The Bris

"The Bris"
	Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 5; Episode 5
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Written by	Larry Charles
Production code	505
Original air date	October 14, 1993
Guest appearance(s)
	Charles Levin as Mohel; Debra Mooney as Mrs. Sweedler; Tom Alan Robbins as Stan; Jeannie Elias as Myra; John Gegenhuber as Resident; Tia Riesling as Woman; Frank Noon as Patient;

The Bris is the 69th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the fifth episode of the fifth season, and it first aired on October 14, 1993.

Plot

Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer go to the hospital to meet friends who have just had a baby. At the hospital, George gets a parking spot right in front of the hospital. A mental patient jumps from the roof and lands on it. George attempts to get the hospital to pay for the car's damages, but the director refuses, insinuating that George is running a scam. Kramer stumbles into the wrong room at the hospital (1937 instead of 1397) and becomes convinced that he has seen a "pigman" (half-pig, half-man). He espouses a conspiracy theory concerning the government and genetic mutation leading to pigmen armies.

Jerry and Elaine agree to become godparents to the newborn baby. Jerry uses the role as a prompt to perform impersonations of Marlon Brando's character from The Godfather, but his friends are severely unimpressed. They are obligated to arrange the bris, which involves booking a mohel and holding the baby during the circumcision. Kramer, disturbed by the concept of the bris, upsets the mother with grotesque descriptions of circumcision and seizes the baby in an unsuccessful rescue attempt. The mohel (Charles Levin) is extremely irritable and high-strung, and implies that he was charged with malpractice due to a botched circumcision on at least one previous occasion. Made increasingly nervous by this, Jerry flinches as the circumcision gets under way, and the mohel cuts off Jerry's finger. The four go to the hospital, where the baby's parents have to break up a fight between Jerry and the mohel. Jerry's finger is stitched up. Kramer finds the "pigman" (whom he later discovers is actually "a fat little mental patient") and "liberates" him from the hospital. The "pigman" steals George's car, which was again conveniently parked.

The parents strip Jerry and Elaine of their role as godparents, deciding they prefer Kramer due to the concern he expressed for the baby. Pleased, Kramer performs an off-the-cuff impersonation of The Godfather which far eclipses Jerry's.

Controversy

Jason Alexander, who plays the part of George Costanza, has described the character of the mohel as "disgusting" and "anti-Semitic in a hurtful way". After having read the first draft of the script, Alexander approached co-creator and executive producer Larry David and asked to be written out of the episode. When David said he would "soften" the character before they filmed the episode, Alexander agreed to stay in. However, he still has regrets about how the mohel was portrayed.

External links

Full Episode Script

"The Bris" on IMDb
"The Bris" at TV.com

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Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend" "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip" "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats" "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100" "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac" "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit" "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle" "The Finale"
Indicates two-part episode

"The Bris"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 5
Directed by	Tom Cherones
Written by	Larry Charles
Production code	505
Original air date	October 14, 1993
Guest appearance(s)
Charles Levin as Mohel Debra Mooney as Mrs. Sweedler Tom Alan Robbins as Stan Jeannie Elias as Myra John Gegenhuber as Resident Tia Riesling as Woman Frank Noon as Patient