{alltv} Seinfeld blamed for marriage end

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

{alltv} Seinfeld blamed for marriage end

A former contestant on Jerry Seinfeld's hit reality TV show The Marriage Ref has blamed the comedian and his popular series for allegedly wrecking his marriage.

Howie Kohlenberg, 47, from New York, appeared in the show's debut episode last year with his wife, Christine, in an attempt to save their relationship. But Kohlenberg is adamant their marriage crumbled following their appearance on the TV program, which saw them discuss their problems with a celebrity panel made up of Seinfeld, Eva Longoria and Tina Fey.

Kohlenberg claims producers fuelled Christine's desire for a new life without him and he is blaming executive producer and co-creator Seinfeld for the eventual break down of their relationship.

He tells the New York Post, "The headline should read, 'Jerry Seinfeld ruined my life: the danger of reality shows'... Jerry, Mr. Billionaire, I blame. And his show... The people on the show were pumping us up, saying, 'You're going to wake up and be stars. You're going to be famous and make money'... I'm not saying our marriage was perfect, but it put it in a whole new direction. It was the nail in the coffin... Everybody thinks reality shows are glamorous - you're going to get rich, and it's going to be the next Jersey Shore... They make you jump through hoops, the bottom line is they don't give a s**t. You're just another number."

But Seinfeld is showing no remorse over the allegations, telling the New York Daily News, "I love it, I love, I love it! When people get upset I enjoy it. That he's having problems, and blaming me, it's all - anything that alleviates the withering, blithering boredom of existence I'm in favour of."