No Safe Sex for Elaine

Anyone ever wonder why the notion of safe sex is never on Elaine's mind? Remember the "sponge" episode? The cache of sponges in her closet? Is this woman insane? She's living in New York and having sex with abandon (and with Ed and Joe and Bill...... : ) Anyone wonder about this irresponsible behavior in the Age of AIDS? All comments welcome.

[email] (Katharine) wrote:

Someone with similar characteristics to Elaine would probably take the

guy to the clinic before going out on a date.

In article , [email] says...

Yes,one must wonder about this issue. But all I can say is...I wish I was ED, Joe or Bill. :-) :-) I'm just bieng honest

Dalorn

Hey, maybe she has the guy wear a condom AND she has a sponge in. Or maybe not. Sex and death have always been connected.

"It's a small world but I wouldn't want to paint it." -Stephen Wright

Yes! Thank goodness its only a TV show.

[email] (Katharine) wrote:

And what show is this???...Seinfeld. ITS SEINFELD!!! Who cares. You can nit-pick hundreds of things from any show on TV. Why do the people in FRIENDS drink beer. This is showing young people that it is COOL to drink. Come on, take it easy.

Out like three strikes......
.......the Almighty SHER JAT
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PAVINDERJIT SINGH ATHWAL
[email]
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In [email] (SHER JAT) writes:

The thing that galled me about that episode was the fact that the subplot was Kramer's participation in the NYC AIDS Walk. Quoth Cosmo,(actual quote welcomed if incorrect)"I don't just talk the talk, I walk the walk!" And indeed, Kramer is the only character in the episode who doesn't serve as an alarming example of apathy in the age of AIDS.

To wit: Kramer, while at the AIDS walk, refuses on principle to wear a red ribbon as the rest do. His point is that it's a meaningless gesture, regardless of good intentions. Eventually, he is chased by an angry mob that tries to pin it on him by force.

What were Kramer's sponsors doing in this episode? Elaine trekked all over NYC looking for the recalled contraceptive sponge (which--remember--CANNOT PROTECT EITHER PARTNER FROM HIV); George confessed that he didn't even know if Susan used contraception; Susan, like Elaine, is having a major cow over the recall of the sponge because it's ALL SHE USES; and Jerry, who can't entertain the possibility of sex with his angelic new girlfriend (who got her number from the sponsors' list) because she's not depraved enough.

Elaine, who finally secures an entire case of sponges, quizzes her new boyfriend on whether or not he's "sponge worthy," not wanting to waste her now-rare sponges on someone worthless (although one wonders how choosy she was when the sponge was readily available). As her beau grovels for the privilege of her company, it didn't sound at first that he even addressed whether or not he knew if he was HIV positive or not. However, the a close review of a tape of the show reveals the line (near the very end of his bid for Elaine)"...my blood test is immaculate."

Meanwhile, Susan, unaware that Elaine has sponges, is struggling to get George used to opening a condom wrapper before "it's too late." George earlier had said his condom days were over when he got engaged, as if his well-traveled blood (and for that matter, Susan's also) became pure when she said she'd marry him. True to form, he fails to get the wrapper off before losing the moment.

Finally, Jerry's apprehension about sullying his saint-like new squeeze with sex has driven him to meet her in her apartment to tell her she's too good for him. When he discovers her linen closet is stacked with at least a dozen cases of the recalled sponges (which--remember--DON'T PROTECT AGAINST HIV), he decides she's depraved enough for him. Of course, she dumps him upon learning he's so vain he changed the waist size of his blue jeans.

So, what do Elaine, George, Susan, Jerry and his girlfriend have in common? Despite being "concerned" enough about AIDS to sponsor Kramer's walk, when push came to shove and it was time to practice "safer sex", they all in effect said, "DAMN THE TORPEDOES! I'M IN LUST!"

I couldn't help but think that the hypocrisy of this screenplay pretty much mirrors Hollywood when it comes to AIDS. They will wear the red ribbons at award shows and premieres. They'll blame the government and drug companies for not finding a cure yet. And then, behind closed doors, they'll spread the virus among themselves, bemoan the loss of talented artists to the disease, and re-start the cycle by pointing their index fingers at convenient establishment targets--forgetting that three of their fingers point back at THEM.

D. the T-man