The Switch (season 6, episode 11)

written by Bruce Kirschbaum and Sam Kass, directed by Andy Ackerman
original airdate: January 5, 1995

Jerry tries the impossible: to pull the roommate switch. George dates a bulimic. Elaine agonizes over Mr. Pitt’s busted tennis racket. Kramer’s first name is revealed and we meet his mother.

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The Improv

Jerry’s Apartment
George unveils Kramer’s mystery name to the gang, after 6+ years of not knowing. Jerry and George work tirelessly, around the clock, trying to figure out how to successfully initiate “the switch,” until George finally comes up with his menage a trois scenario.

Monk’s Café
George tries to shun Jerry for even suggesting an attempt at “the switch,” claiming that “in the Middle Ages you could get locked up for even suggesting it!” Kramer later convinces Babs to quit her job and join him in a business venture.

Manhattan Plaza Racquet Club
450 W. 43rd St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal (A,C,E)
Where Elaine loans Mr. Pitt’s tennis racquet to Mrs. Landis from Doubleday, after playing with Jerry and Sandi the non-laugher.

Pappardella
316 Columbus Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 72nd Street (1,2,3)
George goes on a date with Nina the model, and begins worrying about her potentially “refunding” her meals.

Café Paul
New York, NEW YORK
Jerry and Sandi go on a date after seeing the 1994 version of Frankenstein (without the sport jacket), where Sandi continues her non-laughing streak.

Doubleday Publishing (now Knopf Doubleday Publishing)
1745 Broadway, New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 59th Street – Columbus Circle (1)
Elaine goes to pick up Pitt’s tennis racquet from Mrs. Landis, but due to Landis’ tennis elbow, she is unable to get past her. She is later accused of “stealing” it by Landis’ assistant Keith, and must instead borrow a racquet from Newman.

Beach Café
1326 Second Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 68th Street – Hunter College (6)
Babs Kramer works here as a matron…and reveals Kramer’s first name for the first time in front of George. George later tries bribing her to spy on Nina, but backfires when Babs quits to go into business with her son.

Sandi & Laura’s apartment
New York, NEW YORK
Jerry proposes the fated switch, but Sandi actually goes for Jerry’s idea of a menage a trois…as does Laura, much to Jerry’s shock.

Baltimore, MARYLAND (map)
Kramer tells Jerry that Newman is in Baltimore, so he can let him into Newman’s Apartment to borrow his tennis racquet for Elaine. Instead, a horrified Jerry and Kramer discover Newman and his mother in the heat of the moment.

Nemwan’s Apartment
Allowing Jerry into the apartment to borrow a tennis racquet, Kramer and Jerry walk in on an unsuspecting Newman and Babs getting passionate…upon where Newman finally learns of Kramer’s now-revealed first name.