IT was never the money, that's for sure.
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Jerry Seinfeld made that quite clear yesterday. In an exclusive interview with The Herald, the world's wealthiest comedian explained his reasons for lending his name to a new advertising campaign launched this week by regional financial institution the Greater Building Society.
In a phone call from New York, the star whose agent reputedly knocks back 50 commercial overtures a week, hinted it was more about "feel" than fiscal reward.
"We don't think about money too much these days," he said. "I like to do things because they feel right."
Jerry Seinfeld, 54, became one of the entertainment industry's biggest earners on the back of nine smash seasons of his comedy Seinfeld, a show that was, famously, about nothing.
Yesterday, he suggested Australia's affection for the show might have predisposed him to the cheeky approach from a financial institution he never knew existed.
"I was down there in '98 right after the show went off the air and the response from the people I met on the street, in the restaurants, everywhere was so special I felt kinda close to them," he told The Herald.
"The only thing I don't like about Earth is they put Australia a little too far away, otherwise I would love to make it part of my touring schedule."
With work commitments precluding him from filming the commercial in Australia, the shoot was done in just two days in May in the small New York town of Cedarhurst, where a main street store was converted to a branch of the Greater.
Marketing consultant John Dwyer, who proposed the idea to the building society, said the star had been "very friendly, down to earth and a joy to work with".
"When it was all done he asked us, 'Is there anything else I can do for you?' "
The Hunter and Australia should be seeing plenty from the comic in coming months.
He is currently finishing work on season one of a new reality show for NBC called The Marriage Ref, which is scheduled to hit the small screen later this year.
He would like to make an all-Australian version of the show.