Tag: seinfeld

Behind ‘The Bet’: Uncovering the Unaired ‘Seinfeld’ Episode on Elaine’s Gun Purchase

Amid the cultural phenomenon that was Seinfeld, a series revered for its approach to everyday quirks, there lies a nearly forgotten chapter—an unaired episode titled “The Bet”.

Originally scripted for the show’s second season, “The Bet” delves into the sensitive issue of gun ownership with Elaine Benes buying a gun, which leads to a series of darkly comedic mishaps.

This episode was ultimately shelved due to concerns from the cast about its content, particularly from Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The script remained unseen until a devoted fan recently brought it to light, offering a rare glimpse into what could have been a controversial but intriguing departure for the show.

Legendary Seinfeld writer Larry Charles never shied away from finding the humor in uncomfortable subject matter. Along with Mark Jaffe, Charles was responsible for creating “The Limo,” which placed Jerry and George smack-dab in the middle of a white supremacist organization. Charles made a mental patient commit suicide on the roof of George’s car in “The Bris.” And, in the unfinished Season Two episode“The Bet,” Charles attempted to put a Seinfeld spin on the hot-button issue of gun ownership by writing an entire storyline out of Elaine’s decision to exercise her Second Amendment rights with the same level of care and responsibility that she had when wielding her corporate card when she temporarily took over the J. Peterman Catalog. 

https://www.cracked.com/amp/article_41956_hero-seinfeld-fan-finally-releases-script-from-banned-episode-the-bet.html

For those curious to explore this unique script, it is now available for reading:

Read the unaired “The Bet” screenplay

The Bobka Story #MyCousinDave #Seinfeld

One thing I share with my Cousin Dave is a common love of Seinfeld. So we email each other random Seinfeld trivia questions just for fun. One of my recent trivia questions I posed to him was: “What does Jerry think should be on every table next to the salt and pepper shakers?”

He correctly answered “cinnamon”. The line was from season 5, episode 13 “The Dinner Party”. Jerry and Elaine go to a bakery to buy some chocolate bobka to bring to the party. They are out of chocolate bobka and only have cinnamon bobka. Elaine calls the cinnamon bobka “lesser bobka” but Jerry defends the cinnamon bobka saying that cinnamon is the secret ingredient in everything. Which reminded me of my own related bobka story.

My most recent girlfriend (we broke up about a year and a half ago) was named Amber. Amber had the hots for me but initially I didn’t reciprocate. I was firmly comfortable with my single status and wasn’t looking for a long term relationship… something I could tell she really wanted so I kept myself at (what I thought was) a safe distance.

Anyway.. before we started dating she was going to visit friends in New York. Knowing she was going to NYC and that she would do anything to get on my good side, I gave her $20 and put her on a mission to go to a specific bakery in NYC that was rumored to be where they based the famous bobka episode from and buy me a chocolate bobka.

I was emphatic “Don’t get the cinnamon bobka! It’s lesser bobka!”

Chocolate Bobka

Mind you, Amber was not a big Seinfeld fan and only knew I wanted some strange chocolate bread. My buddy Dave (not cousin Dave) was there and snickering the whole time.

Amber comes back from New York without bobka. Completely and utterly Bobkaless. I don’t remember exactly what happened but she ended up not being able to find the place or something. I feigned being really upset and disappointed and pissed with buddy Dave laughing all the way along. “Wow,” I said, “you couldn’t do this one thing? It’s all I asked you to do! I was really counting on that bobka! It’s all I wanted for my birthday!” (I laid it on extra thick)

So this girl, Amber, goes and buys all the ingredients and spends an entire day learning how to properly roll and twist dough to bake the perfect chocolate bobka! It was amazing and delicious.

It was only then I started thinking…maybe I SHOULD date this girl? Initially it was a silly joke, but her bobka won me over. It’s true…the way to a mans heart is through his bobka…or Seinfeld obsession… one of the two.

Anyway, I tell Cousin Dave the story…his response:

“Hahahaha. That’s Great. True life, often funnier than made up. You should marry that girl.”

Too late, Dave. Too late 🙂