Kramer starts shaving with butter. Jerry realises Kenny Bania is swimming in his wake. George’s new coworkers believe he’s physically disabled. Elaine and Puddy go through a cycle of breaking up and getting back together on a long flight.
Written by: Alec Berg & Jeff Schaffer & David Mandel
Directed by: Andy Ackerman
Only George could think that people thinking he’s disabled is a good thing. One aspect of the show’s increasing absurdity and the abandoning of real stories that happened to Larry David is that the subjectivity of the show’s point of view becomes more pronounced; that is to say, you have to be able to see where the show is coming from. I suspect this is partly why the final two seasons are less beloved – most people don’t want to have to stretch to work out why a TV show made the decisions it did. In this case, I could see disability advocates being deeply annoyed with the presentation here and of George lapping up the positive attention able people think disabled people get without having to be disabled. Much of disability advocacy outside the need for money is based upon living with the same level of dignity as able people, and to me, the episode works specifically because only George – completely devoid of any kind of dignity, willing to sell whatever he has out immediately, and unable to think too far ahead – could really enjoy this specific kind of experience.
I also consider an offhand line he has: “I’ve always been disabled. I’m only now getting recognition for it.” I’ve often considered how many absurd comedy behaviours at least superficially resemble what we now know as disorders, or at least different ways of thinking. How many of Homer or Bart’s actions make sense in the context of ADHD? Larry David is almost certainly on the autism spectrum. It doesn’t actually bother me at all; I know I can recognise the absurdity of my own behaviours even if they have a diagnosed basis. If there’s one thing Seinfeld has made clear, it’s that human behaviour is inherently absurd.
Meanwhile, this episode fully establishes Puddy as a more permanent character. Many people are astounded the first time they discover he’s only in eleven episodes because he’s so distinctive; he kept being brought back because Patrick Warburton’s ability to deliver lines is impeccable, somehow monotone and full of intention. It always seems like Puddy is doing what he’s doing for a reason, even when that reason is bizarre or even incomprehensible. The moment where he simply stares at the back of the seat in front of him without a book or a nap or anything is famous, at least partially because he seems to have invented the ‘rawdogging’ concept about two decades early, but I love it because it implies he has a rich inner life and a willingness to dive into it.
It’s specifically funny for how it enrages Elaine, who seems to be unable to comprehend – or at least tolerate – the concept. Puddy remarks at one point that Elaine is bitter and unstable; this is obviously the writers recognising that they’re Flanderising Elaine at this point, but it is a logical extension for the way she tries to control her outer world so much, and I think a lot of the dynamic between the two is how funny the conflict between a person with inner peace and a person without can be (particularly when that inner peace is as silly as Puddy).
TOPICS O’ THE WEEK
- “I know, I hate it too, I feel like some kind of out-of-work porn star.”
- “A vacation from ourselves, that’s what you said!”
- “With crutches, it’s a funny story, with a cane, it’s a sad story.”
- “We’re not doin’ that anymore.”
- Jerry throws out a lace that touched the floor of a men’s room. This is also a joke that pops up in The Sopranos.
- Great blocking: Jerry grabs Kramer by the shirt to stop him leaving.
- “Do you know how hard it’s getting just to tell people I know you?” My all-time favourite Jerry line.
- “He drove a car with no arms?” I’ve actually seen a short documentary on a guy with no arms who drove.
- “Stick a fork in me, Jerry… I’m done!”
- “I’m fried.” / “Technically, you’re sauteed.”
- “Hello. Yeah, this is Jerry Seinfeld. What?! No. No! NO, NO, NO!!!! Thank you.”
- “I like stuff you don’t have to think about.”
- “Then we’ll see how he does, out there, without all the assistance!” This is another line lifted from the Buddy Rich tapes.
- I don’t normally point out famous people in bit parts, but I was surprised to see Chris Parnell at the end of this one as one of the NBC executives.
Biggest Laugh:
Next Week: “The Voice”