48 Characters Found in Pop Culture That Are Based on Real People

One of Seinfeld’s most famous characters is the grouchy soup guy who exclaims, “No soup for you!” after any kind of small offense from customers. It’s one of the most famous moments in the show, and this character has definitely become a part of popular culture. Well, did you know this character is based on an actual soup guy?

Ali “Al” Yeganeh is the real man behind the character. Yeganeh, an Iranian soup restaurant owner, inspired Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David because of his distinctive personality. The thing is, Yeganeh wasn’t too happy when he learned how this character was portrayed. Seinfeld and the crew allegedly went to his Soup Kitchen International restaurant a few weeks after the episode aired, and Yeganeh kicked them out!