In the latest episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” the legendary comic decides to go back to the…uh…well…past…with fellow joke-teller Patton Oswalt. (The nerd humorist got his start in television on Seinfeld’s eponymous hit ’90s show.) And what better vehicle in which to time travel than a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12? Suggestion: A car that travels more than 20 feet before leaking coolant all over the street. However, the stainless steel pet project of the infamous John Z. DeLorean looked striking while driving through the streets of Los Angeles before its diva-like meltdown. The funny man host provides a little history about the doomed car maker and some rather vague facts, such as the DMC-12 was penned by “one of the great Italian designers” and features “a rear-mounted engine.” (If you don’t know already, it was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and moved by a 130-horsepower, 2.8-liter V6.)
Once Seinfeld meets up with Oswalt, the pair talks about how best to kill Superman. Nerdy stuff for sure, but let’s face it: Car guys are nerds, too. Just a different type of nerds. With the gull-wing creation out of commission, the two stand-up guys have to book a ride in a 2012 Honda Accord SE sedan through Uber. Booooooo!
The caffeinated part of this installment comes courtesy of Handsome Coffee Roasters, who do not offer any sweeteners for their brews. What?! No matter. They do sell pastries, over which Seinfeld and Oswalt discuss Keith Olbermann’s career change, managers removing pitchers in baseball and how to look like someone from downtown L.A. Eventually, the conversation leads to Seinfeld asking his guest, a huge fan of comic books, “Who’s your favorite superhero?”
After getting into a spare DeLorean delivered via flatbed truck, Seinfeld and Oswalt drive off, discussing the perils of child-rearing.
While the video doesn’t reveal anything ground-breaking about the rolling epitome of “’80s hubris,” it does end with an interesting revelation: There are actually barista and roasting competitions in the world. That was as eye-opening as a mug full of Colombian Dark Roast.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
