'NYC is Dead Forever' author claps back at Seinfeld: 'He doesn't know me'
'Let's look at the facts of what the problems are,' the entrepreneur James Altucher said
New York City comedy club owner and writer James Altucher responded to comedian Jerry Seinfeld's "arbitrary personal attack" Tuesday on FOX Business' "Mornings with Maria."
Altucher, in a New York Post op-ed argued that New York will not bounce back after the devastation from the coronavirus pandemic closures with businesses closing and New Yorkers fleeing.
Seinfeld, in a New York Times op-ed Monday, claimed that Altucher, himself, "will not back bounce."
"I don't know why Seinfeld had to be personal in his attack," Altucher told host Maria Bartiromo. "He doesn't know me at all, but instead I'm focused on what can the solutions be and let's look at the facts of what the problems are."
NEW YORK CITY’S OLDEST TAVERN AT RISK OF GOING OUT OF BUSINESS
"The city is going in the direction of bankruptcy," he explained.
"They've already announced that on Aug. 31 they're going to send out 22,000 pink slips for critical workers: police, MTA workers, EMTs, the people who are front line on the virus, they're about to fire."
Noting that he has a lot of respect for Seinfeld, Altucher added, "I don't know why Jerry is not more focused on that, and instead has this, like, arbitrary personal attack on me."
Seinfeld referenced Altucher's move to Florida in the op-ed, saying he "can't think of a more fitting retribution" for the article.
"This stupid virus will give up eventually. The same way you have," Seinfeld wrote. "We're going to keep going with New York City if that's all right with you. And it will sure as hell be back."
Altucher said he is still a permanent resident who plans to move back and wants the city to do well but just doesn't see it when he looks at the facts.
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Altucher said the Big Apple has a "major problem" with tax revenues going down and deficits increasing.
"Something like a third of restaurants and small businesses might already be permanently closed in New York City," he said. "Apartment vacancies are at an all-time high and they're going to get higher. Something like one in four residents have not been paying rent since March."
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"This is a serious problem. You can't run a city with your revenues going down and deficits going up, and all the citizens leaving."
Altucher argues it will not be a quick bounce back if any happens at all.