Even
the most jaded Hamptonites' jaws fell when Seinfeld overshot
his wad, but maybe the acquisition is just what the comic
needed for his own laugh after being turned down by the Beresford,
the posh Upper West Side digs he always wanted to call home.
Not to mention he'd just been outbid on at least two other
stellar Hamptons estates, including Helmut Lang's in East
Hampton. Now insiders report Seinfeld will add on a 28-car
garage to house his vintage car collection, health spa with
an Evian-spouting shower, and of course nursery for the 45-year-old's
first bundle of joy.
It's
a far cry for the Brooklyn-born comedian who grew up in Massapequa
and once paid his bills by working for a scam operation selling
light bulbs over the phone (he's publicly apologized for the
job). His stand-up comedy shtick around town paid off when
he became a David Letterman and Tonight show regular,
and in 1990 he was rewarded with his own headline-making sitcom.
Seinfeld
and Sklar grabbed headlines themselves last December when
they decided to tie the Big Knot. The stand-up and Tommy Hilfiger
PR exec had met the year before while sweating it out at a
Manhattan Reebok Sports Club–apparently an instant stairmaster
to heaven. But Jessica was already engaged to Eric Nederlander,
who she met through her sister–the two had dated for
five years before marrying in June '98.
Right
after their honeymoon Jessica started seeing Seinfeld, and
the 35-year-old Nederlander soon got wind of it. "I figured
it out," he says. "I put some pieces together. It was a big
shock." And, he admits his confrontation with his wife was
unpleasant, to say the least. But that didn't stop the feisty
28-year-old from dumping her new hubby to plunge into romance
with America's funniest bachelor. Nederlander may have been
devastated, but "with the support of family and friends" he
shortly put himself on the market again and is now dating.
His view on relationships? "I’m still very positive,
this is just an unfortunate event. It doesn’t tarnish
my image of marriage and family." Nederlander threw himself
into producing a new independent flick called Echo,
which he'll be touting at film fests.
But
insiders were skeptical that the Jerry & Jessica Show
would last given Seinfeld’s recent shake-up. His four-year
stint with designer–then college coed–Shoshana Lonstein
had fizzled, followed by his announcement that the ninth season
of Seinfeld would be its last … could it be because
of Jerry's belief in numerology and obsession with the number
nine???! Close friends were stunned when the twosome wed right
after Jessica's speedy divorce.
The
Seinfeld-Sklar union took place on Christmas day 1999 at a
downtown Manhattan penthouse with 40 friends and family members
by their side. Soon after Seinfeld announced Jessica was three
months pregnant and due in October. "We're going to name
him Elian Gonzalez–and we're going to raise him a Cuban,"
he wisecracked, beaming.
These
days the newlyweds have been grabbing the limelight in the
Hamptons, starting by hosting the American Cancer Society
gala in Bridgehampton. Seinfeld still performs in various
Manhattan comedy clubs. I guess once a comic, always a comic.
Looks like he's come full circle–only $$$millions later.
Jerry and the ever-expanding Jessica can be seen strolling
(sans stroller but not for long) on the Upper West Side, shopping
at Prada, dining at Pastis, or tooling around the Hamptons
in one of his many Porsches. It's one thing to be funny, another
to be happy … and Jerry and Jessica seem to have both–for
the moment, anyhow! The Sheet will keep you posted.
JJ
Joel's
14-acre Amagansett super-spread. The buzz goes, the rocker
was guiding the jokester and recent bride Jessica Sklar around
the beachfront showplace when Seinfeld asked Joel if he ever
thought of selling it. "Sure," Billy remarked, "for $40 million."
"How about thirty?" Jerry quipped, and … Joel's now the
one laughing all the way to the bank.
