Seinfeld's Elaine Benes, Explained: Comedy’s Unconventional Feminist Heroine

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Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes is one of the most iconic and hilarious characters of the 90s – played by the comedy legend, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She stood out for being the only woman of the friend group, but also because she was (at least at first) also less cynical than her friends. Her confidence and unapologetic attitude were refreshing and radical, and her character opened the door for so many of our faves that followed after. So let’s turn back the clock and analyze what made Elaine so different, why she became such an iconic and beloved character, and how, even if she wasn’t always a great person, she still managed to be a new kind of role model.


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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:37 Equally flawed and fabulous
02:27 Choosing herself no matter what
05:10 Thanks to Zoc Doc!
06:56 Changing the on screen convo about relationships
10:06 Working her way to the top
15:29 The queen of enough is enough
16:51 Why Elaine was a trail blazer



The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was written by Stevie Lazarus, narrated by Charly Bivona, produced by Jessica Babineaux, and edited by Travis Martin