If you've never heard of Spike Feresten, you've at least heard some of his funny words. As a writer on Seinfeld, he penned "The Soup Nazi" episode, which many consider one of the best on the classic series. He also wrote for SNL, Late Show with David Letterman and The Dana Carvey Show.

Now he's in front of the camera with TALKSHOW with Spike Feresten (Saturdays at midnight on FOX), his twisted take on the tried-and-true late-night talk show format. How twisted? Well, in the last episdoe, he scoured a crummy neighborhood in L.A. looking for a sidekick, had Mary Lynn Rajskub operate heavy machinery after downing half a bottle of Nyquil, and presented a barbershop quartet that sung homo-erotic songs.

I caught up with Spike right before he conducted a Q&A with the cast of fellow FOX show Standoff at last week's New York Television Festival. We talked a little about his new show, but mostly just dicussed Seinfeld. The interview is after the jump.

The New York City chef who inspired the infamous Soup Nazi character on Seinfeld is expanding his restaurant worldwide. Al Yeganeh plans to open up 50 SoupMan franchises in Britain next year, with openings in Germany, Italy and Japan to follow. His original restaurant, Soup Kitchen International in Manhattan, is what inspired the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld. Just like at the American restaurant chain (there are 20), employees will follow Yeganeh's strict rules. Customers must have their money ready and move to the left after ordering or they can be denied service (the rules are on the restaurant website). The employees do not yell, "No Soup For You", however. It's amazing to me that he's still making money on the venture, considering the episode aired in 1995.

Anybody ever eaten at a SoupMan restaurant? How's the mulligatawny?

[Via TV Tattle]

Who the hell is Spike Feresten? He's a comedy writer who has written for both The Late Show with David Letterman and Seinfeld (you know the "Soup Nazi" episode? That was him). Perhaps we shouldn't get too excited about a talk show from this unknown, but let's keep in mind Conan began as an unknown, too. The new late night talk show, titled Talk Show with Spike Feresten, will have some of the elements of a "normal" talk show while simultaneously being a parody of the genre. Wait, didn't Martin Mull and Fred Willard already do that with Fernwood 2Nite in the late 70s? Well, no matter, the show sounds kind of cool. It will air only on Saturdays, opposite Saturday Night Live. This will be the first time Fox has ventured into the late night talk realm since Chevy Chase tried his hand at it. The show will debut on September 16 after MadTV.