The Pick
Encyclopedia
"The Pick" is the fifty-third episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.
is humiliated when her Christmas card photo taken by Kramer
accidentally exposes her nipple
. Jerry
has a date with Tia Van Camp (Jennifer Campbell
), the Calvin Klein
model he met on the plane in the previous episode. After the date, Kramer discovers that Tia is wearing the perfume he invented in "The Pez Dispenser
", which she calls "The Ocean."
Tia later dumps Jerry after witnessing him picking his nose
. Jerry claims that he was only scratching it because there was no "nostril penetration." Meanwhile, George
visits a therapist to discuss a problem with his girlfriend Susan, but the session is unproductive as first George, and then also the therapist, obsess over the stuck zipper on George's jacket. George later reunites with Susan only to realize it was a mistake, so he uses "the pick" to escape. Kramer meets with Calvin Klein (Nicholas Hormann) to complain about "The Ocean", and is instead asked to pose for a risqué underwear advertisement, where his genitals are accidentally exposed.
appears in this episode for only 13 seconds when Jerry brings him in and asks if Elaine's nipple is visible in her Christmas card photo. The original title for this episode was supposed to be "The Nipple" but Larry David
thought that this would be too sexually explicit for network television.
The events that occurred in the previous episode "The Airport", where George finds himself on a flight heading out of New York, is never explained or discussed about where he went or how he got back.
in Jerry's monologue defending nose-pickers: "If we pick, do we not bleed?" The actual quote is, "If you prick us, do we not bleed?". The episode also alludes to The Elephant Man
(1980), when Jerry proclaims, "I am not an animal!" Another reference is to Nathaniel Hawthorne
's novel The Scarlet Letter
when Elaine blames her boyfriend for condemning her because of the photo on her Christmas card: "Because it is not me that is exposed but you. For I have seen the nipple on your soul!" When Kramer asks George what his 'little man' thinks it is an allusion to Edward G. Robinson's character Barton Keyes "little man" from Billy Wilder's 1944 film "Double Indemnity".
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. It is the 13th episode of the fourth season, and first aired on December 16, 1992.
Plot
ElaineElaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
is humiliated when her Christmas card photo taken by Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
accidentally exposes her nipple
Nipple
In its most general form, a nipple is a structure from which a fluid emanates. More specifically, it is the projection on the breasts or udder of a mammal by which breast milk is delivered to a mother's young. In this sense, it is often called a teat, especially when referring to non-humans, and...
. Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
has a date with Tia Van Camp (Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer Lynn Campbell is an American actress and model. Her most memorable performance is from Seinfeld Season 4 episode "The Airport", as Tia, the girl in the first class seat with Jerry, as Elaine was stuck in coach. As the character Tia, she was also the Calvin Klein model and central...
), the Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
model he met on the plane in the previous episode. After the date, Kramer discovers that Tia is wearing the perfume he invented in "The Pez Dispenser
The Pez Dispenser
"The Pez Dispenser" is the thirty-first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. The episode was the fourteenth episode of the show's third season. It aired on January 15, 1992.The episode was written by Larry David and was directed by Tom Cherones.-Plot:...
", which she calls "The Ocean."
Tia later dumps Jerry after witnessing him picking his nose
Nose-picking
Nose-picking is the act of extracting dried nasal mucus or foreign bodies from the nose with a finger. Despite being a very common habit, it is a mildly taboo activity in most cultures, and the observation of the activity in another person may provoke mixed feelings of disgust and amusement...
. Jerry claims that he was only scratching it because there was no "nostril penetration." Meanwhile, George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
visits a therapist to discuss a problem with his girlfriend Susan, but the session is unproductive as first George, and then also the therapist, obsess over the stuck zipper on George's jacket. George later reunites with Susan only to realize it was a mistake, so he uses "the pick" to escape. Kramer meets with Calvin Klein (Nicholas Hormann) to complain about "The Ocean", and is instead asked to pose for a risqué underwear advertisement, where his genitals are accidentally exposed.
Production
NewmanNewman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
appears in this episode for only 13 seconds when Jerry brings him in and asks if Elaine's nipple is visible in her Christmas card photo. The original title for this episode was supposed to be "The Nipple" but Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
thought that this would be too sexually explicit for network television.
The events that occurred in the previous episode "The Airport", where George finds himself on a flight heading out of New York, is never explained or discussed about where he went or how he got back.
Cultural references
The episode alludes to Shakespeare's play The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
in Jerry's monologue defending nose-pickers: "If we pick, do we not bleed?" The actual quote is, "If you prick us, do we not bleed?". The episode also alludes to The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man (film)
The Elephant Man is a 1980 American drama film based on the true story of Joseph Merrick , a severely deformed man in 19th century London...
(1980), when Jerry proclaims, "I am not an animal!" Another reference is to Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
's novel The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is an 1850 romantic work of fiction in a historical setting, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is considered to be his magnum opus. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an...
when Elaine blames her boyfriend for condemning her because of the photo on her Christmas card: "Because it is not me that is exposed but you. For I have seen the nipple on your soul!" When Kramer asks George what his 'little man' thinks it is an allusion to Edward G. Robinson's character Barton Keyes "little man" from Billy Wilder's 1944 film "Double Indemnity".