It’s been over 20 years since Wayne Knight last played antagonistic mailman Newman on Seinfeld, but some characters will never quite slip out of the collective pop cultural memory. This week, Knight revisited the character in a political advertisement that served two purposes: raising an alarm over the issues facing the US Postal Service and urging people to vote — whether by mail or in person.
In the ad, Knight lamented the recent changes facing the USPS, even as he engaged in behavior that would likely be frowned upon in most post offices. This included devouring cookies from within an envelope and eating what appeared to be a turkey drumstick while on duty.
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By the end of the episode, two sinister figures had hauled off the mailbox behind Knight and Knight had made the case for voting — whether by mail, early or on Election Day itself.
The result is a strange blend of the sincere and the satirical, but Knight’s comic timing and outsized personality make it eminently watchable. It’s not a Seinfeld reunion — but at the very least, it’s a return of a memorable character in all but name.
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