The Chaperone

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For the SpongeBob episode see The Chaperone (SpongeBob SquarePants)

"The Chaperone" is the 87th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 1st episode for the 6th season. It aired on September 22, 1994.

Plot

Jerry meets Karen, Miss Rhode Island (Marguerite MacIntyre ), who is competing in the Miss America pageant and consequently must be chaperoned on her date with Jerry; Kramer fills the role and quickly becomes her personal coach. Elaine seeks to follow in the footsteps of Jackie Kennedy Onassis in securing a position with Doubleday, but she soon finds her job as personal assistant to an executive to be unfulfilling. George replaces polyester with cotton as the material for the Yankees' uniforms, with alarming results. Danny Tartabull guest stars on this episode.

Trivia

• Aside from the pilot; this is the only season opener that doesn't show the coffee shop from a street view. Elaine and Mr. Pitt do meet in the coffee shop to talk about Elaine's new job as Mr. Pitt's personal assistant.

• This is the first episode where Jerry uses his famous catch-phrase: "That's a shame." And although Jerry continues to use it as his own through the rest of the series, George is the one who first says it at the end of this episode. Jerry then copies it just seconds later.

• Elaine mentions that they are looking for someone to replace Jackie Onassis at Doubleday. That would be a timely reference since Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in May of 1994 and this episode aired in September of the same year. Jackie Onassis had worked as an editor for Doubleday since her husband's death (Aristotle Onassis) in 1975.

• This episode aired the same day as the series premiere of Friends.

• This is the first episode to be directed by Andy Ackerman, who took over as the series' primary director from Tom Cherones.

Quotes

• Kramer: If the U.S. was on the brink of a nuclear war and the only way the conflict could be averted was if you agreed to sleep with the enemy's leader. What would you do?
  Miss Rhode Island: Kramer, are these questions really that important?
  Kramer: Yes!! If you stumble, if you hesitate you can kiss the crown goodbye. Now if I've told you once, I've told you 1000 times, poise counts! It's just as important as the others: swimsuit, evening wear, talent, POISE!

• Miss Rhode Island: (singing) It's a most unusual day, feeling like throwing my worries away...
  Jerry: I heard those doves were really amazing.
  George: That's a shame. (eating chicken)
  Jerry: It's like watching an animal getting tortured.

• Announcer #1: And the Yankees take the field.
  Announcer #2: And what is with the Yankees? They look like they're having trouble running. They can't move.
  Announcer #1: It's their uniforms, they're too tight. They've shrunk. They're running like penguins. Forget this game.
  Announcer #2: Oh my God, Mattingly just split his pants.
  Jerry: That's a shame.

• Jerry: Well, good night, Ollie.
  George: Good night, Stan.

• Kramer: [sings the Miss America theme].
  Jerry: Oh shut the [censored] up.

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