The Muffin Tops (season 8, episode 21)

written by Spike Feresten, directed by Andy Ackerman
original airdate: May 8, 1997

Elaine bumps into Mr. Lippman, who steals her idea for selling muffin tops. George pretends to be a tourist to impress a woman. Jerry accidentally shaves his chest and can’t stop. Kramer starts a Peterman reality bus tour. Steinbrenner trades George to Tyler Chicken.

FEATURED LOCATIONS

The Improv is not featured in this episode.

Jerry’s Apartment
Jerry reveals to Kramer that he shaved his chest, but Kramer warns him against the dangerous of long-term chest shaving. Elaine tells Kramer she published his stories in Peterman’s biography…and thus, Kramer unveils his “Peterman Reality Tour,” and begs Jerry to come along to generate buzz.

Monk’s Café
Jerry discovers that George is wearing the tourist’s clothes, and George reveals to Mary Anne that he wants to “move” to New York. Elaine reveals to Mr. Lippman here, in exchange for a cut of his profits, the secret to ensuring a high quality muffin top: bake the full muffin, then “pop the top, toss the stump.”

Walker St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
George uses his touristy map to track down Walker Street, as he has an American League meeting there.

Francis Lewis High School
58-20 Utopia Pkwy., Fresh Meadows, Queens, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Jamaica – 179th Street (F)
George mentions he has been replaced at his old Yankees post by an intern, Keith, who comes in Mondays after school from Lewis High.

Port Authority Bus Terminal
625 Eighth Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal (A,C,E)
George questions Jerry how he met Alex, asking “where are you meeting these women? When they get off the bus at the Port Authority?”

Waldenbooks (NOW CLOSED)
461 Park Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 59th Street (4,5,6)
Kramer tracks down Mr. Peterman at a signing here, to “do his part” as the “real Peterman” and sign books by his side.

Pundit Publishing (NOT REAL)
New York, NEW YORK
Elaine sees Mr. Lippman at Waldenbooks, who now works for Pundit Publishing, who published Mr. Peterman’s autobiography “No Placket Required.”

New York Visitor Information Center
1501 Broadway, New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Times Square – 42nd Street (1,2,3)
George meets Mary Anne, who works here, and is convinced George is a tourist from Arkansas, who eventually convinces him to “move” to Manhattan.

Little Rock, ARKANSAS (map)
George pretends he is a visitor from Little Rock to go out with Mary Anne, working for Tyler Chicken and owning a three-legged dog, Willy. He is infamously relieved of duty by the Yankees when “traded” to Tyler Chicken in exchange for all-chicken concessions at Yankee Stadium.

Central Park
New York, NEW YORK (map)
Jerry and Alex stroll through the park, where Alex divulges on the benefits of hairless animals.

Top Of The Muffin To You! (NOT REAL)
511 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 86th Street (1)
Mr. Lippman turns Elaine’s idea for a muffin-top-only retailer to life, and cuts her in for half the profits in exchange for revealing her secret to baking the perfect muffin top. Thanks to eagle-eyed fan Bilita Mpash for catching the lighting store through the door across the street, which was located at 510 Amsterdam Ave. (and is now Kitaro Sushi), putting the muffin shop at around 511 Amsterdam.

Producers Club Theater
358 W. 44th St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal (A,C,E)
The former home of The Improv, this is where the “Kramer Reality Tour” begins – it originally started at the John Houseman Theater (450 W. 43rd St.), and provided the inspiration for the “Peterman Reality Tour” featured in this episode.

George’s Apartment
George “moves” into his place again to fool Mary Anne, who thinks he’s being ripped off on rent and that the place smells like the last tenant had monkeys.

W. 85th St. and Columbus Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 86th Street (B,C)
Kramer is seen driving The Peterman Reality Tour bus southbound down Columbus Avenue, crossing West 85th Street, pointing out to his riders that they can see his bedroom window on their right (“it’s the one that’s covered in chicken wire”). This is partially plausible, as the bus would pass West 81st Street, but Kramer’s Apartment is still 300 feet westbound from Columbus, meaning that in a moving bus it may be tricky to catch – although the chicken wire surely helped! Thanks to Bilita Mpash for the catch!

New York City Department Of Sanitation
125 Worth St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Chambers Street (J)
Elaine comments on her “stump troubles” to Jerry, saying the Sanitation Department will not accept all of her leftover muffin stumps.

Yankee Stadium
Mary Anne inadvertently gets George in trouble by mentioning his “hen supervisor” job to Mr. Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner “trades” George to Tyler Chicken for all-chicken concessions, ending George’s tenure with the Yankees.

Jiffy Dump (NOT REAL)
NEW YORK
Kramer tries to dump his muffin stumps here, but is refused by the same snarky Jiffy Park attendant from “The Wig Master.”

New York City Department Of Consumer Affairs
42 Broadway, New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Broad Street (J,Z)
Kramer yells to the Jiffy Dump attendant that he does plan to bring up his complaint with Consumer Affairs.

P&G Café (NOW CLOSED)
279 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 72nd Street (1,2,3)
George mopes over his job loss, and runs into the tourist whose clothes he has stolen. He is later spotted by Mary Anne in the bathroom, only in his underpants. George mentions to Jerry that the bar is on 43rd St.