Seinfeld: The Conversion | Episode 75 Recap Podcast

Listen to the Podcast: Rob Cesternino and Akiva Wienerkur continue their journey to watch every Seinfeld episode as they discuss Season 5, Episode 11, “The Conversion.” Rob Cesternino and Akiva Wienerkur cancelled their podiatrist appointments so the could get together for another Seinfeld recap. This week, they discussed “The Conversion”, which first aired December 16, 1993 as part of season five. The episode was written by Bruce Kirschbaum, who claimed he made up the Latvian Orthodox religion, though it does actually exist. There was some related news that Akiva shared this week. First, Larry David appeared on Saturday Night Live to impersonate presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Also, Jerry topped the Forbes Magazine list of highest paid comedians over the past year, topping such current acts as Kevin Hart and Louis C.K. Jerry’s opening standup is a bit about how doctors put their diplomas on the wall, and how they always make you take off your pants, regardless of the appointment. The episode opens with George having dinner with his new girlfriend Sasha, so smitten with her he’s even agreed to spring for the lobster. When she tells him she has to break it off because he isn’t from the same religion, he balks at her still ordering the lobster, but lets her get it anyway. In the next scene, Jerry and Elaine are in the hall outside Jerry’s talking about her new podiatrist boyfriend, with Jerry downplaying his importance versus MDs. Rob remarked how the show has frequently lowers the value of those in the medical profession who forewent med school. Before going inside, Jerry says hello to a woman Tawni he’s dating that is subletting the apartment down the hall. In Jerry’s apartment, George is somehow in there laying on the couch, bemoaning his being dumped by yet another woman. When he explains that she can’t date him because he’s not Latvian Orthodox, Elaine recommends he just convert religions to keep dating her. George likes the idea, and when he leaves, Jerry tells Elaine this will all be her fault when it doesn’t work out. Jerry and Tawni are kissing on the couch in her apartment when Jerry needs to go wash his hands. In the bathroom, he notices the medicine cabinet partially open, so he decides to snoop. He notices a tube of fungal cream, but Tawni soon knocks at the door, so he scampers out. At the diner, Jerry, Kramer and Elaine are trying to figure out what the cream could be for. Elaine is sure to tell Jerry she thinks it was wrong to snoop, while Kramer says he always peeks in people’s medicine cabinets. The scene cuts to George with the Latvian priests discussing his intent to join the church. He fakes his way through the interview, but they send him on his way with a bunch of giant books to study for his conversion test. Kramer is there with him, and has an intriguing run in with a budding nun, Sister Roberta. Later on at Jerry’s, George is excited about his plan, and confirms to Jerry that he will not tell his parents of his conversion. While talking, Jerry decides he needs to get another look at this fungal tube, hoping it could not be hers. The scene cuts to Elaine at her apartment with the podiatrist, where she asks him about fungi, before referring to him as just a podiatrist, which angers him. There is another cut to George in the bathroom, and Estelle and Frank are knocking and yelling for him to get out. Sister Roberta randomly shows up at Kramer’s to give him another toy she found, obviously intrigued by him. Jerry has made his way back into Tawni’s bathroom to check on the fungal cream, but has to pocket it when she comes in with soap for him. Back at Jerry’s, he’s helping George study for his test when Elaine comes in to tell them she got in a fight with the podiatrist. George decides to write cheat notes on his hand fo...