Vol. 6, No. 3 · 25¢ thefestivusproject.com

THE DAILY NOTHING

October 6, 1994 New York Final Edition
S06E03 · Season 6, Episode 3 of 180

The Pledge Drive

Kramer discovers sixty dollars in uncashed birthday checks from Jerry's grandmother and shames him into cashing them, which overdraws her neglected account and sends the elderly woman out of her apartment for the first time in years to find a bank branch that no longer exists. Mr. Pitt eats a Snickers bar with cutlery so pretentiously that George copies it at a Yankees meeting, impressing an executive and spreading the practice to Danny Tartabull and half of New York. Elaine accidentally tells Jerry's grandmother to drop dead after mistaking her voice for a man who sounds exactly like his girlfriend, and Kramer convinces the grandmother to pledge fifteen hundred dollars to PBS that she can't afford while manning the phones to score a free tote bag.

What's The Deal?

George's JobNew York Yankees
Elaine's JobPersonal assistant to Justin Pitt
Elaine's ThingAccidentally tells Jerry's grandmother to drop dead
Kramer's SchemeMans PBS pledge drive phones to get a free tote bag
References
PBSDanny TartabullWPIX-TV as Yankees broadcast channel

Before its time: Predicted snobby food culture trends

The Full Story

Jerry is sure that Elaine's friend Noreen was hitting on him. Elaine calls Noreen to prove him wrong, but realizes too late that she is talking to Noreen's boyfriend Dan, whose voice is just as high and feminine as Noreen's. Elaine's indiscretion strains Noreen and Dan's relationship. As Mr. Pitt demands Elaine dish the dirt, she is disconcerted by him eating a Snickers bar with cutlery.

Jerry agrees to appear on a PBS pledge drive, and receives a thank-you card from network representative Kristen. Kramer joins the fundraiser phone bank to get a free tote bag. Kristen visits, but takes offense that her card is already in the trash. Jerry does not help matters by protesting that he saved his birthday cards from his grandmother. Kramer, seeing that each birthday card has a $10 check enclosed, takes offense on Jerry's nana's behalf that they went uncashed.

To make up to Kristen, Jerry asks George to get one of the Yankees for the pledge drive. At a Yankees meeting, George claims that PBS would reach a classier audience than the team's regular broadcast on channel 11 (WPIX-TV, the real-life over-the-air broadcaster for Yankee games at the time of this episode's airing). George pretentiously eats a Snickers like Mr. Pitt, impressing a Yankees executive, who sends Danny Tartabull to the pledge drive while spreading George's practice to Tartabull and Noreen.

Jerry cashes $60 in checks from his nana, overdrawing her neglected bank account and bouncing the checks. She leaves her apartment for the first time in years to visit the bank, mistakenly going to her defunct former branch, and alarming Uncle Leo with her disappearance. He reprimands Jerry for taking money from his low-income nana.

George takes offense at a waitress at Monk's gesticulating with her middle finger to him, then notices the same from another driver while giving Tartabull a ride to the pledge drive. George takes Tartabull an hour out of Manhattan as he vindictively tails the driver, who turns out to have a full-hand cast that sticks his middle finger up.

Elaine explains to Noreen that Dan sounds like her. Having never noticed this before, Noreen cools on Dan and takes an interest in Jerry. After Dan calls Elaine repeatedly in displeasure, Elaine picks up Jerry's nana's call from the bank, and, confusing her voice for Dan's, tells her to drop dead. Assuming Jerry is broke, Uncle Leo forces money on him.

Dan looks for Jerry at the pledge drive; Kramer, misunderstanding Dan's obsession with Jerry, tries to sell Dan on PBS's LGBTQ programming. Nana gets home safely and calls the pledge drive for Jerry, but Kramer answers and convinces her to donate $1,500; Uncle Leo frantically tries to stop the broadcast because she cannot afford this. With Tartabull also no-showing, Jerry gets a disgruntled card from Kristen, while Elaine rants at seeing everyone at Monk's eating convenience food with utensils.