The Outing

"**The Outing**"
"The Outing"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 4; Episode 17
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Written by	Larry Charles
Production code	416
Original air date	February 11, 1993
Guest appearances
	Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld; Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld; Estelle Harris as Estelle Costanza; Paula Marshall as Sharon; Kari Coleman as Allison; Anthony Mangano as Marine; Ben Reed as Male Nurse; Lawrence Mandley as Manager;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Shoes"	Next →; "The Old Man"
	Seinfeld season 4
	List of episodes

"The Outing" is the 57th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. First aired on February 11, 1993 on NBC, it is the 17th episode of the fourth season.^[1] In this episode, a reporter publicly "outs" Jerry and George as a gay couple, and they struggle to convince the rest of the world of their heterosexuality. The line "... not that there's anything wrong with that"—as a reference to homosexuality—has become a popular catchphrase among fans.

Plot

While at Monk's Café, Elaine Benes notices a woman in a nearby booth eavesdropping, and as a prank speaks to Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza as if they were a closeted gay couple. The eavesdropping woman turns out to be Sharon, a New York University reporter who is planning on interviewing Jerry. Later, Sharon visits Jerry's apartment to conduct the interview. His and George's conversation during the interview inadvertently solidifies her misconception that they are gay. Eventually, they recognize her from the coffee shop, and strenuously deny that they are gay. Nevertheless, the interview with Jerry is published in the school newspaper, and subsequently gets picked up by the Associated Press, "outing" Jerry and George to their readers.

Throughout the episode, Jerry and George fear being seen as gay, yet also feel afraid they will be perceived as homophobic, so they condition their denials with the phrase "not that there's anything wrong with that."^[2]

Sharon asks to see Jerry, leading to them kissing in his apartment. George decides to use his (fake) orientation as an excuse to break up with his girlfriend, Allison. George tries to act outraged at finding Jerry making out with Sharon to prove that he is gay to Allison, but when Jerry does not follow along, George's ruse fails to convince her and Sharon walks out. In a last-ditch attempt to get Allison to break up with him, George tells her he is a porn actor, but this only makes her even more attracted to him.

Kramer enters his apartment with an attractive young man, causing George and Jerry to briefly wonder if he is gay. Kramer explains, "He's the phone man! ...Not that there's anything wrong with that."^[3]

Reception

Creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld were reportedly concerned about offending the gay community with this episode. Their concerns were unfounded, as "The Outing" won a GLAAD Media Award (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) for Outstanding Comedy Episode.^[4] Conversely, Vulture retroactively declared it the second-worst episode of the series (after “The Puerto Rican Day”), stating it “wholeheartedly embraces gay panic as a plot device to a nonsensical, largely unfunny degree”.^[5]

References

^ "Seinfeld Season 4 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
^ Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 191. ISBN 9781557835574.
^ Irwin, William (2010). Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Everything and Nothing. ReadHowYouWant.com, Limited. p. 245. ISBN 9781459601161.
^ Armstrong, Jennifer (7 July 2014). "About nothing?: 10 issue-tackling Seinfeld episodes". A.V. Club.
^ https://www.vulture.com/best-seinfeld-episodes-ranked.html

External links

"The Outing" at IMDb

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 4 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved 2 December 2021.

[2] Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 191. ISBN 9781557835574.

[3] Irwin, William (2010). Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Everything and Nothing. ReadHowYouWant.com, Limited. p. 245. ISBN 9781459601161.

[4] Armstrong, Jennifer (7 July 2014). "About nothing?: 10 issue-tackling Seinfeld episodes". A.V. Club.

[5] ttps://www.vulture.com/best-seinfeld-episodes-ranked.html

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v t e Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend"† "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip"† "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"†
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats"† "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100"† "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac"† "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit"† "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle"† "The Finale"†
† Indicates two-part episode