The Limo (Seinfeld episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Limo" was the 19th episode of the third season of the American
sitcom Seinfeld
(The 37th episode overall). It aired on February 26, 1992.
flies in from Chicago and George
arrives to take him home. His car has broken down on the Belt Parkway
and the two are stranded. Jerry points out a limousine chauffeur with a sign for someone named O'Brien. Jerry had seen an O'Brien in Chicago complaining to the airport staff that he had to reach Madison Square Garden
. Since the real O'Brien's flight is overbooked and he will not be arriving in New York soon, George tells Jerry that since it is such a long wait to get a cab, they should pose as O'Brien and his colleague and take the limo home. George chooses the first name Colin and assumes the identity of O'Brien, as Jerry makes up the name Dylan Murphy. The chauffeur believes them and lets them into the limo. George asks the chauffeur where he is driving to, who says Madison Square Garden and that he has the four passes. George remembers the Knicks
are playing the Bulls
that night at MSG, which must be why O'Brien wanted to get there. Jerry calls up Elaine
and tells her to wait with Kramer
for them to pick them up for the game, and also tells her to call him and George by their pseudonyms. Jerry and George congratulate each other, and George stumbles over a quotation: "I see things as they are, and I say no ..." (the quotation he is searching for belongs to George Bernard Shaw
-- "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"), finally asking Jerry, "what do you say when you see something?"
After the call, Jerry and George learn that two of the people the passes were intended for are still coming. The chauffeur stops and a man, Tim (Peter Krause
), and a woman, Eva (Suzanne Snyder, who would later play Audrey in season 5's The Pie
; and whose name could be an allusion to Eva Braun
), get in with them. George feigns sleep and Jerry introduces himself. Eva and Tim tell Jerry that they are great fans of O'Brien's newsletter and book, The Big Game, neither of which has he heard of. Luckily, the two have never seen a picture of O'Brien and have no way of knowing who George really is.
As Kramer and Elaine wait outside the apartment building, Jerry mentions that they will probably miss the tip-off, and Tim wonders if he means "someone's been tipped off." George, interested about the book he supposedly wrote, asks Eva to describe her view of it. She and Tim cite the book's analysis of something called "the game," all its major players, and how the fate of the world depends on it. Eva mentions that O'Brien is making a speech that night, and George nervously reads a faxed copy of it for the first time. Kramer mentions it strange that George and Jerry took a limo when they had the former's car, and wonders why they insist on being called different names.
George reads O'Brien's speech and finds to his and Jerry's dismay that it is full of remarks expounding antisemitism, anti-Zionism
and white supremacy
. As he continues it, a loud bang is heard outside. Tim pulls out a pistol and exits the car. Eva tells George that she would do anything for him, even die. Tim comes back and says it was just a flat tire. He then adds if someone really were shooting at them, he would be prepared, and pulls out a briefcase of pistols. A news report reveals that Donald O'Brien, head of the regional chapter of the Aryan
Union, a high-profile Neo-Nazi
organization, is scheduled to make his first public appearance at the Paramount, adjacent to MSG, to deliver the speech at a rally. He is an outspoken Neo-Nazi, admirer of Adolf Hitler
, and passionate fascist
to the extent of denouncement from David Duke
. Crowd control officers have lined up several barricades to keep away hordes of protesters.
On the street, Kramer and Elaine run into her friend Dan and his friends, who tell them they are going to the Nazi rally to protest O'Brien. He then mentions no one knows what O'Brien looks like. As George explains to Jerry that he is attracted to Eva, they plan to have the limo drive back to the Upper West Side
and get out when they see Elaine and Kramer, who realizes that Jerry must be the O'Brien at the rally, which explains the limo. As it drives past them, Kramer sees Jerry and shouts, "O'Brien!" This attracts Dan, his friends, and other protestors across the street. As Kramer and Elaine dive through the door and they chase the limo down the street, the phone rings. Kramer picks up and hands it to Eva. She listens for a few seconds and tells the others, "It's O'Brien." Tim pulls out his gun and demands that George and Jerry say who they really are, and Jerry and George, and later Elaine, all rapidly (and nervously) attempt to explain themselves at the same time. The car pulls up to the Paramount and the protesters begin rocking it. Dan notices Elaine as one of the passengers, and she awkwardly acknowledges him. George is placed in front of the news teams identified as Donald O'Brien, and the protesters horde around him as he frantically denies being O'Brien and shouts for Jerry.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
(The 37th episode overall). It aired on February 26, 1992.
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...
flies in from Chicago and 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"...
arrives to take him home. His car has broken down on the Belt Parkway
Belt Parkway
The Belt System is a series of connected limited-access highways that form a belt-like circle around the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The system comprises four officially separate parkways; however, three of the four are signed as the Belt Parkway...
and the two are stranded. Jerry points out a limousine chauffeur with a sign for someone named O'Brien. Jerry had seen an O'Brien in Chicago complaining to the airport staff that he had to reach Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Since the real O'Brien's flight is overbooked and he will not be arriving in New York soon, George tells Jerry that since it is such a long wait to get a cab, they should pose as O'Brien and his colleague and take the limo home. George chooses the first name Colin and assumes the identity of O'Brien, as Jerry makes up the name Dylan Murphy. The chauffeur believes them and lets them into the limo. George asks the chauffeur where he is driving to, who says Madison Square Garden and that he has the four passes. George remembers the Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
are playing the Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
that night at MSG, which must be why O'Brien wanted to get there. Jerry calls up 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...
and tells her to wait with 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...
for them to pick them up for the game, and also tells her to call him and George by their pseudonyms. Jerry and George congratulate each other, and George stumbles over a quotation: "I see things as they are, and I say no ..." (the quotation he is searching for belongs to George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
-- "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"), finally asking Jerry, "what do you say when you see something?"
After the call, Jerry and George learn that two of the people the passes were intended for are still coming. The chauffeur stops and a man, Tim (Peter Krause
Peter Krause
Peter William Krause is an American film and television actor and film producer. He is perhaps best known for his lead roles as Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under, Adam Braverman on Parenthood, and Casey McCall on Sports Night...
), and a woman, Eva (Suzanne Snyder, who would later play Audrey in season 5's The Pie
The Pie
"The Pie" is the seventy-ninth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 15th episode for the 5th season. It aired on February 17, 1994.-Plot:Jerry is miffed after his girlfriend Audrey refuses to take a bite of his pie....
; and whose name could be an allusion to Eva Braun
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later...
), get in with them. George feigns sleep and Jerry introduces himself. Eva and Tim tell Jerry that they are great fans of O'Brien's newsletter and book, The Big Game, neither of which has he heard of. Luckily, the two have never seen a picture of O'Brien and have no way of knowing who George really is.
As Kramer and Elaine wait outside the apartment building, Jerry mentions that they will probably miss the tip-off, and Tim wonders if he means "someone's been tipped off." George, interested about the book he supposedly wrote, asks Eva to describe her view of it. She and Tim cite the book's analysis of something called "the game," all its major players, and how the fate of the world depends on it. Eva mentions that O'Brien is making a speech that night, and George nervously reads a faxed copy of it for the first time. Kramer mentions it strange that George and Jerry took a limo when they had the former's car, and wonders why they insist on being called different names.
George reads O'Brien's speech and finds to his and Jerry's dismay that it is full of remarks expounding antisemitism, anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionistic views or opposition to the state of Israel. The term is used to describe various religious, moral and political points of view in opposition to these, but their diversity of motivation and expression is sufficiently different that "anti-Zionism" cannot be...
and white supremacy
White supremacy
White supremacy is the belief, and promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. The term is sometimes used specifically to describe a political ideology that advocates the social and political dominance by whites.White supremacy, as with racial...
. As he continues it, a loud bang is heard outside. Tim pulls out a pistol and exits the car. Eva tells George that she would do anything for him, even die. Tim comes back and says it was just a flat tire. He then adds if someone really were shooting at them, he would be prepared, and pulls out a briefcase of pistols. A news report reveals that Donald O'Brien, head of the regional chapter of the Aryan
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
Union, a high-profile Neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
organization, is scheduled to make his first public appearance at the Paramount, adjacent to MSG, to deliver the speech at a rally. He is an outspoken Neo-Nazi, admirer of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, and passionate fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
to the extent of denouncement from David Duke
David Duke
David Ernest Duke is a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan an American activist and writer, and former Republican Louisiana State Representative. He was also a former candidate in the Republican presidential primaries in 1992, and in the Democratic presidential primaries in...
. Crowd control officers have lined up several barricades to keep away hordes of protesters.
On the street, Kramer and Elaine run into her friend Dan and his friends, who tell them they are going to the Nazi rally to protest O'Brien. He then mentions no one knows what O'Brien looks like. As George explains to Jerry that he is attracted to Eva, they plan to have the limo drive back to the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
and get out when they see Elaine and Kramer, who realizes that Jerry must be the O'Brien at the rally, which explains the limo. As it drives past them, Kramer sees Jerry and shouts, "O'Brien!" This attracts Dan, his friends, and other protestors across the street. As Kramer and Elaine dive through the door and they chase the limo down the street, the phone rings. Kramer picks up and hands it to Eva. She listens for a few seconds and tells the others, "It's O'Brien." Tim pulls out his gun and demands that George and Jerry say who they really are, and Jerry and George, and later Elaine, all rapidly (and nervously) attempt to explain themselves at the same time. The car pulls up to the Paramount and the protesters begin rocking it. Dan notices Elaine as one of the passengers, and she awkwardly acknowledges him. George is placed in front of the news teams identified as Donald O'Brien, and the protesters horde around him as he frantically denies being O'Brien and shouts for Jerry.