The Jimmy

"**The Jimmy**"
"The Jimmy"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 6; Episode 19
Directed by	Andy Ackerman
Written by	Gregg Kavet & Andy Robin
Production code	617
Original air date	March 16, 1995
Guest appearances
	Bryan Cranston as Tim Whatley; Mel Tormé as himself; Richard Herd as Wilhelm; Anthony Starke as Jimmy; Robert Katims as Deensfrei; Jimmy Bridges as Paramedic; Elan Carter as Receptionist; Alison Armitage as Cheryl; Peggy Lane as Office Worker (deleted scenes);
Episode chronology
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	List of episodes

"The Jimmy" is the 105th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This is the 19th episode for the sixth season.^[1] It originally aired on March 16, 1995.^[1] The episode's title refers to guest character Jimmy (played by Anthony Starke), who transmits his habit of referring to himself in the third person to regular characters George and Elaine. In other plot threads of the episode, Jerry becomes suspicious of the goings-on at Tim Whatley's dental office, and Kramer is mistaken for a mentally challenged person, leading him to be a guest of honor with Mel Tormé, who appears in the episode as himself.

Plot[edit]

Jerry, George and Kramer play basketball with Jimmy, a man who always refers to himself in the third person. George partners with him on selling special training shoes which improve vertical leap, using Jimmy as the spokesmodel. At a New York Yankees meeting Mr. Wilhelm discusses a series of escalating thefts, believed to be an inside job. George is sweating heavily as a result of exercising, causing him to look suspicious. At a dental appointment with Dr. Tim Whatley, Jerry sees Penthouse magazines in the waiting room, and learns that the office has a new "adults-only policy".

Elaine has tickets to a benefit for Able Mentally Challenged Adults (AMCA) featuring famous crooner Mel Tormé, and contemplates asking out a blond guy from her health club. At the health club she ends up talking with Jimmy, and agrees to a date with him, not realizing that by "Jimmy" he means himself and not the blond man.

Because of novocaine he was given for dental surgery, Kramer speaks awkwardly and drools water on the health club floor. Jimmy slips in the puddle, injuring his leg, and promises revenge. Without Jimmy, George fails to demonstrate the value of the training shoes to employees at a sneaker store, as his vertical leap is embarrassingly short. Kramer shares a taxicab with an executive at the AMCA, who mistakes him for a mentally challenged adult due to his novocaine-induced slurring and training shoes, and invites him to the event as the guest of honor. Jerry and Elaine recognize the misunderstanding but are not overly concerned that Kramer's cover will be blown.

At a second appointment with Dr. Whatley, Jerry is put to sleep with nitrous oxide. Whatley tells Jerry that his regular assistant Jennifer is at Dr. Sussman's office and has been replaced by Cheryl, because "we find it fun to swap now and then." When Jerry wakes, he sees Whatley and Cheryl adjusting their clothes and fears he was sexually violated while asleep. Kramer later picks up a copy of Penthouse and reads an anonymous letter from a dentist who says he recently "had a little fun" with his dental hygienist and one of his patients. Jerry looks on in shock.

Mr. Wilhelm walks in while George is on the phone with Sports Wholesalers talking about "beautiful athletic gear" (the shoes) and sweating from the Kung Pao chicken he ate for lunch. Wilhelm becomes convinced George stole the equipment and reports him to the team owner, George Steinbrenner. The stress makes George start talking in the third person; this confuses Steinbrenner, who ends up talking about his lunch and completely forgetting about the stolen equipment.

After Jerry tells Elaine about Jimmy referring to himself in the third person, she realizes her mistake. However, finding Jimmy's manner of speech charming, and additionally learning that the man she was initially interested in is gay, she decides to keep the date. At the benefit, Jimmy attacks Kramer, slugging him in the face before being dragged out by security. Kramer's lip becomes swollen and he once again looks and speaks as if he were mentally challenged. Mel Tormé dedicates a rendition of "When You're Smiling" to a beaming Kramer.

Production[edit]

A crew member gave guest star Bryan Cranston the idea of Dr. Whatley taking a hit of the nitrous oxide before giving it to Jerry.^[2] Casting for Whatley's two hygienists specifically called for actresses with experience in nude modeling, to add realism to a (deleted before broadcast) scene in which Kramer and Jerry recognize one of the hygienists in a nude photo in Penthouse.^[3]

Mel Tormé's performance of "When You're Smiling" was done in a single take before a live studio audience.^[3] Tormé's acting in the episode was so convincing that many who watched it, including Jason Alexander (who plays George), suspected that Tormé had not been fully briefed on the plot and was under the mistaken impression that Kramer actor Michael Richards really was mentally challenged. In actuality, Tormé and Richards were already acquainted with each other before filming the episode.^[3]

The episode features the first appearance of Richard Herd as Mr. Wilhelm.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b "Seinfeld Season 6 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
^ Bryan Cranston Made Jerry Seinfeld Laugh Once (YouTube). TV Guide. 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
^ ^a ^b ^c Seinfeld Season 6: Notes about Nothing - "The Jimmy" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2005.

External links[edit]

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 6 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

[2] Bryan Cranston Made Jerry Seinfeld Laugh Once (YouTube). TV Guide. 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.

[NaN-3] Seinfeld Season 6: Notes about Nothing - "The Jimmy" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2005.

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v t e Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend"† "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip"† "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"†
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats"† "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100"† "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac"† "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit"† "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle"† "The Finale"†
† Indicates two-part episode