Vol. 6, No. 8 · 25¢ thefestivusproject.com

THE DAILY NOTHING

November 17, 1994 New York Final Edition
S06E08 · Season 6, Episode 8 of 180

The Mom & Pop Store

George impulsively buys a LeBaron convertible because the salesman claims it belonged to Jon Voight, but Jerry finds a chewed pencil and an owner's manual with "John Voight" — and the real Voight bites Kramer's arm when they track him down, though the car turns out to have belonged to periodontist John Voight instead. Kramer takes all of Jerry's sneakers to a mom-and-pop shoe repair that promptly goes out of business with his shoes inside, leaving Jerry stomping around in cowboy boots and falling down in the street. Jerry crashes Tim Whatley's Thanksgiving-eve party uninvited, knocks Elaine's pointy trophy out a window, and pops the Woody Woodpecker balloon directly onto Mr. Pitt during the next day's parade.

What's The Deal?

George's JobNew York Yankees
George's LieBoasts that his LeBaron belonged to Jon Voight when it actually belonged to periodontist John Voight
Elaine's JobPersonal assistant to Justin Pitt
Elaine's ThingWins a radio contest to get Mr. Pitt a spot holding the Woody Woodpecker balloon at the parade
Kramer's SchemeTakes Jerry's sneakers to a mom and pop shoe repair that goes out of business
References
Jon VoightWoody WoodpeckerMacy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeMidnight Cowboy
Dark Turn
Jerry knocks a trophy out a window that pops the Woody Woodpecker balloon onto Mr. Pitt

Based on: Midnight Cowboy death scene homage

The Full Story

Elaine is thrilled to be invited to Jerry's dentist Tim Whatley's "night before Thanksgiving" party—overlooking all the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons being inflated—and hopes to get asked out too. George impulsively buys a LeBaron convertible—boasting that the salesman said it belonged to Jon Voight—rather than a Volvo as planned.

Kramer demands that Jerry support a mom and pop shoe repair store on the verge of closure. Kramer takes all of Jerry's sneakers in for detailing, then lies down to stop a nosebleed. He warns the elderly proprietors to call an electrician for exposed ceiling wiring.

A big band radio station is running a song identification contest, where winners get to hold the tethers of the Woody Woodpecker parade balloon. Elaine happens to know all her father's big band records by heart. Mr. Pitt beseeches Elaine to win him a spot, to make up for his repressed childhood.

Jerry is left with no spare shoes except a pair of cowboy boots, which he only unwillingly accepted as payment for a gig. In the LeBaron, Jerry finds a chewed pencil and a manual with the name "John Voight". Jerry mocks George for getting suckered, and gets thrown out next to some hoodlums. Trying to flee in the boots, Jerry falls down.

The electrician holds the proprietors liable to get their wiring up to code; unable to afford this, they close up shop, absconding with Jerry's sneakers. George, still in denial, fails to convince the Yankees to commemorate Voight as an excuse to ask about the car. Kramer spots Voight in the flesh, but Voight fends him off by biting his arm. Picking up Mr. Pitt's prize and a trophy, Elaine is forced to sit next to a deafening live big band.

Jerry realizes he got no invitation, even though Whatley sent out invitations through him. No longer sure if he is invited, Jerry still needs to attend to find a dentist for his swelling jaw before the holiday weekend. George and Kramer also want a dentist to match Kramer's bitten arm against the pencil. No one will risk going with Jerry, in case he was not invited.

At the party, Whatley asks Elaine out for New Year's, but, still deafened, she can only shake her head. Whatley chews George's pencil, ruining the bite marks, but confirms that periodontist John Voight was the former owner of George's LeBaron. Leaning back to get his jaw checked, Jerry knocks Elaine's pointy trophy out a window, popping the Woody Woodpecker balloon below. Whatley calls out Jerry as an uninvited guest. The next day, Mr. Pitt is caught under the collapsing balloon on parade.

Jerry gets tipped off that his sneakers are at a garage sale in Parsippany, New Jersey. Jerry and Kramer take a bus out, but Kramer starts to fade from his nosebleed, paying homage to Dustin Hoffman's death scene in Midnight Cowboy.