Jerry Seinfeld spoke about the passing of legendary comedian Jerry Stiller on SiriusXM’s What a Joke with Papa and Fortune.
Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
Stiller played Frank Costanza, father of George, on Seinfeld.
“[Stiller] had the most amazing comedic stuff that he—we didn’t know if he was planning it or it just came out that way, or he couldn’t remember the line, or we didn’t know what it was, but we did not want to disturb it in any way,” he said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “We never gave Jerry Stiller a note. I never adjusted his performance once. Whatever he did, that’s it. We’re putting that out there.”
Stiller also received acclaim for his role on the CBS comedy series The King of Queens.
“I am such a dedicated believer in if it’s funny, don’t touch it,” Seinfeld explained. “I don’t care why it’s funny. I don’t care what the line was supposed to be. He said it that way, we’re doing it that way.”
Seinfeld goes on to say that Stiller’s portrayal of Frank “so completes” the character of George Costanza.
Stiller passed away earlier this week at the age of 92.
“Jerry Stiller’s comedy will live forever,” Seinfeld wrote on Instagram, Monday.
[Via]