Cosmo Kramer, referred to as simply "
Kramer", is a fictional character on the American
televisionA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
sitcomA situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms...
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(1989–1998), played by
Michael RichardsMichael Anthony Richards is an American actor and comedian, best known for his portrayal of the eccentric Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom Seinfeld....
. The character is loosely based on comedian
Kenny KramerKenny Kramer is an American stand-up comedian, and the real-life inspiration for the character of Cosmo Kramer from the television sitcom Seinfeld.-Pre-Seinfeld:...
,
Larry David'sLawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and film director. David is the co-creator and producer of two successful television comedies, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm .In 1989, he teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld to co-create the television series Seinfeld,...
former neighbor.
Kramer is the neighbor of main character
Jerry SeinfeldJerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
, residing in Apartment 5B, and is friends with him,
George CostanzaGeorge Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "Short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode...
and
Elaine BenesElaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer.Julia Louis-Dreyfus received extensive critical acclaim...
. Of the series' four central characters, only Kramer has no visible means of support; what few jobs he holds seem to be nothing more than larks.
His
trademarkA trademark or trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from...
s include his humorous upright hairstyle and vintage wardrobe, the combination of which led to his categorization as a "
hipsterHipster is a slang term that first appeared in the 1940s, and was revived in the 1990s and 2000s often to describe types of young, recently-settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock,...
doofus"; his taste in fruit; his love of smoking, Cuban cigars in particular; his violent bursts through Jerry's apartment door; frequent
pratfallsPhysical comedy, also known as slapstick is a comedic performance relying mostly on the use of the body to convey humour.Whether a pratfall , a silly face, or by walking into walls, physical comedy is a common and rarely subtle form of comedy...
and his penchant for nonsensical, percussive outbursts of noise to indicate
skepticismIn classical philosophy, skepticism is the teachings and the traits of the 'Skeptikoi', a school of philosophers of whom it was said that they 'asserted nothing but only opined.' In this sense, philosophical skepticism, or Pyrrhonism, is the philosophical position that one should suspend...
, agreement, annoyance, and a variety of other inexplicable responses.
Kramer appeared in all but two episodes: "
The Chinese Restaurant"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and the show's seventeenth episode overall. The episode revolves around protagonist Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to...
" and "
The Pen"The Pen" is the twentieth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the third episode of the third season. It aired on October 2, 1991.-Plot:...
", in the second and third seasons, respectively.
Background and family
In "The Letter", Kramer tells two art patrons that he ran away from home at age 17 and stowed away aboard a steamer bound for
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
.
Kramer never completed high school; however, it is learned in "The Barber" that Kramer has a
GEDGeneral Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
.
Kramer was estranged for a long period from his mother, Babs. Unlike
George CostanzaGeorge Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "Short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode...
and Jerry Seinfeld, Kramer's character does not have a well-developed network of family members shown in the sitcom.
During an opening discussion, Kramer revealed to Jerry that in 1979 he was struck on the head by a falling air conditioner while walking on the sidewalk. Jerry asks if that was when Kramer lived in
Greenwich VillageGreenwich Village , often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families. Greenwich Village, however, was known in the late 19th – earlier to mid 20th...
, to which Kramer replies that he cannot remember. This is discussed in the beginning of "
The Little Kicks"The Little Kicks" is the 138th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 4th episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on October 10, 1996.-Plot:...
".
In "
The Strong Box"The Strongbox" is the 170th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 14th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on February 5, 1998.-Plot:...
", it was revealed that Kramer spent a brief time in the Army, although information about this time is "classified".
Characteristics
Kramer has many conflicting personality traits. Described in "The Letter" by an art patron as "a loathsome, offensive brute", he is often shallow, callous, and indifferent. Though eccentric, Kramer is more often than not caring, friendly and kind-hearted; he often goes out of his way to help total strangers, and tries to get his friends to also help others and to do the right thing even when they don't want him to. His most incredible act of heroism is probably in "The Fire", where he fights an armed criminal off a city bus and proceeds, after the driver passes out, to drive it across town himself, to save the severed pinky toe of a friend.
Kramer is known for his extreme honesty and, correspondingly, his lack of tact; in "
The Nose Job"The Nose Job" was the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the ninth episode for the show's third season. It aired on November 20, 1991.The episode was written by Peter Mehlman and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
", he tells George's insecure girlfriend that she is as pretty as any girl in New York City, she just needs a nose job. Instead of being horrified, many characters end up thanking Kramer for his candor. Kramer rarely gets into trouble for it, but his friends often do; this is especially prevalent in "
The Cartoon"The Cartoon" is the 169th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 13th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on January 29, 1998.-Plot:...
" where Kramer makes comments to Sally Weaver (
Kathy GriffinKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedian, media personality, and LGBT rights advocate. A self-proclaimed "D-list celebrity", Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan...
), who then blames Jerry for "ruining her life" as a result. He also gets his friends directly into trouble by talking them into things such as parking illegally in a handicapped space ("
The Handicap Spot"The Handicap Spot" is the 22nd episode of the fourth season and the 62nd overall episode of Seinfeld. It aired on May 13, 1993.-Plot:The group travels to a suburban shopping center to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
"), urinating in a parking garage ("The Parking Garage"), committing
mail fraudMail fraud is an offence under US federal law, which refers to any scheme which attempts to unlawfully obtain money or valuables in which the postal system is used at any point in the commission of a criminal offense. Mail fraud is covered by Title 18 of the United States Code, Chapter 63...
("The Package") or even hiring a
hitmanA hitman usually is an assassin who is hired to assassinate a target via contract killing.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people, usually males who kill people for money. For notable examples see Murder, Inc...
(who turns out to be
NewmanNewman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.- Background :...
) to get rid of a dog ("The Engagement").
One explanation as to Kramer's personality and traits, with respect to his mysterious childhood and background, is hinted in "
The Chicken Roaster"The Chicken Roaster" is the 142nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 8th episode for the 8th season. It aired on November 14, 1996.-Kramer:...
". After a series of conflicts, Jerry is forced to live in Kramer's apartment and vice-versa, which quickly has an effect on both characters. Jerry, bothered endlessly by the many problems in Kramer's home, quickly begins acting like his wacky friend, showing that Kramer might be radically influenced by his own apartment but has simply grown used to it. Of course, when Kramer finally begins living in Jerry's regular and normal apartment, he quickly and briefly becomes more like his calm and quick-witted friend.
His relationship with George and Elaine is as moderately strong as with Jerry. He helps Elaine in "
The Watch"The Watch" is the forty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 6th episode of the 4th season. It aired on September 30, 1992.-Plot:...
", "
The EngagementThe Engagement can refer to:* The Engagement , was an agreement made in December 1647 between King Charles I and a faction of the Scottish Covenanters, known to history as the Engagers, while Charles was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle by the English Parliamenterians after his defeat in the First...
", "
The Soup Nazi"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995 and is considered a classic episode of the series....
" and "
The Slicer"The Slicer" is the 163rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 9th and final season. It first aired on November 13, 1997.-Plot:...
", and helps George in "
The Busboy"The Busboy" was the seventeenth episode of Seinfeld to air, despite being the eighth produced. The episode was the 12th and final episode of the show's second season. It aired on June 26, 1991.-Plot:...
", "
The Stall"The Stall" is the seventy-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 5th season. It aired on January 6, 1994.-Plot:At a movie theater's restroom,...
" and "
The Slicer"The Slicer" is the 163rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 9th and final season. It first aired on November 13, 1997.-Plot:...
". His conflict with Elaine is "
The Seven"The Seven" is the 123rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 13th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 1, 1996.-Plot:...
" and with George in "
The Susie"The Susie" is the 149th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 13, 1997.-Plot:...
".
His relationship with Jerry is very questionable. Simply put, Jerry is usually reluctantly persuaded into doing things. Kramer also at times gets into arguments with Jerry, in episodes such as "The Chaperone", "
The Kiss Hello"The Kiss Hello" is the one-hundred and third episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 16, 1995. Although this was the 103rd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode...
" and "
The CaddyThe Caddy is a film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It was filmed from November 24, 1952 through February 23, 1953. It was released by Paramount Pictures on August 10, 1953...
". On the other hand, Kramer has displayed an almost unbending loyalty toward Jerry in many episodes, especially when choosing to help him against
NewmanNewman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.- Background :...
in many episodes, including "
The Suicide"The Suicide" is the thirty-second episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 15th episode for the show's third season. It aired on January 29, 1992.-Plot:...
" and "
The MillenniumThe Millennium was a California supergroup conceived by Curt Boettcher. The group consisted of psychedelic rock musicians, and they incorporated sunshine pop harmonies.The group consisted of:*Curt Boettcher...
". In the same respect, Jerry has helped Kramer out of good will in some episodes and always seems to forgive and ultimately accept his friend's mooching tendencies. At times, Jerry is clearly quite amused by Kramer's antics, which may also be a factor in the friendship's endurance.
His relationship with Newman is defined from the start in "
The Suicide"The Suicide" is the thirty-second episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 15th episode for the show's third season. It aired on January 29, 1992.-Plot:...
", in which he gets along very well. Like the main characters, they also get into conflict with each other most notably "
The Junk Mail"The Junk Mail" is the 161st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 5th episode of the 9th and final season. The episode aired on October 30, 1997.-Plot:...
". Their "quick rich schemes" are noted in "The Old Man" and "The Bottle Deposit". The most notable conflict other than each other is
Keith HernandezKeith Barlow Hernandez is former Major League Baseball player arguably considered the greatest fielding first baseman in the history of the game. He is now a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts.-Early...
in "The Boyfriend" until the baseball star straighten out the facts along with the famous
JFKJFK is a 1991 American film directed by Oliver Stone. It examines the events leading to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and alleged subsequent cover-up, through the eyes of former New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison...
parody.
His relationship with
SusanSusan Biddle Ross is a fictional character on the situation comedy Seinfeld played by Heidi Swedberg.-Season 4:Susan, an executive at NBC, first appeared in season 4 when Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza met with NBC Executives to discuss their ideas for a sitcom...
is mixed. Although he gets along in "
The Secret Code"The Secret Code" is the 117th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 7th season. It aired on November 9, 1995.-Plot:...
", there are many episodes in which he made her life a mess. He vomited on her in "
The PitchThe Pitch may refer to:* The Pitch * The Pitch - a newspaper in Kansas City* A segment in The Gruen Transfer, an Australian television show- Film :*The Pitch *The Pitch *The Pitch...
", unwittingly burned her father's cabin in "The Bubble Boy", dated Mona while Susan was a
lesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
in "
The Smelly Car"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 15, 1993.-Plot:The strong body odor of a valet is left in Jerry's BMW 5 Series...
" and calls her "Lily" in "The Invitations".
Kramer's apartment is the subject of numerous radical experiments in
interior designInterior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive...
, including "levels" (no furniture) in "
The Pony Remark"The Pony Remark" is the second episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the seventh episode overall. The episode was written by series co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, based on a remark David once made...
", and a reconstruction of the set of
The Merv Griffin ShowThe Merv Griffin Show was an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
in "The Merv Griffin Show". Inside views of Kramer's apartment are seldom seen, but it is known that he installed hardwood flooring and woodgrain-like wallpaper to, as he explains to Jerry, "give it the feel of a ski lodge." The apartment is centred around a large hot tub and couch styled after a 1957 Chevy.
Out of all the characters, Kramer is the one who smokes a Cuban cigar the most. It started out in "
The Wallet"The Wallet" is the forty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 5th episode of the 4th season. It aired on September 23, 1992.-Plot:...
" and it goes on. So much so he set up a smoking club for smokers in his apartment in "
The Abstinence"The Abstinence" is the 143rd episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on November 21, 1996.-Plot:...
". But his face ends up getting ruined after so much smoking and he hires Jackie Chiles to sue the cigarette company but instead puts his face on the billboard smoking a Cuban cigar. Because of the aftermath, he smokes Cuban cigars far less frequently than before.
In "
The Visa"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 15th episode of the 4th season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:...
",
GeorgeGeorge Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "Short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode...
commented, "Kramer goes to a fantasy camp. His whole life is a fantasy camp. People should plunk down two thousand dollars to live like him for a week. Do nothing, fall ass-backwards into money, mooch food off your neighbors, and have sex without dating. That's a fantasy camp." This likely refers to Kramer's various strokes of financial luck over the course of the series, such as winning $18,000 in "The Subway" and signing a contract with Calvin Klein in "The Pick". It also may indicate that Kramer came into money at an earlier, unseen time and is thus independently wealthy to some degree, which explains his not having to work.
Idiosyncrasies
He suffers from
coulrophobiaCoulrophobia is abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. The term is common, but it does not appear to be used in psychology. It is common among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one...
— a fear of clowns — in "The Opera", "
The Gymnast"The Gymnast" is the 92nd episode of Seinfeld. This was the 6th episode for the 6th season. It aired on November 3, 1994, during a special "Blackout Thursday" night on NBC, in which all shows in the Must See TV line-up, except this one, featured a fictional New York City blackout .- Plot :Jerry...
" and "
The Slicer"The Slicer" is the 163rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 9th and final season. It first aired on November 13, 1997.-Plot:...
". He shares this phobia with
Frank CostanzaFrancesco "Frank" Costanza is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld . He was born in Tuscany, Italy, and moved at the age of four with his entire family to the United States. He attended Mount St. Mary's University...
.
In the episode "The Raincoats", he panics when the word "mouse" is mentioned.
He has seizures whenever he hears the voice of Mary Hart, co-anchor of the show
Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid-like television entertainment news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Kaylee Stacey is the producer...
, as seen in the episode "The Good Samaritan." This is a real condition, which has been dubbed the "Mary Hart Syndrome" – an actual case was reported and published more than a year before the episode aired.
Kramer is inexplicably popular with both George's and Jerry's parents, although this is not true at first. In "
The Handicap Spot"The Handicap Spot" is the 22nd episode of the fourth season and the 62nd overall episode of Seinfeld. It aired on May 13, 1993.-Plot:The group travels to a suburban shopping center to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
,"
Estelle CostanzaEstelle Costanza is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld . She is the mother of George Costanza and is married to Frank Costanza...
calls Kramer "trouble" and expresses her dissatisfaction at her son hanging around him. It is revealed in "The Blood" that he calls the Seinfelds once a week. George's parents let Kramer stay at their house in an episode when they are away on a trip. They even let Kramer bring women to their house, as George complains they never let him do. He even briefly moves into Jerry's parents'
retirementRetirement is the point where a person stops employment completely . A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours...
community in
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
, where
Morty SeinfeldMortimer "Morty" Seinfeld, portrayed in all but one episode by Barney Martin, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld. He is Jerry Seinfeld's father...
recruits him to run for Condo Board President in an attempt to establish a
puppet régimeThe term puppet state describes a nominal sovereignty controlled effectively by a foreign power. The term refers to a government controlled by the government of another country like a puppeteer controls the strings of a marionette...
. Kramer even manages to befriend the "Soup Nazi," which seemed impossible because of the Soup Nazi's short temper and his outbursts at anyone who holds up the line.
Kramer's conversation often contains
onomatopoeiaAn onomatopoeia or onomatopœia, from the Greek ὀνοματοποιία , is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Onomatopoeia refers to the property of such words. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises, such as "oink" or
"meow" or...
or nonsensical sounds, difficult to transcribe, in order to emphasize an emotional point or describe earlier actions. He frequently expresses his agreement with a sentiment or suggestion via the word "Giddyup!"
Inspiration
The character of Kramer was originally based on the real-life
Kenny KramerKenny Kramer is an American stand-up comedian, and the real-life inspiration for the character of Cosmo Kramer from the television sitcom Seinfeld.-Pre-Seinfeld:...
, a neighbor of co-creator
Larry DavidLawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and film director. David is the co-creator and producer of two successful television comedies, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm .In 1989, he teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld to co-create the television series Seinfeld,...
from
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. However, Michael Richards did in no way base his performance on the real Kramer, to the point of refusing to meet him. This was later parodied in "The Pilot" when Micheal Richards in Jerry and George's sitcom refused to base the character on the real Cosmo Kramer. At the time of the shooting of the original
Seinfeld pilotA television pilot is a test episode of an intended television series. It is an early step in the development of a television series, much like pilot lights or pilot studies serve as precursors to the start of larger activity, or pilot holes prepare the way for larger holes. Networks use pilots to...
titled "The Seinfeld Chronicles", Kenny Kramer had not yet given consent to use his name, and so Kramer's character was originally referred to as "Kessler".
Larry David was hesitant to use Kenny Kramer's real name because he suspected that Kramer would take advantage of this. David's suspicion turned out to be correct; Kenny Kramer created the "Kramer Reality Tour", a
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
bus tour that points out actual locations of events or places featured in
Seinfeld. The "Kramer Reality Tour" is itself spoofed on
Seinfeld in "
The Muffin Tops"The Muffin Tops" is the 155th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the eighth season. It aired on May 8, 1997.-Plot:...
." In the episode, when Kramer's life stories are used by Elaine for the use of various stories in Peterman's biography, he develops a reality bus tour called "The Peterman Reality Tour" and touts himself as "The Real J. Peterman".
Name
Cosmo Kramer was known only as "Kramer" during the show's first five seasons (from 1989 to 1994), though in the pilot, "The Seinfeld Chronicles," Jerry referred to him as Kessler, which was his original name for the show, until they changed it to Kramer.
GeorgeGeorge Louis Costanza is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "Short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man". He is friends with Jerry Seinfeld, Cosmo Kramer, and Elaine Benes. George appears in every episode...
finds out his unusual first name through an encounter with Kramer's long estranged mother, Babs (played by
Sheree NorthSheree North was an American actress, singer, and dancer.-Early life:North was born as Dawn Shirley Crang in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of June, a pearl appraiser and real estate agent. She began dancing in USO shows during World War II at age ten. At 15, she married Fred Bessire and...
), in the season six episode, "
The Switch"The Switch" is the 97th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the 6th season. It aired on January 5, 1995. This episode is notable for revealing Kramer's first name as Cosmo.-Plot:...
". Despite this, most characters continued to call him Kramer for the remainder of the show's run (although many minor characters did refer to him as "Cosmo"). In the season 9 episode "
The Betrayal"The Betrayal" is the 164th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the eighth episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on November 20, 1997. The episode is colloquially referred to as The Backwards Episode due to its use of reverse chronology.-Plot:Jerry, George, and Elaine return...
", when we see how Jerry met Kramer, Kramer says that his name is incorrectly put down as Kessler in the apartment building. This
retconRetroactive continuity is the deliberate changing of previously established facts in a work of serial fiction. The change is informally referred to as a "retcon", and producing a retcon is called "retconning"...
s the pilot's mistake. The source of the character's first name is from the name of a child whose uncle worked on the set of
Seinfeld. "Cosmo" currently lives in
Downers Grove, IllinoisDowners Grove is a village in Downers Grove Township, DuPage County, Illinois, located west of Chicago. The population was 48,724 at the 2000 United States Census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2007 to be 48,995.-History:...
.
Romantic relationships
Of the four main characters, Kramer has the fewest on-screen romantic relationships. He does not seem to have trouble attracting women, but his relationships often come to an embarrassing end, and, like Jerry's, are usually short lived. Some of Kramer's most notable relationships include:
- In "The Conversion," after Kramer attracts the attention of a young Latvian Orthodox novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
, Roberta, he learns from the priests that he has the Kavorka.
- In "The Puffy Shirt
"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfelds fifth season. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993.-Plot:...
," Kramer dates Leslie, a "low-talker," a woman who speaks quietly.
- In "The Friars Club
"The Friars Club" is the 128th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 18th episode for the 7th season. It aired on March 7, 1996.-Plot:...
," Kramer tries to copy Leonardo Da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer....
by only sleeping 20 minutes every three hours, but when he finally falls deeply asleep in his girlfriend Connie's arms, she thinks he is dead, puts him in a sack and dumps him into the Hudson RiverThe Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. It rises at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains, flows past Albany, and finally forms the border between New York City and New Jersey at its mouth before emptying into...
.
- In "The Smelly Car
"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 15, 1993.-Plot:The strong body odor of a valet is left in Jerry's BMW 5 Series...
," Kramer "converts" Susan's lesbian lover, Mona, to heterosexualityHeterosexuality consists of sexual behavior, practices, and identity predicated on preference or desire for the opposite sex. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions primarily to...
, one of the many reasons why Susan hates Kramer.
- In "The Chinese Woman
"The Chinese Woman" is the 90th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.-Plot:...
", Kramer dates Elaine's friend Noreen, whom he tries to steer away from what he perceives as Elaine's negative influence. In this episode, Kramer is preoccupied by the fact that despite having slept with many women, he has never gotten a woman pregnant, and he consults a doctor about his sperm count. By the episode's end, it is implied he may have impregnated Noreen, but the possibility is never raised again.
- In "The Non-Fat Yogurt
"The Non-Fat Yogurt" is the seventy-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 7th episode for the 5th season. It aired on November 4, 1993.-Plot:Jerry, Elaine and George eat at a non-fat frozen yogurt shop in which Kramer has invested...
", Kramer's passionate encounter with Cheryl, a lab technician results in the accidental mix up of Rudy Giuliani| align="right"|Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani is an American lawyer, businessman and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
's blood test.
- In "The Pie
"The Pie" is the seventy-ninth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the 5th season. It aired on February 17, 1994.-Plot:Jerry is miffed after his girlfriend Audrey elects not to share a piece of pie with him....
", Kramer dates Olive from the coffee shop, whose super-long nails are the only cure to his itchy back. When he loses his itch and wants to break up with her, he uses a mannequin that looks like Elaine as his pretend new girlfriend.
- In "The Wife
"The Wife" is the eighty-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 17th episode of the 5th season, it was originally broadcast on March 17, 1994.-Plot:...
", he gets overly-tanned after falling asleep on a tanning bed and then horrifies his African-American girlfriend Anna and her family who think he's doing blackfaceBlackface, in the narrow sense, is a style of theatrical makeup that originated in the United States, used to take on the appearance of certain archetypes of American racism, especially those of the "happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation" or the "dandified coon "...
.
- In "The Maid", his girlfriend Madeline moves to downtown Manhattan and Kramer cannot handle the "long-distance relationship".
- In "The Dog", Kramer has a relationship with Ellen, whom all of his friends hate.
- In "The Library
The Library can refer to the following:* The Bibliotheca, a collection of Greek mythology and legends* "The Library ", the tenth episode of the second season in the television series Avatar: The Last Airbender...
", Kramer attracts the Librarian/Poet Marian after claiming "she needs a little tenderness, she needs a little Kramer." He eventually falls in love with her poetry; however, it doesn't work out. Kramer mentions in "The Tape"The Tape" is the twenty-fifth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's third season. It aired on November 13, 1991.The episode was written by Larry David and Don McEnery and Bob Shaw and was directed by David Steinberg....
" that one night he was sleeping in bed with her, so therefore, their relationship supposedly ended between that episode and "The Nose Job"The Nose Job" was the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the ninth episode for the show's third season. It aired on November 20, 1991.The episode was written by Peter Mehlman and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
" (the next episode), as Kramer begins dating Audrey, George's ex-girlfriend.
- In "The Soul Mate
"The Soul Mate" is the 136th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 2nd episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 26, 1996....
", Kramer falls for Jerry's girlfriend Pam and with Newman'sNewman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.- Background :...
help tries to win her over. He even gets a vasectomyVasectomy is a minor surgical procedure wherein the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied or sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream .-Types:...
for her because he finds out she is not interested in having children (he later states that the procedure was botched, and he is even more potent as a result).
- In "The Money
"The Money" is the 146th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 8th season. It aired on January 16, 1997-Plot:...
", Kramer dates Emily (played by Sarah SilvermanSarah Kate Silverman is an American comedienne, writer, actress, singer, and musician. Although usually credited as Sarah Silverman, she is sometimes credited by her nickname, Big S...
) who has the "jimmy legs" which keep him up at night.
- In "The Shoes
"The Shoes" is the fifty-sixth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 16th episode for the 4th season. It aired on February 4, 1993.-Plot:...
", Kramer briefly dates Gail, Jerry's ex-girlfriend.
- In "The Truth", Kramer dates Elaine's roommate Tina who enjoys making out in the living room and dancing to tribal music.
- In "The Soup", Kramer dates Hilde, a waitress that works at Reggie's.
Protégés
Kramer has on a few occasions taken people under his wing and aggressively protected their interests.
- In "The Chaperone", he becomes the personal coach of Miss Rhode Island
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
(Karen) at the Miss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant. He trains her on poise, walk and even on singing technique.
- In "The Understudy", Kramer becomes a super-protective bodyguard and nurse to an injured Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress and comedienne, also known as The Divine Miss M. During her career, she has been nominated for two Academy Awards; and won four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award.-Biography:In 1945, Midler was born in...
after she is run over at the plate by George at a softballSoftball is a team sport popular especially in the United States. It is a direct descendant of baseball. Some key differences between softball and baseball are that softballs are larger than baseballs, and pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball was invented by George Hancock...
game. He is so protective of her that he even prevents George and Jerry from apologizing to her at the hospital.
- In "The Voice", Kramer gets an intern
An intern is one who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment, making it similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for...
from New York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian, research university in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU) who is supposed to be working for "Kramerica Industries", but he really ends up "mending chicken wire", having "high tea with a Mr. NewmanNewman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.- Background :...
" and setting up lunch appointments with Jerry at the coffee shopMonk's Café is a fictional coffee shop from the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The exterior of Tom's Restaurant on the corner of West 112th Street and Broadway, near Columbia University, is often shown on the show as the exterior of Monk's, though the interiors were shot on a sound stage. The coffee shop is...
. Darin the intern becomes so loyal to Kramerica that he even continues on as Kramer's assistant after the internship is revoked by the university—but later Kramer announces Darin "is going away for a very long time" (implying he will be going to jail) after the failed oil bladder invention.
- In "The Gum
"The Gum" is the 120th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 7th season. It aired on December 14, 1995.-Plot:Kramer is active in the re-opening of the Alex movie theater...
", Kramer takes Lloyd Braun—who recently was released from a mental institution—under his wing and helps him get back on track by letting him help in the restoration of the Alex Theatre.
- In "The Chinese Woman
"The Chinese Woman" is the 90th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.-Plot:...
", Kramer becomes especially protective of Elaine's friend Noreen.
- However in "The Fatigues
"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. This was the sixth episode for the eighth season. It aired on October 31, 1996.-Plot:...
", the role is reversed when Kramer has no cooking skills and needed Frank CostanzaFrancesco "Frank" Costanza is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld . He was born in Tuscany, Italy, and moved at the age of four with his entire family to the United States. He attended Mount St. Mary's University...
to help cook Jewish food for his community.
Bizarre beliefs and philosophies
Kramer is known to embrace opposite and reverse philosophies and to reject acceptable social behaviors or established facts. For example, he insists in "The Jimmy" that you have to eat before undergoing surgery because "you need your strength", even though patients are told not to eat before an operation because doing so can interfere with anaesthesia.
- In "The Heart Attack
"The Heart Attack" is the thirteenth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's second season. It aired on April 25 1991.-Plot:...
", Kramer reveals he does not believe in being treated at hospitals when he warns George-Places:Australia*Lake George, New South WalesCanada*George's Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador*George Street, St. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSouth Africa*George, Western CapeUnited States*George Air Force Base, a former U.S...
that his friend Bob Sacamano went in for a herniaA hernia is protrusion of an organ or the muscular wall of an organ through the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes upwards into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm.-Pathophysiology:...
operation which was botched and now he speaks in a falsettoThe term falsetto refers to the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal cords, in whole or in part...
voice. Because of this he recommends for George to opt for a holistic healer. When George finds out how much cheaper it is, he goes with Kramer's advice, which he later regrets.
- In "The Opera", Kramer wears casual clothes to an upscale opera, commenting that "People do (dress up when they go to the opera); I don't." Kramer also admits that he suffers from coulrophobia
Coulrophobia is abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. The term is common, but it does not appear to be used in psychology. It is common among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one...
(fear of clowns). Kramer also expresses his belief that Italian people used to sing to each other, but they stopped because 'they couldn't keep it up; they got tired'.
- In "The Strike", Kramer is enthusiastically eager to celebrate Festivus
Festivus is an annual holiday created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a scriptwriter for the TV show Seinfeld.-History:...
, a holiday ("for the rest of us") created by Frank CostanzaFrancesco "Frank" Costanza is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld . He was born in Tuscany, Italy, and moved at the age of four with his entire family to the United States. He attended Mount St. Mary's University...
.
- In "The Andrea Doria
"The Andrea Doria" is the 144th episode of American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 8th season. It aired on December 19, 1996.-Plot:...
", when he developed a severe cough; Kramer refused to see a doctor, after he claims they botched his vasectomy, preferring instead to be treated by a veterinarianA veterinarian or a veterinary surgeon , often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. The word comes from the Latin veterinae meaning "working animals"...
. His rationale is that veterinarians are superior physicians because they are expected to care for multiple species.
- In "The Foundation
"The Foundation" is the 135th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode of the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 19, 1996.-Plot:...
", Kramer inspires a despondent Elaine to have greater self-confidence with the "KatraIn the fictional Star Trek universe, katra is the immortal, living spirit of a Vulcan. When a Vulcan is close to death, he or she will typically transfer their katra into the mind of an associate or close friend, who is then expected to convey the katra to the homeworld. In the film Star Trek II:...
" philosophy that she thinks he learned in his karateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands...
class. As it turns out, "Katra" is a VulcanVulcans are a humanoid species in the fictional Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species to officially make first contact with Humans, and later...
trait that Kramer saw in Star Trek III: The Search for SpockStar Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. After the death of Spock during the events of The Wrath of Khan, the crew of the USS Enterprise returns to Earth. When James T...
and in actuality, Kramer is the only adult in a karate class full of children.
- In "The Sponge
"The Sponge" is the one-hundred & nineteenth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 7th season. It aired on December 7, 1995.-Plot:...
", Kramer adamantly refuses to wear a ribbon at an AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
walk for charity, causing fury (and eventually physical violence) among his fellow walkers (including two men who stole an armoire he was saving for Elaine in "The Soup Nazi"Bob and Cedric are a fictional duo who appeared in three episodes of the popular NBC sitcom Seinfeld. Their first appearance was on November 2, 1995. Bob is played by actor Yul Vazquez and Cedric is played by John Paragon.-Appearances:...
).
- In "The Butter Shave
"The Butter Shave" is the 157th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is also the first episode of the ninth and final season. It aired on September 25, 1997.-Plot:...
", Kramer finds butter is a better protection for his skin after shaving. His skin feels so good with butter he takes to spreading it all over his body (which entices NewmanNewman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.- Background :...
's voracious appetite).
- In "The Cafe
"The Café" was the 24th episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the seventh episode of the show's third season. It aired on November 6, 1991.-Plot:...
", Kramer adamantly insists that a time limit on the application of a law is a "statue of limitations". Jerry attempts to correct him on this, but gives up in the face of Kramer's stubborn ignorance.
- In "The Wallet
"The Wallet" is the forty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 5th episode of the 4th season. It aired on September 23, 1992.-Plot:...
", Kramer declares that he believes that all home package deliveries should be abolished because it renders homeowners vulnerable to intruders.
- In "The Dinner Party" Kramer tells George that he never carries a wallet because it throws his hips "off kilt".
- In "The Engagement
The Engagement can refer to:* The Engagement , was an agreement made in December 1647 between King Charles I and a faction of the Scottish Covenanters, known to history as the Engagers, while Charles was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle by the English Parliamenterians after his defeat in the First...
", Kramer claims that he does not use a watch, and that he tells time by the sun. He also claims that he can guess "within the hour".
- In "The Hot Tub
"The Hot Tub" is the 115th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 5th episode for the 7th season. It aired on October 26, 1995.-Plot:...
", Kramer tells Jerry that he does not use or trust alarm clocks and that he uses his "mental alarm clock" claiming that it never fails. He also says that your body knows what time it is.
- In "The Masseuse
The Masseuse is a pornographic film, made in 1990 and starring Randy Spears and Hyapatia Lee.A sequel, The Masseuse 2, was released in 1994 and also won awards. The movie was remade with the same plot in 2004 with Jenna Jameson and Justin Sterling in the starring roles...
" Kramer tells Jerry and Elaine that Joel Rifkin was a serial killer because he was adopted and that being adopted is one of a serial killer's major traits.
- In "The Old Man" Kramer says senior citizen services are front for money launderers and cons who steal old people's life savings.
Employment
Despite the failure of the majority of his schemes and his unwillingness to even apply for a normal job, Kramer always seems to have money when he needs it. In the episode, "
The Shoes"The Shoes" is the fifty-sixth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 16th episode for the 4th season. It aired on February 4, 1993.-Plot:...
," Jerry remarks that Kramer received a "ton of money" at some earlier point in his life (presumably via inheritance). In "
The Visa"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 15th episode of the 4th season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:...
", George makes a comment about Kramer going to a fantasy camp. The only example of this demonstrated on the show was in the episode "The Subway", in which Kramer places a $600 bet on a horse at 30-to-1 odds, which amounts to winning $18,000.
The only steady job Kramer is known to have had was in "The Strike", when he went back to work at
H&H BagelsH&H Bagels is a popular bagel company in New York City, founded in 1972 by Helmer Toro. It is the largest bagel manufacturer in New York City and one of the largest bagel manufacturers in the world, producing about 80,000 bagels a day...
after being on
strikeStrike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to perform work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became important in factories and mines...
for over a decade. His union finally settled the strike when the
minimum wageA minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly wage that employers may legally pay to employees or workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labor. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion...
of
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was raised to the hourly rate Kramer had been demanding from his employer (Kramer still felt the strike was a success), and he was re-employed. He only worked there during that one episode before he was fired. During the time he was working at the bagel shop, he went on strike again because of having to work during
FestivusFestivus is an annual holiday created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a scriptwriter for the TV show Seinfeld.-History:...
, a holiday invented by
Frank CostanzaFrancesco "Frank" Costanza is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld . He was born in Tuscany, Italy, and moved at the age of four with his entire family to the United States. He attended Mount St. Mary's University...
.
Kramer has engaged in a variety of short-lived jobs. He worked part-time as a department store Santa before being fired for spreading Communist
propagandaPropaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience...
to young children in "The Race". In "
The Bizarro Jerry"The Bizarro Jerry" is the 137th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the third episode for the eighth season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on October 3, 1996. The title and plot extensively reference the Bizarro and Bizarro-Earth concepts that originally...
", he worked at an office where he was not actually employed, describing his daily activities to Jerry as "
T.C.B."Takin' Care of Business" is a song written by Randy Bachman and first recorded by Canadian rock group Bachman–Turner Overdrive for their 1973 album Bachman–Turner Overdrive II.-Development:...
You know, takin' care of business." His "boss" eventually "fires" him, commenting that his reports resemble work by someone with "no business training at all." In "
The Beard"The Beard" is the 102nd episode of the NBC situation comedy Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 9, 1995.-Plot:...
", he was paid to be a decoy in a
police lineupA police lineup or identity parade is a process by which a crime victim or witness's putative identification of a suspect is confirmed to a level that can count as evidence at trial....
. A
story arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
of the fifth season included Kramer's idea for a coffee table book about coffee tables, which was eventually published in "The Fire". His success in that particular endeavor was short-lived, however, because he spilled coffee on
Kathie Lee GiffordKathie Lee Gifford is an American television hostess, singer, actor, noted for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin. She has received 11 Emmy nominations...
while promoting the book on
Live with Regis and Kathie Lee in "
The Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 22nd and final episode of Season 5. It aired on May 19, 1994. This was the first episode shot for Season 5, but it was intended to be the season finale. This is the last episode Tom Cherones directed...
". In
The Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
, he became an underwear model for
Calvin KleinCalvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Calvin Klein also gave his name to a range of perfumes, including CK One and CK Be , now owned by Coty Inc...
, which must account for at least some of his income. The biggest boost to Kramer's income would have to be in the episode "The Wizard" when his coffee table book is optioned for a movie by a "big Hollywood so-and-so", earning Kramer enough royalty money to retire to
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
(although he moved back to New York almost immediately after a "political scandal" involving going barefoot in the clubhouse, which cost him the election for condo board president.)
He is a
compulsive gamblerProblem gambling is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word...
who successfully avoided gambling for several years until "
The Diplomat's Club"The Diplomat's Club" is the 108th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 22nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on May 4, 1995.-Plot:...
", in which he bet with a wealthy
TexanTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
on the arrival and departure times of flights going into
New York'sNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
. Earlier than that, "The Pony Remark" and "The Subway" still shows that Kramer is a tough gambler.
A struggling (and terrible) actor, Kramer briefly lived in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
, where he accosted
Fred SavageFredrick Aaron Savage is an American actor, director and producer of television and film.He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the television series The Wonder Years....
, appeared in a minor role on
Murphy BrownMurphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988 to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, an investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television newsmagazine.The...
, and was a suspect in a string of
serial killingsA serial killer is a person who murders three or more people over a period of more than 30 days, with a "cooling off" period between each murder, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification. Often, a sexual element is involved with the killings...
("
The Keys"The Keys" is the fortieth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 23rd and final episode for the third season and the first of a three-episode cliffhanger. It aired on May 6, 1992.-Plot:...
", "
The Trip"The Trip" is a two-part story of NBC's popular sitcom, Seinfeld. Airing on August 12, 1992 and August 19, 1992, it kicked off the fourth season of the show.-The Trip, part 1:...
"). Back in New York, Kramer worked as a stand-in on a
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
with his friend Mickey Abbott in "
The Stand In"The Stand In" is the 80th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 5th season. It aired on February 24, 1994.-Plot:...
", and was given a one-line part in a
Woody AllenWoody Allen is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, comedian, writer, musician, and playwright....
movie in "
The Alternate Side"The Alternate Side" is the twenty-eighth episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the eleventh episode of the show's third season. It aired on December 4, 1991....
" (His line, "These pretzels are making me thirsty", became the show's first
catch phraseA catch phrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
), but he was fired before completing his scene. Kramer has worked in various other theater projects, such as acting out illnesses at a
medical schoolA medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine.In addition to a medical degree program, some medical schools offer programs leading to a Master's Degree, Doctor of Philosophy , or other post-secondary education. Medical schools can also...
in "The Burning".
In the episode "
The Strong Box"The Strongbox" is the 170th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 14th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on February 5, 1998.-Plot:...
", Kramer says one of the things in the box is his military discharge. Upon being asked, "You were in the army?", Kramer replies, "Briefly." In the episode "
The Muffin Tops"The Muffin Tops" is the 155th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the eighth season. It aired on May 8, 1997.-Plot:...
", Kramer mentions shaving his chest when he was a lifeguard.
Kramer's financial status seems to be contradicted across episodes. For example, in one episode George asks Kramer if he can break a twenty-dollar bill, to which he replies, "I only have hundreds" ("
The Mango"The Mango" is the sixty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on September 16, 1993, and is the premiere of the show's fifth season. The episode's working title was "The Orgasm." It was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Tuesday, August 17, 1993...
"). However, in another episode, in which he explains to Jerry that wallets are a nuisance and that he should use a money clip, Kramer advises Jerry to "keep the big bills on the outside" and shows Jerry his own money clip as an example, to which Jerry responds, "That's a five" ("
The Reverse Peephole"The Reverse Peephole" is the 168th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode of the 9th and final season. It aired on January 15, 1998.-Plot:...
").
When Kramer decides to pay off Jerry (for all the food that he took from Jerry in a week) which was $50 he says "I don't have that kind of cash" and he ends up selling his bicycle to Newman to settle Jerry.
Inventions, entrepreneurship, and lawsuits
Kramer showed an entrepreneurial bent with "Kramerica Industries," for which he devised plans for a pizza place where customers made their own pie ("
Male Unbonding"Male Unbonding" is the second episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld to be produced, and aired on June 14, 1990 as the fourth episode of the first season. In it, Jerry Seinfeld tries to avoid meeting an old childhood friend, Joel Horneck...
"), a bladder system for tankers that would "put an end to maritime oil spills" ("The Voice"), and a product that would put ketchup and mustard in the same bottle.
He also came up with the idea of a beach-scented cologne in "
The Pez Dispenser"The Pez Dispenser" is the thirty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the fourteenth episode of the show's third season. It aired on January 15, 1992.The episode was written by Larry David and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
", but a marketing executive for
Calvin KleinCalvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Calvin Klein also gave his name to a range of perfumes, including CK One and CK Be , now owned by Coty Inc...
informed him that the idea was ridiculous. However, in "
The Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
", it is revealed that Klein has produced a cologne called Ocean based on the same idea. When Kramer confronts him about this, his interaction with Calvin Klein lands him a photo shoot in connection with the cologne as an underwear model.
In "
The Doorman"The Doorman" is the one-hundred and fourth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 18th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 23, 1995.-Plot:...
", Kramer and
Frank CostanzaFrancesco "Frank" Costanza is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld . He was born in Tuscany, Italy, and moved at the age of four with his entire family to the United States. He attended Mount St. Mary's University...
co-develop a prototype for a
brassiereA brassiere is an article of clothing that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the early 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting a woman's breasts.Women wear bras for a variety of purposes, for support, to improve the shape of the...
for men called the "bro" or the "mansiere". It's mentioned again in "
The Fusilli Jerry"The Fusilli Jerry" is the 107th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the 6th season. It aired on April 27, 1995.-Plot:...
" when Frank believes that Kramer used "the move" - stopping short by quickly applying the brakes of a car in order to get a quick feel of a woman in the passenger seat. Apparently "
The UnderstudyThe Understudy could refer to;*"The Understudy" , a 1975 fifth series Upstairs, Downstairs episode*"The Understudy" , a 1995 sixth season Seinfeld episode*The Understudy a 2008 Black Comedy...
" Frank tries to do "the move" on a Korean woman that failed to rekindle their relationship.
In "
The Muffin Tops"The Muffin Tops" is the 155th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the eighth season. It aired on May 8, 1997.-Plot:...
", Kramer cries foul after failing to receive due credit for
J. PetermanJ. Peterman may refer to:*John Peterman, operator of the J. Peterman Company*The J. Peterman Company, an apparel company*Jacopo Peterman, a fictional version of John Peterman, portrayed by John O'Hurley on the television sitcom Seinfeld...
's book success which was unduly based on Kramer's misadventures. He then confronts Peterman during a book signing, and is kicked out of the event. Kramer then declares himself to be "The Real Peterman" and initiates The Real Peterman Reality Bus Tour, charging customers $37.50 for a tour of his life. On the matter of this tour, Jerry commented that it was "basically $37.50 for a
3 Musketeers3 Musketeers is a chocolate bar made in the United States of America by Mars, Incorporated. It is filled with a center made of nougat and whipped chocolate. Outside the U.S. and Canada, the product is known as Milky Way; this name is, in turn, used in the U.S. for the candy known elsewhere as the...
."
Kramer also hatched a scheme to smuggle actual
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
ns to the United States to make his beloved outlawed Cuban cigars, only to learn the "
Cubans" are actually
DominicansThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries...
("The English Patient").
He participates in
lawsuitA lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have received damages from a defendant's actions, seeks a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s against various people and companies, represented by
Jackie ChilesJackie Chiles is a fictional attorney portrayed by American actor Phil Morris in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld.-Character:The character began as Cosmo Kramer's lawyer on Seinfeld. Chiles is a parody of famed attorney Johnnie Cochran; both are bespectacled, mustachioed, African American lawyers with...
, a parody of
Johnnie CochranJohnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was an American lawyer best known for his leadership role in the defense and criminal acquittal of O. J...
. In "
The Maestro"The Maestro" is an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on October 6, 1995. It was the series' 113th episode and 3rd episode for the 7th season. "The Maestro" earned a ratings share of 22.5/35. The Maestro character is played by Mark Metcalf....
," he settled one such suit (though he received no monetary compensation) against a coffee company whose beverages were too hot (a reference to the McDonald's coffee case). In "
The Abstinence"The Abstinence" is the 143rd episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 9th episode for the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on November 21, 1996.-Plot:...
," Kramer sues a tobacco company for the damage its products caused to his appearance, and in "The Caddy," he sued Sue Ellen Mischke for causing a traffic accident that ruined his chances at becoming a professional golfer.
Coffee Table Book about Coffee Tables
A storyline running throughout the fifth season is the development of one of Kramer's few successful ideas. Kramer first thought of the book in "
The Cigar Store Indian"The Cigar Store Indian" is the seventy-fourth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 5th season. It aired on December 9, 1993.-Plot:...
", although he later claims that he was skiing when he first had the idea. Throughout the season, his quest to get the book published becomes a running gag, and, although Elaine is portrayed as disliking the idea but Mr. Lippman likes the idea, Pendant Publishing (where Elaine and Kramer's then-girlfriend worked) decides to publish it in "The Fire".
In "
The Opposite"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 22nd and final episode of Season 5. It aired on May 19, 1994. This was the first episode shot for Season 5, but it was intended to be the season finale. This is the last episode Tom Cherones directed...
", Kramer goes on
Regis and Kathie Lee to promote the book. By accidentally spitting his
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 70 countries. It has been said that green coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. Due to its...
over Kathie Lee Gifford ("All over my Kathie Lee Casuals!"), his book tour immediately goes down in flames. Also in the episode, as a result of a bizarre chain of events, Elaine inadvertently causes the end of Pendant Publishing and therefore the end of Kramer's book. Nevertheless, the book is mentioned later in the episode "The Wizard" where it is revealed that the book was being made into a movie and the money Kramer makes causes him to move to Florida temporarily.
The book itself was full of pictures of celebrities' coffee tables, and even had a pair of foldable wooden legs. He also said that he had plans for a coaster to be built into the cover, and it is unknown if this feature was actually implemented at any point.
In "
The Andrea Doria"The Andrea Doria" is the 144th episode of American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 10th episode for the 8th season. It aired on December 19, 1996.-Plot:...
", Kramer refers to two other books he's authored: "Astonishing Tales of the Sea" and "Astounding Bear Attacks".
Kramer's other inventions and ideas
- A pizzeria where you make your own pizza pie. It falters because of a dispute between Kramer and Poppie over whether cucumber
The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon.- Botany :...
s can be pizza toppings ("The Couch"The Couch" is the 91st episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 5th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 27, 1994.-Plot:...
").
- Installing a garbage disposal
A garbage disposal, garbage disposer, food waste disposal, food waste disposer, waste disposal unit, or garburator / garbarator is a device, usually electrically-powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap which shreds food waste into pieces small enough to pass...
as the drain in his shower, so that he could prepare vegetables while showering ("The Apology").
- Redoing his entire apartment in imitation wood wallpaper - "It's wood, Jerry." ("The Junior Mint
"The Junior Mint" is the 60th episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 20th episode of the 4th season. It aired on March 18, 1993.-Plot:Having neglected to ask the name of the woman he is dating, Jerry tries to solve the mystery...
").
- Redecorating his apartment with the set of The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show was an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
("The Merv Griffin Show").
- Adding a screen door outside his apartment front door ("The Serenity Now
"The Serenity Now" is the 159th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 3rd episode of the 9th and final season. It aired in the U.S. on October 9, 1997.-Plot:...
").
- Using the homeless to pull rickshaw
Rickshaws are a mode of human-powered transport: a runner draws a two-wheeled cart which seats one or two persons. The word rickshaw came from Asia where they were mainly used as means of transportation for the social elite. However, in more recent times rickshaws have been outlawed in many...
s in New York City ("The Bookstore"The Bookstore" is the 173rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on April 9, 1998.-Plot:...
").
- Reversing the peephole in his apartment front door so he can see inside to see if someone was waiting to ambush him with a sock full of pennies. Ironically, this very thing happened to another character at the end of the episode ("The Reverse Peephole
"The Reverse Peephole" is the 168th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode of the 9th and final season. It aired on January 15, 1998.-Plot:...
").
- Owning his own chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird...
to obtain fresh eggsAn egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of any number of different species, consisting of an ovum surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer casing, which acts to nourish and protect a developing embryo and its nutrient reserves...
. He later discovers that the chicken is really a roosterA rooster, also called a cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels. The oldest term is "cock," from Old English coc. It is sometimes replaced by the term "cockerel" in the United Kingdom, and...
and trains him to become a cock fighterA cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters, held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout the United States and in most of Europe....
("The Little Jerry"The Little Jerry" is the 145th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the 8th season. It aired on January 9, 1997. Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine each have separate plot lines which converge in the course of the episode....
").
- Saving his blood in a refrigerator ("The Blood").
- Joining Newman who re-attempts an original (and refined) idea by Kramer. Using a mail truck to take cans to a Michigan recycling plant, where the bottle deposit return is worth 10¢, as opposed to New York's 5¢ ("The Bottle Deposit").
- Getting rid of his refrigerator so that he would only eat fresh food ("The Soup").
- Placing oil in a giant rubber bladder to prevent oil spills. However, during the test of the giant ball of oil at Play Now, it falls on the unsuspecting head of Jerry's girlfriend, after which he complacently remarks 'Well that didn't work' and has the idea to put Ketchup and Mustard in the same bottle. ("The Voice").
- A small statue of Jerry made of fusilli pasta (because he's silly), a macaroni statue of Bette Midler (Macaroni Midler), and a ravioli statue of George (presumably "ravioli George"). All pastas "capture the essence" of their respective personae. ("The Fusilli Jerry
"The Fusilli Jerry" is the 107th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the 6th season. It aired on April 27, 1995.-Plot:...
", "The UnderstudyThe Understudy could refer to;*"The Understudy" , a 1975 fifth series Upstairs, Downstairs episode*"The Understudy" , a 1995 sixth season Seinfeld episode*The Understudy a 2008 Black Comedy...
")
- A cologne that smells of the beach, an idea which is eventually stolen by Calvin Klein. ("The Pez Dispenser
"The Pez Dispenser" is the thirty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the fourteenth episode of the show's third season. It aired on January 15, 1992.The episode was written by Larry David and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
" and "The Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 13th episode of the 4th season. It aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
")
- Blacking out the divider stripes on two of the lanes in a four lane highway to make it more "luxurious." ("The Pothole
"The Pothole" is the 150th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 20, 1997.-Plot:...
")
- A brassiere for men. Kramer and Frank Costanza dream this up as a business partnership. It never happens because they strongly disagree over the name for this product: Kramer wants to call it the "Bro", Mr. Costanza wants to call it the "Manssiere".
- A Necktie dispenser to replace dirty ones, as seen in ("The Stock Tip")
- Vowing to only wear clothes which were fresh out of the dryer. He ends up baking the clothes in the oven, having run out of quarters for the machine, as seen in "The Calzone
"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode for the 7th season. It aired on April 25, 1996.-Plot:...
."
- Adding wooden levels to his apartment to create space and eliminate furniture. Seen in both ("The Pony Remark
"The Pony Remark" is the second episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the seventh episode overall. The episode was written by series co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, based on a remark David once made...
") and in the pilot which Jerry and George create for NBC.
- A restaurant that serves only peanut-butter and jelly, called PB and J's. ("The Friars Club
"The Friars Club" is the 128th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 18th episode for the 7th season. It aired on March 7, 1996.-Plot:...
")
Pseudonyms
Like the other three characters, Kramer has
pseudonymA pseudonym is a fictitious name used by a person, or sometimes, a group.Pseudonyms are often used to hide an individual's real identity, as with writers' pen names, graffiti artists, resistance fighters' or terrorists' noms de guerre and computer hackers' handles. Actors, musicians, and other...
s he uses in various schemes; H.E. Pennypacker, Dr. Martin Van Nostrand, and Peter Van Nostrand are the most popular.
Under the name H.E. Pennypacker in "
The Puerto Rican Day"The Puerto Rican Day" is the 176th and penultimate episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on May 7, 1998, and was the 20th episode of the 9th and final season. It was the show's second-highest-rated episode of all time, with 38.8 million viewers, only behind the series finale. The episode...
", Kramer poses as a buyer interested in an apartment in order to use its bathroom. Kramer appeared as Pennypacker to help Elaine get revenge on a store, Putumayo, by repricing all the merchandise in the store with a pricing gun ("The Millennium"). In the latter capacity, he claimed to be "a wealthy American industrialist."
As Dr. Martin von Nostrand, Kramer tried to get Elaine's medical chart to erase the negative comments her doctor had made in "The Package". He also used the von Nostrand alias in the episode "
The Slicer"The Slicer" is the 163rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 7th episode of the 9th and final season. It first aired on November 13, 1997.-Plot:...
", posing as a dermatologist for a cancer screening at Kruger. Kruger later recognised him as Dr. von Nostrand in "The Strike". Kramer used the name Martin von Nostrand (without the "doctor" prefix) while auditioning for the role of himself on the show
Jerry in "The Pilot, Part 1". Kramer posed as Professor Peter von Nostrand in "
The Nose Job"The Nose Job" was the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the ninth episode for the show's third season. It aired on November 20, 1991.The episode was written by Peter Mehlman and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
" in order to retrieve his jacket from another man's apartment.
Kramer was also referred to as "Assman" in reference to the license plate the
state of New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
accidentally gave him in "
The Fusilli Jerry"The Fusilli Jerry" is the 107th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 21st episode of the 6th season. It aired on April 27, 1995.-Plot:...
". Occasionally, he is called "the K-Man" ("
The BarberThe Barber is a 2001 film that examines the interaction between the mind of a psychopath and the minds of ordinary people who are fascinated by them. It tells the story of local barber Dexter Miles in a town in Alaska...
", "
The Bizarro Jerry"The Bizarro Jerry" is the 137th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the third episode for the eighth season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on October 3, 1996. The title and plot extensively reference the Bizarro and Bizarro-Earth concepts that originally...
", "
The Busboy"The Busboy" was the seventeenth episode of Seinfeld to air, despite being the eighth produced. The episode was the 12th and final episode of the show's second season. It aired on June 26, 1991.-Plot:...
", "The Hamptons" and "
The Soup Nazi"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995 and is considered a classic episode of the series....
").
A derogatory designation for Kramer has been "
hipsterHipster is a slang term that first appeared in the 1940s, and was revived in the 1990s and 2000s often to describe types of young, recently-settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock,...
doofus", a moniker assigned to him by a woman in a wheelchair he once dated in the episode "
The Handicap Spot"The Handicap Spot" is the 22nd episode of the fourth season and the 62nd overall episode of Seinfeld. It aired on May 13, 1993.-Plot:The group travels to a suburban shopping center to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
", and occasionally directed at him by Elaine, as in "
The Glasses"The Glasses" is the sixty-seventh episode of the hit sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 3rd episode for the 5th season. It aired on September 30, 1993.This is the first episode of Seinfeld written by Tom Gammill and Max Pross...
". The nickname was first used in
The Atlantic MonthlyThe Atlantic is an American magazine founded as The Atlantic Monthly in Boston in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. Though based in Boston, it quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and...
review of
Seinfeld.
Reception
The Seinfeld cast was placed sixth on
BravoBravo is an American cable television channel owned by NBC Universal. It is currently seen in more than 80 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film, drama, and the performing arts when it launched by Cablevision as an advertisement-free channel in December 1980...
's 100 Greatest TV Characters.
External links