Jacopo Peterman (normally referred to as J. Peterman or simply Peterman) is a secondary character on the television show Seinfeld. He is played by John O'Hurley.
Background
Peterman is the eccentric but fun owner of the J. Peterman Catalog sales company and is also Elaine Benes' boss during her employment there. She meets him in "The Understudy", the last episode of season six.
Despite being an owner of a well known catalog; J. Peterman seems to have very awkward social skills and personality, such as the time he moved to Burma to settle his problems. He seems to have very few friends outside of his business.
In "The Secret Code," J. Peterman meets Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza.
In "The Van Buren Boys," Peterman meets Cosmo Kramer and buys his life stories from him.
In "The Finale, Part 2," J. Peterman attends the trial of Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer. When Marla Penny mentioned about the "contest" the four had to see who can go a day without masturbating, J. Peterman quoted "For the love of god." In a deleted scene, he meets David Puddy before the trial by quoting "You must be the boyfriend, the man behind the emerald curtain." "Yeah, that's right."
Appearances
Season Six
Season Seven
- "The Secret Code"
- "The Caddy"
- "The Shower Head"
- "The Friar's Club"
- "The Bottle Deposit" (Parts 1 and 2)
Season Eight
- "The Foundation"
- "The Chicken Roaster"
- "The Money"
- "The Comeback"
- "The Van Buren Boys"
- "The Susie"
- "The English Patient"
- "The Muffin Tops"
- "The Summer of George"
Season Nine
- "The Merv Griffin Show"
- "The Apology"
- "The Cartoon"
- "The Bookstore"
- "The Frogger"
- "The Finale" (part 2 only)
Trivia
- John Peterman and his catalog, called J. Peterman, are real. Although the company is based in Lexington, Kentucky, not New York City, the character in the show resembles the way John Peterman talks and the actual catalog is spiced with tangential prose in the descriptions of the products—hard-to-find clothing and accessories (just as portrayed on the show).