The producer of Jerry Seinfeld’s hit show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is suing the actor, saying it was not Jerry’s idea in the first place. Christian Charles says he pitched a show idea to Jerry in 2002, and claims it’s the basis for Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In his lawsuit, Charles says Jerry turned him down initially, saying he wasn’t interested in doing the show.
Charles claims Seinfeld called him again in 2011, and asked about the original concept — and they went on to shoot a pilot with Jerry in the driver’s seat. According to documents obtained by TMZ.com, Jerry and his team loved it, and came up with production budgets and marketing plans. The lawsuit claims that Seinfeld got angry that Charles was claiming ownership interest in the show, and wanted to be paid like it. Apparently Jerry then ditched him, and went on to produce the show without him.
He claims Jerry’s earning $750k per episode of the Netflix hit, and he wants a “created by” credit and financial compensation. Jerry’s attorney, Orin Snyder, responded in a statement, “This lawsuit is delusional. Jerry independently created Comedians in Cars and Mr Charles only concocted this claim after the show became a commercial success. We are confident that this shakedown lawsuit will go nowhere.”
