# 9 "Untouched" Subject

In the episode "The Contest," The Writers of Seinfeld do a few things very well to keep this episode not only humorous for 1992 when it first aired, but also to viewers today. By using cleverly timed innuendoes and touching on a socially unmentioned subject, this episode has given itself a certain lasting power that is still evident after over 15 years.

Like other well-remembered episodes of Seinfeld such as, "The Puffy Shirt (September 23, 1993)" or "The Soup Nazi (November 2, 1995)," the humor of this episode is heavily derived from clever comedic timing. For example, of course an attractive nurse would be giving a sponge-bath to a cute female patient when sex-depraved George (Jason Alexander) is only a divider curtain away. And how many times does Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) get to workout right behind the attractive John F. Kennedy Jr.? These situations would be funny by themselves, but throw into the mix a bet about self-pleasure and it takes this episode to a new level.

In this time of television, masturbation was rarely, if ever, addressed in an adult lifestyle. By making it the main subject of an episode, it was bound to be interesting and funny to a wide range of people. Throw in the trademark Seinfeld situational comedy, and it's no wonder that audiences today and 15 years ago still find it funny. Although not going as far as "Shock TV," this episode definitely reeled viewers in to see what would happen next and what the characters would do with such an untouched subject. By going where other shows wouldn't and creating situational irony around such a subject, "The Contest" was a hit when it first aired and also still today.