The Bet (season 2, unaired)
written by Larry Charles, directed by Tom Cherones
intended airdate: February 13, 1991
In an infamous Seinfeld history moment, the episode “The Bet” made it all the way to table reads, before an uncomfortable cast, crew and network protested the story, due to the controversial episode theme of gun control. “The Phone Message” was written and aired in its place. The 2004 Seinfeld Season 2 DVD outlines the storyline, which featured Elaine betting Jerry on whether she would buy a handgun, and Kramer claiming he had sex with a stewardess during a flight from Puerto Rico. In 2024, a first draft of the script was released, which offered more details into the storyline.
FEATURED LOCATIONS
The Improv is not mentioned as being featured in the first draft of the abandoned script.
Jerry’s Apartment
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Jerry and George question Kramer on the validity of his flight attendant tryst in Puerto Rico, before Kramer tells Elaine he has a firearms contact in Mo Korn.
Monk’s Café
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Elaine reveals her plan to purchase a gun to Jerry and George following a mugging in her building.
England, UNITED KINGDOM (map)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, George struggles to remember a joke he thinks Jerry should include in his act, which starts with ‘why’d the Siamese twins go to England,’ but he fails to remember the rest of the joke…until Jerry reminds him the punchline at the end of their meal (‘it’s so the other one could drive’).
Elaine’s Apartment
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Elaine shocks Jerry and George by stating she intends to buy a handgun for protection, after she tells them a woman in her building was mugged the previous evening, the sixth person she knows who were mugged in the past year.
George’s Apartment
In the first draft of the abandoned script, George claims that after his apartment was broken into a few times, he kept a sword under his bed for protection.
Central Park
New York, New York (map)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Elaine argues against Jerry’s positive outlook on society in regards to getting a gun by proclaiming “why don’t you get a basket of posies, sow the seed of love in Central Park about 1 A.M. and see what kind of solutions you get!”
PUERTO RICO (map)
In the abandoned script, Kramer returns from a vacation in Puerto Rico, where he claims he had sex with a flight attendant in a row of seats on the return trip to New York.
Miami, FLORIDA (map)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Kramer claims he can still get half off airfare due to a professional discount he gets from his ex-brother-in-law, Dave Zweig, who is an airline mechanic in Miami.
Bloomingdale’s
1000 3rd Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Lexington Avenue – 59th Street (N,Q,R)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, when Jerry finds out Elaine went handgun shopping, he sarcastically asks ‘did Bloomie’s have a sale?'”
Mo Korn’s
New York, NEW YORK
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Kramer convinces Elaine to buy a handgun from Mo Korn, a sketchy character who lives with his mother in Jerry’s old building. The gang pays a visit to the Korns, where Elaine nearly buys a gun from Mo, and Jerry and Kramer are annoyed by Mrs. Korn, and Mo’s friends Chicky and Mintz. While no establishing shot was obviously ever used to demonstrate the building’s location, this is presumably the building Jerry grew up in, as Mrs. Korn tells Jerry to tell his mother “Muriel from the old building says hello.”
Times Square
W 42nd St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Times Square – 42nd Street (1,2,3,7,N,Q,R,S)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Mo, Chicky and Mintz try to convince Jerry and Kramer to join them in meeting women at 42nd Street, with Mo reminding Jerry that ‘Times Square’s open twenty four hours.”
Dealey Plaza Historic District
411 Elm St., Dallas, TEXAS (map)
In the abandoned script, Elaine holds a gun to her head and asks Jerry “Where do you want it, the Kennedy? The McKinley?” This is in reference to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, by a bullet to the head, in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
Temple Of Music (NOW CLOSED)
34 Fordham Dr., Buffalo, NEW YORK (map)
In the abandoned script, Elaine holds a gun to her stomach and asks Jerry “Where do you want it, the Kennedy? The McKinley?” This is in reference to the assassination of U.S. President William McKinley, by a bullet to the stomach, in Buffalo on September 14, 1901.
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th St. NW, WASHINGTON, D.C. (map)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, Elaine holds a gun to her head and says to Jerry “Maybe I’ll take a little off the top,” to which Jerry replies “Ah, the Lincoln.” This is in reference to the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, by a bullet to the top of the head, in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865.
airport
Queens, NEW YORK (map)
In the abandoned script, Jerry, George and Elaine travel to the airport, to question the flight attendant about her supposed tryst with Kramer, to settle Jerry and George’s bet over the story’s validity. The script details never reveal which airport the gang visits.
Greater Rochester International Airport
1200 Brooks Ave., Rochester, NEW YORK (map)
In the abandoned script, George, acting as a reporter to question the stewardess Kramer supposedly slept with, introduces Elaine and Jerry as his wife Amanda and her cousin, who are “going to Rochester on the 1:15, and they’re a little early so they’d just like to listen.”
Flagstaff, ARIZONA (map)
In the first draft of the abandoned script, George reads a letter addressed to Kramer from Connie the flight attendant, which says she has given up her life as a flight attendant, and inviting Kramer to look her up if he is ever in her new home of Flagstaff.
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