Elaine: So, it’s nothing. Forget it, forget it, I just find it curious.
Jake: What’s so curious about it?
Elaine: Well, I mean if one of your close friends had a baby and I left you a message about it, I would use an exclamation point.
Jake: Well, maybe I don’t use my exclamation points as haphazardly as you do.
Elaine: You don’t think that someone having a baby warrants an exclamation point.
Jake: Hey, I just chalked down the message. I didn’t know I was required to capture the mood of each caller.
Elaine: I just thought you would be a little more excited about a friend of mine having a baby.
Jake: Ok, I’m excited. I just don’t happen to like exclamation points.
Elaine: Well, you know Jake, you should learn to use them. Like the way I’m talking right now, I would put an exclamation points at the end of all these sentences! On this one! And on that one!
Jake: Well, you can put one on this one: I’m leaving!
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Marty Rackham in the superlative and still much referenced sitcom Seinfeld. The link above also has two funny scenes that follow on from that. I’ve always been a huge fan of the show, and among my many posts on the ‘show about nothing’, are a quote from the book Seinfeldia, a Gr8at of Jerry Seinfeld and in one of my first ever posts, an overall review of the show itself.
I love this one! So clever! Elaine is the best. And the whole exchange made me more aware of all the exclamation points I use when writing.
You’re great! I knew you would!
Mr O and my brother LOVE Seinfeld but I just don’t really get it. It’s too “cringey” for me.
Next time I see you I am so going to convince you! You can bring those mint choc chip cookies as my reward 😉
Haha – some books I’ve read have waaaay too many exclamation points. Oh and:
!!!!!!
😉
It is a great show of emotion!