I’m not an avid Seinfeld watcher but I enjoy the show, however I always wondered how Kramer paid the rent? I know he had a few odd jobs, but he must have done something routinely, right? I seem to remember an episode where someone said something like Kramer fell ass backwards in money… Anyone know about this?
Kramer worked in a bagel shop, but he had been on strike for about 12 years 
There was an episode on the subject, IIRC.
In one episode, Kramer returned to a job at a bagel shop, which he had left because of a strike that had started over 10 years in the past. He didn’t last long at that job.
The point is that he is one of those people who never appears to work, yet seems to be able to take care of himself well.
I remember George sitting in the coffee shop making the comment that Kramer feel ass backwards into money. Other than working at a bagel shop where he was on strike for…what was it? 12 years? I don’t recall what kind of paying job he had.
let’s remember though, the show was a little different when it first started. it also wasn’t as popular in it’s first 3 years, so you and I may not have seen what he was doing in the begining.
Kenny Kramer spoke about this when I took his NY City tour. Kenny Kramer is the “real” Kramer, on which the Kramer character is based. Before the debut of the show, Kenny was a stand up comedian, but Larry David decided to make the Kramer character more of a schemer and plotter, and just picking up odd jobs when he really needed money. They both agreed that in real life someone like that wouldn’t be able to afford a Manhattan apartment.
AFAIK, I have seen every episode of Seinfeld (several times), and can never remember Kramer having any sort of a steady job (i.e. lasting for more than one show). He did have a number of money-making ventures, though, like the coffee table book.
I wish I knew his secret! Then again, since he always ate Jerry’s food and “borrowed” Jerry’s clothes, his expenses were probably not too high to begin with.
Also in the first show Jerry said that Kramer hadn’t left the building in something like 8 or 10 years.
Successful attempts:
He did work as an actor in California for quite some time, but not what you’d call regular work. He had a very successful day at the races once.
Failed attempts:
He did have that office job, but he never really worked there, he just walked in. He and Newman did take all those bottles to Michigan but then he tossed them all out the back to chase the mechanic who stole Jerry’s car. He did sell his stories to Peterman but gave the money back. He did bring in those Cubans who weren’t really Cubans so nothing came of that. He gave movie info out over the phone but no money. He sold records but they all broke in a fight. He was going to sell clothes to Rudy’s but got in a fight with both Rudy and Morty. He almost made a lot of money betting on plane arrivals.
Maybe it had something to do with Bob Sakamano. Maybe it was all those women that the kevorka got for him that kept him up, sugar mammas. Or maybe he really was Pennypacker, a wealthy industrialist.
Maybe neither had ever heard of rent control. I have friends who are still paying $120/mo. for a two bedroom apartment in midtown.
From SeinFAQ:
3.2 How does Kramer support himself?
Kramer won $18,000 ($600 at 30 to 1) on a horse (named Papa Nick) when he got a tip on the subway in “the Subway”.
This, combined with his Coffee Table book royalties and whatever he made as a Calvin Klein underwear model, plus
the fact that his apartment is rent-controlled and he gets most of his food free from Jerry’s refrigerator, means Kramer
never has a money problem.
Also he could have earned some money in Los Angeles in “The Trip” by apperaring on ‘Murphy Brown’. Kramer may have also received some sort of payment for being on strike [The Strike].
He acted out diseases for medical students to diagnose [The Burning"). Kramer also played Santa [The Race"). Kramer also poses
in police line-ups for $50 [“The Beard”] and once worked as a stand-in on “All My Children”. In “The Muffin Tops”, Kramer charged $37.50
for a ride on the “Peterman Reality Tour”.
On TV Tome’s Seinfeld pages you can read the episode synopsis and find out that Kramer has had several business ideas. Osiris has listed some of them but there are many more (mainly unsuccessful ones).
I don’t remember where I have got the notion but I believe as glowbug points out that Kramer had rent control.
Kramer also appeared in a Woody Allen movie. His one line in the film was “Boy, these pretzels are salty!”.
Wasn’t Kramer a successful “hand” Model at one time.
I think that was George
Actually, I believe it was George who was the hand model, but Kramer also, for at least a half a trip, ran the Hansom Cab deally with the farting horse.
[nitpick]
The line was “These pretzels are making me thirsty.” And besides he blew that one too…
[/nitpick]
When I woke up this morning, I really had NO idea I’d be using the phrase “farting horse” today. Whoda thunkit.
Kramer was president and CEO of Kramerica Industries, which if I’m not mistaken, is a Fortune 500 company.
Did he receive any royalties after Calvin Kline stole his idea for “The Beach” cologne?
This is more appropriate to Cafe Society than GQ, so I’ll move it.
bibliophage
moderator GQ