Cosmo Kramer
Encyclopedia
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television
sitcom
Seinfeld
(1989–1998), played by Michael Richards
. The character is loosely based on comedian Kenny Kramer
, Larry David's
former neighbor across the hall.
Kramer is the neighbor of main character Jerry Seinfeld
, residing in Apartment 5B, and is friends with George Costanza
and Elaine Benes
. 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 trademark
s include his upright hairstyle and vintage wardrobe, the combination of which led to his categorization as a "hipster
doofus"; his taste in fruit; his love of occasional smoking, Cuban cigars in particular; his bursts through Jerry's apartment door; frequent pratfalls
and his penchant for nonsensical, percussive outbursts of noise to indicate skepticism
, agreement, annoyance, and a variety of other inexplicable responses. He has been described as "an extraordinary cross between Eraserhead
and Herman Munster
".
Kramer appeared in all but two episodes: "The Chinese Restaurant
" and "The Pen
", in the second and third seasons, respectively.
.
Kramer never completed high school; however, it is made clear in "The Barber" that Kramer has a GED
.
Kramer was estranged for a long period from his mother, Barbra "Babs" Kramer, who works as a restroom matron at an upscale restaurant. Unlike George Costanza
and Jerry Seinfeld, Kramer's character does not have a well-developed network of family members shown in the sitcom. He is the only main character on the show whose father never makes an appearance; however, in The Chinese Woman
, Kramer mentions that he is the last male member of his family, implying that his father passed away. He also mentions in "The Lip Reader" that he has or had a deaf cousin, from whom he learned fluent American Sign Language
(but when Kramer attempts to communicate in ASL, he speaks complete gibberish and he cannot correctly translate the ASL he sees others using).
During an opening discussion, Kramer reveals 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 Village
, to which Kramer replies that he cannot remember. This is discussed in the beginning of "The Little Kicks
".
In "The Strong Box
", it is revealed that Kramer spent a brief time in the Army
, although information about this time is "classified".
Paradoxically, Kramer also gets his friends directly into trouble by talking them into unwise or even illegal actions such as parking illegally in a handicapped space ("The Handicap Spot
"), urinating in a parking garage ("The Parking Garage"), committing mail fraud ("The Package") or even hiring an assassin (who turns out to be Newman
) to get rid of a dog ("The Engagement"). Kramer is also known to mooch off his friends, particularly Jerry. Kramer regularly enters and uses Jerry's apartment without his consent or knowledge, and he often helps himself to Jerry's food. Kramer is also known to use tools/appliances of Jerry's, only occasionally with permission, and sometimes returning them in a broken state.
Kramer is known for his extreme honesty and, correspondingly, his lack of tact; in "The Nose Job
", 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" where Kramer makes comments to Sally Weaver (Kathy Griffin
), who then blames Jerry for "ruining her life" as a result.
One explanation as to Kramer's personality and traits, with respect to his mysterious childhood and background, is hinted in "The Chicken Roaster
". 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 Engagement
", "The Soup Nazi
" and "The Slicer
", and helps George in "The Busboy
", "The Stall
" and "The Slicer
". He clashes with Elaine in "The Seven
" and with George in "The Susie
".
His relationship with Jerry is very questionable. Simply put, Kramer excels at persuading a usually reluctant Jerry into doing things against his better judgment. Kramer also at times gets into arguments with Jerry, in episodes such as "The Chaperone", "The Kiss Hello
" and "The Caddy
". On the other hand, Kramer has displayed an almost unbending loyalty toward Jerry in many episodes, especially when choosing to help him against Newman
in many episodes, including "The Suicide" and "The Millennium
". 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. In "The Serenity Now
", an overemotional Jerry declares a near-brotherly love for Kramer, to which Kramer easily responds, "I love you, too, buddy."
His relationship with Newman is defined from the start in "The Suicide", in which they get along very well. Like the main characters they also get into conflict with each other, most notably "The Junk Mail
". Their get-rich-quick schemes are noted in "The Old Man" and "The Bottle Deposit". Kramer's most notable conflict other than with Newman is with Keith Hernandez
in "The Boyfriend" until the baseball star straightens out the facts, along with the famous JFK
parody and a battle-of-wits game of Risk, where the two are pitted against one another in a battle for world domination ("The Label Maker
").
His relationship with Susan is mixed. Although they get along in "The Pool Guy
", there are many episodes in which he makes her life a mess. He vomits on her in "The Pitch", unwittingly burns her father's cabin in "The Bubble Boy", dates Mona while Susan is a lesbian
in "The Smelly Car
" and calls her "Lily" in "The Invitations," much to her chagrin.
Kramer's apartment is the subject of numerous radical experiments in interior design
, including "levels" (no furniture) in "The Pony Remark
", and a reconstruction of the set of The Merv Griffin Show
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 centered around a large hot tub and couch styled after a 1957 Chevy.
Kramer has a liking for smoking Cuban cigars. It starts in "The Wallet
" and in "The Abstinence
" he sets up a smoking club in his apartment. His face gets ruined after so much smoking and he hires Jackie Chiles to sue the cigarette company, but instead ends up getting his image as the Marlboro Man on the Marlboro billboard in Times Square.
, a fear of clowns, in "The Opera", "The Gymnast
" and "The Slicer
".
In the episode "The Raincoats", he panics when the word "mouse" is mentioned. He shares this phobia with Frank Costanza.
He has seizures whenever he hears the voice of Mary Hart, co-anchor of the show Entertainment Tonight
, 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 extremely sensitive to being told to drop dead. In "The Handicap Spot
," Lola (the lady for whom Kramer replaced her wheelchair) dumped him, telling him that he was not good-looking enough for her and, of course, to drop dead. In "The Betrayal
," Kramer's friend FDR (Franklin Delano Romanowski) repeatedly wishes that Kramer would drop dead.
Kramer is inexplicably popular with both George's and Jerry's parents, although not at first. In "The Handicap Spot
," Estelle 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 (upsetting George because he was never allowed to bring women over). He even briefly moves into Jerry's parents' retirement
community in Florida
, where Morty Seinfeld recruits him to run for Condo Board President in an attempt to establish a puppet régime
. 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 sometimes contains onomatopoeia or nonsensical sounds, difficult to transcribe, in order to emphasize an emotional point or describe earlier actions. He sometimes expresses his agreement with a sentiment or suggestion via the word "Giddyup!"
In "The Visa
", George
comments, "Kramer goes to a fantasy camp. His whole life is a fantasy camp. People should plunk down $2,000 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 optioning his coffee table book
about coffee table
s to a major Hollywood studio in "The Wizard", winning $18,000 in "The Subway", successfully betting on horse races
, and signing a contract with Calvin Klein in "The Pick
". It may also indicate that Kramer came into money at an earlier, unseen time and is thus independently wealthy to some degree, explaining his not having to work.
, a neighbor of co-creator Larry David
from New York
. However, Michael Richards did not in any way base his performance on the real Kramer, to the point of refusing to meet him. This was later parodied in "The Pilot" when the actor that is cast to play him in Jerry and George's sitcom refuses to base the character on the real Cosmo Kramer. At the time of the shooting of the original Seinfeld pilot
, "The Seinfeld Chronicles," Kenny Kramer had not yet given consent to use his name, and so Kramer's character was originally known 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 City
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
." 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," although Jerry notes that reality is the last thing Kramer is qualified to tour.
finds out his unusual first name through an encounter with Kramer's long estranged mother, Babs (played by Sheree North
), in the season six episode, "The Switch
". 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
", when we see how Jerry met Kramer, Kramer says that his name is incorrectly put down as Kessler in the apartment building. This retcon
s the pilot's use of "Kessler" as the character's name. The source of the name of a child whose uncle worked on the set of Seinfeld is Cosmo Kramer.
", Jerry remarks that Kramer received a "ton of money" at some earlier point in his life (presumably via inheritance). In "The Visa
", George makes a comment about Kramer going to a fantasy camp, and how Kramer's "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 neighbours, and have sex without dating. That's a fantasy camp." The biggest 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 Bagels
after being on strike
for over a decade. His union finally settled the strike when the minimum wage
of New York
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 Festivus
, a holiday celebrated by Frank Costanza.
Kramer is engaged in a variety of short-lived jobs. He works part-time as a department store Santa before being fired for spreading Communist propaganda
to young children in "The Race". In "The Bizarro Jerry
", he works at an office where he is not actually employed, describing his daily activities to Jerry as "T.C.B.
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
", he is paid to be a decoy in a police lineup
. A story arc
of the fifth season includes Kramer's idea for a coffee table book about coffee tables, which is eventually published in "The Fire". His success in that particular endeavor is short-lived, however, because he spews coffee all over Kathie Lee Gifford
while promoting the book on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee in "The Opposite
". In "The Pick
", he becomes an underwear model for Calvin Klein
, 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 Florida
(although he moves back to New York almost immediately after a "political scandal" involving going barefoot in the clubhouse, which costs him the election for condo board president.)
He is a compulsive gambler
who successfully avoids gambling for several years until "The Diplomat's Club
", in which he bets with a wealthy Texan
on the arrival and departure times of flights going into New York's
LaGuardia Airport
. Before that, "The Pony Remark" and "The Subway" show Kramer as a tough gambler.
A struggling (and terrible) actor, Kramer briefly lives in Los Angeles
, where he accosts Fred Savage
, appears in a minor role on Murphy Brown
, and is a suspect in a string of serial killings
("The Keys", "The Trip
"). Back in New York, Kramer works as a stand-in on a soap opera
with his friend Mickey Abbott in "The Stand In
", and is given a one-line part in a Woody Allen
movie in "The Alternate Side
" (His line, "These pretzels are making me thirsty", becomes the show's first catchphrase), but he is fired before completing his scene. Kramer works in various other theater projects, such as acting out illnesses at a medical school
in "The Burning".
In the episode "The Strong Box
", Kramer says one of the things in the box is his military discharge. Upon being asked, "You were in the army?", Kramer replies, "Briefly," claiming the reason he was discharged is classified. In the episode "The Muffin Tops
", 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
"). 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
").
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. In "The Calzone
", Kramer claims that he only carries change. Possibly Kramer receives money (from whatever the source) in monthly installments, and erratic spending habits leave him well-off one month and short of cash the next.
"), a bladder system for tankers that will "put an end to maritime oil spills" ("The Voice"), and a product that will put ketchup and mustard in the same bottle.
He also comes up with the idea of a beach-scented cologne in "The Pez Dispenser
", but a marketing executive for Calvin Klein
tells him the idea is ridiculous. However, in "The Pick
", it is revealed that Klein has produced a cologne called Ocean based on the same idea, leading Kramer to declare, "I could have been a millionaire! I could have been a fragrance millionaire!" 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
", Kramer and Frank Costanza co-develop a prototype for a brassiere
for men called the "bro" or the "mansiere". It's mentioned again in "The Fusilli Jerry
" 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 in "The Understudy" Frank tries to do "the move" on a Korean woman that fails to rekindle their relationship.
In "The Muffin Tops
", Kramer cries foul after failing to receive due credit for J. Peterman's book success which is based on Kramer's misadventures. He then confronts Peterman during a book signing and is kicked out of the event. Kramer then declares himself "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 is "basically $37.50 for a 3 Musketeers
."
Kramer also hatches a scheme to smuggle actual Cuba
ns to the United States to make his beloved outlawed Cuban cigars, only to learn the "Cubans" are actually Dominicans
("The English Patient").
He participates in lawsuit
s against various people and companies, represented by Jackie Chiles
, a parody of Johnnie Cochran
. In "The Maestro
," he settles one such suit (though receiving no monetary compensation) against a coffee company whose beverages are too hot (a reference to the McDonald's coffee case). In "The Abstinence
," Kramer sues a tobacco company for the damage its products cause to his appearance, and in "The Caddy," he sues Sue Ellen Mischke for causing a traffic accident that ruins his chances of becoming a professional golfer.
", although he later claims that he first had the idea when skiing. Throughout the season, his quest to get the book published becomes a running gag. Although Elaine is shown as disliking the idea, Mr. Lippman, Elaine's boss, likes it. Pendant Publishing (where Elaine and Kramer's then-girlfriend work) decides to publish it in "The Fire".
In "The Opposite
", Kramer goes on Regis and Kathie Lee to promote the book. By accidentally spitting his coffee
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 is being made into a movie and the money Kramer makes allows him to move to Florida temporarily.
The book itself is full of pictures of celebrities' coffee tables, and even had a pair of foldable wooden legs so that it could itself be turned into a coffee table. He also says that he has plans for a coaster to be built into the cover.
" he takes on a group of kids at a karate school and in "The Van Buren Boys
" after giving his stories to Elaine to write, he slips up on the golf balls and lands on the floor.
s he uses in various schemes; H.E. Pennypacker, Dr. Martin Van Nostrand, and Professor Peter Van Nostrand are the most popular.
Under the name H.E. Pennypacker in "The Puerto Rican Day
", Kramer poses as a prospective buyer interested in an elegant apartment in order to use its bathroom. Kramer appears as Pennypacker to help Elaine get revenge on a Mayan
clothing store, "Putamayo", by repricing all the merchandise in the store with a pricing gun in "The Millennium". In the latter capacity, he claims to be "a wealthy American industrialist."
As Dr. Martin Van Nostrand, Kramer tries to get hold of Elaine's medical chart to erase the negative comments her doctor has made in "The Package". He also uses the Van Nostrand alias in the episode "The Slicer
", posing as a dermatologist for a cancer screening at George's company, Kruger Industrial Smoothing. Mr. Kruger later recognizes him as Dr. Van Nostrand in "The Strike". Kramer uses the name Martin Van Nostrand (without the "doctor" prefix) while auditioning for the role of himself on the show Jerry in "The Pilot, Part 1". Kramer poses as Professor Peter Van Nostrand in "The Nose Job
" in order to retrieve a favorite jacket from another man's apartment; Kramer's jacket, to which he attributes at least some of his amorous success, is a minor plot point in other episodes until, in "The Cheever Letters
", he trades it to a Cuba
n embassy official for several boxes of authentic Cuban cigars.
Kramer is also referred to as "Assman" in reference to the license plate the state of New York
accidentally gave him in "The Fusilli Jerry
". He is also variously called "the K-Man" ("The Barber
", "The Bizarro Jerry
", "The Busboy
", "The Hamptons", "The Scofflaw
" and "The Soup Nazi
").
A derogatory designation for Kramer has been "hipster
doofus", a moniker assigned to him by a woman in a wheelchair he once dated in the episode "The Handicap Spot
", and occasionally directed at him by Elaine, as in "The Glasses
". The nickname was first used in The Atlantic Monthly
review of Seinfeld.
.
In 1999 TV Guide
ranked him number 35 on its '50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time' list.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld 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. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(1989–1998), played by Michael Richards
Michael Richards
Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor, comedian, writer and television producer, best known for his portrayal of the eccentric Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom Seinfeld....
. The character is loosely based on comedian Kenny Kramer
Kenny Kramer
Kenny Kramer is an American stand-up comedian and is the real-life inspiration for the character of Cosmo Kramer from the television sitcom Seinfeld.-Pre-Seinfeld:...
, Larry David's
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
former neighbor across the hall.
Kramer is the neighbor of main character Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "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 George Costanza
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
and Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes
Elaine 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...
. 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 trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, 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...
s include his upright hairstyle and vintage wardrobe, the combination of which led to his categorization as a "hipster
Hipster (contemporary subculture)
Hipsters are a subculture of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with musical interests mainly in alternative rock that appeared in the 1990s...
doofus"; his taste in fruit; his love of occasional smoking, Cuban cigars in particular; his bursts through Jerry's apartment door; frequent pratfalls
Physical comedy
Physical comedy, also known as slapstick, is a comedic performance relying mostly on the use of the body to convey humour.Physical comedy, whether conveyed by a pratfall , a silly face, or the action of walking into walls, is a common and rarely subtle form of comedy...
and his penchant for nonsensical, percussive outbursts of noise to indicate skepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
, agreement, annoyance, and a variety of other inexplicable responses. He has been described as "an extraordinary cross between Eraserhead
Eraserhead
Eraserhead is a 1977 American surrealist film and the first feature film of David Lynch, who wrote, produced and directed. Lynch began working on the film at the AFI Conservatory, which gave him a $10,000 grant to make the film after he had begun working there following his 1971 move to Los Angeles...
and Herman Munster
Herman Munster
Herman Munster, 5th Earl of Shroudshire, is a fictional character in the CBS sitcom The Munsters, originally played by Fred Gwynne. The patriarch of the Munster household, Herman is an entity much like Frankenstein's monster along with Lurch on the show's competitor The Addams Family.Due to the...
".
Kramer appeared in all but two episodes: "The Chinese Restaurant
The Chinese Restaurant
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the eleventh episode of the sitcom Seinfelds second season on NBC, and is the show's sixteenth 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
"The Pen" is the twentieth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the third episode of the third season. It aired on October 2, 1991. This is the only episode in which both George and Kramer do not appear.-Plot:...
", in the second and third seasons, respectively.
Background and family
In "The Trip," Kramer says that a man in a park exposed himself to him when he was a young boy. In "The Big Salad" Kramer reveals to Jerry that he grew up in a strict household where he had to be in bed every night by 9:00PM. 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
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Kramer never completed high school; however, it is made clear in "The Barber" that Kramer has a GED
GED
General 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, Barbra "Babs" Kramer, who works as a restroom matron at an upscale restaurant. Unlike George Costanza
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
and Jerry Seinfeld, Kramer's character does not have a well-developed network of family members shown in the sitcom. He is the only main character on the show whose father never makes an appearance; however, in The Chinese Woman
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 mentions that he is the last male member of his family, implying that his father passed away. He also mentions in "The Lip Reader" that he has or had a deaf cousin, from whom he learned fluent American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
(but when Kramer attempts to communicate in ASL, he speaks complete gibberish and he cannot correctly translate the ASL he sees others using).
During an opening discussion, Kramer reveals 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 Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York 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...
, to which Kramer replies that he cannot remember. This is discussed in the beginning of "The Little Kicks
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 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 is revealed that Kramer spent a brief time in the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
, although information about this time is "classified".
Personality
Kramer has conflicting personality traits. A painting of him was described in "The Letter" by an art patron as "a loathsome, offensive brute"; he is sometimes 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 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, all the while continuing to make the bus' designated stops.Paradoxically, Kramer also gets his friends directly into trouble by talking them into unwise or even illegal actions such as parking illegally in a handicapped space ("The Handicap Spot
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 mall in Lynbrook 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 fraud ("The Package") or even hiring an assassin (who turns out to be Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman 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"). Kramer is also known to mooch off his friends, particularly Jerry. Kramer regularly enters and uses Jerry's apartment without his consent or knowledge, and he often helps himself to Jerry's food. Kramer is also known to use tools/appliances of Jerry's, only occasionally with permission, and sometimes returning them in a broken state.
Kramer is known for his extreme honesty and, correspondingly, his lack of tact; in "The Nose Job
The Nose Job
"The Nose Job" is the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. It is the ninth episode of the show's third season. It first 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" where Kramer makes comments to Sally Weaver (Kathy Griffin
Kathy Griffin
Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
), who then blames Jerry for "ruining her life" as a result.
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
"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
"The Watch " is the forty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the series, and first aired on September 30, 1992.-Plot:...
", "The Engagement
The Engagement (Seinfeld episode)
"The Engagement" is the seventh-season opener of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on September 21, 1995.-Plot:...
", "The Soup Nazi
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 "The Slicer
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
"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
"The Stall" is the seventy-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the twelfth episode of the fifth season, and first aired on January 6, 1994.-Plot:...
" and "The Slicer
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 clashes with Elaine in "The Seven
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
"The Susie" is the 149th episode of the 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, Kramer excels at persuading a usually reluctant Jerry into doing things against his better judgment. Kramer also at times gets into arguments with Jerry, in episodes such as "The Chaperone", "The Kiss Hello
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 Caddy
The Caddy
The Caddy is a 1953 American 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 Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman 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" and "The Millennium
The Millennium
The Millennium was an American super group based in California, who were conceived by Curt Boettcher. The group consisted of psychedelic rock musicians, and they incorporated sunshine pop harmonies....
". 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. In "The Serenity Now
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:...
", an overemotional Jerry declares a near-brotherly love for Kramer, to which Kramer easily responds, "I love you, too, buddy."
His relationship with Newman is defined from the start in "The Suicide", in which they get along very well. Like the main characters they also get into conflict with each other, most notably "The Junk Mail
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 get-rich-quick schemes are noted in "The Old Man" and "The Bottle Deposit". Kramer's most notable conflict other than with Newman is with Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
in "The Boyfriend" until the baseball star straightens out the facts, along with the famous JFK
JFK (film)
JFK 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 .Garrison filed charges against New Orleans businessman Clay...
parody and a battle-of-wits game of Risk, where the two are pitted against one another in a battle for world domination ("The Label Maker
The Label Maker
"The Label Maker" is the 98th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 6th season. It aired on January 19, 1995.-Plot:...
").
His relationship with Susan is mixed. Although they get along in "The Pool Guy
The Pool Guy
"The Pool Guy" is the 118th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the eighth episode of the seventh season. It aired on November 16, 1995. The end credit states "In Memory of our Friend Rick Bolden"; Rick Bolden was one of the musicians who worked on the show's theme song.-Plot:Elaine befriends...
", there are many episodes in which he makes her life a mess. He vomits on her in "The Pitch", unwittingly burns her father's cabin in "The Bubble Boy", dates Mona while Susan is a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian 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
"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 16, 1993.-Plot:...
" and calls her "Lily" in "The Invitations," much to her chagrin.
Kramer's apartment is the subject of numerous radical experiments in interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
, including "levels" (no furniture) in "The Pony Remark
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 made once....
", and a reconstruction of the set of The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is 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 centered around a large hot tub and couch styled after a 1957 Chevy.
Kramer has a liking for smoking Cuban cigars. It starts in "The Wallet
The Wallet
"The Wallet" is the forty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the series, and first aired on September 23, 1992.-Plot:...
" and in "The Abstinence
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:...
" he sets up a smoking club in his apartment. His face gets ruined after so much smoking and he hires Jackie Chiles to sue the cigarette company, but instead ends up getting his image as the Marlboro Man on the Marlboro billboard in Times Square.
Idiosyncrasies
He suffers from coulrophobiaCoulrophobia
Coulrophobia is a fear of clowns. The term is of recent origin, probably dating from the 1980s, and according to one analyst, "has been coined more on the Internet than in printed form because it does not appear in any previously published, psychiatric, unabridged, or abridged dictionary," however...
, a fear of clowns, in "The Opera", "The Gymnast
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
"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:...
".
In the episode "The Raincoats", he panics when the word "mouse" is mentioned. He shares this phobia with Frank Costanza.
He has seizures whenever he hears the voice of Mary Hart, co-anchor of the show Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive 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 extremely sensitive to being told to drop dead. In "The Handicap Spot
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 mall in Lynbrook to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
," Lola (the lady for whom Kramer replaced her wheelchair) dumped him, telling him that he was not good-looking enough for her and, of course, to drop dead. In "The Betrayal
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, starting with the final scene and playing...
," Kramer's friend FDR (Franklin Delano Romanowski) repeatedly wishes that Kramer would drop dead.
Kramer is inexplicably popular with both George's and Jerry's parents, although not at first. In "The Handicap Spot
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 mall in Lynbrook to buy a big-screen television as an engagement gift for their friend, "The Drake"...
," Estelle 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 (upsetting George because he was never allowed to bring women over). He even briefly moves into Jerry's parents' retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
community in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where Morty Seinfeld recruits him to run for Condo Board President in an attempt to establish a puppet régime
Puppet state
A puppet state is a nominal sovereign of a state who is de facto controlled 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
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....
," which seemed impossible because of the Soup Nazi's short temper and his outbursts at anyone who holds up the line.
Kramer's conversation sometimes contains onomatopoeia or nonsensical sounds, difficult to transcribe, in order to emphasize an emotional point or describe earlier actions. He sometimes expresses his agreement with a sentiment or suggestion via the word "Giddyup!"
In "The Visa
The Visa
"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 15th episode of the fourth season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:George meets Cheryl , a Chinese woman who is a lawyer, and who thinks he is very funny...
", George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
comments, "Kramer goes to a fantasy camp. His whole life is a fantasy camp. People should plunk down $2,000 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 optioning his coffee table book
Coffee table book
A coffee table book is a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for...
about coffee table
Coffee table
A coffee table, also called a cocktail table, is a style of long, low table which is designed to be placed in front of a sofa, to support beverages , magazines, books , and other small items to be used while sitting, such as beverage coasters. Coffee tables are usually found in the living room or...
s to a major Hollywood studio in "The Wizard", winning $18,000 in "The Subway", successfully betting on horse races
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, and signing a contract with Calvin Klein in "The Pick
The Pick
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
". It may also indicate that Kramer came into money at an earlier, unseen time and is thus independently wealthy to some degree, explaining his not having to work.
Inspiration
The character of Kramer was originally based on the real-life Kenny KramerKenny Kramer
Kenny Kramer is an American stand-up comedian and is the real-life inspiration for the character of Cosmo Kramer from the television sitcom Seinfeld.-Pre-Seinfeld:...
, a neighbor of co-creator Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. However, Michael Richards did not in any way base his performance on the real Kramer, to the point of refusing to meet him. This was later parodied in "The Pilot" when the actor that is cast to play him in Jerry and George's sitcom refuses to base the character on the real Cosmo Kramer. At the time of the shooting of the original Seinfeld pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, "The Seinfeld Chronicles," Kenny Kramer had not yet given consent to use his name, and so Kramer's character was originally known 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 City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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
"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," although Jerry notes that reality is the last thing Kramer is qualified to tour.
Given and Surnames
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 Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
finds out his unusual first name through an encounter with Kramer's long estranged mother, Babs (played by Sheree North
Sheree North
Sheree North was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was known for being 20th Century Fox's answer to Marilyn Monroe from 1954 to 1956...
), in the season six episode, "The Switch
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
"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, starting with the final scene and playing...
", when we see how Jerry met Kramer, Kramer says that his name is incorrectly put down as Kessler in the apartment building. This retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
s the pilot's use of "Kessler" as the character's name. The source of the name of a child whose uncle worked on the set of Seinfeld is Cosmo Kramer.
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 noviceNoviceA 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 (lure of the animal). - In "The Puffy ShirtThe Puffy Shirt"The Puffy Shirt" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 66th episode and originally aired on September 23, 1993. Larry David, the creator of the show, cites this episode as one of his favorites in the series.-Plot:George is upset because he is...
," Kramer dates Leslie, a "low talker," a woman who speaks quietly. - In "The Friar's Club," Kramer tries to copy Leonardo Da VinciLeonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
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 RiverHudson RiverThe Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. - In "The Smelly CarThe Smelly Car"The Smelly Car" is the sixty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the 21st episode for the 4th season. It aired on April 16, 1993.-Plot:...
," Kramer "converts" Susan's lesbian lover, Mona, to heterosexualityHeterosexualityHeterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
, one of the many reasons why Susan hates Kramer. - In "The Chinese WomanThe 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 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 YogurtThe Non-Fat Yogurt"The Non-Fat Yogurt" is the seventy-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the seventh episode of the fifth season, and first aired on November 4, 1993.-Plot:...
", Kramer's passionate encounter with Cheryl, a lab technician results in the accidental mix up of Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiRudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE 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 PieThe 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 refuses to take a bite of his pie....
", 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 WifeThe 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...
", 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 blackfaceBlackfaceBlackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
. - 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", 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 TapeThe Tape"The Tape" is the twenty-fifth episode of Seinfeld. It is the eighth episode of the show's third season. It first aired on November 13, 1991.The episode was written by Larry David and Don McEnery and Bob Shaw and was directed by David Steinberg.-Plot:...
" that one night he was sleeping in bed with her, so therefore, their relationship supposedly ended between that episode and "The Nose JobThe Nose Job"The Nose Job" is the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. It is the ninth episode of the show's third season. It first 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 MateThe Soul Mate"The Soul Mate" is the 136th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the second 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 (Seinfeld)Newman 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 vasectomyVasectomyVasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream...
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 MoneyThe Money"The Money" is the 146th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 12th episode for the 8th season. It aired on NBC on January 16, 1997.-Plot:...
", Kramer dates Emily (played by Sarah SilvermanSarah SilvermanSarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
) who has the "jimmy legs" which keep him up at night. - In "The ShoesThe ShoesThe Shoes is the fifty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 16th episode for the fourth season, and first 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 IslandRhode IslandThe state of 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 AmericaMiss 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 MidlerBette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
after she is run over at the plate by George at a softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
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 internInternInternship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, 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 a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
from New York UniversityNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based 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 (Seinfeld)Newman 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 CafeMonk'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 GumThe 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 WomanThe 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 FatiguesThe Fatigues"The Fatigues" is the 140th episode of the 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 needs Frank Costanza 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:- In "The Jimmy" he insists 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. Kramer does insist, however, that one should not brush one's teeth 24 hours before seeing the dentist.
- In "The Heart AttackThe Heart Attack"The Heart Attack" is the eighth episode of the second season of NBC's Seinfeld, and the show's thirteenth episode overall. It aired on April 25, 1991.-Plot:...
", Kramer reveals he does not believe in being treated at hospitals when he warns George that his friend Bob Sacamano went in for a herniaHerniaA hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
operation which was botched and now speaks in a falsettoFalsettoFalsetto is 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 folds, 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 SlicerThe 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:...
", Kramer reveals that he once had his picture taken with President FordGerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, but eventually had Ford airbrushed out of the picture. - 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 coulrophobiaCoulrophobiaCoulrophobia is a fear of clowns. The term is of recent origin, probably dating from the 1980s, and according to one analyst, "has been coined more on the Internet than in printed form because it does not appear in any previously published, psychiatric, unabridged, or abridged dictionary," however...
(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 FestivusFestivusFestivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as a way to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, as part of...
, a holiday ("for the rest of us") created by Frank Costanza. He has an abrupt change of heart at the end of the episode, and walks out on the Festivus dinner without performing the "Feats of Strength" as instructed by Frank. - In "The Andrea DoriaThe 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 NBC on December 19, 1996.-Plot:George is excited about the new apartment he is going to move into...
", 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 veterinarianVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
. His rationale is that veterinarians are superior physicians because they are expected to care for multiple species. - In "The FoundationThe Foundation (Seinfeld)"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 "Katra" philosophy that she thinks he learned in his karateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed 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. Grappling, locks,...
class. As it turns out, "Katra" is a VulcanVulcan (Star Trek)Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the 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 in the Star Trek...
trait that Kramer saw in Star Trek III: The Search for SpockStar 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 and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
and in actuality, Kramer is the only adult in a karate class full of children. - In "The SpongeThe Sponge"The Sponge" is the 119th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the ninth episode for the seventh season. It aired on December 7, 1995.-Plot:...
", arguing that's a meaningless gesture compared to actually walking, Kramer adamantly refuses to wear a ribbon at an AIDSAIDSAcquired 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"). - In "The Butter ShaveThe 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 (Seinfeld)Newman 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", 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 WalletThe Wallet"The Wallet" is the forty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the series, and first 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 kilter".
- In "The Engagement", 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 TubThe 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 19, 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.Circadian rhythmA circadian rhythm, popularly referred to as body clock, is an endogenously driven , roughly 24-hour cycle in biochemical, physiological, or behavioural processes. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria... - In "The Masseuse" 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 fronts 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 ShoesThe Shoes
The Shoes is the fifty-sixth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 16th episode for the fourth season, and first 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
"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 15th episode of the fourth season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:George meets Cheryl , a Chinese woman who is a lawyer, and who thinks he is very funny...
", George makes a comment about Kramer going to a fantasy camp, and how Kramer's "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 neighbours, and have sex without dating. That's a fantasy camp." The biggest 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 Bagels
H&H Bagels
H&H Bagels is a popular bagel company in New York City, 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 strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
for over a decade. His union finally settled the strike when the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by 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 Festivus
Festivus
Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as a way to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, as part of...
, a holiday celebrated by Frank Costanza.
Kramer is engaged in a variety of short-lived jobs. He works part-time as a department store Santa before being fired for spreading Communist propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
to young children in "The Race". In "The Bizarro Jerry
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 works at an office where he is not actually employed, describing his daily activities to Jerry as "T.C.B.
Takin' Care of Business
"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
"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 is paid to be a decoy in a police lineup
Police lineup
A 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 arc
Story arc
A 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 includes Kramer's idea for a coffee table book about coffee tables, which is eventually published in "The Fire". His success in that particular endeavor is short-lived, however, because he spews coffee all over Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin...
while promoting the book on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee in "The Opposite
The Opposite
"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 21st 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
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
", he becomes an underwear model for Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
, 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 Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(although he moves back to New York almost immediately after a "political scandal" involving going barefoot in the clubhouse, which costs him the election for condo board president.)
He is a compulsive gambler
Compulsive gambling
Problem gambling is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical...
who successfully avoids gambling for several years until "The Diplomat's Club
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 bets with a wealthy Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on the arrival and departure times of flights going into New York's
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in 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...
. Before that, "The Pony Remark" and "The Subway" show Kramer as a tough gambler.
A struggling (and terrible) actor, Kramer briefly lives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune 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 accosts Fred Savage
Fred Savage
Fredrick Aaron "Fred" Savage is an American actor, director and producer of television and film.He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series The Wonder Years and as the grandson in The Princess Bride...
, appears in a minor role on Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown
Murphy 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, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television...
, and is a suspect in a string of serial killings
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
("The Keys", "The Trip
The Trip, Part 1
"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 works as a stand-in on a soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. 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
"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 is given a one-line part in a Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
movie in "The Alternate Side
The Alternate Side
"The Alternate Side" is the twenty-eighth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the eleventh episode of the show's third season. It aired on December 4, 1991.The episode was written by Larry David and Bill Masters; it was directed by Tom Cherones...
" (His line, "These pretzels are making me thirsty", becomes the show's first catchphrase), but he is fired before completing his scene. Kramer works in various other theater projects, such as acting out illnesses at a medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
in "The Burning".
In the episode "The Strong Box
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," claiming the reason he was discharged is classified. In the episode "The Muffin Tops
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
United States twenty-dollar bill
The United States twenty-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. President Andrew Jackson is currently featured on the front side of the bill, which is why the twenty-dollar bill is often called a "Jackson," while the White House is featured on the reverse side.The...
, to which he replies, "I only have hundreds
United States one hundred-dollar bill
The United States one hundred-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. statesman, inventor and diplomat Benjamin Franklin is currently featured on the obverse of the bill. On the reverse of the banknote is an image of Independence Hall. The time on the clock according to the...
" ("The Mango
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
"The Reverse Peephole" is the 12th episode of the ninth season of the television comedy series, Seinfeld. It was written by Spike Feresten and directed by Andy Ackerman. In this episode, Kramer and Newman reverse the peepholes on their apartment doors, which could lead to the landlord kicking them...
").
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. In "The Calzone
The Calzone
"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode of the seventh season. It aired on April 25, 1996.-Plot:...
", Kramer claims that he only carries change. Possibly Kramer receives money (from whatever the source) in monthly installments, and erratic spending habits leave him well-off one month and short of cash the next.
Inventions, entrepreneurship, and lawsuits
Kramer shows an entrepreneurial bent with "Kramerica Industries," for which he devises plans for a pizza place where customers make their own pie ("Male UnbondingMale 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 Hornick...
"), a bladder system for tankers that will "put an end to maritime oil spills" ("The Voice"), and a product that will put ketchup and mustard in the same bottle.
He also comes up with the idea of a beach-scented cologne in "The Pez Dispenser
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 Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
tells him the idea is ridiculous. However, in "The Pick
The Pick
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.- Plot :...
", it is revealed that Klein has produced a cologne called Ocean based on the same idea, leading Kramer to declare, "I could have been a millionaire! I could have been a fragrance millionaire!" 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
"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 Costanza co-develop a prototype for a brassiere
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
for men called the "bro" or the "mansiere". It's mentioned again in "The Fusilli Jerry
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. Working titles for this episode were "The Move", "The Proctologist", and "The Assman".-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 in "The Understudy" Frank tries to do "the move" on a Korean woman that fails to rekindle their relationship.
In "The Muffin Tops
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. Peterman's book success which is based on Kramer's misadventures. He then confronts Peterman during a book signing and is kicked out of the event. Kramer then declares himself "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 is "basically $37.50 for a 3 Musketeers
3 Musketeers (candy)
3 Musketeers is a candy bar made in the United States by Mars, Incorporated. It is a chocolate-covered fluffy whipped chocolate bar. The 3 Musketeers Bar was the third brand produced and manufactured by M&M/Mars, introduced in 1932. Originally, it had three pieces in one package, flavored...
."
Kramer also hatches a scheme to smuggle actual Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main 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...
ns to the United States to make his beloved outlawed Cuban cigars, only to learn the "Cubans" are actually Dominicans
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La 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 shared by two countries...
("The English Patient").
He participates in lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands 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 Chiles
Jackie Chiles
Jackie Chiles is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Phil Morris in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. He appears in the series' seventh through ninth seasons as Cosmo Kramer's lawyer.-Character:...
, a parody of Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie 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
"The Maestro" is an episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It aired on October 5, 1995. It was the series' 113th episode and 3rd episode for the 7th season. The title character is played by Mark Metcalf.-Plot:...
," he settles one such suit (though receiving no monetary compensation) against a coffee company whose beverages are too hot (a reference to the McDonald's coffee case). In "The Abstinence
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 cause to his appearance, and in "The Caddy," he sues Sue Ellen Mischke for causing a traffic accident that ruins his chances of 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 thinks of the book in "The Cigar Store IndianThe Cigar Store Indian
"The Cigar Store Indian" is the seventy-fourth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the tenth episode of the fifth season, and first aired on December 9, 1993.-Plot:...
", although he later claims that he first had the idea when skiing. Throughout the season, his quest to get the book published becomes a running gag. Although Elaine is shown as disliking the idea, Mr. Lippman, Elaine's boss, likes it. Pendant Publishing (where Elaine and Kramer's then-girlfriend work) decides to publish it in "The Fire".
In "The Opposite
The Opposite
"The Opposite" is the eighty-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was also the 21st 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 coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
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 is being made into a movie and the money Kramer makes allows him to move to Florida temporarily.
The book itself is full of pictures of celebrities' coffee tables, and even had a pair of foldable wooden legs so that it could itself be turned into a coffee table. He also says that he has plans for a coaster to be built into the cover.
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 cucumberCucumberThe cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit when ripe. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and...
s can be pizza toppings ("The CouchThe 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:Kramer plans to start a "pizza business where you make your own pie" with Poppie . Jerry and Elaine's discussion of the abortion issue causes trouble at Poppie's...
"). - Installing a garbage disposalGarbage disposalA garbage disposal unit or waste disposal unit 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—generally less than —to pass through plumbing.Garbage disposal units are widely used in...
as the drain in his shower, so that he can prepare vegetables while showering ("The Apology"). - Redoing his entire apartment in imitation wood wallpaper - "It's wood, Jerry." ("The Junior MintThe 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.-"Mulva":...
"). - Redecorating his apartment with the set of The Merv Griffin ShowThe Merv Griffin ShowThe Merv Griffin Show is 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 NowThe 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 rickshaws in New York City ("The BookstoreThe 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 16, 1998.-Plot:...
"). - Reversing the peephole in his apartment front door so he can see inside to see if someone is waiting to ambush him with a sock full of pennies, something that happens to another character at the end of the episode ("The Reverse PeepholeThe Reverse Peephole"The Reverse Peephole" is the 12th episode of the ninth season of the television comedy series, Seinfeld. It was written by Spike Feresten and directed by Andy Ackerman. In this episode, Kramer and Newman reverse the peepholes on their apartment doors, which could lead to the landlord kicking them...
"). - Owning his own chickenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. 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 species of bird...
to obtain fresh eggsEgg (food)Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
. He later discovers that the chicken is really a roosterRoosterA rooster, also known as a cockerel, 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...
and trains him to become a cock fighterCockfightA cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
("The Little JerryThe Little Jerry"The Little Jerry" is the 145th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 11th episode for the 8th season.The table reading for this episode took place on Sunday, November 24, 1996, and the majority of this episode was filmed in front of a live studio audience on Wednesday, November 27, 1996...
"). - 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 will 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." He then 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 JerryThe 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. Working titles for this episode were "The Move", "The Proctologist", and "The Assman".-Plot:...
", "The Understudy", seen in the background of his apartment in various preceding episodes). - A cologne that smells of the beach, an idea eventually stolen by Calvin Klein. ("The Pez DispenserThe 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 PickThe Pick"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first 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 PotholeThe 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. This episode earned Andy Ackerman an Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction...
") - 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 CalzoneThe Calzone"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode of the seventh 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 RemarkThe 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 made once....
") 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 ClubThe Friars Club"The Friar's 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:...
") - A book called "Astonishing Tales of the Seas." ("The Andrea DoriaThe 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 NBC on December 19, 1996.-Plot:George is excited about the new apartment he is going to move into...
")
Physical moments
Kramer's physical eccentricities are a frequent source of humor. His entrance is a recurring gag. He frequently 'slides' into Jerry's apartment, often resulting in applause, as in "The Virgin". In "The Revenge" Kramer clumsily carries a dry sack of cement powder to the washing machine. In "The FoundationThe Foundation (Seinfeld)
"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:...
" he takes on a group of kids at a karate school and in "The Van Buren Boys
The Van Buren Boys
"The Van Buren Boys" is the 148th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld, and name of a fictional New York street gang. Their sign is crossing the hands, with one hand with all the fingers 'up' and spread out. The other hand has all but the thumb and pointer finger up, for a total of eight...
" after giving his stories to Elaine to write, he slips up on the golf balls and lands on the floor.
Pseudonyms
Like the other three characters, Kramer has pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s he uses in various schemes; H.E. Pennypacker, Dr. Martin Van Nostrand, and Professor Peter Van Nostrand are the most popular.
Under the name H.E. Pennypacker in "The Puerto Rican Day
The Puerto Rican Day
"The Puerto Rican Day Parade" is the 176th and antepenultimate 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...
", Kramer poses as a prospective buyer interested in an elegant apartment in order to use its bathroom. Kramer appears as Pennypacker to help Elaine get revenge on a Mayan
Maya society
Maya society shared many features with other Mesoamerican civilizations, for there was a high degree of interaction and cultural diffusion throughout the region. Although aspects such as writing and the calendar did not originate with the Maya, the Maya script and their calendar were among the...
clothing store, "Putamayo", by repricing all the merchandise in the store with a pricing gun in "The Millennium". In the latter capacity, he claims to be "a wealthy American industrialist."
As Dr. Martin Van Nostrand, Kramer tries to get hold of Elaine's medical chart to erase the negative comments her doctor has made in "The Package". He also uses the Van Nostrand alias in the episode "The Slicer
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 George's company, Kruger Industrial Smoothing. Mr. Kruger later recognizes him as Dr. Van Nostrand in "The Strike". Kramer uses the name Martin Van Nostrand (without the "doctor" prefix) while auditioning for the role of himself on the show Jerry in "The Pilot, Part 1". Kramer poses as Professor Peter Van Nostrand in "The Nose Job
The Nose Job
"The Nose Job" is the twenty-sixth episode of Seinfeld. It is the ninth episode of the show's third season. It first aired on November 20, 1991.The episode was written by Peter Mehlman and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
" in order to retrieve a favorite jacket from another man's apartment; Kramer's jacket, to which he attributes at least some of his amorous success, is a minor plot point in other episodes until, in "The Cheever Letters
The Cheever Letters
"The Cheever Letters" is the forty-eighth episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, the 8th episode of season four. Written by Larry David, Elaine Pope & Tom Leopold and directed by Tom Cherones, it premiered on October 28, 1992.-Plot:...
", he trades it to a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main 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...
n embassy official for several boxes of authentic Cuban cigars.
Kramer is also referred to as "Assman" in reference to the license plate the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
accidentally gave him in "The Fusilli Jerry
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. Working titles for this episode were "The Move", "The Proctologist", and "The Assman".-Plot:...
". He is also variously called "the K-Man" ("The Barber
The Barber
The 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
"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
"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", "The Scofflaw
The Scofflaw
"The Scofflaw" is the 99th episode of the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld". It was the 13th episode for the 6th season. It aired on January 26, 1995.-Plot:...
" and "The Soup Nazi
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....
").
A derogatory designation for Kramer has been "hipster
Hipster (contemporary subculture)
Hipsters are a subculture of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with musical interests mainly in alternative rock that appeared in the 1990s...
doofus", a moniker assigned to him by a woman in a wheelchair he once dated in the episode "The Handicap Spot
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 mall in Lynbrook 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
The Glasses is the sixty-seventh episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the third episode of the fifth season, and first 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 Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
review of Seinfeld.
Reception
The Seinfeld cast was placed sixth on Bravo's 100 Greatest TV CharactersBravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters
"Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters" is a TV special aired on Bravo on Thanksgiving in 2004. It counted down the 100 greatest TV characters based on the results from a poll conducted over the Internet with consumers...
.
In 1999 TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked him number 35 on its '50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time' list.