"The Jacket" For The Avid Viewers Quiz

Answer: Hotel Westbury

While at the clothing store, Elaine reminds Jerry to join her on Sunday at 8 P.M. at the hotel. She needs Jerry and George to be "buffers" for the meeting with her father. Amusingly, following an alternative British informal definition of the word, Alton Benes may also be called a "buffer", that is, an eccentric, grumpy or old-fashioned old man.

In "The Reverse Peephole" Kramer says of Jerry: "He's a dandy. He's a real fancy boy." Jerry's choice of the Beau Brummel jacket in this episode, to some degree sustains Kramer's belief. Ryan Stiles auditioned for the part of the sales attendant at the store but did not get the job.

Answer: Ritz Crackers

The characteristic look of Nabisco's Ritz crackers are the ridged edges and holes (seven exactly) on top called "dockers". The dockers ensure that each cracker stays the same thickness when in the oven and that they are evenly baked throughout every time. Also a Nabisco brand, Triscuits are mentioned in "The Suicide" in which Elaine prepares for a 3-day fast. Jerry tells her that Ghandi would "polish off a box of Triscuits" before his fasts. Colloquially, more than one Triscuit is referred to as "Triscuits".

However, this word is not found on Nabisco packaging or publications; the correct plural form is simply "Triscuit" or "Triscuit crackers". Cheez-Its and Club Crackers are both produced by U.S.A's largest cookie/cracker manufacturer, The Keebler Company.

Answer: A

After George tells Jerry how he can't seem to stop singing the Les Miserables show tune "Master of the House", that it's taking over his life, Jerry replies: "You know, Schumann went mad from that... He went crazy from one note." Although there is no evidence to support Jerry's reason for Schumann's mental decline, he is correct about the Romantic composer having to be institutionalized.

After attempting suicide Schumann was willingly admitted to a mental asylum where he was diagnosed with psychotic melancholia but later studies of his condition support a diagnosis on the schizophrenic spectrum or bipolar disorder.

His sister Emilie and son Ludwig also suffered mental illnesses and his father was described as "sensitive; close to insanity".

Answer: Wednesday

Jerry reveals this when George asks "When did this happen?" and George subsequently remarks that it is "fabulous". Spoken by Jerry himself in "The Seven": "That's kind of the job of clothes; to get compliments for us, because it's very hard to get compliments based on your human qualities." Both Kramer and George are intent on finding out the cost of the jacket.

Answer: A stack of papers

Trivial detail maybe, but he is! They are most likely old newspapers - perhaps for the purpose of "carpeting" the birdcages. Personally, I think Kramer's storyline should have been exploited for greater comical impact - just imagine the possibilities for Kramer (and his antics) with a cageful of birds on the loose! In fact, in an earlier draft of the script, Kramer enters Jerry's apartment with a dove on his shoulder. If it is intended as a spoof of the religious symbolism of doves and by extension, presenting Kramer as a Christ-like figure, this idea would have been brilliant! Of course, I'm sure the writers did not want this to be the casus belli (wink) of another religious war.

Answer: The movies

Jerry tells Elaine that they can still catch "the 9:30 at cinema 3. It would be no surprise if they are going to see "Les Misérables"!

Answer: Positive

Jerry even thinks that the jacket has completely changed his life, that he can now meet any social challenge! His attitude is redolent of one of his monologues from "The Truth" where he talks about the awkwardness and conclusiveness of nudity: "It's because when you have clothes on, you can always kinda make those little adjustments that people like to do... you feel like you're getting it together - yeah, yeah, pretty good; feeling good, looking good." Jerry's jacket functions in a very similar way to Kramer's jacket ("The Cafe", "The Nose Job"), Elaine's Boticelli shoes and George's toupee.

Answer: A bus

Jerry and George are wise not to sit in Kramer's car for "two minutes" while he collects the birds. Elaine however, enticed by "the lure of the siren's song" finds herself embroiled in the mayhem. After she relates the whole episode, Jerry and George, perhaps realizing that her troubles that evening surpassed their own, are gracious enough to desist from complaining about the formidable Alton Benes.

Answer: Fidel Castro

Alton also adds "like we did in Guatamala in '53." After Guatemala's leader was forced out of office in 1944 by a coup d'état, the country was led by a military junta until Juan José Arévalo finally became the country's first democratically elected President.

Although he candidly rejected the ideology some of his policies were still regarded by many, including the United States, as Communist and he was eventually removed from office in a CIA-instigated operation. Mr. Benes is most likely specifically referring to his role in the deposition of Arévalo's successor, Jacobo Árbenz, in another CIA covert operation in 1953/54.

Answer: Dr. Waldo

Alton Benes is hardly impressed with the prediction because he doesn't need anyone to tell him it's going to rain. He responds, "All I have to do is stick my head out the window." It seems Jerry did not catch this weather forecast or otherwise he would not have ruined his jacket. It's a shame...