Lloyd Braun was a recurring fictional character on Seinfeld. Braun grew up with George Costanza. George's mother often pushed him to be more like Lloyd Braun, saying, "Why can't you be more like Lloyd Braun?" Lloyd is played first by actor Peter Keleghan ("The Non-Fat Yogurt"), then by actor Matt McCoy.
Story
Lloyd suffered a nervous breakdown after his work on David Dinkins’ election campaign for Mayor of New York City was unsuccessful. This directly contradicts his admitted insanity from the his use of the"serenity now" tapes. He also dated, for a time, Jerry’s friend and former lover, Elaine Benes. It was Elaine who suggested the bad advice that may have led to the failed election campaign ("The Non-Fat Yogurt"). Following the Dinkins campaign, Lloyd spent time in an institution after a dismembered family was discovered in his freezer.
Following the breakdown Lloyd became very paranoid. He helped Jerry’s friend, Cosmo Kramer, in his attempt to gain historical status for a movie theater. He also helped hook Jerry up with a chewing gum supplier in Chinatown (getting him almost one hundred dollars worth of the stuff) and told Jerry and Kramer that Elaine should get herself a boyfriend when he caught her unfastening an antique button off movie historian Mr. Haarwood's shirt. Kramer stood up for Lloyd when a wise-cracking theater employee questioned Lloyd's sanity for wanting to eat a decomposing hot dog that appeared to have come from the silent movie era.("The Gum")
In the final season Lloyd worked for a short time for Costanza's father, Frank Costanza, selling computers. He was a disaster in that line of work, the phone having not been connected the entire time that he was supposedly "selling" computers. His warning to George to get his father to stop using the dangerous 'Serenity Now' relaxation technique fell on deaf ears("The Serenity Now"). Though not confirmed directly by Lloyd, it is heavily implied that Lloyd's insanity drove him to murder; as George states: "I heard they found a family in your freezer" an accusation that Braun does not deny. He is subsequently fired from Costanza and Son Computer Company due to his sales being fabricated. He is never seen again...
Behind the Scenes
- Larry David named the Lloyd Braun character after the real Lloyd Braun, Larry's lawyer and manager.
- In a deleted scene for “The Non-Fat Yogurt”, Lloyd busts George for lying to the doctor about his arm; he also shows his sarcastic side when he chastises Elaine for the name tag idea.