The American Express Centurion Cardโs precise origin is shrouded in as much mystery as the very requirements one must fulfil in order to carry it, but if you asked Jerry Seinfeld, heโd paint you a pretty straightforward picture of how the highly-coveted AMEX Black Card (supposedly) came into existence.
The billionaire comedian claimed full responsibility for pulling the no-limit, invite-only, adonized titanium status symbol out from the paradigms of urban myth and into material reality during an episode of his Netflix series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee featuring fellow stand-up comic John Mulaney.
And letโs just say it takes the whole โcustomer is always rightโ sentiment to a completely different level.
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How Jerry Seinfeld โcreatedโ the American Express Black Card
During the late 90s, around the time when he was an American Express spokesperson, Mr Seinfeld had been filming an advertisement for the brand when the following exchange occurredโฆ
โI was waiting for them to move some cameras, and the crew guy comes up, he says, โYou got the AMEX Black Card?โ And I go โNo, whatโs the AMEX Black Card?'โ Jerry Seinfeld recounted to John Mulaney.
โHe says, โThereโs only three in the world โ this is just the camera operator [Chuckles.] โ The Sultan of Brunei has one, the president of American Express has one, and I thought you would have the third one.โ
โNext morning I call the president of American Express. I go, โIs there a Black Card?โ He says, โItโs just a rumour. It doesnโt exist.โ He said, โBut you know what? Itโs not a bad idea.โ And so they developed it, and they gave me the first one.โ
โSo what about the Sultan of Brunei?โ asked Mulaney.
To which Seinfeld replied with a signature shrug: โThat was just made up.โ
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Fact or episodic fiction?
While the AMEX Black Card was indeed launched in 1999, which perfectly aligns with the timeline of events as purported by Jerry Seinfeld, in the years since this eyebrow-raising revelation, American Express has consistently been unwilling to confirm or deny thatโs what actually happened.
When approached for both comment and clarification by The Points Guy, our de facto modern authority on all things credit cards, hereโs what a company representative stated for the record:
We cannot attribute the existence of the American Express Centurion Card to just one Card Member, as we take a great deal of customer insights and feedback into account when we develop our Card products, benefits and services.
It does, however, make for a better story if we take Seinfeld at his word. Plus, letโs not pretend that was a resounding โno.โ
So how does a punter without the last name โSeinfeldโ get a Centurion Card? Most forums online suggest starting with an American Express Platinum Card, spend six-figures annually, and hope for a call from the Centurion team. Youโve gotta start somewhereโฆ
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