# Seinfeld: Kramer's "Coffee table" book-Did it get Published? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [January 7, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273 "2009-01-07T20:12:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/1 "2009-01-07T20:12:01Z")
I was watching that rerun, but was interrupted. Did Kramer ever get his bizarre idea realized 9a coffe table book about coffee tables)? How much did he make off it? ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/2 "2009-01-07T20:19:54Z")
I think it was published but they canceled his publicity tour after the debacle on the Regis and Kathy Lee show. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/3 "2009-01-07T20:27:12Z")
Short answer: no. Long answer: in a later episode, the publishing company president (who was Elaine’s boss at the time) committed an unintentional faux pas with some visiting Japanese businessmen who had just bought the company. He had a cold and, having no handkerchief or Kleenex, sneezed into his hands. The Japanese group (which spoke no English) then approached him and held out their hands to shake his. He deferred motioning that he had cold germs. The Japenese–thinking he was referring to _them_ having germs–took this as an insult and had him fired. Since he was the person who OK’d Kramer’s “Coffee table” book, the project was canceled and Elaine was canned because she was assigned to oversee it. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/4 "2009-01-07T20:33:42Z")
In a later episode, Kramer discovers his coffee-table book in Barnes & Noble’s “Remaindered Books” section. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/5 "2009-01-07T20:39:54Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Short answer: no. > > Long answer: in a later episode, the publishing company president (who was Elaine’s boss at the time) committed an unintentional faux pas with some visiting Japanese businessmen who had just bought the company. He had a cold and, having no handkerchief or Kleenex, sneezed into his hands. The Japanese group (which spoke no English) then approached him and held out their hands to shake his. He deferred motioning that he had cold germs. The Japenese–thinking he was referring to _them_ having germs–took this as an insult and had him fired. Since he was the person who OK’d Kramer’s “Coffee table” book, the project was canceled and Elaine was canned because she was assigned to oversee it. Elaine could’ve prevented the faux pas since her boss left his handkerchief in her office, but her mouth was full of Jujyfruits (left over from when she bought them at the movie theater before leaving to visit her date in the hospital) and she couldn’t say a word. This episode (where George is Mr. Opposite and gets his Yankee dream job) is my favorite from the entire \*Seinfeld \*series. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/6 "2009-01-07T21:22:56Z")
Not published, but produced. IIRC, it ended up being turned into a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/7 "2009-01-07T21:53:02Z")
- Can’t you see what’s happened? I’ve become George! Don’t say that. It’s true. I’m George! I’m **George!** \* ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/8 "2009-01-07T22:28:32Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > - > > Can’t you see what’s happened? I’ve become George! > > Don’t say that. > > It’s true. I’m George! I’m **George!** > \* Yes, that was the episode where Jerry observed that on the rare occasion when things went right for George, they would have to go badly for Elaine. (Jerry also said things always evened out for him personally and I’m not sure if he ever factored Kramer into the equation. I was kind of hoping that would be reflected in how things turned out for the characters in the final episode but, alas, that was not to be.) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/9 "2009-01-07T22:45:11Z")
> [@pilot141](#): > > I think it was published but they canceled his publicity tour after the debacle on the Regis and Kathy Lee show. I agree it must’ve been published as why would he go on Regis and Kathy Lee to promote a non-published work. All that was suggested was that Kramer not do any more publicity for it. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/10 "2009-01-07T22:50:37Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > … 9a coffe table book about coffee tables)? … **I will buy you a new keyboard!** ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/11 "2009-01-07T23:09:24Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Short answer: no. > > Long answer: in a later episode, the publishing company president (who was Elaine’s boss at the time) committed an unintentional faux pas with some visiting Japanese businessmen who had just bought the company. He had a cold and, having no handkerchief or Kleenex, sneezed into his hands. The Japanese group (which spoke no English) then approached him and held out their hands to shake his. He deferred motioning that he had cold germs. The Japenese–thinking he was referring to _them_ having germs–took this as an insult and had him fired. Since he was the person who OK’d Kramer’s “Coffee table” book, the project was canceled and Elaine was canned because she was assigned to oversee it. He wasn’t fired. The Japanese hadn’t bought the company yet, and he said that without the merger that the company would go under. So they decided not to buy, and the company got shut down. So I think it was published (since it was picked up for a movie later), but only so many went out before the company shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/12 "2009-01-07T23:27:40Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Yes, that was the episode where Jerry observed that on the rare occasion when things went right for George, they would have to go badly for Elaine. (Jerry also said things always evened out for him personally and I’m not sure if he ever factored Kramer into the equation. I was kind of hoping that would be reflected in how things turned out for the characters in the final episode but, alas, that was not to be.) I refuse to believe that the final episode ever happened. Such a let-down in almost every way. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/13 "2009-01-07T23:42:35Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > I refuse to believe that the final episode ever happened. Such a let-down in almost every way. Yes, the very last line of the series should be “Somebody remember where we parked.” from the Puerto Rican Day Parade. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/14 "2009-01-07T23:48:32Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Yes, the very last line of the series should be “Somebody remember where we parked.” from the Puerto Rican Day Parade. And I’ll say it again: Kramer and Newman should’ve gotten their own show. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/15 "2009-01-07T23:51:33Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > And I’ll say it again: Kramer and Newman should’ve gotten their own show. I hope you’re not thinking about that Michigan bottle scam again. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/16 "2009-01-08T00:04:21Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I hope you’re not thinking about that Michigan bottle scam again. “Newman, you beautiful bastard, you’ve _done it_!!!” ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/17 "2009-01-08T00:29:10Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > He wasn’t fired. The Japanese hadn’t bought the company yet, and he said that without the merger that the company would go under. So they decided not to buy, and the company got shut down. > > So I think it was published (since it was picked up for a movie later), but only so many went out before the company shut down. Thanks, it’s been awhile since I saw the episode so I forgot about that detail (which actually makes more sense than what I thought). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/18 "2009-01-08T08:36:07Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I agree it must’ve been published as why would he go on Regis and Kathy Lee to promote a non-published work. > > All that was suggested was that Kramer not do any more publicity for it. yeah.. he definitely showed up with a copy of a book on the Regis and Kathy Lee show… Remember, it had little legs that you could fold out to make your coffee table book a coffee table itself. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/19 "2009-01-08T08:40:21Z")
> [@The\_Tof](#): > > yeah.. he definitely showed up with a copy of a book on the Regis and Kathy Lee show… Remember, it had little legs that you could fold out to make your coffee table book a coffee table itself. Yep. “I told you that guy’s bonkos!” The banter between Kathy Lee and Regis is priceless in that episode. They talk about him like two old aunts at a holiday gathering. I never paid attention to them until watching it for about the 100th time. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seinfeld-kramers-coffee-table-book-did-it-get-published/480273/20 "2009-01-08T08:44:56Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Yes, the very last line of the series should be “Somebody remember where we parked.” from the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The last episode could have worked, but they had it backwards. That guy who they got arrested for not helping? That was the best thing that ever happened to him. All the old guest stars at the trial should have been witnesses for the defense, not the prosecution, describing how Jerry’s (et al) attempts to help them had screwed up their lives.