The Chinese Woman
Encyclopedia
"The Chinese Woman" is the 90th episode of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.
and Elaine
see George
's father, Frank Costanza, with a man in a cape (Larry David
), but don't say hello. Jerry talks to a woman, Donna Chang (played by Angela Dohrmann
), on George's phone line after the wires get crossed and he gets a date with her, thinking she's Chinese
because of her surname. Kramer
goes to a fertility clinic. Elaine ruins her friend Noreen's latest romance with a "long talker." George's life is made miserable when the man in the cape is revealed to be Frank's lawyer and his parents are separating. Kramer discovers he has a low sperm count and must stop wearing jockey shorts. Boxer shorts make him feel uncomfortable, so he decides to go commando
.
Later, Jerry meets Donna, who is not Chinese, but actually shortened her last name Changstein to Chang while taking on Chinese stereotypes, such as displaying interest in acupuncture
or on one occasion pronouncing a word with a Chinese accent.
Donna talks over the phone to George's mother, Estelle, convincing her not to divorce (by citing Confucius
). When George introduces Donna to his parents, Estelle realizes she is not Chinese and doesn't acknowledge her advice, deciding to proceed with the divorce.
At the end of the episode, Noreen is standing on the edge of the Queensboro Bridge
considering jumping off when Frank Costanza's caped lawyer appears. She asks "Who are you?" to which he responds "I'm Frank Costanza's lawyer". He then leads her slowly and safely off the bridge.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom 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...
. This was the 4th episode for the 6th season. It aired on October 13, 1994.
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...
and 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...
see 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"...
's father, Frank Costanza, with a man in a cape (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...
), but don't say hello. Jerry talks to a woman, Donna Chang (played by Angela Dohrmann
Angela Dohrmann
Angela Dohrmann is an American actress and television personality. She grew up in Des Moines, Iowa.She was a VJ for MuchMusic, the Canadian music video channel, in the early 1990s. She also pursued a career in acting, with a supporting role in the CBC Television sitcom Material World...
), on George's phone line after the wires get crossed and he gets a date with her, thinking she's Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
because of her surname. 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 a fertility clinic. Elaine ruins her friend Noreen's latest romance with a "long talker." George's life is made miserable when the man in the cape is revealed to be Frank's lawyer and his parents are separating. Kramer discovers he has a low sperm count and must stop wearing jockey shorts. Boxer shorts make him feel uncomfortable, so he decides to go commando
Going commando
Going commando is the practice of not wearing underwear under one's outer clothing. The term is theorized to be related to the much earlier term "going regimental", which refers to wearing the kilt military style, that is, without underwear...
.
Later, Jerry meets Donna, who is not Chinese, but actually shortened her last name Changstein to Chang while taking on Chinese stereotypes, such as displaying interest in acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
or on one occasion pronouncing a word with a Chinese accent.
Donna talks over the phone to George's mother, Estelle, convincing her not to divorce (by citing Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
). When George introduces Donna to his parents, Estelle realizes she is not Chinese and doesn't acknowledge her advice, deciding to proceed with the divorce.
At the end of the episode, Noreen is standing on the edge of the Queensboro Bridge
Queensboro Bridge
The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – or simply the Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909...
considering jumping off when Frank Costanza's caped lawyer appears. She asks "Who are you?" to which he responds "I'm Frank Costanza's lawyer". He then leads her slowly and safely off the bridge.
Quotes
- George [on Jerry's answering machine]: Hey, it's George...I got nothin' to say.
- Elaine: Donna Chang?
- Jerry: I should have talked to her. I love Chinese women.
- Elaine: Isn't that a little racistRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
? - Jerry: If I like their race, how can that be racist?
- Elaine: She's not Chinese?
- Jerry: No, not Chinese. Not even AsianAsian peopleAsian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
! - Elaine: So what is she?
- Jerry: Well, she's...like you.
- Elaine: ...Oh, how disappointed you must have been.
- Kramer: I'm out there, Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!
Superman reference
- Jerry: You can't cast aspersions on someone just because they're wearing a cape. SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
wore a cape! And I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand here and let you say something bad about him.