Episode 11: The Contest

Episode #51; 4:11


Our Summary

In this classic episode, George is caught by his mom (who appears for the first time) pleasuring himself which causes her to fall and go to the hospital. This fuels the momentum for the contest between the gang to see who can go the longest without shaking hands with Ben Franklin, polishing the pewter, Alfalfa or Spanky, Buddy Whackit, Spanktravision, jerkin the gerkin, etc. Elaine loses b/c of John John, who ends up with the virgin. Kramer loses because of the girl who walks around naked across the street, whom he ends up sleeping with. Jerry loses because he lost the virgin who was appalled at the contest and so enjoys the naked woman across the street. George wins, or so we think, until the very last episode, when we are told that George cheated.



Our Commentary

Although this episode was on our Top 50s, they have been deleted during this Siyum. Perhaps there was something about watching so many eps, one after another in the last few hours, but it just didn't do it today. Anyway, this was the first episode viewed with Jared Jerome during this Siyum. He was here around Season 7 of the 2nd Siyum, but he came back today. Anyway, let's get into this episode. As said before, this ep gave LD his first Emmy win and Tom Cherones won a DGA Award. Beautiful stuff with George and Glamour magazine. Great stuff with the whole concept of the contest and also never speaking about masterbation directly, but alluding to it. Our first Estelle Costanza does a beautiful job with her Georgies. Also, great links with the nurse and her bathing the woman and later on with George and the male nurse and bathing the guy in 4:17 The Outing. John John shows up for his first ep and does a wonderful job as well. Finally, Marla does a great job with her "horrible horrible". Overall, the ep did make the Top 50 last Siyum, but was removed this Siyum. We may have just watched this ep too many times until it just became not so good. Or it may have just been too many eps of Seinfeld in one sitting. Anyway, it was a good episode. Adam - Overrated episode. JJ - Good point, good point. Adam - In life, Seinfeld fans always say that you must like The Contest, one of the eps that stand with 7:6 The Soup Nazi, uhh, uhh, I don't know, 7:6 The Soup Nazi. JJ - That's what I said earlier. Adam - Succumb to people's beliefs, not sit here and enjoy The Contest and sit here, not my cup of tea, that's all I have to say. JJ - The Contest is a fan favorite. The difference is the three people in this room are not fans, but afficionadoes. The normal Seinfeld viewing public got wrapped in the idea that this was good b/c it deals with a taboo subject, and picked up momentum as Seinfeld became more popular, much like 7:6 The Soup Nazi, which Adam correctly stole from me, in his commentary. The problem with the episode is, there's only one story line, the actual contest itself, sure it has some funny parts like when Kramer bails out of the contest and stays stiff as a board for what seems like an eternity (especially since we paused it for 30 minutes to talk about American Idol) overall, a below average episode. After reading his comments, JJ - well written.
While adding in the links and helptips, I have to add to this commentary that although both Adam and JJ group this episode with 7:6 The Soup Nazi, they should not be grouped together, as that is a Top 5 Episode.


EPISODE GUIDE from Jerry Seinfeld: The Entire Domain by Kathleen Tracy

51."The Contest" (November 18, 1992)

SUMMARY George is caught masturbating while leafing through an issue of Glamour magazine--by his mother, who falls down stunned and ends up in the hospital. After George says he'll never do it again, Jerry challenges him to a contest of self-denial. He accepts, and Elaine and Kramer want in on the bet. Elaine meets John F. Kennedy Jr. Jerry's virgin girlfriend dumps him when he tells her about the contest; she ends up with JFK Jr.

OF SPECIAL NOTE Tom Cherones won the Directors Guild of America Award for his work on this episode; Larry David won an Emmy for his writing.

DIRECTOR Tom Cherones

TELEPLAY Larry David

GUEST CAST Jane Leeves (Marla); Ilana Levine (Joyce); Andrea Parker (Nurse); Rachel Sweet (Shelly)

RECURRING CAST Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza)


Stats


2nd Siyum

Dates/Boyfriends/Girlfriends
JERRY
Marla 4:10 The Virgin & 4:11 The Contest

Girls Who Broke Up With Jerry
Marla - The contest

KRAMER
Girl who walks around naked in her apartment

Celebrities (*Real)
JFK Junior

First Times
Estelle Costanza


3rd Siyum

First Times
Health Club

Full Script