The Sponge (7 Dec. 1995)

After learning that her prophylactic of choice is being discontinued, Elaine buys a case of Today sponges and scrutinizes her dates for their sponge-worthiness.

Director:

Andy Ackerman

Writers:

Larry David (creator), Jerry Seinfeld (creator),

Stars:

Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jerry Seinfeld	...	Jerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Elaine Benes
Michael Richards	...	Cosmo Kramer
Jason Alexander	...	George Costanza
Heidi Swedberg	...	Susan Ross
Jennifer Guthrie	...	Lena
Scott Patterson	...	Billy
John Paragon	...	Cedric
Yul Vazquez	...	Bob
David Byrd	...	Roger
Ileen Getz	...	Organizer
Steven Hack	...	Walker #1
Wren T. Brown	...	Walker #2
Patricia Bethune	...	Walker #3 (as P.B. Hutton)
Susan Moore	...	Monica

Storyline

Elaine's birth control method of choice is being discontinued and she goes all over New York to find the last remaining case. After she successfully finds it, she then begins the agonizing process of determining whether or not her dates are "sponge-worthy". Kramer participates in an AIDS walk but when he refuses to wear the ribbon, he suffers the consequences. Meanwhile, Jerry meets a woman and doesn't get her phone number. He then gets it from the list of participants in the AIDS walk. He tells George, who proceeds to tell Susan, who then starts a chain reaction of phone calls and ultimately winds up getting back to Jerry, who gets dumped as a result.

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Plot Keywords:

sponge | birth control | condom | foot in the door | all night poker game | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 1995 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shapiro/West Productions, Castle Rock Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

While Elaine is questioning the various stores around town for the discontinued Sponges, one of the shop keepers she runs into is Mr. Pitt (Elaine's old boss who ate his Snickers with a fork and knife).

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Quotes

[Kramer is cornered in an alley for not wearing the red ribbon at the AIDS walk]
Bob: So, what's it going to be? Are you going to wear the ribbon?
Cosmo Kramer: No! Never!
Bob: But I'm wearing wearing the ribbon.
[points to Cedric]
Bob: He's wearing the ribbon. We are all wearing the ribbon! So why aren't *you* going to wear the ribbon?
Cosmo Kramer: [yelling] This is America! I don't have to wear anything I don't wanna wear!
Cedric: What are we going to do with him?
Cosmo Kramer: Huh?
Bob: I guess we will just have to teach him to wear the ribbon!
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Seinfeld: The Chronicle (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Black Stompers"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger-Roger (as Eric Swann)
Plays during the montage of Elaine searching for sponges.

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