Comedian Jerry Seinfeld last sat down with Fresh Air in September 1987, before his TV series made him an international celebrity.
Now he's back, and in a big way: Bee Movie, the animated comedy he's written and produced for DreamWorks, opens this Friday. (Watch clips.) It's about Barry B. Benson, a bee who learns about life outside the hive — and eventually sues humanity for stealing honey.
Seinfeld begins his conversation with Fresh Air guest host Dave Davies with an observation on the difference between writing a screenplay and doing stand-up comedy.
"The trouble with it is, you have this story — which is such a nuisance," Seinfeld says. "You know, in stand-up you just tell the funny part. But in a movie, the audience demands that you tell them some sort of story that makes sense. And this is a tremendous handicap for me."
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