Jerry Seinfeld Pays Tribute to Rob Reiner: 'He Saved Us From Cancellation'
- - Jerry Seinfeld Pays Tribute to Rob Reiner: 'He Saved Us From Cancellation'
Isabella TorregianiDecember 15, 2025 at 11:17 PM
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Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Jerry Seinfeld called Rob Reiner “the biggest influence on my career,” and it’s easy to see why. In a touching tribute, Seinfeld recalled how Reiner’s support in the show’s earliest days not only saved Seinfeld from cancellation, but influenced him in ways he would carry forever.
Legend has it, Reiner made a personal case for the show to NBC executives.
“[Seinfeld] would have never happened without him. He saw something no one else could. When nobody at the network liked the early episodes, he saved us from cancellation,” Seinfeld wrote on Monday, December 15.
“That I was working with Carl Reiner’s son, who happened to be one of the kindest people in show business, seemed unreal. I was naive at the time to how much his passion for us meant,” the comedian added.
Seinfeld praised Reiner’s marriage to Michele Singer, calling it “an imprint for me of how it’s supposed to work, each one broadening the other. Their death, together, is impossibly sad.”
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Produced by Rob’s Castle Rock Entertainment, Seinfeld starred Jerry alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Jerry Stiller, Wayne Knight and aired from 1989 to 1998.
In a 2016 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Rob shared how Castle Rock recognized the potential of Seinfeld, even though the show initially struggled in the ratings.
At one point, NBC was on the verge of canceling it, but Reiner stepped in to defend the series.
"They said, 'We can't have this show. What is this show? It's just people sitting around talking,'" Rob recalled. He described having a "screaming, crazy thing" with NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff, "begging" him to keep Seinfeld on air.
"I said, 'Please, I promise you there'll be stories. You can't take this show off the air. It's going to be one of the great shows you've ever had,'" Rob said.
On Sunday, December 14, Rob and Michele were found deceased at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.
Following the news, the family released a statement expressing, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
People reports that Rob and Michele’s daughter, Romy Reiner, discovered their bodies after the murder. Paramedics and law enforcement quickly arrived at the Reiners’ home around 3:30–3:40 p.m. PT, according to various outlets.
The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, was taken into custody in relation to their deaths, but remains innocent until proven guilty.
Related Link: Where Was Nick Reiner in the Hours After His Parents’ Deaths?
This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
