Alert: Vampire Weekend’s new music video is the Jewiest thing you’ll see on the internet this week. (Or this year? Or ever? JK, there’s that Broad City episode that matches the Jewy levels. What a time we’re living in.) Directed by Beanie Feldstein’s brother Jonah Hill and starring Jerry Seinfeld himself, “Sunflower” is a wild ride.
Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig (who is dating Jewish actress Rashida Jones; we have a comprehensive timeline of their relationship) is the only band member featured in the video, alongside musician Steve Lacy, who is featured on the track.
It opens at Zabar’s, the iconic Upper West Side Jewish grocery store/deli. It then flashes to Steve Lacy and Ezra Koenig staring into the camera holding adorable puppies. Yes, PUPPIES!!!
May we repeat: PUPPIES.
The video then goes into Zabar’s itself, where Ezra and Steve are working behind the deli counter.
Do you think they got trained to work at the deli? Is Ezra taking bagel orders? What did customers at Zabar’s think? Actually, we know that last one: They weren’t happy. In amazing reporting at Gothamist in an article titled “Shoppers Kvetch While Jonah Hill Directs Vampire Weekend Music Video At Zabar’s In Peak Upper West Side Moment,” we learn, “Many folks were totally oblivious and one lady got mad because the PAs were blocking access to ‘her dinner’ in one of the cases! So Upper West Side.”
It continues to show Ezra and Steve strolling through Zabar’s. This shot shows Fab 5 Freddy, a visual artist, filmmaker, rapper, and hip hop pioneer.
Most of the video is filmed sideways and twirling, which is kinda hypnotic. Interesting choice, Jonah Hill!
Then, around the minute mark, we leave Zabar‘s. Gasp! But no fear, for Ezra Koenig and Steve Lacy journey to another iconic Jewish destination: Barney Greengrass, also located on the Upper West Side.
And guess who is at Barney Greengrass? Jerry freakin’ Seinfeld.
Just sitting at Barney Greengrass, you know.
He hams for the camera in amazing shots:
Yes, that’s Jerry Seinfeld doing a duckface. Or his attempt at a duckface. Do we think Jerry Seinfeld has ever taken a selfie? Is Jerry Seinfeld on Instagram? (Yes.)
Jerry and Ezra don’t interact, Jerry’s kinda just there — a general part of the Jewish scene. Which makes sense: Jerry Seinfeld is a staple of American Jewish culture.
Ezra and Steve then go through Barney Greengrass and are pictured (briefly) sitting and eating:
Blurry, but Ezra has a bagel with lox (great choice).
And then he’s standing in the window:
As one does.
The room keeps spinning. (Noisey calls it “seasick.”)
And then, in the finale, we get Jerry Seinfeld ordering at the counter:
“Jerry, I got a pitch for you,” says the guy behind the counter.
“Oh great, that’s what I come here for,” Jerry says, exasperated.
He tells him his idea — someone getting lox on a bagel, we can’t quite make it out (if you can, please let us know so we can update this) — and Jerry responds, “That’s good. I love it.”
“Do you like it?” the Barney Greengrass employee asks.
“Oh, sure,” says Jerry Seinfeld.
And scene. You can watch the whole music video here:
Mazel tov Ezra Koenig, Jonah Hill, Steve Lacy, and JERRY SEINFELD on a music video we’ll treasure for ages. Just one q: Why couldn’t you have put Rashida in it, too??
