The Non-Fat Yogurt

"The Non-Fat Yogurt" is the 71st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the seventh episode of the fifth season, and first aired on November 4, 1993.

Plot

Jerry, Elaine and George eat at a non-fat frozen yogurt shop in which Kramer has invested. The yogurt is delicious, and they (along with Newman) indulge, as it is "non-fat." When Kramer notices that Jerry and Elaine have gained weight, they become suspicious of the yogurt's contents. Elaine decides to send the yogurt to a laboratory for testing.

Meanwhile, Jerry accidentally uses the word "fuck" (which is censored) near the shop owner's son Matthew, who then starts to use the word frequently. When he tries to apologize, the boy ruins one of Jerry's cassette tapes, causing Jerry to curse yet again, this time using the words "fuck" and "shit" (which are, again, censored). Elaine's new beau and George's nemesis, Lloyd Braun, works as an aide to the mayor of New York City, David Dinkins, currently up for re-election against Rudy Giuliani. Elaine suggests that everyone in the city wear name tags, so that they can greet each other. Lloyd takes the idea to Dinkins, much to everyone else's ridicule. Braun eventually breaks up with Elaine; she claims that it is the fault of her weight gain from eating the yogurt.

George nudges a "we should get going" gesture with his arm, which Lloyd mistakes for a spasm. George plays along, and keeps faking the spasm whenever Lloyd is around or mentioned. When Dinkins gives Lloyd the option to George to go see a doctor, George does so, but the doctor thinks George is faking his spasm. George's spasm turns into a real one after banging the doctor's desk upon leaving, now worrying George.

Kramer, fearful of losing his investment, tries to sway a lab technician to falsify the analysis of the yogurt. In the process, they kiss passionately, and a sample of blood with high cholesterol falls into a test tube belonging to Rudy Giuliani. In the end, though, the lab reveals that the yogurt does, indeed, contain fat. Business plummets, especially when Giuliani receives the results of a physical claiming that he has high cholesterol. Giuliani reveals that he, too, has eaten a great deal of frozen yogurt lately, and vows to eliminate false advertising in the city. The yogurt shop now serves real non-fat yogurt which doesn't taste very good, leaving Newman furious and blaming Jerry and vowing to get back at him. The episode ends with the main characters watching Giuliani deliver his victory speech over Dinkins; the "name tag fiasco" cost him the election, leaving Elaine (unbeknownst to the others) embarrassingly upset and responsible. Matthew calls Jerry a "fat fuck" for ruining his father's business.

Series continuity

This is the first appearance by Lloyd Braun. He was played by Peter Keleghan. Matt McCoy would reappear as Lloyd Braun in "The Gum" and "The Serenity Now."

Kramer laughs at the idea of everyone wearing nametags, yet in the episode "The Kiss Hello" he proposed and executed a similar idea where everyone in their apartment building has a picture and name in the lobby so that everyone can say hi to everyone and be friendlier.

Production notes

As the episode was to air just days after the 1993 New York City mayoral election, the production crew's solution was to produce two different versions of the episode: one in which Dinkins won, and another in which Giuliani won. The cast would record a line mentioning Dinkins, followed by the same line, with Dinkins' name substituted with Giuliani's. After Giuliani was declared the winner, the corresponding version aired on television. Giuliani's cameo was filmed on the morning after his victory. Both versions of the episode were included on the Season Five DVD.

If Dinkins had emerged as the winner, the character of Jackie Chiles, according to Seinfeld, might not have existed. As Dinkins declined to appear in person, actor Phil Morris, who was later cast as Chiles in the seventh season, was going to be used as a spokesman for Dinkins in this episode. The table reading for "The Non-Fat Yogurt" was held on October 20, 1993.

External links

1. "The Non-Fat Yogurt". 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