Just in time for Christmas. Or should we say, Festivus! The Soup Nazi has gotten a little nicer this holiday season. Get out the aluminum poles, everyone, it’s a Festivus miracle! Larry Thomas, the actor who portrayed the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld, has recently teamed up with the “original” soup vendor, Al Yeganeh, to donate soup to soup kitchens. And not just one or two bowls of the stuff, but thousands every day.

Stunned by Soup

As winter weather begins to cloud over New York, and with nightly temperatures beginning to go below freezing, the over 60,000 homeless people living in New York were bracing for another harsh few months. But with the cold weather, nothing could be better than a hot bowl of soup. And the best soup in New York? Arguably Al Yeganeh’s “The Original Soup Man” on W. 55th street in Manhattan.

Origins of The Soup Nazi – Al Yeganeh

If you haven’t seen the classic Seinfeld episode, The Soup Nazi, then you’re missing out on all the fun. An all-time classic episode, it’s often cited as many people’s favorite episodes. The character, played by Larry Thomas, is based on the owner of the store, Al Yeganeh. The short tempered man hated “The Soup Nazi” moniker, though was gracious in a way since his business got a big boost from Seinfeld fans. And maybe it turned him into a fan of the show. Larry Thomas, who works with him as the “face” of the company, claims that Al Yeganeh thought the episode itself was quite funny.

Because of the popularity of the episode, Thomas spends plenty of time touring around the United States, helping sell Yeganeh’s famous soup. He has gone as far as driving a food truck across the country to sell the soup, and has appeared in a Super Bowl ad with Jerry Seinfeld as well. All of this helps spread the love for The Original Soupman Soup across the country.