[William A. Baurle]

At about 10 minutes in, William Shatner and Jason Alexander start talking about Jason and his wife trying to make a baby, and the conversation takes a really intriguing turn.

Warning: 'Woo' ahead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsqKMDOR0mI

[Ann Drysdale]

I watched that and wish I hadn't. I knew Shatner from Star Trek but had never heard of the other man. So I looked him up. And wish I hadn't.

There is a whole world out there in which I have no part. I'd heard of "Seinfeld" but have never seen any of it. The fact that producers of popular television think that millions of viewers would be interested in the intimate details of a stranger's marriage horrified me - because they wouldn't think such a thing if financial returns hadn't already proved it true. I was worried about his wife and how she'd feel about the world listening-in on what was being presented as intimate man-chat.

But you asked a question, William, and I tried to find an honest answer. In search of it I looked up Frank Andrews and found him to be one of the best-known psychic practitioners in America. He's been involved in the lives of many great media personalities. I don't suppose for one moment this couple's childlessness was a secret and even if they'd just appeared on his brownstone doorstep on spec, as someone with a finger on the media pulse, he'd have recognised them at once - the height discrepancy alone is a bit of a give-away.

And whom would he recommend? Probably the best-known doctor in the field of reproductive health - Richard Paulson, repeatedly voted one of the best doctors in America.

No, it's not wow in the sense of being an inexplicable wonder. Nor is it entirely woo.

What it is is ooooh. A saleable commodity.

Perhaps I shouldn't have commented since I knew nothing of any of these people (apart from J. Tiberius Kirk) before today, so do feel free to ignore this.

[Roger Slater]

It's amazing to me when I learn that fine actors (and I think Jason Alexander is a fine actor, not just for Seinfeld but for other roles) are so stupid.

Basically, he's giving a psychic credit for the conception of his children when all the psychic did, by his own admission, was come up with a fragment of a common name and say things looked good.

And Jason Alexander asks us to take at face value the idea that the psychic didn't know who he was, even though Jason Alexander was a star of one of the most successful television programs in history, as well as an actor in many commercial movies, and the psychic (as Ann points out) pretty much traffics in famous media clientele.

[Michael Cantor]

My first question is why would anybody bother to watch the first ten minutes of this thing? You could have cleaned your fingernails or something.

[Jim Moonan]

I may have gotten to the bottom of this...

https://youtu.be/uH5IMv2jeuk

[Allen Tice]

If I agree with Michael, I hope he won't agree with me.

[William A. Baurle]

Sorry folks.

[Ann Drysdale]

Why are you sorry, William? What had you hoped for in the replies?

When I said I wished I hadn't watched the clip it was because it reflected a side of mass entertainment that I find disturbing. Maybe this is not to my credit.

I learned a lot during the investigation of the people, but I am only too well aware that Google is not the ultimate arbiter in matters of truth, while being a magnificent manipulator of opinion. Was there more that you hoped we'd find?

I, for one, don't think you have anything to apologise for. If I gave you that impression, then I'm sorry, too.

[William A. Baurle]

I'm sorry because I thought it might be an interesting topic of discussion. I'm simply no good at starting discussion threads on boards like these.

[Jim Moonan]

I enjoyed the interview -- even the first 10 minutes which I found to be a remarkable recollection of childhood.

I've always liked the comedic work of Jason Alexander and found this story of his and his wife's search for fertility to be fascinating if not entirely accurate. Ann's research seems to shed doubt on it but then again google searching can be a form of unintended cherry-picking.

I also found William Shatner to be a very engaging interviewer (I don't know much about him, never have been a start Trek fan, etc.)

But what I found most unusual was the yin/yang seating arrangement! Imagine if all cafes/meeting places/homes, etc. had a one of these for those times when you must be eyeball to eyeball with someone! Thanks for the interesting post.