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Rob Cesternino and Akiva Wienerkur continue their journey to watch every Seinfeld episode as they discuss Season 9, Episode 1, “The Butter Shave.”
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Seinfeld Post Show Recaps: The Butter Shave
Bania is waiting in the wings to host the Caroline in the City Post Show recap, but he will have to wait. The Summer of Rob and Keev officially kicks off as Rob Cesternino and Akiva Wienerkur basted in the hot tub and are ready for the final stretch of Seinfeld Post Show Recap. This time they discussed “The Butter Shave”, which first aired September 25, 1997 as the premiere of the final season. The episode was written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel.
Jerry’s Storyline – Jerry has another opportunity with NBC at a showcase, but starts to become bothered by Bania following him and benefitting from all of Jerry’s work to get a laugh. He’s further annoyed when he sees that Bania’s now dating Jenna with the toilet bowl toothbrush. While trying to concoct a plan to deal with Bania, he discovers George is actually a Bania fan. Jerry goes so crazy over this, he decides the only way to get back at Bania is to bomb his own NBC showcase to keep him from getting leftover laughs. This plan works at first, but NBC associates Newman and Kramer onstage as part of Bania’s act, so they decide to work with him. Grade: Akiva – A-, Rob – A-
George’s Storyline – The cane George has to use for his injury lands him a job when a playground equipment company interviews him. While he tries to explain he’s not permanently handicapped, the treatment he gets is so great, including his own private, handicapped bathroom, he decides to just go with it. George injures his other leg, and his new boss sees him limping the wrong way, so they buy him a scooter to get around in. While on the scooter, he bumps into an old man, to which the man and his friends start scootering after him. The gig is up for George when his new boss sees him pick up and run with the scooter to avoid the elderly gang chasing him. Grade: Akiva – A-, Rob – B
Elaine’s Storyline – Elaine is on a long flight back from Norway with Puddy, who she’s back together with. The long and boring flight causes them to argue incessantly, with Elaine even bringing in the guy sitting next to them for backup. They decide to break up, though they still have over half the flight left. They both attempt to pretend the other isn’t there, but they eventually decide to get back together, only to minutes later break up all over again. During this argument, Elaine shouts that she wants the plane to hit a mountain so she doesn’t have to deal with him anymore, much to the fear of the passenger next to her that she has been calling vegetable lasagna. Grade: Akiva – B+, Rob – B+
Kramer’s storyline – After experiencing bad razor burn shaving off his mustache, Kramer decides to try butter next time, which sparks great results. It works so well for him, he decides to use it as suntan lotion, only he falls asleep, causing the butter to burn him to a near crisp. In an effort to keep from drying out, he bastes himself with butter in his hot tub, only the smell causes Newman to fantasize about eating him. When a waiter spills oregano and parmesan all over him, it’s too much for Newman, so he chases him onstage trying to eat him during Bania’s act. Grade: Akiva – A-, Rob – B
Episode Ranking – 50
Emails – Rob and Keev wanted to urge listeners to email in ideas for how they can switch up the last season of the podcast. Dan the benefactor noted that $168 was donated to charity for season eight. Shawn Falconer contacted the real Kramer tour a few weeks ago, but hasn’t heard back. Craig said that Brandon Tartikoff was a former NBC executive who was friends with Jerry. Johnny De Silveira noted that George saying he felt like a gargoyle on the toilet was an homage to his role in Hunchback of Note Dame.
Lindsay asked if they have sat next to anyone bad on a plane. Pat wondered what flight would be 22 hours. Mike asked if Rob would use butter to shave his beard. Matt had a hot take about seeing an American railroad crossing sign in the background of a scene supposedly in Norway. Amir counted it as 16 seconds gone when Kramer went to shave his mustache, and noted that the plane phone call Elaine made would be terribly expensive. Finally, Chester chimed in with an array of takes.
Tune in next week as the guys will recap “The Voice”. Send in your questions by emailing [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast by going to postshowrecaps.com/
