her forward and then stepped back to give her centre stage and he applauded her. It was a nice finish to a terrific show.
As we got up to leave both my wife and myself managed to say a quick hello to Jerry Seinfeld and he said he was looking forward to his forthcoming Australian tour.
We went around to the stage door on the chance that we might get an autograph from Jerry Lewis. The cast came out and I was chatting to one of the young leads.
“What a great night!” I said. “Jerry Lewis and Jerry Seinfeld—both in the same theatre—the two Jerries.” The young man swung around and looked at me blankly. “What are you saying? You mean Jerry Seinfeld was in the audience tonight?”
“Yes,” I replied, and within seconds Cate and I were standing outside the stage door by ourselves.
After about ten minutes they started to come back out—jubilant that they had met him. We were standing around chatting when suddenly there was Jerry Seinfeld quietly moving amongst us. “Goodnight, Jerry,” we all chorused as he put on his cap, took his girlfriend's hand and slowly disappeared into the night up 46th Street .
The story does not end there.
About four years later Jerry Lewis was in Melbourne to appear at the Crown Showroom. I managed to get into the press conference with him through my entertainment programme on community radio.
At one stage I stood up and said, “Mr Lewis, I was at Damn Yankees on Broadway the night that Jerry Seinfeld was in the audience”.
As quick as a flash he replied. “Oh, he’s good too!”
He was kind enough to autograph two large Jerry Lewis posters, which are now hanging in my study.
So that is my great memory – a fun night with the two Jerries.
© Kevin Trask
