Yahoo News Ex-Yankee Reveals Residual Checks For 'Seinfeld' Episode, And They Are Surprising
New York Yankees broadcaster Paul O’Neill laughed as he told colleagues Thursday how much he makes in royalties for a “Seinfeld” episode he appeared on in 1995. (Watch the video below.)
During the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to Houston, the former outfielder was asked by fellow YES Network announcer David Cone if he still received residual checks from the classic sitcom.
“Yeah,” O’Neill answered. “You know what they are? They’re like 57 bucks.”
O’Neill let the paltry amount sink in as he chuckled.
“It’s not big-time,” he allowed. “A good reminder, though, that you were on the show. It’s kinda cool.”
“That’s a glass of wine for you in a nice restaurant,” play-by-play lead Michael Kay said.
“That’s a good point,” replied O’Neill.
"Do you still get residual checks for being on [Seinfeld]?" - David Cone
"Yeah, you know what they are? They're like 57 bucks. It's not big time. It's a good reminder, though, that you were on the show. It's kinda cool." - Paul O'Neill ⚾️📺🎙️💰 pic.twitter.com/mHPTKoAlll— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 9, 2024
O’Neill, a five-time All-Star who played for the Yankees from 1993 to 2001, played himself on a 1995 “Seinfeld” episode in which Kramer (Michael Richards) promises a sick child that O’Neill would hit two home runs for him. When Kramer invades the team locker room and tells O’Neill of the pledge he made to the kid without the player’s consent, O’Neill understandably objects. “It’s hard to hit home runs,” he said.
O’Neill’s residual earnings from the sitcom are a far cry from what former New York Mets star Keith Hernandez gets for a larger role on the show. Hernandez, who strikes up a bromance with Jerry and dates Elaine in back-to-back episodes of “Seinfeld” in 1992, said in 2015 that he received $3,000 in royalties annually for his multiple appearances. He also turned up in the series finale.
