The Sponge
Encyclopedia
"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.
, Elaine
, and Kramer
are at Monk's Cafe
and they mention that Jerry still wears a size 31 pair of jeans. Kramer also mentions the female contraceptive sponge
is being taken off the market. Kramer passes both of them an AIDS Walk
sheet for them to sign. While reading the list of signatures Jerry sees a girl's name (Lena, played by Jennifer Guthrie
) whom he once met, but doesn't know her unlisted number. Jerry takes down the number and calls the girl. When George and his fiancée Susan get into a fight about sharing their secrets, in order to get back into her good graces George tells her that Jerry does not actually wear size 31 jeans.
Meanwhile Elaine goes on a 25-block radius hunt to find the contraceptive sponge
s. When she finally arrives at a pharmacy which still carries them, she purchases a full case. Her limited supply requires that she restrict her usage. She puts her current boyfriend, Billy (Scott Patterson
), through a rigorous examination to make sure he's "sponge-worthy." Jerry tells George that he found his new girlfriend on the AIDS walk list. George then tells Susan against Jerry's wishes. Susan then tells her friend, who tells a friend until the phone tree reaches Jerry's new girlfriend. When George comes to Jerry's apartment Jerry tells him that he is "out of the loop", because he told Susan about Jerry.
When Kramer
takes part in the AIDS Walk, he refuses to wear an AIDS ribbon
in opposition to "ribbon bullies", led one more time by Bob and Cedric from "The Soup Nazi
" episode. The storyline appeared to be based on the real-life controversy of former Days of Our Lives
actress Deidre Hall
, who, in 1993 publicly refused to wear AIDS ribbons at public events, such as the Daytime Emmys. Hall claimed that the volunteers who passed out the ribbons bullied celebrities into wearing the ribbons.
At his new girlfriend's, Jerry finds out that she has a lifetime supply of contraceptive sponges (assuming the boxes shown are all she has, there are approximately 720 sponges). While trying to disguise that he has seen the sponges he tells her his secret about his jeans and she dumps him.
originally wrote this episode, it included several story lines which never made it into the final episode. These included a story in which Kramer and Newman
bought stock in a company that sells over-the-counter contraceptive devices because Kramer had heard that the sponge was going out of business, and that this other company would capitalize on this. Then, in order to improve on their investment, Kramer and Newman go to Wall Street
in order to start a buyout rumor on their company by whispering loudly about it at brokerage houses, so that their stock would go five or 10 points before they sell. It was at this point in the show's original story that Kramer shared his scheme with Elaine and told her about the sponge; she immediately panics and rushes off to buy as many sponges as possible. However their plan backfires when they have a fight with an obnoxious guy in an elevator at Wall Street and a negative rumor about the company they've invested in is immediately generated.
George's story was originally different too, and was later modified to fit in with season seven's story arc of his engagement to Susan. In its original conception George meets a girl who argues that she and George are so like each other, that if they dated, they would have great sex for about ten days and then hate each other and split up. George, seizing the opportunity, wonders out loud if there would be any problem if they stayed with each other for a week and then, by mutual consent, they would call it quits. That way they could have all the pleasure without any of the pain. George is on the edge of victory when he learns that the girl likes a certain type of contraceptive and the entire West Side has been cleared of the product by Elaine.
Jerry's story was much the same as it is in the final episode, except when his girlfriend asks him if he donates to AIDS charities, he says he does and blurts out the name of Kramer and Newman's company. Jerry's girlfriend, believing in his ramblings about this terrific company and its AIDS research capacity, buys 5,000 shares, just in time for the negative rumors to take hold, and Kramer and Newman's stock's price falls through the floor. http://www.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/19951009/4753.html
quantifies the concept as an option value problem in his 2011 paper.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom 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...
. This was the ninth episode for the seventh season. It aired on December 7, 1995.
Plot
JerryJerry 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...
, Elaine
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...
, and Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
are at Monk's Cafe
Monk's Cafe
Monk'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...
and they mention that Jerry still wears a size 31 pair of jeans. Kramer also mentions the female contraceptive sponge
Contraceptive sponge
The contraceptive sponge combines barrier and spermicidal methods to prevent conception. Three brands are marketed: Pharmatex, Protectaid and Today. Pharmatex is marketed in France and the province of Quebec; Protectaid in the rest of Canada and Europe; and Today in the United States.Sponges work...
is being taken off the market. Kramer passes both of them an AIDS Walk
AIDS Walk New York
AIDS Walk New York is an annual fundraising walkathon that benefits Gay Men's Health Crisis and over 50 other local AIDS service organizations. Founded in 1986, it's now the largest walkathon in the world, and the largest AIDS fundraiser in the world by participation....
sheet for them to sign. While reading the list of signatures Jerry sees a girl's name (Lena, played by Jennifer Guthrie
Jennifer Guthrie
Jennifer Guthrie is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Annie Sloan on TV's Parker Lewis Can't Lose.-Early life:Guthrie was born in Willimantic, Connecticut. She attended Fox Lane High School in Bedford, NY....
) whom he once met, but doesn't know her unlisted number. Jerry takes down the number and calls the girl. When George and his fiancée Susan get into a fight about sharing their secrets, in order to get back into her good graces George tells her that Jerry does not actually wear size 31 jeans.
Meanwhile Elaine goes on a 25-block radius hunt to find the contraceptive sponge
Contraceptive sponge
The contraceptive sponge combines barrier and spermicidal methods to prevent conception. Three brands are marketed: Pharmatex, Protectaid and Today. Pharmatex is marketed in France and the province of Quebec; Protectaid in the rest of Canada and Europe; and Today in the United States.Sponges work...
s. When she finally arrives at a pharmacy which still carries them, she purchases a full case. Her limited supply requires that she restrict her usage. She puts her current boyfriend, Billy (Scott Patterson
Scott Patterson (actor)
Scott Gordon Patterson is an American actor. He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and Agent Strahm in Saw IV, Saw V and Saw VI...
), through a rigorous examination to make sure he's "sponge-worthy." Jerry tells George that he found his new girlfriend on the AIDS walk list. George then tells Susan against Jerry's wishes. Susan then tells her friend, who tells a friend until the phone tree reaches Jerry's new girlfriend. When George comes to Jerry's apartment Jerry tells him that he is "out of the loop", because he told Susan about Jerry.
When Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
takes part in the AIDS Walk, he refuses to wear an AIDS ribbon
Red ribbon
The red ribbon, as an awareness ribbon colored red, has several different meanings in different contexts. Foremost, it is the symbol of solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS.-Awareness symbol:...
in opposition to "ribbon bullies", led one more time by Bob and Cedric from "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....
" episode. The storyline appeared to be based on the real-life controversy of former Days of Our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
actress Deidre Hall
Deidre Hall
Deidre Ann Hall is a dramatic American actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans on NBC's daytime drama Days of our Lives, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of...
, who, in 1993 publicly refused to wear AIDS ribbons at public events, such as the Daytime Emmys. Hall claimed that the volunteers who passed out the ribbons bullied celebrities into wearing the ribbons.
At his new girlfriend's, Jerry finds out that she has a lifetime supply of contraceptive sponges (assuming the boxes shown are all she has, there are approximately 720 sponges). While trying to disguise that he has seen the sponges he tells her his secret about his jeans and she dumps him.
Original story ideas
When Peter MehlmanPeter Mehlman
Peter Mehlman is an American television writer and producer, best known for serving as a writer and producer on the TV series Seinfeld through nearly all of the show's nine-year run from 1989 to 1998. He also created the 1999 series It's Like, You Know... and produced the 2004 animated series...
originally wrote this episode, it included several story lines which never made it into the final episode. These included a story in which Kramer and 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:...
bought stock in a company that sells over-the-counter contraceptive devices because Kramer had heard that the sponge was going out of business, and that this other company would capitalize on this. Then, in order to improve on their investment, Kramer and Newman go to Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
in order to start a buyout rumor on their company by whispering loudly about it at brokerage houses, so that their stock would go five or 10 points before they sell. It was at this point in the show's original story that Kramer shared his scheme with Elaine and told her about the sponge; she immediately panics and rushes off to buy as many sponges as possible. However their plan backfires when they have a fight with an obnoxious guy in an elevator at Wall Street and a negative rumor about the company they've invested in is immediately generated.
George's story was originally different too, and was later modified to fit in with season seven's story arc of his engagement to Susan. In its original conception George meets a girl who argues that she and George are so like each other, that if they dated, they would have great sex for about ten days and then hate each other and split up. George, seizing the opportunity, wonders out loud if there would be any problem if they stayed with each other for a week and then, by mutual consent, they would call it quits. That way they could have all the pleasure without any of the pain. George is on the edge of victory when he learns that the girl likes a certain type of contraceptive and the entire West Side has been cleared of the product by Elaine.
Jerry's story was much the same as it is in the final episode, except when his girlfriend asks him if he donates to AIDS charities, he says he does and blurts out the name of Kramer and Newman's company. Jerry's girlfriend, believing in his ramblings about this terrific company and its AIDS research capacity, buys 5,000 shares, just in time for the negative rumors to take hold, and Kramer and Newman's stock's price falls through the floor. http://www.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/19951009/4753.html
Quotes
- Elaine: Oh, you're not gonna copy a girl's phone number off an AIDS charity list!
Jerry: (copying down the number) Elaine, you should admire me...I'm aspiring to date a giving person.
Elaine: You're a taking person.
Jerry: That's why I should date a giving person. If I date a taking person, everyone's taking, taking, taking. No one's giving. It's bedlam!
- Jerry: How'd you find out?
Lena: A friend of a friend of a friend knows Susan.
Jerry: (under his breath) George!
- Walker #1: Hey, where's your ribbon?
Kramer: Oh, I don't wear the ribbon.
Walker #2: You don't wear the ribbon? Aren't you against AIDS?
Kramer: Yeah, I'm against AIDS. I mean, I'm walking, aren't I? I just don't wear the ribbon.
Walker #3: Who do you think you are?
Walker #1: Put the ribbon on!
Walker #2: Hey, Cedric! Bob! This guy won't wear a ribbon!
(Cedric and Bob turn around and look at Kramer) Bob: Who?! Who does not want to wear the ribbon?!
- Jerry: She's kind and caring and generally concerned about the welfare of others. I can't be with someone like that! I mean, I admire the hell out of her. You can't have sex with someone you admire!
George: Yeah, I know what you mean. Where's the depravity?
Jerry: No depravity.
Cultural references
- Kramer takes part in the New York AIDS Walk
- The Sponge going off the market affects Elaine and George's personal life
- Yahtzee game in Jerry's apartment
- AIDS red ribbon mentioned during the AIDS walk
Quantification of "spongeworthiness"
Economist Avinash DixitAvinash Dixit
Avinash Kamalakar Dixit is an Indian-American economist originally of Indian nationality.-Education:Dixit received a B.Sc. from Bombay University in 1963 in Mathematics and Physics, a B.A...
quantifies the concept as an option value problem in his 2011 paper.