Jerry Seinfeld is known mostly for his run in the nine-season show Seinfeld he created alongside Larry David.
The show has won countless awards and still – three decades later – remains a cultural classic.
But alongside Seinfeld’s fame, his past also stands the test of time – something that became especially evident as fans resurfaced an old picture of the actor when he was 38 years old walking alongside his then-18-year-old girlfriend.
Seinfeld, now 71, started dating Shoshanna Lonstein (now Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss) when she attended the all-girls Nightingale-Bamford School in Manhattan.
The two were rumored to have met in Central Park.
The couple dated from 1993 to 1997, during which Shoshanna even transferred from George Washington University to UCLA to be with Seinfeld.
Eventually the couple broke up, and Shoshanna cited the overwhelming press coverage and the fact that she missed New York as the reason.
And even though it’s been about 28 years since the relationship ended, Seinfeld fans and critics still remain disturbed by the fact that a 38-year-old man would have a romantic relationship with someone in high school.
Jerry Seinfeld was romantically linked to Shoshanna Lonstein from 1993 to 1997
At the time of their relationship, Seinfeld was 38 years old and Shoshanna was an 18-year-old high school senior
While the former couple’s 20-year age gap is something that was side-eyed in the 90s, it wasn’t until recently that people started holding Seinfeld accountable for being involved with a teenager.
On a Reddit post where an old picture of Seinfeld and Shoshanna has gone viral, fans did not hold back when expressing their disgust and disapproval.
‘So gross, he really looks like a dad picking up his daughter from school,’ one Redditor commented under the photo.
‘Jerry Seinfeld is therefore a predatory a**hole,’ another said.
‘Screw him. Totally unacceptable. I don’t care how much consent there was nor if she was 17 or 18 – Jerry knows damn well he was in a position of great influence and power and was using a child for his sexual interests. Pathetic loser.’
While some Redditors tried to provide context about ‘the time back then,’ other users were quick to shut that down.
‘I’m sorry but what’s wrong with these men? Is it only the law that stops them from going lower?’ one user shared.
‘And people will be like oh this was back in the 70s/80s/90s, it was a different time. Like morals were only invented in the last ten years.’
While Seinfeld didn’t get much backlash about his age gap relationship then, resurfaced photos of the two are causing a splash now
Fans and critics of Seinfeld alike called him ‘gross’ and ‘predatory’ for the relationship
When Seinfeld was first questioned by Howard Stern about being photographed with Shoshanna, he claimed that ‘there was no way’ that she was that young.
Coming onto the show again later, he said, ‘I didn’t realize she was so young. This is the only girl I ever went out with who was that young. I wasn’t dating her. We just went to a restaurant, and that was it.’
Later on, once it was confirmed that they were in a serious relationship, Seinfeld said, ‘I am not an idiot. Shoshanna is a person, not an age. She is extremely bright. She’s funny, sharp, very alert. We just get along. You can hear the click.’
Neither of the two have commented on their relationship since their breakup.
And while these pictures have resurfaced time and time again, Seinfeld has never addressed them.
Daily Mail has reached out to Seinfeld for fresh comment.
