NBC and Fuji Photo Film, a sponsor for the departing mega-hit series Seinfeld, wanted to throw a farewell bash in New York City's Times Square May 14 to celebrate the program's final episode.
But Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's office nixed the plan, saying such a party would wreak havoc on Broadway traffic, according to E! Online's Marilyn Beck.
"They applied for a permit, and it was denied because it would be too disruptive to traffic," mayor's rep Colleen Roche tells the New York Daily News.
"Common sense dictated that this shouldn't happen, as much as we love Seinfeld and all the terrific publicity it gives the city," Roche adds. "If they have another plan, they can come back to us, but it won't include shutting down Times Square during prime time for Broadway shows."
The permit requested use of the area from 6 p.m. to midnight for a large street party, with revelers watching the final hourlong episode--as well as an hour of the show's greatest clips--on the Square's 42-by-23-foot Astrovision video screen, which is programmed by NBC.
Beck says the party plan also included cameo visits from many of the famous names that have appeared on Seinfeld over the years, including megalomaniac Yankees-owner George Steinbrenner.
The New York fete is one of a bunch planned nationwide May 14, according to Beck's partner, Stacy Jenel Smith. But the show's stars won't be attending any of them--they'll be hunkering down in Los Angeles to watch the show in private.