"The Contest" is the 51st episode of the popular U.S. sitcom, Seinfeld. It aired on November 18, 1992. It was the eleventh episode of the fourth season. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Georgelay. ... Jane Leeves Jane Leeves (born April 18, 1961) is an actress best known for her work as Daphne Moon on Frasier. ... Andrea Nicole Parker (born March 8, 1969 in Monterey County, California) is an American actress and former ballet dancer. ... Lawrence Gene Larry David (born July 2, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York) is an Emmy-winning actor, writer, comedian, producer and film director. ... Tom Cherones is a director and producer of several TV series including Seinfeld and The Pitts. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... The Trip, Part 1 is the 41st episode to air on NBCs popular sitcom, Seinfeld. ... The Trip, Part 2 is a Seinfeld episode which concludes The Trip, Part 1. It aired on August 19, 1992. ... The Pitch is the 43rd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Ticket is the forty-fourth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Wallet is the forty-fifth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Watch is the forty-sixth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Bubble Boy is the 47th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, as well as the nickname of Donald Sanger, one of the characters in the episode. ... The Cheever Letters is the forty-eighth episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Opera is an epsiode of Seinfeld. ... The Virgin is the fiftieth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Airport is the 52nd episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Pick is the fifty-third episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Movie is the fifty-fourth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Visa is the fifty-fifth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Shoes is the fifty-sixth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Outing is the fifty-seventh episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Old Man is the fifty-eighth episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Implant is the 59th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Junior Mint is the 60th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Smelly Car is the sixty-first episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Handicap Spot is the twenty-second episode of the fourth season and the sixty-second overall episode of Seinfeld. ... The Pilot, Part 1 is the sixty-third episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Pilot, Part 2 is the sixty-fourth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. ... Seinfeld logo The following is an episode list for the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Seinfeld is an Emmy Award-winning American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, running a total of 9 seasons. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Plot

The four main characters — Elaine Benes, Cosmo Kramer, George Costanza and Jerry Seinfeld — make a bet to see which one can go the longest without masturbating. It is one of the show's most notable and talked-about episodes, and is notorious for breaking taboo by talking about the subject of self-gratification. "The Contest" begins with George telling the others that, "my mother caught me", and explains (without mentioning the word) that he was masturbating in his parent's house, while reading a Glamour magazine, resulting in George's mother falling and ending up in the hospital. After George's lack of self restraint is criticized by Jerry, George decides to make a $100 bet with him over who can go the longest without masturbating (phrased as who can stay "master of his domain"). Elaine and Kramer decide to join in (Elaine for $150, because, they decide, it is easier for a woman to not masturbate, as it is part of a man's "lifestyle"). This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cosmo Kramer is a fictional character on the United States based television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), played by Michael Richards. ... Information Aliases Art Vandelay, Biff Loman, Buck Naked, Canstanje Gender Male Age Late 30s Occupation various jobs Family Frank (father) Estelle (mother) Brother Shelly (cousin) Susan Biddle Ross (Fiancee) (Deceased) Portrayed by Jason Alexander Created by Larry David George Louis Costanza (b. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Woman masturbating, 1913 drawing by Gustav Klimt. ... Glamour Magazine is a monthly womens magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. ...

Jerry: It's like shaving.
Elaine: Oh what a bunch of baloney! I shave my legs!
Kramer: (while eating) Not every day.

Each character is confronted with temptation. The presence of John F. Kennedy Jr. in her fitness club is a temptation for Elaine; the naked woman across the street occupies the thoughts of Kramer and Jerry; and George's distraction is the female patient in the bed adjacent to his mother's — the woman receives daily sponge baths from a beautiful female nurse. The first to be eliminated is Kramer, almost immediately after first gazing on the beautiful woman across the street. The second is Elaine, who ends up masturbating after hearing that John F. Kennedy Jr. wants to meet her outside Jerry's building, which he thinks is hers. The way the show demonstrates someone has lost the contest is by showing the character enjoying a restful sleep in bed at the end of the day, whereas the remaining contestants suffer insomnia. Also, Kramer — and subsequently Elaine — are shown placing their money on Jerry's counter upon losing. John F. Kennedy Jr. ... This article is about the sleeping disorder. ...

The winner is not actually confirmed in the episode, although circumstances suggest it was George. This was confirmed in both the season five episode "The Puffy Shirt" and the season six episode "The Race". However, in the final episode, it is revealed that George had actually cheated during The Contest, therefore making Jerry the true winner. The Puffy Shirt is the second episode of Seinfelds fifth season. ... Plot Spoiler warning: Through his current girlfriend, Lois, Jerry meets an old rival, who suspects that he cheated in a high school race and he wants a rematch with Jerry to prove he was faster. ... The Finale is the name given to the final two episodes of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. ...

Trivia

• Although the episode was about masturbation, the word itself was not uttered in the whole episode. Julia Louis-Dreyfus later said, on the Late Show with David Letterman, that NBC censors would not allow it.^[1] Euphemisms and other subtleties were used to convey the meaning. Upon being questioned, George responds, "I was alone" which seems to instantly indicate the meaning to Elaine, Kramer and Jerry. Phrases such as "Master of Your Domain" are used to indicate a successful standing in the bet. This phrase is used in two other episodes in the series. Other phrases include "King of the County," "Lord of the Manor," and "Queen of the Castle." It was also referenced by George's mother as "treating his body as if it were an amusement park!" Ironically, the word was used by George earlier in the season in "The Ticket" episode.
• The episode features an opening standup bit on 'Parents having sex' and a closing bit about 'Nudity in National Geographic'.
• According to the "Notes About Nothing" feature on the Season 4 DVD, Kramer's memorable "I'm out" scene was the character's one hundredth entrance into Jerry's apartment in the course of the series.
• Since this episode, George can be seen with a Glamour magazine in later episodes, such as "The Handicap Spot" and "The Sniffing Accountant".
• This is the first appearance of George's mother, Estelle Costanza.
• This episode is made reference to in Family Guy, Season 4 episode 13 "Jungle Love", in which Peter Griffin pays villagers of a South American tribe to re-enact "The Contest episode of Seinfeld".
• This episode is made reference to in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 2 episode 8 "Shaq", in which Larry David watches the "contest episode of Seinfeld" with Shaquille O'Neal.

The Late Show with David Letterman is a multiple Emmy Award-winning hour-long weeknight comedy talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City. ... The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... The Ticket is the forty-fourth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... The Handicap Spot is the twenty-second episode of the fourth season and the sixty-second overall episode of Seinfeld. ... The Sniffing Accountant is the sixty-eighth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. ... Estelle Costanza (played by Estelle Harris) is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998). ... Family Guy is an Emmy award winning American animated television series about a nuclear family in the fictional town of Quahog (IPA or ), Rhode Island. ... Jungle Love is the thirteenth episode from the fourth season of the FOX animated television series Family Guy. ... Peter Löwenbräu Griffin is the protagonist in the American animated television series Family Guy. ... Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy, though not in the traditional sitcom format, starring Seinfeld writer, co-creator, and executive producer Larry David. ... Lawrence Gene Larry David (born July 2, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York) is an Emmy-winning actor, writer, comedian, producer and film director. ... Shaquille Rashaun ONeal (pronounced shak-keel) (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...

Quotes

George [looking bedraggled]: My mother caught me.

Jerry: Caught you? Doing what?

George: You know.

[Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer fail to catch on.]

George: I was alone...

Elaine [realizing]: You mean...?

George: Uh-huh.

Kramer [laughing]: She caught you?

Jerry: Where?

George [reluctantly]: I stopped by the house to drop the car off, and I went inside for a few minutes. Nobody was there, they're supposed to be working. My mother had a Glamour magazine, I started leafing through it...

Jerry [incredulous]: Glamour?

[Kramer and Elaine laugh.]

George: So, one thing led to another...

Jerry: So what did she do?

George: Well, first she starts screaming "George! What are you doing? My God!" And it looked like she was gonna faint; she started clutching the wall, trying to hang on to it...

Kramer: Man...

George: I didn't know whether to keep her from falling or zip up!

Jerry: What did you do?

George: I zipped up!

Elaine: So she fell?

George: Yeah...well, I couldn't run over there the way I was!

[Jerry and Elaine mutter in agreement.]

George: So she fell, and then she started screaming "My back! My back!" So I picked her up and took her to the hospital.

Elaine [laughing]: How is she?

George: She's in traction.

Elaine [still laughing]: Okay, I'm sorry...

George [angry]: It's not funny, Elaine!

Elaine [stifling laughter]: I know, I'm fine.

George: Her back went out. She's gotta be there for a couple of days. All she said on the way over in the car was "Why, George? Why?"...I said "Because it's there!"

Jerry [still incredulous]: Glamour?!

Glamour is a womens magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. ...

References

1. ^ Seinfeld: "The Contest" Episode Trivia. TV.com (2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-12.