George is Getting Upset! Exit, Stage Right For Seinfeld Actor Over Twitter Blue Tick Loss

As the saying goes, the smaller the stakes, the greater the outrage. And for former Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander, the stakes are very, very small.

First, they came for the politicians, and I said nothing. Then they came for the celebrities, and, well, you’ve gotta draw a line somewhere, right?

Jason Alexander, the actor who played the lovably repulsive George Costanza on the hit 90s sitcom Seinfeld is upset. Very upset. In a series of tweets yesterday, Alexander expressed his outrage at having his ‘blue tick verification’ removed by Twitter. So in response, he’s taken his bat, his ball and his outer space-sized ego, and gone home… to Instagram.

By way of background, shortly after purchasing Twitter earlier this year, owner Elon Musk – unarguably the world’s wealthiest and most powerful troll – announced that users who want a ‘blue tick’ (a verification that they are who they say they are) will have to pay $8 per month.

That’s right $8 per month. Or if you extrapolate that out to a year, that’s nearly $100,000… no wait, sorry, $96.

In any event, this week the Twitter police came for Jason Alexander. He was reportedly at home at the time in his gazillion dollar Beverley Hills mansion, covered in Lindt chocolate and surrounded by satin pillows and small dogs.

In fact, Twitter came for all legacy accounts with the old blue tick verification, ending the free ride for (and creating widespread angst amongst) celebrities, public officials and journalists, who were no longer entirely sure who they were, or whether or not they remained publicly relevant. Alexander – with almost three quarters of a million Twitter followers – was particularly upset. And so he took action. By tweeting.

“Ok everyone. Twitter has removed my verification. I will no longer be posting on this app. Anyone who posts as me is an imposter. I wish you all well.”

Ok everyone. Twitter has removed my verification. I will no longer be posting on this app. Anyone who posts as me is an imposter. I wish you all well.

— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 21, 2023

But in a Costanza-esque move, Alexander returned a short time later: “One last – I’m on Spoutible and Insta. Take care all.”

One last- I’m on Spoutible and Insta. Take care all.

— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 21, 2023

And with that, the actor who popularised the phrase, ‘The sea was angry that day my friends… like an old man trying to send soup back at the deli’, was gone. Forever.

‘Forever’ being roughly 24 hours… whereupon he triumphantly returned.

“Friends told me my blue verified check was restored. Don’t know why. I’ve paid nothing. I gave no number. @StephenKing reported same. My account remains so no one steals the account name. And I can tell you this madness hasn’t happened on Insta or Spoutible.”

Friends told me my blue verified check was restored. Dont know why. I've paid nothing. I gave no number. @StephenKing reported same. My account remains so no one steals the account name. And I can tell you this madness hasn't happened on Insta or Spoutible.

— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 22, 2023

Because, you know, Jason Alexander is as famous as Stephen King, one of the best-selling authors in global history. In the immortal words of George Costanza, “Remember, it’s not a lie if you believe it.”

Firstly, Alexander’s blue tick hasn’t been restored, at least not yet. It is visible on some operating systems, but not on others, so the ‘restoration’ is most likely a temporary bug. Secondly, here was @StephenKing’s response to his blue tick being removed, which took the high road, rather than ‘Costanza Avenue’.

“I think Mr. Musk should give my blue check to charity. I recommend the Prytula Foundation, which provides lifesaving services in Ukraine. It’s only $8, so perhaps Mr. Musk could add a bit more.”

I think Mr. Musk should give my blue check to charity. I recommend the Prytula Foundation, which provides lifesaving services in Ukraine. It's only $8, so perhaps Mr. Musk could add a bit more.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) April 22, 2023

Note the lack of a blue verified tick (on some operating systems). And the class.

Alexander earned a fortune during Seinfeld’s run, reportedly being paid $1 million an episode by the end of the nine-season run. But his outrage isn’t at Twitter wanting to charge him $8 a month for what used to be a free service. It appears to be that someone might pretend to be him, a fear he shared in a suitably dramatic and verbose Tweet.

“Friends, there are bigger issues in the world than the blue verified tick next to my name on this account. But without it, anyone can allege to be me. So, if I lose that tick know I will leave this platform. Anyone appearing with it = an imposter. I tell you this while I’m still official.”

Setting aside the fact Alexander sounds like an 8^th century Knight in the Court of Camelot fighting for the preservation of a virgin’s dignity, over on Instagram Alexander does still enjoy a ‘blue tick’. But he also has around 710,000 less followers… about 20,700 followers, to be more precise. So, you know, that’s probably not going to be enough to prop up the ego. Although his blurb is an apparently unironic biblical quote: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6-7

God may well do that, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to help Alexander much. Maybe he should stick to Seinfeld quotes… perhaps, “The jerk store called and they’re running out of you.”