Viewers debate whether the wheelchair parking spot plot and Jerry's closing stand-up joke in this episode are offensive, with most finding the humor acceptable despite some discomfort.
Excerpts from netnews.alt.tv.seinfeld: 13-Aug-93 Re: George in tonight's epi.. Mauro [email] (1011)
No, but I did think that the joke Jerry told in the stand-up segment during the closing credits was just a *bit* shy of offensive. I don't even remember what it was now, but I remember saying "Ooh, that's a little low, Jerry" and it *didn't* make me laugh.
--Vernon.
Hey fellow Seinfeldians,
I don't know if anyone caught this tonight on the Drake episode, but I saw something in the background that just had me rolling. It happened when George was at his parents' house. George's mother was criticizing George's friends, namely Kramer and Jerry. Anyways, if you looked closely in the background, there was George, sitting on the couch, perusing an issue of "Glamour" magazine. I couldn't stop laughing at something that seemed so minor. Was it just me or did any of you out there catch this too?
Ryan
In article , [email] (Ryan Lo) writes:
Saw it!!
James K.
In [email] writes:
Ditto! :-D
Yes, I couldn't believe it! I was watching the episode with some friends when somebody else caught the glamour magazine in George's hands. I find that Larry David places so much emphasis on these minor details, which result into great moments. Some people say that the wheelchair incident was offensive, personally i don't. How do you guys feel about it?
Mauro.
He said a couple of things:
He said something to the effect that the Handicap Parking Spot is the mirage of the desert parking spots.
He also said something to the effect of "I wonder what the Handicap Parking situation is at the Special Olympics? They must have to stack a couple of hundred cars on top of each other in those spots!"
(these aren't direct quotes -- I'm going from memory)
-tim
"I hate the Drake!"
In article [email] (Ryan Lo) writes:
No, I didn't catch this... I'll have to re-watch that episode from tape....
[email] (Ryan Lo) writes:
Yup. (This was discussed extensively when the episode first aired.)
In article , Vernon H Harmon writes:
I remember it. He raised the issue of hanicapped parking at the Special Olympics. And actually, it was pretty funny to me, I'll admit. But it was kind of on the line there. But I don't think I'd go as far as to say it was blatantly offensive. It was just... Jerry.
Was it something like "What is the deal with handicapped parking in the special olympics? Would they stack 100 cars on top of each other in two spaces?"
Kevin
Vernon H Harmon writes:
I agree. It was about the lack of available handicapped parking at the Special Olympics.
In article [email] (Roy Eassa) writes:
Oh, come on, people! It's just a joke!! You take something out of real life (Only 2 or so handicapped spots per parking lot) and put it into a ridiculous situation (like the special olympics) and comedy is the result. I think people generally take comedy too seriously. (ie. no re-runs of the Outing)
Excerpts from netnews.alt.tv.seinfeld: 17-Aug-93 Re: Offensive?(was Re: Geor.. [email] (1229)
Ahem. 1) I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a large number of people who would call the special olympics "a ridiculous situation" but I understand what you mean. 2) Most of the participants in the SO are *mentally* challenged, not *physically* challenged (although many are), and since handicapped spaces are for the physically handicapped, the joke just completely missed me on a *logical* wavelength. It just seemed to me that Jerry was going for a cheap joke that didn't work. Besides, I said that I thought the joke was *almost* offensive. Basically it was intended (I think) to be one of those jokes that makes you groan and laugh at the same time, but I failed to laugh. I was just commenting on that. And believe me, I laugh at some pretty offensive stuff!! ;D
(I've been told that I analyze things too much, so maybe that's it. I am not, however, one of those people who, when a joke starts out "There was this guy..." proceeds to ask "What was his name?")
--Vernon.
In article Vernon H Harmon writes:
remember
and
people
Just to clarify for those who don't, I meant "ridiculous" to mean the fact that almost everyone in the Special Olympics is handicapped in some way, so the whole lot would HAVE to be handicapped spots. (By almost all, I mean the families and trainers of the athletes would not be handicapped.)
^^^^^^^ Ya... but a lot of jokes don't make sense if you analyze them.
Ok. I see your viewpoint. It's not like I was killin myself laughing, but I don't think Jerry deserves the "You heartless comedian" bit. Some comedy only works in poor taste. You just gotta control it. I guess you can that one "borderline".
In article [email] writes:
What? I must have missed this thread. Is this no re-runs of the Outing a fact, or just an observation? Also, I'm not positive which episode this is, but I would assume it's the one with the letters about 'gay lover' author and the NBC exec's family.
Joe
In article , [email] (Joe Rohde) writes:
I hadn't heard anything about there not being any re-runs of "The Outing" either. In fact, according to TV Guide, it will be re-shown next Thursday. As for which episode it is, it's the one in which an article is published about Jerry and George being gay, thanks to a comment made by Elaine to throw off a couple of eavesdroppers.
Mike F.
In article [email] (Joe Rohde) writes:
writes:
No, it's the one where Elaine "outs" Jerry. (Makes people think he's gay) And it's not a fact... just an observation.
-Chris
Being Handicapped myself I found nothing offensive about the show. In fact I thought it was even thought provoking. Jerry's comment about we want to be treated like everyone else so we won't mind if they use the parking spot ironic. How can some of us justify wanting to be treated equally in every way except for those parking spaces in which we are so possessive.
Another twist to this is why were all those people so hostil toward someone illegally parking in the space. Did they feel sorry for the woman that was not able to use the spot or was it the "If I can't park there you sure as hell can't park there either" mentality.
PS. How do they handle the parking at the special olympics?