The Switch

The Switch
Season	6
Episode	97
Air Date	January 5, 1995
Writer(s)	Bruce Kirschbaum Sam Kass
Director	Andy Ackerman
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"The Switch" is the 11th episode of the 6th season, and the 97th episode overall; it first aired January 5, 1995. It was written by Bruce Kirshbaum and Sam Kass and was directed by Andy Ackerman.

Plot

After playing tennis Elaine is recognized by Mrs. Landis (Gail Strickland), a former potential employer from Doubleday. Elaine lends Mr. Pitt's tennis racket, a Bruline, to her in hopes of getting a new job. Meanwhile, Jerry is dating Sandy, a "non-laugher." George is dating Nina (Charlotte Lewis), a model who eats a lot and whom Kramer thinks may be bulimic.

George has dinner with Nina; she feasts on the food and then goes to the bathroom to "freshen" herself. Jerry has dinner with Sandy. Jerry keeps making funny remarks but she doesn't laugh, just saying, "That's funny." Back at the Jerry's Apartment, Jerry describes how his jokes just bounce off his girlfriend. George now strongly suspects his girlfriend is bulimic because he heard a "blah" in the bathroom, and wants a matron to spy on her to verify that she intentionally throws up. We then meet Kramer's mother, Babs (Sheree North), who happens to work as a matron, but Kramer doesn't want anything to do with her. When Babs first sees her son, she yells out his first name in shock, the first time in the series we ever learn Kramer's first name. A bewildered George, who went with Kramer, confusedly repeats his name, "Cosmo?"

Mrs. Landis, who injured her humeral epicondylitis playing tennis, is devastated and states she has no reason to live if she can't play tennis, and Elaine doesn't have the heart to ask for the racket back. Back at the apartment, Elaine says Mr. Pitt needs his racket for a match against Ethel Kennedy. George arrives with the news of Kramer's name, much to everyone's delight. Kramer accepts his name and says he was running from his true self.

When Jerry goes to his girlfriend's apartment he meets Laura, Sandy's roommate, who does laugh at his jokes. Later, he talks with George, saying he intends to try the "switch." George declares it is impossible: no one in Western history has ever switched a girlfriend for her roommate. Jerry and George spend long hours devising a plan to accomplish the switch. Finally, George comes up with the plot: Jerry will suggest a ménage à trois, Sandy will be disgusted, break up with Jerry, and tell Laura, who in turn will feel flattered, thus paving the way for Jerry to date her.

While Mrs. Landis is out for lunch Elaine sneaks into her office to retrieve the racket. However, she is caught by Mrs. Landis's assistant.

Kramer now uses his first name regularly. He tells his mother to quit her job as a matron. George's plan for Nina goes wrong because of this, so he goes into the women's bathroom himself to spy on her. He hears the noise of someone being sick and shouts "Aha!" but it turns out to be another woman he hears and his date walks out on him.

Meanwhile, Sandy and Laura both have agreed to the ménage à trois. George is ecstatic about it, but Jerry won't go through with it because he doesn't want to become an "orgy guy." Meanwhile, Newman, a fantastic tennis player, is out of town, so Kramer uses his keys to retrieve a Bruline tennis racket just like Mr. Pitt's. When they open the door they see Babs in a compromising position with Newman. After she exclaims her son's name in surprise, Newman, looking as surprised as ever, echoes, "Cosmo?"

Notes About Nothing 

• In this episode Kramer's first name is revealed to be Cosmo.
• Jerry mentions that Newman is a "fantastic" tennis player.