New Bill in Jersey Taken Right from a Seinfeld Episode – Watch
Who can forget “Seinfeld – The Show About Nothing?” Jerry’s sitcom is still raking in viewers and money years after the last episode was filmed through reruns.
And now “the show about nothing” is making something happen in politics!
New Jersey lawmakers are looking to pass a new bill targeting the conduct of telemarketers, and the whole idea was taken from the hit 90s sitcom.
The legislation will require telemarketing representatives to identify themselves and declare what they are selling within the first 30 seconds of starting the phone call.
The sponsors of the bill have called it the “Seinfeld Bill,” with a direct reference to a popular scene from the show.
In the third episode of the show’s fourth season (“The Pitch”), Jerry turns the tables on a telemarketer. He grows irate because of the long-winded interruption from the salesperson making the call.
“Why don’t you give me your home number and I’ll call you later?” Seinfeld asks the caller.
“Uh, well I’m sorry, we’re not allowed to do that,” the telemarketer replies.
“Oh, I guess you don’t want people calling you at home,” Seinfeld says.
“No,” the caller responds.
“Well, now you know how I feel,” Seinfeld concludes, hanging up the phone.
Classic Seinfeld.
Senator Jon Bramnick from R-District 21 knows how Jerry felt and is speaking up for citizens who are being interrupted over and over again.
“I think it is extremely offensive for somebody to call you, whose trying to sell you something, and won’t answer a question about who they are, where they’re located and what their phone number is,” Branmick said. “I find it shocking. And then the minute you do ask those questions, they basically hang up.”
The bill would also restrict the calls made by telemarketers so that only came between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
This is not anything, it’s really something.