Director, writer talk about unfilmed 'Seinfeld' episode

SALT LAKE CITY — A former writer and director of NBC’s “Seinfeld” spoke out recently about an episode that never made it to filming after it was kiboshed by cast and crew during a reading.

“The Bet” would have been the series’ ninth episode, telling the story of two bets. The first bet concerned Kramer’s love life while the second concerned Elaine buying a gun for protection, according to a Screen Crush interview with writer Larry Charles and director Tom Cherones.

“I can’t remember if she was contemplating buying a gun or whether she had already bought a gun,” says Charles today, “but she felt very justified in buying the gun and would defend that position. And it was also at a time when that was a subject that was finding its way into the media: women buying guns. And I thought that was kind of fascinating. And I think it was as simple as me wondering, ‘What if Elaine bought a gun?’ ”

The joke that pushed the episode over the line for cast members and Cherones was an exchange in which Elaine makes a reference to the bullet entry point in President John F. Kennedy’s head.

“As I recall, there was some reference to make a joke called ‘a Kennedy.’ And that offended me. And I guess it offended the cast as well,” Cherones told Screen Crush. “(After a break) I went back to the stage and the actors looked at me and said, ‘We don’t want to do this episode.’ I said, ‘I agree with you. Guns are not funny, no matter what you say.’ I walked back before the network guys left and I said, ‘We don’t want to do this episode. That cast and I do not want to do this.’ ”

Though Cherones disagrees, Charles said it was also a matter of timing for the show, which was still young at the time.

“Down the line, when we were golden and doing great in the ratings and we could tackle any subject that we wanted to, I’m sure some version of this episode could have been done,” Charles said.

For the full interview, head over to Screen Crush.

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