The Race (Seinfeld episode)

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Seinfeld episode
"The Race"
Kramer announces his job as a department-store Santa Claus.
Episode no.	96
Airdate	December 15, 1994
Writer(s)	Tom Gammill & Max Pross & Larry David & Sam Kass
Director	Andy Ackerman
Seinfeld - Season 6 September 1994 - May 1995
The Chaperone The Big Salad The Pledge Drive The Chinese Woman The Couch The Gymnast The Soup The Mom & Pop Store The Secretary The Race The Switch The Label Maker The Scofflaw The Highlights of 100, Part 1 The Highlights of 100, Part 2 The Beard The Kiss Hello The Doorman The Jimmy The Doodle The Fusilli Jerry The Diplomat's Club The Face Painter The Understudy
List of all Seinfeld episodes

The Race is the 96th episode of the Seinfeld television series, the tenth episode of season six. The episode first aired on December 15, 1994. The story follows Jerry as meets an old rival, who suspects that he cheated in a high school race and wishes to re-run it. Elaine is put on a "blacklist" and finds out her boyfriend is a Communist, which sees George respond to a personal ad in The Daily Worker and Kramer, who is working as a department store Santa, is eventually convinced to become a Communist by Elaine's boyfriend.

1 Plot summary
2 Themes
3 Deleted scenes
4 Quotes
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot summary

The Christmastime episode opens with Jerry at the office of his new girlfriend - Lois, by whom Jerry is quite impressed (in reference to Lois Lane). It turns out that her boss is Duncan Meyer, an old high school rival of Jerry's. The next scene shows Elaine having a falling out with a Chinese delivery man, which subsequently causes her to be blacklisted from Hop Sing's. George then asks Elaine why Ned, her new boyfriend, has a copy of The Daily Worker, which prompts suspicion of Ned being a communist. George is then intrigued by the personal ads. Jerry arrives and George congratulates him on finally going out with a girl named Lois. Jerry tells George about Duncan, who sees Jerry explain the story to Elaine. In the 9th grade, Jerry had gotten a head start in a race that he won. No one knew but George, though Duncan has been suspicious ever since. Jerry never raced again, and says that a myth grew about his speed - and now Duncan is back.

Jerry then picks up Lois, and Lois quizzes Jerry about cheating in the race. Jerry defends his win, and Lois believes him. Meanwhile, Elaine comes out and asks Ned if he is a communist, which he confirms. Jerry tells George that he did not want to lie to Lois, but he wanted Duncan to never find out about it. George announces he contacted a girl from The Daily Worker. Kramer then comes in, dressed as Santa Claus for his new job that Mickey got him. Lois then rings Jerry, telling him that Duncan wants to meet up. Jerry thinks Duncan is going to ask for a re-race, so George says he'll turn up, pretending he has not seen Jerry since high school, and back up his winning story. Meanwhile, Ned approaches Kramer at the department store, getting him interested in Communist practices. George has also been contacted by Natalie from The Daily Worker at work, and his secretary now thinks George is a communist. At Monk's, while Duncan is protesting the race, George turns up, pretending he has not seen Jerry in years, and backs Jerry's story - George takes the opportunity to claim he is a millionaire architect. Jerry however concedes to Duncan's challenge to race again. Duncan starts to call up everyone from high school to come out for it and Jerry gets worried the legend will die. Meanwhile George has been called into Steinbrenner's office, as he is a suspected communist.

Jerry has now backed out of the race. At Elaine's, she gets Ned blacklisted from Hop Sing's after she orders delivery under his name. Back at the department store, Kramer (as Santa) is accused by a kid of spreading communist propaganda. Kramer and Mickey are then fired. Upon meeting Lois, Jerry finds out that unless he races, Duncan will fire Lois. George then finds out he is being sent to Cuba to recruit baseball talent. At the race, Kramer's car exhaust makes a noise that sees Jerry get another unnoticed head start. With the Superman theme playing in the background, Jerry runs to the finish line and keeps the legend alive. He hugs Lois (after comically knocking Elaine out of the way) and then winks at the camera.

[edit] Themes

A recurring theme throughout Seinfeld is the references to Superman; the theme features prominently in The Race. When Jerry says to Lois, "Faster than a speeding bullet, Lois", it was a reference to the Superman series, Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves.^[1] At the end of the episode, Jerry breaks the fourth wall and winks to the camera after he says "Maybe I will, Lois. Maybe I will". This was the first and only instance of breaking the fourth wall in the series, excluding the retrospective The Highlights of 100. The wink towards the camera is a reference to the older Superman television series. When Jerry says "I choose not to run" in reference to the proposed (re-)race, it is possibly a reference to Calvin Coolidge saying "I do not choose to run for President in 1928," as his reason for not running^[1], though it may instead be a reference to Bartleby the Scrivener. Jerry's stature and language is also reminiscent of Superman throughout the episode. In addition, Cold War paranoia is lampooned through a young boy making "commie" accuastions against Kramer, calling him a traitor to "our country", while Mickey tries to keep him quiet.

[edit] Deleted scenes

The phone conversation between George and Natalie is shortened considerably compared to the final cut. In addition, there is a deleted scene which shows George explaining to Jerry about how he is being sent to Cuba; and they subsequently talk about him not having a visa. As Kramer walks back into his apartment, George asks him if he still knows people down at the Cuban Embassy. Kramer says he plays golf with them, and the pair hurry down there before it closes. However, by the time they arrive, the building is closed, but Kramer claims to know of a secret passage that was built during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though he has not used it before, Kramer takes George there. The next scene shows Kramer crashing down the chimney to the surprise of the Cubans - as Kramer is still in his Santa Claus outfit.

[edit] Quotes

Jerry: Ready to go Lois?
Lois: You really like to say my name? Don't you?
Jerry: Excuse me Lois. Stand back Lois. Jimmy's in trouble Lois.

Lois: Would you be able to come all the way downtown again in rush hour to pick me up?
Jerry: Well, I'd have to be Superman to do that Lois.

George: Your boyfriend reads the Daily Worker? What is he? A communist?
Elaine: HE reads everything, you know, Ned's very well read.
George: Maybe he's just very well red?

Jerry: I never did. In four years of high school I would never race anyone again. Not even to the end of the block to catch a bus. And so the legend grew. Everyone wanted me to race. They begged me. The track coach called my parents. Pleading. Telling them it was a sin to waste my god given talent. But I answered him in the same way I answered everyone: "I choose not to run!"
Elaine: So now Duncan is back?
Jerry': He's back. And I knew he would be someday. (drinks) Man that's some tart cider!

Lois: So you were the fastest kid in school.
Jerry: Faster than a speeding bullet Lois.

Elaine: Oh well nothing wrong with that. Gotta make those big bucks. . . . money money money money money money money . . . ha ha ha ha ah . . . are you a communist?
Ned: Yes, as a matter of fact I am.

Lois: Have you designed any buildings in New York?
George: Have you seen the new addition to the Guggenheim?
Lois: You did that?
George: Yep. And it didn't take very long either.

Jerry: And he's calling all these people from High School to come and watch. I knew this day would come. I can't do it. I can't go through with it. I'm calling it off. I can't let the legend die. It's like a kid finding out there's no Santa Claus.

Store Manager: Is there a problem here?
Kramer: Ho ho ho ho.
Kid: This guy's a Commie! He's spreading propaganda!

Lew: Ah, I knew it was you! You tried to trick Hop Sing! You are on our list; Elaine Benes! And now you are on our list; Ned Isakoff.
''''Ned'''': You got me blacklisted from Hop Sing's?
''''Lew'''': She named name!

George: You, uh, wanted to see me, Mr. Steinbrenner?
Steinbrenner: Yes George, I did. Come in, come in. George, the wordaround the office is that you're a Communist.

Lois: So will you come to Hawaii with me Jerry?
Jerry: Maybe I will , Lois. Maybe I will (winks at camera).