The Van Buren Boys
Encyclopedia
"The Van Buren Boys" is the 148th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
, and name of a fictional New York street gang. Their sign is crossing the hands, with one hand with all the fingers 'up' and spread out. The other hand has all but the thumb and pointer finger up, for a total of eight (8). The gang is named for the 8th President of the United States, Martin Van Buren
(who was the first president from New York). This was the 14th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 6, 1997.
's girlfriend, Ellen (Christine Taylor
) seems perfect in every way, but Jerry notices that she doesn't seem to have any friends and becomes alarmed that he's dating a loser. George
interviews candidates for "The Foundation
's" first scholarship. The candidates seem over-qualified, until one comes in who is a lot like he was. Elaine
is going to ghostwrite Peterman's autobiography
. Kramer
goes to Lorenzo's pizza, where he has an encounter with the Van Buren Boys. He accidentally flashes their gang sign (the number 8, as Martin Van Buren
was the eighth president) and saves himself. Meanwhile, Peterman wants his day-to-day life covered in his bio; the exotic adventures are for the catalog. His day-to-day life is very boring. Elaine tells Peterman about Kramer's encounter with the gang and he suggests buying the story for his autobiography.
George's scholar, Steven Koren, makes a change in his plans that causes George to disqualify him from the scholarship. Steven had been telling people he wanted to be an architect, the very dream George fictitiously tells people is his occupation. One day, however, Steven decides he could do better and remarks to George that he'd like to be a city planner. George is outraged that this slacker feels he could do better than an Architect - the coolest job in the free world.
However Kramer sells Peterman all of his stories for $750. Elaine is put at his disposal, much to her dismay. To Elaine, Kramer's stories aren't much more interesting, and most make very little sense. George and Kramer perform an intervention
on Jerry's relationship with Ellen. Steven joins the Van Buren boys, who apply pressure on George to get the scholarship back. Elaine tells Kramer that he can no longer tell his stories, since they now belong to Peterman. Elaine tries to embellish Kramer's stories, but Peterman finds the rewrites "too cliché and obvious." She tells him the real Kramer story that he finds much more interesting. He tells Kramer (who had actually called to ask for the return of his stories) that he can have his stories back. George tries to save himself from the Van Buren boys, by asking Kramer how he got out of the similar situation. At the time, Kramer couldn't tell George because that story belonged to Peterman. Kramer mentions in passing that "the Van B. Boys" never bother their own kind. Jerry flies his parents in to get their impression of Ellen. Once he sees that his parents both like Ellen very much, begins to see the light; reasoning that if they like her, then there must be something wrong with her. The episode finishes with George trying to prove to the Van Buren Boys that he is a former member of theirs by attempting (and failing) to take the wallet of Jerry's parents as they walk by. The last shot is of him running away from the infamous street gang, after attempting (also in vain) to show them the "sign" (which he doesn't know).
where the guy wakes up, and he's the same - but everyone else is different!" is an allusion to the episode "Person or Persons Unknown
", where the main character wakes up in a world where no one remembers him.
, which is the name of a Seinfeld
writer.
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...
, and name of a fictional New York street gang. Their sign is crossing the hands, with one hand with all the fingers 'up' and spread out. The other hand has all but the thumb and pointer finger up, for a total of eight (8). The gang is named for the 8th President of the United States, Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
(who was the first president from New York). This was the 14th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 6, 1997.
Plot
JerryJerry 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...
's girlfriend, Ellen (Christine Taylor
Christine Taylor
Christine Taylor-Stiller is an American actress.- Early life :Taylor was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joan, a homemaker, and Skip Taylor, an owner of a security company. She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania...
) seems perfect in every way, but Jerry notices that she doesn't seem to have any friends and becomes alarmed that he's dating a loser. 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"...
interviews candidates for "The Foundation
The Foundation (Seinfeld)
"The Foundation" is the 135th episode of the American television sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode of the 8th season. It was originally broadcast on the NBC network on September 19, 1996.-Plot:...
's" first scholarship. The candidates seem over-qualified, until one comes in who is a lot like he was. Elaine
Elaine 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 going to ghostwrite Peterman's autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
. 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...
goes to Lorenzo's pizza, where he has an encounter with the Van Buren Boys. He accidentally flashes their gang sign (the number 8, as Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
was the eighth president) and saves himself. Meanwhile, Peterman wants his day-to-day life covered in his bio; the exotic adventures are for the catalog. His day-to-day life is very boring. Elaine tells Peterman about Kramer's encounter with the gang and he suggests buying the story for his autobiography.
George's scholar, Steven Koren, makes a change in his plans that causes George to disqualify him from the scholarship. Steven had been telling people he wanted to be an architect, the very dream George fictitiously tells people is his occupation. One day, however, Steven decides he could do better and remarks to George that he'd like to be a city planner. George is outraged that this slacker feels he could do better than an Architect - the coolest job in the free world.
However Kramer sells Peterman all of his stories for $750. Elaine is put at his disposal, much to her dismay. To Elaine, Kramer's stories aren't much more interesting, and most make very little sense. George and Kramer perform an intervention
Intervention (counseling)
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
on Jerry's relationship with Ellen. Steven joins the Van Buren boys, who apply pressure on George to get the scholarship back. Elaine tells Kramer that he can no longer tell his stories, since they now belong to Peterman. Elaine tries to embellish Kramer's stories, but Peterman finds the rewrites "too cliché and obvious." She tells him the real Kramer story that he finds much more interesting. He tells Kramer (who had actually called to ask for the return of his stories) that he can have his stories back. George tries to save himself from the Van Buren boys, by asking Kramer how he got out of the similar situation. At the time, Kramer couldn't tell George because that story belonged to Peterman. Kramer mentions in passing that "the Van B. Boys" never bother their own kind. Jerry flies his parents in to get their impression of Ellen. Once he sees that his parents both like Ellen very much, begins to see the light; reasoning that if they like her, then there must be something wrong with her. The episode finishes with George trying to prove to the Van Buren Boys that he is a former member of theirs by attempting (and failing) to take the wallet of Jerry's parents as they walk by. The last shot is of him running away from the infamous street gang, after attempting (also in vain) to show them the "sign" (which he doesn't know).
Cultural references
Jerry's line "This is like that Twilight ZoneTwilight zone
-Television series and spinoffs:*The Twilight Zone, the anthology television series and its franchise:**The Twilight Zone , the 1959–1964 original television series***Twilight Zone: The Movie, a 1983 film based on the original series...
where the guy wakes up, and he's the same - but everyone else is different!" is an allusion to the episode "Person or Persons Unknown
Person or Persons Unknown
"Person or Persons Unknown" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:David Gurney wakes up to find that nobody knows him, and all evidence of his identity had disappeared...
", where the main character wakes up in a world where no one remembers him.
Production
The kid who gets the scholarship is named Steve KorenSteve Koren
Steven Wayne Koren is an American screenwriter. He was one of the writers for the movies Bruce Almighty, Click, Superstar, and A Night at the Roxbury, and wrote for Saturday Night Live and Seinfeld....
, which is the name of a Seinfeld
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...
writer.