In the above video from Seinfeld, Elaine tries to get her boyfriend to change his first name from Joel to something else. His given name is Joel Rifkin, which is the same as that of a noted New York-area serial killer who terrorized the city in the 1990s. Apparently, the fictional Joel really likes his name and the pair can’t come up with a solution to his dilemma.
At one point, Elaine suggests “O.J.” as a replacement, which is sadly ironic since this episode aired before the now-famous murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
The Real Joel Rifkin
In real life, serial killer Joel Rifkin’s early years could have been worse. His parents were unwed college students who gave him up for adoption shortly after his birth on Jan. 20, 1959. Three weeks later, Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin adopted young Joel.
Six years later, the family moved to East Meadow, Long Island, as a busy suburb of New York City. The neighborhood back then, as it is today, was filled with middle- and upper-income families who took pride in their homes. Rifkin’s father was a structural engineer, and he made plenty of money. He sat on the board of trustees of the local library system.
Unfortunately, Rifkin had trouble fitting into his school life. His slumping posture and slow gait made him a target for bullies. Kids gave him the nickname “Turtle” because of his slow walk and stooped posture. Kids frequently excluded Joel from sports activities.
Academically, Joel Rifkin struggled because he had dyslexia. Unfortunately, no one diagnosed him with the learning disability so they could get him help. His peers simply assumed Joel lacked intelligence, which was not the case. Rifkin had an IQ of 128. He just didn’t have the tools he needed to learn.