Jerry Seinfeld created havoc on social media when he refused to hug the singer Kesha at an event earlier this week in Washington, DC. But the comedian said his decision was pretty logical to him.
"When you get to be my age and you've done a couple things, you have your own reality,"Seinfeld told Extra. "In my reality, I don't hug a total stranger. I have to meet someone, say hello. I've got to start somewhere."
It also happens to be a reason that would make sense on the comedian's hit TV show, "Seinfeld," which aired in the 1990s.
Although Kesha has had multiple No. 1 hit singles and her album "Animal" charted high internationally, Seinfeld said he had no clue who she was.
"I'm 63. I don't know every pop star," Seinfeld said. "I don't know everyone."
Seinfeld, who hosts the web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," also called the pop star's timing "a little off," as he was in the middle of an interview on the red carpet. But Seinfeld had a chance to iron out the misunderstanding with Kesha later at the event.
LAST NIGHT @KeshaRose found out @JerrySeinfeld is not a #Hugger -- Is it hard to be a non-hugger in 2017? pic.twitter.com/92OoMFCNkd
— Tommy McFLY (@TommyMcFLY) June 6, 2017
"She was very nice about it. We laughed about it," Seinfeld said, though he emphatically confirmed that she still had not received a hug from him.
Watch Seinfeld's interview with Extra:
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