The Strike (season 9, episode 10)

written by Dan O’Keefe and Alec Berg & Jeff Schaffer, directed by Andy Ackerman
original airdate: December 18, 1997

Everyone celebrates Festivus with the Costanzas. George invents the “Human Fund.” Kramer goes back to work at H&H Bagels, ending a 12-year strike. Elaine gives a fake phone number to a suitor in a denim vest. Jerry dates a “two-face.”

FEATURED LOCATIONS

The Improv is not featured in this episode.

Jerry’s Apartment
Jerry tells Kramer about Festivus, intriguing Kramer, who also announces his 12-year strike at H&H Bagels is over. George devises a plan to give out fake-charity gifts to his coworkers for Christmas, while Elaine devises a plan to get her Atomic Sub card back.

Monk’s Café
The gang discovers George’s “heritage” when Elaine finds a Festivus card for George, after which Frank enters Monk’s to formally invite George for Festivus. Jerry attempts to take his girlfriend Gwen only to the coffee shop, as she is a “two-face” who seemingly only looks good in the light of Monk’s back booth.

Tim Whatley’s apartment
W. 77th St., between Central Park W. and Columbus Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 81st Street – Museum Of Natural History (B,C)
Jerry, George and Elaine go to Tim’s Hanukkah party here, which Elaine describes as being “like Studio 54 with a menorah.”

Yankee Stadium
George claims that thanks to his good rapport with the grounds crew, he was still able to get Dr. Whatley Yankee tickets as a Hanukkah present.

Studio 54 (NOW CLOSED)
254 W. 54th St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 57th Street – 7th Avenue (N,Q,R)
Elaine claims that Tim Whatley’s apartment “looks like Studio 54 with a menorah” for his Hanukkah party.

Kruger Industrial Smoothing (NOT REAL)
101 Park Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Grand Central – 42nd Street (4,5,6,7)
George, after getting a number of charitable gifts, hands out fake donations to “The Human Fund” as Christmas gifts to his coworkers, but the scam is exposed when he is given a $20,000 donation from the company to the fund. George claims that Kruger’s motto is “we don’t care, and it shows.”

The Children’s Alliance (NOT REAL)
New York, NEW YORK
Tim Whatley gives George a donation as a Christmas gift, upsetting George to no end (“where’s his Christmas spirit?!?”). There is an actual Alliance For Children at 58 W. 58th St., as well as the Manhattan Child Advocacy Center, part of the National Children’s Alliance, at 1753 Park Ave.

Atomic Sub (NOT REAL)
New York, NEW YORK
Elaine tries to become a submarine “captain” by eating her 23rd crappy sub in exchange for a free sub, and ends up on a wild goose chase to track down the card when she accidentally gives away her number on it.

H&H Bagels (NOW CLOSED)
2239 Broadway, New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 79th Street (1)
Kramer discovers his strike at H&H is over after 12 long years, prompting for him to return to work as a “Bagel Technician.” Kramer goes on strike again when he can’t get Festivus off, but returns when he needs to use the bathroom. He’s eventually fired for accidentally dropping gum into the dough, and then continuing to mix it. The original location (featured in this episode) closed in 2011, but a new Upper West Side location has since opened at 526 Columbus Ave.

Horsetrack Betting (NOT REAL)
164 Court St., Brooklyn, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Bergen Street (F,G)
Elaine visits her “standard fake” phone number location to try and track down “Denim Vest”…and is already well known by its owners and patrons.

Belmont Park
2150 Hempstead Tpk., Elmont, Long Island, NEW YORK (map)
Elaine puts a bet on a horse, “Captain Nemo” at Belmont, while killing time at her “standard fake” phone number location, an Off Track Betting location.

La Boite en Bois
75 W. 68th St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 66th Street – Lincoln Center (1)
Jerry meets Gwen for dinner, discovering “different Gwen” in the process, meeting the bad or the ugly Gwen, instead of the good Gwen.

tunnel
New York, NEW YORK
After picking up Gwen in his taxi Gwen suggests the driver take “the tunnel,” where her “two-face” is exposed in the tunnel’s dim lighting.

Bayside, Queens, NEW YORK (map)
George claims to Mr. Kruger that due to the persecution against Festivus, “they drove my family out of Bayside!”

Costanza House
George brings Mr. Kruger over for Festivus dinner, prompting an evening of insanity with Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, the two Off-Track Betting employees, and eventually Gwen the “two-face.”

Chappaqua, NEW YORK (map)
Home of the original Festivus celebrations, started in 1966 by Danny O’Keefe Sr., father of “Seinfeld” writer Dan O’Keefe. The O’Keefe’s would finish the evening by listening to “Stardust” by Willie Nelson, “Orfeo ed Euridice” by Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits.