Soup Nazi - The nickname of the tyrannical soup store operator shown on the episode "The Soup Nazi" (11/10/1994) on the sitcom SEINFELD/NBC/1990-98. Despite his sour demeanor, the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas), made some of the best soup in New York City and avid fans lined around the block to wait for his savory concoctions. If the Soup Nazi was not pleased with the way a customer presented themselves at his soup counter he yelled "No soup for you, Next!" Soups on his menu could include Mulligatawny, Crab Bisque, Turkey Chile, Jambalaya, Black Bean, Chicken Broccoli, Clam Bisque, Split Pea, French Onion, Mushroom Barley, Tomato Rice, Wild Mushroom, Cold Cucumber, Corn and Crab Chowder, Lima Bean and Gazpacho. At the end of this SEINFELD episode, Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who had been banned from the Soup Nazi's store, discovered a collection of hand-written soup recipes in the drawer of a piece of furniture (an armoire) formerly owned by the Soup Nazi. With recipes clutched in her hand, she triumphantly returned to the Soup Nazi's store and vowed revenge by threatening to reveal his trade secrets to the WORLD! Soon after Elaine's visit, the Soup Nazi told his customers he was going to close his soup store and move to Argentina. TRIVIA NOTE: The real Soup Nazi (Ali "Al" Yeganeh) worked at the Soup Kitchen International at 8th Avenue and 55th Street (259A West 55th Street) in New York City. He didn't appreciate the humor of the episode and threatened to sue the program if they used the character again. When Yeganeh discovered the SEINFELD series was ending in 1998 he said it "was the best gift America and the human race got this Christmas. The show really destroyed my personal life and my emotional and physical well-being. Because of this show, customers think I'm going to kill them and they panic." (People Weekly 1/12/98 p. 124) When David Letterman asked him on his May 12th, 1998 show, Yeganeh remarked "to celebrate this clown going off the air, I was so happy he was leaving I agreed to do it." See also - RULES & REGULATIONS: "The Soup Nazi Rules"