Tough Question for Serious Seinfelders only. Biff

Alright, this has been bothering me. It is a small thing I noticed and I can't stop thinking about it. Why does Jerry refer to George as "Biff" in more than one episode? Such as the JFK episode, "So Biff wants to be a buff!" or in the Marisa T, Well Biff, youve done it again!" I know there are a couple more references. Please help, I need to know the answer before I go crazy!

I believe the reference is to "Biff" Loman from Death of a Salesman. But I've only heard that, so it could be wrong.

In article , [email] (Mr. Incognito) wrote:

Those are my thoughts on the matter also.

I believe in the episode where George datest the daughter of the Unemployment Compensatyion clerk, she refers to him as Biff Loman. Biff Loman is synonymous of a "ne'er do well".

...

But I've

Actually, the episode that first gives us the Biff Loman reference is "The Subway", where George is going to a job interview and Jerry warns him not to "whistle on the elevator". George then says: "You're comparing me to Biff Loman, the biggest loser in American Literature?!" Later, of course, George misses his interview and winds up without his clothes and handcuffed to a bed. When he makes it back to Monk's cafe in just a bed sheet, Jerry asks: "What...did you whistle on the elevator?!"

On Jun 25, 1996 04:50:43 in article <Re: Tough Question for Serious Seinfelders only. Biff>, '[email] (Ixalot)' wrote:

[email]

I've

At the beginning of the episode, The Subway (1991-92 season), the gang is at Monk's cafe. George states that he has a job interview and the following dialog occurs:

JERRY: Remember don't whistle on the elevator. GEORGE: Why not? JERRY: That's what Willy Loman told Biff before his interview in Death of a Salesman. GEORGE: What?! You're comparing me to Biff Loman?!! Very encouraging. The biggest loser in the history of American Literature.

Then the great subway adventures begin. One of my favorite episodes.

	Jerry first called George Biff in "The Subway" where he was
referring to a character in the play Death of a Salesman. Jerry called
him Biff because the Biff in the play was a spineless loser, and George
was getting nervous about his job interview. George replies with "Great.
You're comparing me to Biff Loman, the biggest loser in American
literature."
	From then on, Jerry would occasionally call George Biff if he
thought George was acting particularly stupid or spineless. But I agree,
it's not an easy reference to figure out if you never saw "The Subway".
-Matt

Unless you had read and/or studied "Death of a Salesman" in H.S. or college; it's allusions like these that go misunderstood more and more as less classic literature is read. But it does seem to show that some TV writers do know these works, contrary to what many who criticize TV, especially sitcoms, would say.

Mojambo!

Biff might be a reference to the no good son of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's play, 'Death of a Salesman'. George certainly fits the profile! Otherwise I would suggest Biff is the kind of silly nickname which might come up in comic books and children's novels about guys hanging out and getting up to mischief. In this case, Jerry and George fit the profile.

Bungyman

In article , [email] (Justin Piehowski) wrote:

Biff is the name of one sons in "Death of a Salesman." Leslie

On Mon, 24 Jun 1996, Justin Piehowski wrote:

It's a reference to "Death Of A Salesman", in which the main character, a complete and utter loser, is named Biff Loman.

Until... Corey

On Mon, 24 Jun 1996, Justin Piehowski wrote:

aka Biff Loman, from _Death of A Salesman_. Spelled out explicitly in the episode "The Subway", IIRC (where Jerry tells George not to whistle in the elevator)