Running gags in Seinfeld

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This article is a list of the many running gags in the U.S. sitcom Seinfeld.

1 General
2 Jerry
3 Elaine
4 George
5 Kramer

[edit] General

"In the vault": when a character expresses an intention to keep something a secret, he refers to "putting it in the vault." This was used in The Fusilli Jerry, The Pool Guy, The Fix-Up, The Parking Space, and The Betrayal, Jerry says that Elaine's vault is no good because "too many people know the combination," using alcohol, more specifically peach schnapps to encourage her to reveal secrets.
"Who is this?": When one character calls another with a frantic request, the person receiving the call will sometimes respond with a playful "Who is this?" (usually uttered by Jerry). Jerry uses this line against George in The Nap, The Bizarro Jerry, and Elaine uses it against Jerry in The Dealership. This gag is sometimes followed by the frustrated caller banging the receiver against the phone, as in The Boyfriend, Part 1. The gag was substituted with Jerry saying, "Uncle Leo?", when clearly, George was the frantic caller in The Checks.
Pseudonyms: George, Kramer, and Jerry use pseudonyms from time to time. George's pseudonym is Art Vandelay. Kramer uses Peter or Martin van Nostrand, but near the end of the series, adopts the persona of H.E. Pennypacker, a "wealthy industrialist, philanthropist, and bicyclist." Jerry uses Kal Varnsen. While posing as neo-nazis George and Jerry adopted the names O'Brien and Murphy.
"It's gold!": First used by Jerry in The Fire to refer to a comedy sketch he had just written, this phrase is adopted when a character is particularly confident in the quality of something. Kenny Bania used it in The Fatigues, and Kramer refers to one of his many ideas for inventions as "gold" in The Voice.
The beach: Characters often go to the beach when big decisions are at hand: This was used in The Engagement, The Opposite, The Voice, and The Invitations. The beach visit always follows the same pattern: the ruminating character looks around at other people on the dock, and suddenly realizing a plan, runs from the dock quickly, through a flock of seagulls.
"Talkers": A number of characters that the main four encounter are branded as "talkers" of various types, describing the peculiar manner in which each speaks. A friend of Elaine's dates a "high-talker" in The Pledge Drive and a "long-talker" in The Chinese Woman. Kramer dates a "low-talker" in The Puffy Shirt, and Elaine a "close-talker" in The Raincoats, Part 1 and The Raincoats, Part 2.
"Screaming and Spinning":This gag was used when a character gets angry, the camera is above the character, the character would scream, looking up the ceiling {facing the camera}, and the camera would spin around. George uses it in The Foundation, in which he gets upset over the Susan Ross foundation and The Dealership, where he finds himself of everyone who works at the dealership eating Twix. Elaine uses it in The Susie, where she finds herself going to the Susie foundation every day. This is a reference to the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
"Accusations": When any of the characters encounter or discover the person responsible for the current mishap, they mutter in a low and angry manner, showing their teeth whilst uttering the person's name, such as Jerry's "Newman!" whenever he realises Newman is behind the problem.
Pact: George and Jerry's pact from The Engagement is referenced in several episodes, including The Soup Nazi. This is usually in the form of George exasperatedly saying to Jerry, "We had a pact!" This is reversed, however, in The Invitations. After Susan dies, Jerry finds himself engaged though George no longer is, prompting Jerry to make the same frustrated cry.
Lupus: George has shown on several occasions that he is extremely afraid of contracting Lupus, a chronic disease in which the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue. George shows his distress about the disease in The Heart Attack when the doctor notifies that there is indeed something wrong with him. George shows his distress once again in The Suicide when a mystic teller tells George not to take his vacation to the Cayman Islands. Since George had not got an answer as to why, he panicked and thought that he would contract Lupus. He usually shouts: "Lupus?! Is it Lupus?!"

It must be added that the writers, most notably Larry David, had a remarkable sense of continuity, this being one of the many factors that boosted the series to it current "cult" status. Numerous phrases, ideas, and events were continuously referenced throughout all 9 seasons, but may not constitute a "running gag."

For example (in no particular order):

-- "Conjugal Visits": Jerry and George consider conjugal visits the highest form of any sexual encounter - the only thing better than "makeup sex." This, and "makeup sex," are referenced in many episodes, culminating with George actually having the possibility of having "conjugal makeup sex" when he dates a convict in the 11th episode of the 8th season, "The Little Jerry."

-- "Architecture": George always wanted to pretend to be an architect, and did so in "The Race," as well as mentioning it in many different episodes through season 9.

[edit] Jerry

"Hello, Newman": Jerry always greets Newman with the words "Hello, Newman," spoken very contemptuously. The gag extends to Jerry's mother, who greets Newman the same way.
Superheroes: Jerry makes many references to superheroes, particularly Superman. Others include the Lone Ranger, Superman's doppelgänger Bizarro, Batman, Spider-Man, Elastic Man (all in The Cafe), the Blob, the Green Lantern (The Stand In, The Barber), Wonder Woman (The Stand In), the Batman villain Two-Face (The Strike), Plastic Man, Aqua Boy (The Glasses), Iron Man (The Voice), and the nonexistent Rubberman (The Statue).
"Newman!": When vexed or foiled by Newman, Jerry clenches his fist and utters "Newman!" under his breath angrily, proceeding to show his teeth.
"That's a shame": When someone suffers a calamity of some sort, major or minor, Jerry says dismissively, "That's a shame." This was used in The Chaperone, The Secret Code, and The Finale (part 1). This also used for people acting like Jerry, such as George in The Money, Kramer in The Chicken Roaster, and Jeannie in The Invitations.
Minor faults about dates: Jerry frequently finds something minuscule but unfavorable about his dates. Jerry's failed relationships include a breakup with a woman who had "man hands" (The Bizarro Jerry) and another who ate her peas one at a time (The Engagement). Elaine comments in The Pothole that Jerry "[finds] fault on a sub-atomic level."
"I don't wanna be a...": At various times throughout the series, Jerry protested to others' suggestions or ideas with a whiny, "But I don't wanna be a...!" In The Puffy Shirt, he exclaimed, "But I don't wanna be a pirate!" In The Mom & Pop Store, it was "I don't wanna be a cowboy!"; in The Label Maker, "I don't wanna be Switzerland!"; and in The Sponge, "I don't wanna be a 32!" In The Scofflaw, Kramer parodies this line by saying "I wanna be a pirate." In The Fusilli Jerry, Kramer is mistakenly given vanity license plates reading "ASSMAN," and tells the Motor Vehicle worker, "But I don't wanna be the Assman!"
"All right!": When Jerry doesn't want to do something, but is forced to by whomever, he usually yells or whispers "All right!".
"Well good luck with all that": After someone tells Jerry about something bad in their life he responds with "...well good luck with all that..."
"Oh, I don't believe this!": Jerry says this, somewhat frustratedly, whenever something is a minor inconvenience. Examples are when Elaine's secretary calls Jerry and has him hold for Elaine in The Foundation, when Kramer leaves a drink off a coaster in The Bookstore and Kramer's friend Brody bootlegs a movie in The Little Kicks.

[edit] Elaine

"Get out!": When surprised by a piece of good news, Elaine will give the bearer of good news a playful (but powerful) shove and will yell "Get out!". One of the first appearances of "Get out!" was in The Apartment, when Elaine learns that Jerry has gotten her an apartment in his building. Both Jerry (for finding Elaine's watch and giving it to her as a Christmas present) and George (for buying Elaine a cashmere sweater) are targets of the gesture during The Red Dot. In The Engagement, she pushes Jerry off-camera into another room after finding out that George is getting married. In The Soup Nazi, she pushes Kramer so hard that he goes through a door into an adjoining room. In The Bizarro Jerry she does this to Kevin knocking him to the floor and who is so shocked by her behavior that he asks her to leave.
"Urban Sombrero": Proposed to a distracted J. Peterman in The Foundation, Elaine puts it on the cover of the catalog when she is made president in The Chicken Roaster, as Peterman is missing in the Burmese Jungle. In The Checks, Jerry's former umbrella-selling coworker laments the sombrero's effect on his sales. The urban sombrero is also seen being worn or referenced by extras in other episodes.
Sponge Worthy: Elaine judges guys on whether they are sponge worthy or not.
Big Head: Elaine is also told in several episodes that she has a "big head", which she tries to camouflage with her hairstyle.

[edit] George

Biff Loman: Jerry frequently refers to George as Biff Loman from the famous Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman, especially when George is unemployed during the third season. In The Subway, Jerry reminds George not to whistle on the elevator (the same piece of advice that was given to Biff in "Death of a Salesman") and, after George walks into Monk's clothed only in a bedsheet (his clothes and wallet had been stolen in a hotel), Jerry greets him with a surprised "Biff, what...did you whistle on the elevator?" In another episode"The Boyfriend, Part 1 George exclaims that he would like to be a history buff to which Jerry replies "So Biff wants to be a buff."
3rd Person: George will sporadically speak in the third person (e.g. "George is getting upset!") This gag is most often used in the season 6 episode The Jimmy, when George starts imitating Jimmy, whom George meets while playing basketball in the gym and constantly refers to himself in the third person (e.g. "Jimmy's gonna score!") This actually gets George out of trouble because, when hauled in front of George Steinbrenner after wrongly being accused of stealing baseball equipment from his job with the New York Yankees, George's statements like "Why would George steal from the Yankees?" confuse Mr. Steinbrenner, who thinks the "George" in the question is himself (i.e. Steinbrenner) when "George" really means George Costanza.
"Lupus! Is it lupus?": During the early seasons, George is often worried that he has contracted lupus. In the season 2 episode The Heart Attack, a panic-striken George screams "Lupus! Is it lupus?!" at a doctor before he learns that he only needs to have his tonsils removed. The line is used again when George and Elaine later visit a psychic during The Suicide; the psychic warns George about a trip that he is going to take, but Elaine gets them thrown out before the psychic can tell George if something terrible will happen if he goes on the trip.
Cheapness: George is very tight with money, even prompting Elaine to suggest that George is cheap in The Truth. George often lets Jerry pay for his coffee and meals at the coffee shop (e.g. "The Switch" and "The Alternate Side"). When George does pay, he points out mistakes to waitresses and gives minuscule tips. After Elaine suggested slipping the maitre d' twenty dollars at The Chinese Restaurant, George said the money should be split three ways, with Elaine and Jerry each paying 7 and him paying 6. When George says, "I'll sniff out a deal. I have a sixth sense." while looking for an apartment-warming gift, Jerry remarks, "Cheapness is not a sense."
Fake Professions: Along with using the pseudonym "Art Vandelay" numerous times, George also makes several references to a "Vandelay Industries" which supposedly deals in latex (making and manufacturing of latex and latex related products). There are also several instances in which he lies about being an architect (sometimes in character as Vandelay). In The Marine Biologist he also pretends to be a marine biologist.
Bathrooms: George seems to pride himself in his knowledge of the city's public restrooms and often brings up toiletries as topics of conversation.
Double Parked: Whenever George is in Jerry's apartment and is about to give someone (especially Jerry) a ride, he often hurries the party remarking that he is double parked.
Ted Danson: When Jerry and George make the pilot "Jerry" for NBC, George complains about the mere $13,000 offered, in comparison to the $800,000 Ted Danson receives per episode. He makes this complaint to more than 5 people during the course of the episode. Five years later, in the penultimate episode when NBC gives the four a plane ride, George complains that Ted Danson gets a better plane. Jerry then points out to George that Danson is no longer on the network (NBC). Ted Danson's name also comes up in a number of television ads that promoted the show during its fourth season.
"Baby": George ends emphatic expressions with "baby!" For example: "Oh, it's happening, baby!" In one episode, Jerry ends a number of declarations with "baby!" leading both Elaine and George to comment on the apparent theft of "George's 'baby'", to which Jerry can only respond that he was doing the "baby!" long before George.
"It Didn't Take": if someone is trying to make a point against George, George comes back with "it didn't take". This was used in The Jimmy, and in The Engagement Jerry asks George if Susan was a lesbian and George answers "it didn't take".
Can't Jump: throughout the series George is told over and over that he can't jump.
I'm Busting: George frequently says, "I'm busting" when things are going really well for himself. Such as when George becomes a hand model or when he gets his job with the New York Yankees.

[edit] Kramer

Jerry's apartment: Kramer treats Jerry's apartment as his own, entering without knocking, freely taking Jerry's food and possessions, and acting as if he lived there. In The Keys, Kramer's privileges to the apartment are revoked, and he comments that having such access "kept me in a fantasy world. Every time I went over to his house, it was like I was on vacation. Better food, better view, better TV...much cleaner...I'm looking at life through Jerry's eyes." In The Seven, Kramer attempts to reimburse Jerry for the amount of food he takes, but his bill is so large that "few do" "have this kind of cash." In The Pilot, Part 1, it is revealed that Kramer receives phone calls at Jerry's apartment; similarly, in The Voice, Kramer calls Jerry's phone line "Line 1" and his own "Line 2." Kramer shaves using "whatever [Jerry] get[s]" for shaving cream (The Butter Shave), and has borrowed Jerry's Walkman (The Reverse Peephole), suitcases, skis, and tennis racket (The Maid). In The Calzone, Kramer uses Jerry's stove to preheat his clothing after discovering the wonderful feeling it has when fresh out of the dryer (by this point in the episode he has run out of change for the laundro-mat). He had also previously been using Jerry's table to count his change because, "He doesn't have one." In The Hot Tub, Kramer fills buckets of water from Jerry's sink to fill his new hot tub; a bemused George asks Jerry "He [Kramer], uh...doesn't have any running water?" and Jerry, by now accustomed to Kramer's habit of borrowing even items that he almost certainly owns himself, responds "I don't ask those kinds of questions anymore." This running gag is explained in the backwards episode The Betrayal, in which a scene from Jerry and Kramer's first encounter is shown. Jerry tells Kramer that "What's mine is yours." There is also a running gag regarding Kramer's means of entering the apartment in various humorous manners, often involving dance moves, throwing the door open, or sliding into the apartment. At one point, after Jerry has been grocery shopping, he takes out a packet of cereal from his bag and says "These are for Kramer". He throws them into the air, Kramer busts into the apartment and catches the cereal box, anticipating his treat from Jerry.
"Giddy-up!": Kramer uses the phrase "Giddy-up!" to express agreement, approval or a "let's go".
Nicknames: Kramer often uses nonsensical nicknames, such as "Babaloo" (The Library) for Jerry, "Gin-ga" (The Stall) for George, or "Mojambo" (The Pitch) for Newman. In The Wink, a 7th Season episode, Kramer entered Jerry's apartment to be saluted by "Hi, Jughead" by Jerry, Kramer proceeds to call each character in the apartment by their Archie Comics counterpart "Archie, Veronica ... Mr. Weatherbee."
Unemployment/Assorted Jobs: Throughout the series Kramer never seems to hold down any kind of steady employment and appears to have "piles of money" as George remarks at one point, and it is revealed that Jerry is always surprised when told by Kramer how much money he made. In The Visa, George summarizes this fact exquisitely in response to Kramer joining a baseball fantasy camp: "Kramer goes to a fantasy camp. His whole life is a fantasy camp. People should plunk down two-thousand dollars to live like him for a week. Do nothing, fall ass-backwards into money, mooch food off your neighbors and have sex without dating; that's a fantasy camp." Kramer is constantly trying out new schemes, such as in The Bottle Deposit, when he embarks with Newman on a journey to Michigan simply for Michigan's 10 cent bottle deposit return, as opposed to the mere 5 cents offered in other states. This plan failed in the end, but apparently many others have succeeded. However, throughout the course of the show Kramer takes on several assorted jobs (ones that, interestingly enough, he is never able to hold down for longer than one episode). Some of these jobs include: Filling empty seats at the Tony Awards, working in a bagel shop (a job which he'd been on strike from for 12 years), an underwear model for Calvin Klein, paid to be a decoy in police lineups, posing as a 'suit' in a business firm, etc. Kramer has also held several odd jobs with his friend Mickey Abbott, a little person. These jobs included playing stand in actors for a soap opera in The Stand In, working together as a department store Santa and elf in The Race, and acting out sick conditions for medical students in The Burning.
Kramer's friends: Kramer references a number of friends who are never seen, including Bob Sacamano, Corky Ramirez, Jay Reimenschneider, Len Nicademo, Lomez, and Specter. His multitude of mysterious friends is joked about, with Jerry asking, "You sure have a lot of friends; how come I never see any of these people?", and Kramer responding, "They want to know why they never see you." In the episode The Alternate Side, his wide span of friends is mocked when Jerry calls the car phone in his stolen car and the thief apparently knew Kramer well. In The Fatigues it is suggested that the other three characters do know and/or have met Bob Sacamano, as he invited them all to a party of his (although the situation was only referenced, not shown). Kramer is friends with Newman and Mickey Abbott.
Huckleberry: Kramer has an obsession with huckleberries. He mentions huckleberry pie in the episodes The Bubble Boy and The Calzone and in The Engagement during Kramer's dream sequence he is dressed as Huckleberry Finn.
Pipe: Kramer is sometimes seen smoking tobacco out of a pipe. This is usually associated with older, more mature men and contrasts his childish personality, including his dream sequence from The Engagement, in which he is smoking a pipe as Huckleberry Finn.
Nonsensical phrases: Kramer often makes various incomprehensible noises while talking. This, along with his unusual body language, is what made Kramer such a memorable character.
The Entrances: Kramer's entrances are also memorable. He is often seen bursting open the door and sliding in, followed by usually neglecting to close the door. The studio audience often cheers when Kramer bursts through the door.