The Gymnast
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| “The Gymnast” | |
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| 'Seinfeld' episode | |
 Jerry and his Romanian girlfriend. |
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| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 92 |
| Written by | Alec Berg & Jeff Schaffer |
| Directed by | Andy Ackerman |
| Original airdate | November 3, 1994 |
| Season 6 episodes | |
| Seinfeld - Season 6 September 1994 - May 1995 |
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| List of Seinfeld episodes | |
"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 (e.g., Friends episode "The One with the Blackout").
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[edit] Plot
Jerry dates Katya, a Romanian gymnast and silver medal-winner in the 1984 Olympics. Kramer encourages him to have sex with her, since she is probably very "flexible." Jerry can only think of a conversation involving dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. George is given another shot with Lindsay, whom he met while trying to join a book club to read Breakfast at Tiffany's ("The Couch"). Jerry and Kramer find out about one of George's odd bathroom habits: whenever he goes into the "office" he takes his shirt off so as to feel "no restraints." Jerry talks about how George is better with the mothers of his girlfriends rather than with the girlfriends themselves.
Kramer goes to Mr. Pitt's office to retrieve 3-D painting that Elaine took to frame. Kramer leaves early as he feels intense pain which turns out is a kidney stone. Mr. Pitt becomes obsessed with finding the "spaceship" image in the 3-D painting. In place of Mr. Pitt, Elaine goes to a merger meeting between Morgan Springs and Poland Creek, but starts a dispute because of the suggested name "Moland" Springs. At Lindsay's mother house George is impressing Mrs. Evans with his gentlemanly demeanor, until he is caught by her eating a partially eaten chocolate éclair out of the trash can.
George assures the cake was clean and "on top," but Jerry says George has crossed the border between man and bum. George explains over the phone and gets another chance with Lindsay. Kramer brings Jerry a videotape of the 1984 Olympics and Jerry decides to go for it with Katya. Later, Jerry comments with Elaine of his disappointment, and how he has to date Katya for three more weeks.
At the street George buys a cup of coffee but he does not like it and throws it away, accidentally splashing a nearby automobile. George is now spotted washing the windshield by Lindsay's mother, thinking again he is a bum. George has to apologize once more and gets another opportunity with Lindsay.
Since it was Kramer's idea, Jerry wants him to come along with himself and Katya to the circus, to watch the performance of Katya's friend Misha. However, Kramer is afraid of clowns. At the circus' restroom, Kramer finally passes the kidney stone, but he screams so loud that he makes Misha fall from the high wire. Katya breaks up with Jerry because he was not an otherworldly "sensual experience." At Lindsay's mother's place there is a small party, and they have placed a 3-D painting in the bathroom which is "mesmerizing." George goes into the bathroom but then goes out wearing no shirt.
Mr. Pitt has lost three days trying to see the image in the 3-D painting. He now sees it right before going to an important meeting discussing the merger. Elaine, who has her hands covered in ink, breaks the picture and snaps her boss from the trance. However, she spills ink on him and he goes to the meeting with a painted moustache looking like Adolf Hitler. Aside from the visual humor, the scene alludes to Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939[1] through the juxtaposition of the imagery and the brand name.
[edit] Guest stars
- Ian Abercrombie - Mr. Justin Pitt
- David Blackwood - Beck
- Maurice Godin - Misha
- Jessica Hecht - Lindsay Enright
- Damian London - Party Guest
- Elina Löwensohn - Katya
- Lois Nettleton - Mrs. Enright
- James Sweeney - Aronson
[edit] "Katya"
We never learn the last name of Jerry's Romanian girlfriend Katya, but she must be Ecaterina Szabo. This can be deduced from the fact that he said she won a silver medal for gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Romania won two silver medals for gymnastics at these Games, one by Doina Staiculescu in Individual all-around rhythmic gymnastics, and one by Szabo in individual all-around artistic gymnastics. (However, it bears pointing out that Szabo also won four gold medals at the 1984 Games.) Later, when they are watching the tape of her medal-winning performance, Kramer says "here comes the dismount"; no event in rhythmic gymnastics has a dismount. Further, Katya is short for Ecaterina.
Szabo and the actress who portrays Katya, Elina Löwensohn, were born only 90 miles and six months apart in Romania.
[edit] Quotes
- Katya: In my country, they speak of a man so virile, so potent, that to spend a night with such a man is to enter a world of sensual delights most women dare not dream of. This man is known as "the comedian." You may tell jokes, Mr. Jerry Seinfeld, but you are no comedian.
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- George: Lindsay, I had accidentally spilled coffee on the gentleman's windshield. Why would I do that, I have a job ... Well did she see a squeegee? You're not going to make a dime without a squeegee ... Listen, can I tell you something? In my family we used to eat out of the garbage all the time.
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- Jerry: You can really talk some trash. I guess that's better than eating it.
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- George: It wasn't down in. It was on a magazine and it still had the doily on it.
Jerry: Was it eaten?
George: One little bite.
Jerry: Well, that's garbage.
George: I know who took the bite. It was her aunt.
Jerry: You my friend have crossed the line that divides MAN and BUM. You are now a BUM.
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- Jerry: You're in the kitchen. You see an éclair in the receptacle. So you think to yourself, "What the hell, I'll just eat some trash."
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- George: No, no, no, no, no.
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