Daily Dirt: ‘The sea was angry that day, my friends’

Daily Dirt for Saturday, April 5, 2025

Selecting the best-ever single episode of “Seinfeld” is a difficult task, but my vote is for George, the whale and the blowhole … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,249 of The Daily Dirt

1. Maybe, just maybe … I always wanted to be a marine biologist, too.

For whatever reason, the Season 5 episode of “Seinfeld” when George infers that he is just that, a marine biologist (in an effort to impress a would-be girlfriend), ranks No. 1 in this week’s countdown of the best entries in the series’ nine-year history. The term “blowhole” had a lot to do with why that episode was so hilarious.

Our countdown concludes with the top five single episodes in “Seinfeld” history:

• 5. “The Puffy Shirt” (Season 5, Episode 2): Did you just chuckle at the thought of this episode? Few props have become more famous than the “puffy” shirt Jerry wears in this episode. (The puffy shirt is now on display in the Smithsonian Institution.) Jerry begrudgingly agrees to wear a frilled shirt designed by Kramer’s girlfriend during an appearance on national television after the two have a misunderstanding, and he becomes the laughingstock of morning television. Jerry’s growing discomfort with the shirt leads to a classic on-air meltdown.
• 4. “The Soup Nazi” (Season 7, Episode 6): I know, I know. This is likely No. 1 on your own list. I have simply watched it so many times that its comedic impact has lessened for me. But there is no denying one of the catchphrases of the ’90s was “No Soup for you! One year!” Larry Thomas portrayed the Soup Nazi who had those strict rules of ordering. This particular episode, possibly more than any other, illustrated how “Seinfeld” had ability to elevate a small, everyday situation into an enduring element.
• 3. “The Boyfriend/New Boyfriend” (Season 3, Episodes 17-18): This is one of the episodes that, for me, gets funnier each and every time I see it. Former New York Mets star Keith Hernandez guest stars in this two-parter, and his newfound friendship with Jerry rubs Elaine and George the wrong way — but that’s only part of the storyline. Hernandez’s guest role is surprisingly strong, adding authenticity and humor, and it’s an early example of the show’s willingness to blend reality with fiction. What never occurred to me the first few times I saw these episodes was their clever parodying of Oliver Stone’s “JFK” in a mock-investigation of a “spitting incident” involving Hernandez, Kramer and Newman. This is also the first episode to feature George’s fake latex company, Vandelay Industries.
• 2. “The Strike” (Season 9, Episode 10): Festivus? It’s for the rest of us! This iconic holiday episode introduced us to George’s father’s now-famous, made-up holiday, “Festivus,” and its wild customs, including the “Airing of Grievances,” the “Feats of Strength” and the Festivus Pole. The episode is jam-packed with classic moments and introduced Festivus into the pop culture lexicon. 
• 1. “The Marine Biologist” (Season 5, Episode 14): When I’m watching “Seinfeld” reruns on one of the satellite channels and stumble across this particular episode, I have to admit my heart rate increases. It’s not just funny, it’s downright hilarious. To impress a former college crush, George claims he’s since become a marine biologist, but the lie spirals hilariously out of control when he’s called upon to save a beached whale. Soon, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer all find themselves entangled in George’s web of deceit. The final scene — George recounting the dramatic whale rescue — has become one of the most iconic moments in the show’s history. If you are any kind of a “Seinfeld” fan, these words should make your day: “The sea was angry that day, my friends.”

2.  The best of this week’s “Found on Facebook”:

• “Look, all I’m saying is if Adam and Eve had been Cajuns, they would’ve eaten the snake instead of the apple and saved us all a lot of trouble.”
• “Never argue with left-handed people. They’re not right.”
• “You know you’re old when you don’t recognize the host or the musical guest on ‘Saturday Night Live’.”
• “This getting old is a terrible thing. I blacked out for 20 minutes this morning, then I realized I’d put my hoodie on backwards.”
• “The oldest known depiction of Keith Richards date back to the early 16th century.”
• “Struggling to get your wife’s attention? Just sit down and look comfortable.”

3. An English lesson (or maybe it’s a life lesson, take your pick):

• In the word “tsunami,” the “t” is silent.
• In the word “honest,” the “h” is silent.
• In the word “psychology,” the “p” is silent.
• In the word “knight,” the “k” is silent.
• In the word “wife,” the husband is silent.

You’re welcome. I’ll be here all week!

Steve Thought O’ The Day
That last item on “Found on Facebook” … there’s a lot of truth in those words.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Only Steve would come up with a top 10 list for “Seinfeld” episodes and not have “The Contest” among them. Maybe he is the master of his own domain.