• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, August 6, 2018

Wow -- Jason Alexander, who played the annoyingly neurotic New Yorker George Costanza on the 1990’s hit comedy Seinfeld is the latest new Colonel Sanders in KFC ads. 

God, I hated George. And no, I don’t mean in the hateful way that Alex Jones hates. I just mean he played his part so well he set my teeth on edge in almost every episode. Which, of course, is exactly what his character was designed to do — make you uncomfortable with his uncomfortableness. 

George brought new meaning to the word cringeworthy. His every deed, his every act made me cringe as in “I can’t believe he just said that!” Or did that. 

In fact, George invented cringeworthiness. Which is to say, of course, that Larry David, the Seinfeld co-creator, invented it. And continued the tradition during his HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

I have to say, I find it a little baffling that KFC has chosen JA for the role. At least so far. The George spots are designed to promote KFC’s selection of family dinners  All the fried chicken chain has showed us in terms of ads with JA is one anthem ad and a bizarre 15-second spot where George/The Colonel’s arms are stretched in an FX kind of way. 

The anthem ad is a send-up of goofy family sitcoms from the 80s, and Alexander doesn’t say a word. Seinfeld was so not that — it was all about self-absorbed singles. Who doesn’t remember the “Shrinkage” episode? And the whole story arc of George’s fiancé and how she died. It was hilarious stuff, but not exactly family-friendly material. I remember debates at the time among parents about the show’s age-level appropriateness. 

Still I hope that KFC utilizes JA to his full potential. And let me stress that I have no idea what that is in the context of KFC ads. 

All I know is that when I think of George I laugh -- or at least smile, cringe or no cringe. And that’s the frame of mind you want somebody to be in when they watch your ad.