Merrick Watts turned down Jerry Seinfeld

JERRY Seinfeld wanted to make an Australian version of his TV show The Marriage Ref and he asked an Aussie star to host it.

Jerry Seinfeld is coming to Australia to perform next year. Picture: Greg Allen/Invision/AP

MERRICK Watts has revealed that he once turned down Jerry Seinfeld.

On his Triple M show, Merrick and Australia, Watts revealed that he was approached by representatives for the legendary American comedian (who is touring Australia next year) about six years ago regarding an upcoming TV show.

“It was called The Marriage Ref,” Watts recalled on air yesterday.

“They were talking about how they were going to roll it out internationally from day one ... they were going to have individual hosts in individual markets right around the world who would do the same version of it.

“I get a phone call one day and they say, ‘We want to talk to you about this show called The Marriage Ref’. They said, ‘Jerry Seinfeld ... it’s his project and he’s the producer. What do you think now?’ And I said, ‘Yes’.

Triple M star Merrick Watts.

“And they said, ‘But don’t you want to know what it’s about?’ and I said, ‘Nope, just yes’.”

According to Watts, a few other people were considered for the Australian hosting role.

“They said, ‘We’ve sent Jerry some material of you and he likes you. He’s seen a few people but he wants you to do the gig so you’re the guy. All you have to do is fly to America, you’re going to watch Jerry do the show and then you’re going to return to Australia and you’re going to do The Marriage Ref’.”

Even though he was light on details, Watts said he was so excited that he “literally could not sleep”.

But then he asked to see some vision of the show and his excitement disappeared.

“Just before I was getting ready to sign off on this thing I saw a preview copy of The Marriage Ref and I went, ‘Oh’,” Watts said.

“They said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I can’t do it’. They said, ‘Why not?’

“I don’t like it very much,” Watts told them. “It’s not my thing, it’s just not me.”

“They literally said to me, ‘Are you turning down Jerry Seinfeld?’ And I said, ‘I think I am’. And they went, ‘You might live to regret this’.”

The Marriage Ref: Julianne Moore, Jerry Seinfeld and Ricky Gervais.

If you’ve never heard of The Marriage Ref, basically real-life married couples would appear in front of a panel of comedians and celebrities who would discuss a dispute the husband and wife were having and would pick a clear winner.

The Marriage Ref aired for two seasons in the US in 2010 and 2011 but was mostly panned by critics.

Time magazine called it “the most God-awful mishmash of a comedy-variety show,” and The Baltimore Sun wrote, “who knew Seinfeld could be this unfunny?”