Let’s face it, everyone on Seinfeld is a jerk. Okay, except maybe for Kramer (Michael Richards), he’s just lovably weird. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) would be insufferable if they existed in real life. Thankfully, they’re just creations, even if George hits a little too close to home to series creator Larry David. They’re bad people, but that’s what makes them so hilarious to watch. They can be annoying with how self-centered they are, but none of those four are the most annoying character on the show. There are several supporting characters who could carry that mantle. Topping the list, however, is one man, a happy-go-lucky clueless dolt who Jerry can’t escape. He’s the absolute worst, a character so cringe-worthy that he gets some of Seinfeld‘s biggest laughs.
‘Seinfeld’ Has a Lot of Annoying Characters
Ask Jerry who the most annoying character is and he’s going to tell you that it’s his archenemy, Newman (Wayne Knight). The mailman might be Kramer’s best friend, but he’s no fan of Jerry. The feeling is mutual, with Jerry giving the guy a snide, “Hello, Newman” every time he opens the door and sees him. If it’s not him, Jerry will tell you it’s Ramon (Carlos Jacott), the pool guy from the episode titled, well, “The Pool Guy.” Ramon is a clinger, following Jerry around everywhere he goes, desperately wanting to be his friend. Jerry tries to put up with it until he snaps and tells Ramon he doesn’t want any more friends.
Kramer’s girlfriend, Toby (Veanne Cox), from the episode “The Fire” is especially infuriating. Not only does she talk so loud, her voice sending chills down your spine, but she has no issue with heckling Jerry during a show. She’s not the most annoying girlfriend, though. That distinction goes to George’s girlfriend-turned-fiancée Susan (Heidi Swedberg). She’s not annoying because of her personality, but because she’s a seemingly normal person putting up with George’s behavior. (Like, what are you doing, lady!?) As hard to put up with as these people can be, none of these people are the most annoying part of Seinfeld. That spot’s reserved for one man, and his name is Kenny Bania (Steve Hytner).
Jerry Seinfeld Can’t Shake Kenny Bania
The first time we meet Kenny Bania is in Season 6’s episode “The Soup.” No, this isn’t the one about the soup Nazi, though he does show up there as well. Kenny is a standup comedian just like Jerry, but not one that Seinfeld likes. When he walks into the diner where Jerry sits with George and Elaine, Seinfeld tells his friends that Bania is an “awful comedian.” He doesn’t come across as an awful person, though. He walks up to the table, excited to see Jerry, a big smile on his face. He’s also funny, talking about how he’s been working out. “Yeah, I’m huge.” He’s a nice guy too, offering Jerry a new Armani suit that doesn’t fit him anymore, which Jerry reluctantly takes. “I don’t even want anything for it,” Bania says to Kramer later at Jerry’s apartment. He tells Jerry he can take him out to dinner sometime for it, then leaves. Jerry isn’t thrilled, explaining to Kramer, “I don’t want to go out to dinner with him. I’d rather make my own soup.”
There’s no reason to dislike Bania so much, but the cast of Seinfeld seems to find fault with everyone. Yeah, the guy is a little weird, but he’s kind and happy. What’s so wrong with that? Later, Bania calls Jerry, asking if he can get his meal that day. Jerry gives in, and they meet at a nice restaurant called Mendy’s. It’s there everything heads south, as Kenny tells the waiter he’ll have soup. “I’ll save the meal for another time.” He’s completely oblivious to Jerry’s negative energy. Hello, can’t you tell that this guy does not like you? The two then get into an argument on whether soup is a meal or not. He guilts Jerry into having another meal with him some other time. When he later runs into Jerry at the diner, he squeezes into a booth next to George, not picking up on the signal that they don’t want him there. What ensues is another argument over whether this is or isn’t a meal. This wouldn’t be Kenny’s only episode. He appears in six total, with the next being “The Secretary.” It’s here that the meal war with Jerry continues. He gets Jerry to agree to two meals now. Bania doesn’t get that Jerry Seinfeld doesn’t like him. He likes Jerry, so much so that during the first meal he’s already talking about where they should go for the second.
Kenny Bania’s Clueless Energy Is Intolerable
Bania’s affection for soup has him next running into Jerry in the waiting line of the soup Nazi’s place in “The Soup Nazi.” Kenny raves about it. “It’s the best, Jerry, the best!” He says that a lot, so much that it pretty much became his catchphrase. He loves everything, and while that’s good for him, it’s too much for everyone else. His positive energy, instead of being infectious, is exhausting. Kenny Bania later showed up in Season 8’s “The Fatigues.” He’s heartbroken after his girlfriend broke up with him after seeing his act. “I’m the absolute worst, the worst, Jerry.” When Seinfeld tells him what he’s doing wrong, dismay turns to excitement as he asks Jerry to help him with his material. You can see just how much he respects Jerry. In a moment of pity, Jerry takes Kenny to his apartment to help the poor guy, and Seinfeld crafts the perfect joke for him. “Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round, the jar is round. They should call it Roundtine.” You think Bania’s going to hate it, but he loves anything Jerry does. “That’s gold, Jerry, gold!”
Jerry’s pity on Kenny Bania doesn’t last. The last time we meet him, outside of a cameo in the finale, is the Season 9 premiere “The Butter Shave.” Kenny runs into Seinfeld at a comedy club, again, with that excited, “Hey, Jerry!” How can one man be this amped up all the time? Bania’s career is on the upswing. His latest set killed. “I’m gonna pick up some chicks. Good looking ones too.” Who could possibly find his act funny? Jerry thinks the only reason Kenny got any laughs is because he performed after Jerry’s act. Then Jerry sees Bania with his ex, Jenna (Kristin Davis) and he can’t stand it. “He’s riding my coattails.” To counter this, Jerry bombs on purpose during his next show, even wearing rainbow suspenders. Follow that! Kenny’s next and bombs as well, but two NBC execs show up to talk to him about a possible show. “Looks like I’m following you again!” Bania says. He’s so happy in his own skin, and so utterly oblivious to what anyone else might feel around him.
Steve Hytner Was Perfect as ‘Seinfeld’s Kenny Bania
Kenny Bania might be annoying, but it’s in a fun way. He’s not annoying to the viewers of Seinfeld. You don’t see him come on screen and want to turn the TV off. Instead, you can’t wait to see how he frustrates Jerry next. That’s because of how actor Steve Hytner played him. In a 2019 interview with Today, Hytner himself called Kenny Bania “the most annoying person in the world.” It’s what it even said at the audition. Hytner landed the role by playing him differently than everyone else did during the audition. Every actor played Bania as a nasty person. “I quickly decided to make him adore Jerry.”
It wasn’t who the Seinfeld character was originally supposed to be, but “Larry and Jerry fell off the couch and loved it. And then the writers took off with it, and Bania became a lapdog.” That’s the perfect description. Kenny Bania is like that happy dog who wants to please its master no matter what. Unfortunately for Jerry, he’s the master. Kenny Bania might have ended up different from intended, but there couldn’t have been any other way. If Bania was a jerk, not only would he have been understandably annoying to Jerry, but he would have been annoying to the audience as well. They really would have turned their channels whenever he showed up. There were already enough jerks on Seinfeld. Kenny Bania was annoying for not being one. It was gold!
The Big Picture
- Kenny Bania is the most annoying character on Seinfeld, with his clueless and energetic demeanor. He adores Jerry and is oblivious to Jerry’s dislike for him.
- Actor Steve Hytner played Kenny Bania in a fun and endearing way, making him an enjoyable character to watch despite his annoying habits.
- Kenny Bania’s character was originally intended to be nasty, but Hytner’s portrayal made him a lovable lapdog to Jerry, adding a unique dynamic to the show.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
