The Calzone

"The Calzone" is the 130th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 20th episode of the seventh season. It aired on April 25, 1996.

Plot

Steinbrenner becomes intrigued when he smells George's lunch during a meeting. George explains that it is an eggplant calzone and allows him to taste it. Steinbrenner then has George bring him a calzone for lunch every day. One day at the Paisano restaurant, George puts some money into the tip jar but realizes his gesture was unnoticed by the employee. George tries to fish out the money in order to replace it and get recognition for his tip.^[1] However, the Counter Guy (Peter Allas) turns and, under the impression that George is stealing money from the jar, refuses to sell him any more calzones and threatens him. In anxiety, George recommends to Steinbrenner that they try something new for lunch the next day. Steinbrenner, however, insists that they continue to keep their routine by stating once he likes something he sticks with it. George makes a deal to obtain the calzones from Newman, whose mail route brings him past Paisano's every day. Newman accepts, but demands his own calzone, a slice of pepperoni pizza, a large soda and three cannolis a week.^[2]

Meanwhile, Kramer is raving about wearing clothes "straight out of the dryer," because the warmth is comfortable; and Elaine's new friend, Todd Gack (John D'Aquino), is dating her without really ever asking her out. This puzzles her, and Jerry explains, "Because if he doesn't ask you out, he doesn't get rejected. He has found a dating loophole."^[2]

Jerry takes advantage of his beautiful girlfriend Nicki's (Dylan Tays) ability to get anything she wants, including convincing a cop to not give Jerry a speeding ticket. Todd Gack offers to sell Jerry some Cuban cigars, which Jerry thinks "might be a nice idea for George's wedding," but they turn out to be from Peru. Kramer starts using Jerry's oven to warm his clothing.

To George's frustration, however, Newman decides not to go to work because it is raining (despite the postman's creed, which Newman claims he never cared for). In desperation, George asks Kramer to get him a calzone so that he can stay in Steinbrenner's good graces. Kramer agrees, but also, because he got wet in the rain, puts his clothes in the pizza oven at Paisano's, and they get burned. He tries to pay the calzone seller with pennies and an argument ensues; the Counter Guy kicks Kramer out of the restaurant. Kramer goes to George's office and drops his burnt clothes by a vent.

Jerry and Elaine lose Nicki and Todd to one another, when Nicki sees Todd about the cigars but he winds up wheedling another "non-date date" dinner with her. Jerry and Elaine are smoking the Peruvian cigars, which "smell like a rubber fire" and feels like they are "smoking a chicken bone"; when Elaine asks Jerry if he wound up paying for them, Jerry says, "It's being taken care of right now." The scene cuts to Kramer knocking on Todd's apartment door. When Todd answers, Kramer tosses him a large sack full of pennies with such force that it violently knocks him to the floor.

The calzone smell from Kramer's clothes wafts into Steinbrenner's office, and he runs to George's office, thinking he has calzones. Steinbrenner realizes the smell is from the clothes, and (like Kramer) thinks, "That's not a bad idea."^[2]

Critical response

Linda S. Ghent, Professor in the Department of Economics at Eastern Illinois University, discusses this episode in terms of incentive and explains:

George puts a dollar in the tip jar at the pizzeria, but the counterman's head was turned and he didn't see it. George laments that it cost him a dollar, but he got no credit for it. His altruism is not pure - he gets utility not from giving, but from getting credit for giving.^[3]

References

1. ↑ "Top 15 Seinfeld Food Related Episodes". Eating the Road. Retrieved July 15, 2012. 
2. 1 2 3 "Script, Episode 130 - The Calzone". Seinology.com. Retrieved July 14, 2012. 
3. ↑ "Seinfeld Economics: The Calzone". Critical Commons. Retrieved July 15, 2012. 

External links

• The Calzone at the Internet Movie Database

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