#Seinfeld episodes master of my domain series#
#Seinfeld episodes master of my domain tv#

'That was one of the biggest laughs we ever got, I think. Stay the Master of Your Domain and win The Contest with our ode to keeping things above the belt, and Seinfeld. That was a huge moment when Kramer came in,' David said. (Which we suppose means it was also the pizza. But once they finally went through with it, they got some of their biggest laughs ever on a Seinfeld episode-specifically during the moment when Kramer comes in after losing the contest. Seinfeld was the Beatles of sitcoms, at once groundbreaking and genre-defining the kind of show where even the bad episodes are still pretty good. His friend, Kenny Kramer (the real Kramer) added: 'I wasn’t in because I knew I would never win it.' It was an idea, David said, he'd had for a long time, but never actually followed through with it because he didn't think the network would allow it. I just remember it didn’t last very long. There must have been some money involved. Should I mention his name? I don’t even know-my friend Frank Piazza. I would say there was only one other person involved. This phrase originated from one of the alltime great Seinfeld episodes, The Contest, and refers to complete and utter. As he tells New York: I can’t believe I have to discuss this at my ripe age. In a new oral history of the episode in New York Magazine, David reveals the true story behind the episode's origins and who was part of the actual contest.

#Seinfeld episodes master of my domain tv#

Rather, the show could take unexplored territory-Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine making a bet on who could go the longest without masturbating-and turn it into one of the most iconic TV episodes of all time.Īnd the story behind this bold and crazy idea is just as bold and crazy as the episode itself-complete with shocked network executives, secrecy, and plenty of people doubting creator and writer Larry David. But in 1992, when Seinfeld aired the episode 'The Contest,' masturbating was still a pretty taboo thing to talk about on TV. It's something our president would probably talk about on the phone to a war widow at this point and no one would bat an eye. With his apartment overlooking that of a female nudist, it’s hard to resist temptation.Masturbating! By 2017's standards it seems almost adorable-so tame and normal. The phrase is used throughout the episode to determine which characters are still in the running. It’s a delicately judged balancing act, and one that saw David awarded the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series.īut it’s the phrase “master of my domain” that really entrenched itself in the popular culture lexicon after the episode’s broadcast a figure of speech that perfectly encapsulates zen-like abstention from a guilty pleasure. Through deft use of euphemism, innuendo and double entrendres, David managed to keep the suggestive episode clear from the ire of the censors.Īnd somehow it worked: The Contest somehow retains an endearing innocence, while being focused almost entirely on the act of self-pleasure.

#Seinfeld episodes master of my domain series#

“But are you still ‘Master of your Domain?'” Even in syndication, Seinfeld remains master of its domain though it hasn't produced a new episode since 1998, the series has earned 3.1 billion from reruns alone and still lords over the. It is co-creator Larry David’s pin-sharp writing that makes the episode one of the funniest in Seinfeld history (though admittedly the subject matter can elicit a few childish giggles in itself). He believed finding creative, alternative words and phrases throughout would improve the episode. Which is when Seinfeld quickly realised that complying with the censors would make the episode infinitely funnier. Julia Louis-Dreyfus – who played Elaine – didn’t think the episode would ever get made, given the subject matter.Ī note from the censors politely encouraged the removal of the word “masturbate”. It wasn’t until the night before the cast read-through that the actors got their hands on the original script, a version that was not quite as clean as the one that made it to air. 1 2 In the episode, Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer hold a contest to determine who can go for the longest time without masturbating. The eleventh episode of the fourth season, it aired on November 18, 1992. Years later, David would draw on these events for inspiration, though he was reluctant to share his idea with Seinfeld, fearing the episode would be impossible to sum-up in an inoffensive pitch. ' The Contest ' is the 51st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. Choose from Same Day Delivery, Drive Up or Order Pickup. L-R: George, Elaine, Kramer and Jerry ‘enjoy’ a subway ride in classic episode, ‘The Subway’ (Photo: NBC) Read reviews and buy Seinfeld, Master of Its Domain - by David Lavery & Sara Lewis Dunne (Paperback) at Target. Larry David allegedly took part after being convinced by his friends to do so (he didn’t think he had a chance of winning). Kenny Kramer – the inspiration behind the Kramer character – claimed that a real life Contest once took place.