Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Seinfeld Driver Caught Using Expired Parking Placard
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 26, 2010
Modified Feb 26, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 26, 2010
Modified Feb 26, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Those NYPD-issued parking placards are GOLD, Jerry, pure GOLD! Although Mayor Bloomberg has cut back on the number of placards issued to city employees, drivers still cling to the precious perk, which lets them park for free at meters and many off-limits areas. On Wednesday CBS2 noticed funnyman Jerry Seinfeld getting dropped off at his studios on West 57th Street. His driver, retired narcotics officer Sgt. Timothy Gallagher, parked the car and escorted the Bee Movie star inside to work on his new program, The Marriage Ref. And the vehicle was left behind with an expired parking placard in the window—which never even belonged to Gallagher in the first place. (And yes, Seinfeld's driver really is named Gallagher!)
Because this is such a bombshell story, CBS2 immediately sought out Mayor Bloomberg for comment; a reporter asked him at a press opportunity, "Do you know if Jerry Seinfeld has a relationship with the NYPD and the Bronx Narcotics Bureau and if not how he would come in possession of a parking placard that allows him to park his personal vehicle on the street?" Bloomberg replied, "I have absolutely no idea. He's a great comedian. But I haven't talked to him. I haven't seen him in a while." Bloomberg then made a phone gesture with his hand and whispered to the cameras, "CALL ME." (Kidding.)
According to the Post, "NYPD big wigs leaped into action after being shown a picture of the placard. They determined it belonged to a Bronx narcotics officer, who sources said is not Gallagher, but a female detective who still works for the NYPD." The placard expired in 2007, and even when it was current, it could only be used to park near the Bronx narcotics bureau office. But as we saw back in July, you can pretty much just draw a parking placard replica in crayon and traffic agents will still believe it. It's being reported the NYPD is investigating this violation.
Seinfeld's rep issued a statement saying, "The placard belongs to his driver and security guy who is a retired police officer. He used the placard without Jerry's knowledge and will NEVER use it again." It's unclear whether the growing scandal will force Seinfeld to step down from his work on The Marriage Ref, but at least Gallagher's job is safe. Seinfeld's rep says, "Jerry feels that his driver was going out of his way to help him and will not" fire him, which is too bad because "Seinfeld and Gallagher No Longer a Team" would make a great headline.
Tagged
jerry seinfeld
nypd
parking abuse
parking placard
seinfeld
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .