Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Turned Down Jerry Seinfeld's 'Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee' Pitch
Seinfeld interviews a different comedian each episode while driving in a classic car and sipping coffee in various diners and cafes.
The show's sole sponsor is Acura, and it's been a partnership that Seinfeld has embraced by writing and directing goofy ads. These car commercials, along with the occasional product placement, have been seen by tens of millions of viewers.
Seinfeld even got an honorary Clio award from the ad industry for his Acura ads (an award he accepted with plenty of biting satire).
But before Acura, Seinfeld tells Brian Williams in an interview for NBC Nightly News, he envisioned a Starbucks partnership. He explains how one day he called Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and sent him the 10 pilot episodes that would become the first season:
If it wasn't for Acura, the whole show never would have happened. I made 10, we took it around. My favorite conversation was with Howard Schultz at Starbucks. I called him personally. I said, "Howard, I made this show. It seems like this is maybe something we could do together." I sent him the show, we got back on the phone, and he said, "I don't really see the connection." I said, "Are there other people coming in your office pitching other shows with 'coffee' in the title?" I mean, I went everywhere. You'd be surprised, Brian, how little my name means.
Perhaps Schultz couldn't stand to see Seinfeld and his guests drink anything but Starbucks coffee. But Acura is just fine with the comedians driving other cars.