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Seinfeld: The Muffin Tops

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Upon learning that his stories were used in the Peterman autobiography, Kramer declares himself the "Real Peterman" and begins his own reality bus tour. When George is asked to watch a suitcase for a tourist that never claims it, George begins wearing his clothes, and starts up a relationship with a tourism director. Mr Lippman steals Elaine's idea for a business selling muffin tops, and brings her into the business for her muffin expertise. A shaving mishap leads Jerry to shave his chest. Read full recap »

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Director:: Andy Ackerman

Stars:: Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer); Jerry Seinfeld (Himself); Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Marie Benes (not in pilot)); Jason Alexander (George Louis Costanza)

Recurring Role:: Norman Brenner (Rider); Deck McKenzie (Man); Wayne Knight (Newman); John O'Hurley (J. Peterman); Larry David (Voice of George Steinbrenner (uncredited)); Richard Fancy (Mr. Lippman)

Guest Star:: Earl Carroll (Rider); Reuven Bar-Yotam (Foreign Guy); Vince Donvito (Passerby); Chris Burmester (Passerby); Victoria Fischer (Bartender); Keith Sellon-Wright (Guy); Bunny Summers (Rider); Jack Riley (Rider); Viola Kates Stimpson (Old Woman); Rena Sofer (Mary Anne); Melinda Clarke (Alex); Chaim Jeraffi (Jiffy Dump Guy); Sonya Eddy (Rebecca); Barry Kramer (Bag Guy); Elayn Taylor (Book Fan); Paige Moss (Girl (uncredited))

Elaine suggests to Mr. Lippman that he remove the exclamation point from the name of the store, "Top of the Muffin to You!" and he prefers it as it is. Curiously, in "The Sniffing Accountant," Elaine liberally added exclamation points to Jake Jarmel's book, and Lippman ordered her to remove them, claiming to hate exclamation points. edit »
Since George used to be in real estate, it's unlikely that he would be suckered into paying far too much for his apartment. edit »
At the end of the episode where Newman is going to eat the muffin stumps, he removes the milk bottles out of his bag but never fills his glass. When he starts eating the muffins, his glass is somehow full. edit »

Wayne Knight receives the "With" credit. edit »
Jerry: How did you do any of those things?
Jerry wonders how George managed to get an apartment or a job in the first place. He seems to have forgotten that George accomplished both feats in "The Opposite" by doing the opposite of his every instinct. Of course, George seems to have forgotten to do the opposite, so it's only reasonable for others to forget he ever did it. edit »
The scenes where they are trying to find a dump which will accept the muffin stumps has several big parallels with the "Wig Master" episode. That episode had a parking lot company called Jiffy Park which was running a prostitution ring out of their unwitting customers' cars. In "The Muffin Tops," one of the dumps they try is called Jiffy Dump. Other big similarities: (1) Jiffy Dump has basically the same sign logo as Jiffy Park did. (2) The dump operator is the same actor as the Jiffy Park attendant. (3) He has the exact same line, a casual "Can't do it." (4) An indignant Kramer later yells off camera, "Maybe I WILL take it up with Consumer Affairs!", which is what the Jiffy Park attendant had suggested to George in the earlier episode. edit »
The man taking the Reality Tour, with Jerry, who asks "What is this? Pizza pound cake?" is actually Schlemo, the 'good' truck driver in The Frogger. edit »
Rebecca DeMorne also appears again in "The Bookstore" when George goes to the shelter to donate his 'toilet book'. edit »

George: Where are you meeting these women? When they get off the bus at the port authority?
Jerry: Right here, George. In here. (pointing to his chest) Try opening this up. You'll find the biggest dating scene in the world.
George: Thanks. Thanks a lot.

edit »
George: Let me ask you this: Do you know where Walker Street is downtown? I've got a league meeting there.
Jerry: Oh right, the new job, how is it?
George: I love it. New office, new salary. I'm the new Wilhelm.
Jerry:So who's the new you?
George: They got a new intern from Francis Louis High. His name is Keith. He comes in Mondays after school.

edit »
George: All right, let me ask you something: When do you start to worry about ear hair?
Jerry: When you hear like a soft russeling.
George: It's like puberty that never stops. Ear puberty, nose puberty, knuckle puberty, you gotta be vigilent.
edit »
(during Kramer's reality bus tour)
Kramer: We have a bonus ultra-reality stop today. We're going to be hauling muffin stumps to the local repository.
Tourist We're going to a garbage dump?
Kramer: And we're off!
Jerry: You know, I never thought he'd be able to recreate the experience of actually knowing him, but this is pretty close. edit »
Jerry: So you're pretending to be a tourist?
George: It's beautiful. She makes all the plans. I'm not from around here, so it's okay if I'm stupid. And she knows I'm only in town visiting, so there's no messy breakups. edit »

Kramer's claim to be the "Real Peterman," and his Peterman Reality Tour is a reference to Kenny Kramer, the inspiration for the TV character. He claims to be the "Real Kramer" and offers a "Kramer Reality Bus Tour" for $37.50, the exact cost Kramer charges in this episode. edit »
Jerry: I've gotta get off this bus. Maybe I�ll go play with that dog.
When Jerry leaps off the bus because his chest is itching, we see him running through the forest, jumping over logs, all shown in slow-motion. This is clearly a parody of a scene in the 1994 Mike Nicols film, "Wolf," starring Jack Nicholson as a werewolf. edit »
:
At the book signing, it is clear from posters and the book cover that the title of Peterman's book is: "No Placket Required", presumably a pun on the phrase "Jacket Required". A "placket" is a slit in a garment (such as a skirt) often forming the closure, but it has several archaic meanings, including "woman". edit »
Newman: "I'm going to need a clean eight-ounce glass."
When Newman takes milk out of his cooler in order to eat the muffins, it's a clear reference to a series of ads for the milk industry that were popular at the time (and still are). The most famous was the "Aaron Burr" ad, and many revolved around people needing milk in order to eat something else, like cake. edit »
Elaine: "They call him the cleaner -- he makes problems go away"
While also a reference to "Pulp Fiction," Newman is seen in the back room with a briefcase packed with 3 cartons of milk. A reference to Jean Reno's character "Leon" in Luc Besson's 1994 film "The Professional" who was a hitman (referred to as a cleaner) and drank only milk -- carrying it in his briefcase. edit »

9
00
frockin_boots
member since: Aug 11, 2005
The Muffin Tops
The Bottom Line: "A very special episode"
I realize this is not a favorite, but... ...Continue »
05/30/06 10:56am | report abuse
2
12
zone46
member since: Nov 27, 2005
The Muffin Tops
The Bottom Line: "Out of character"
One of the few duds in an otherwise classic show. ...Continue »
12/26/05 05:35pm | report abuse
5.5
13
Tristram_ZX81
member since: Oct 21, 2005
The Muffin Tops
The Bottom Line: "Not my favorite storyline"
Below average, even by the poor standard of series eight. ...Continue »
11/09/05 07:20am | report abuse