The Kiss Hello

"**The Kiss Hello**"
"The Kiss Hello"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 6; Episode 17
Directed by	Andy Ackerman
Written by	Larry David & Jerry Seinfeld
Production code	614
Original air date	February 16, 1995
Guest appearances
	Liz Sheridan as Helen Seinfeld; Barney Martin as Morty Seinfeld; Len Lesser as Uncle Leo; Wendie Malick as Wendy; Mary Scheer as Joan; Billye Ree Wallace as Nana; Carol Leifer as Receptionist; Julio Oscar Mechoso as Julio; Rondi Reed as Mary; Eugene Elman as Buddy; Louisa Abernathy as Nurse;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Beard"	Next →; "The Doorman"
	List of episodes

"The Kiss Hello" is the 103rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This is the 17th episode for the sixth season.^[1] It aired on February 16, 1995.^[1] Although this was the 102nd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode created. In this episode, Kramer posts the names and photos of all the tenants in his apartment building on a board in the lobby so that everyone will know each other. Jerry is uncomfortable with such pervasive socialization, bringing him to conflict with his neighbors at the same time as he investigates his Nana's story that his Uncle Leo owes his mother Helen $50.

Plot

Walking down the street, Jerry and George meet Elaine and her friend Wendy, a physical therapist. Jerry regrets once kissing Wendy on the cheek because now he has to kiss hello every time. George asks Wendy for treatment for a sore arm. Later, they discuss Wendy's 1960s-style hairdo that Elaine wishes she would change. Because only the bluntly frank Kramer would dare comment on it to her directly, they introduce him to her. However, Kramer loves the haircut, and tells her so. Flattered, Wendy starts dating him.

At Wendy's clinic, George is angry with her because he is charged for an appointment he missed due to a family emergency, because of her 24-hour cancellation policy.

Kramer plans to put each tenant's picture and name up in the building's lobby so everybody will know each other. Jerry doesn't like the idea, so Kramer takes a surprise photo of Jerry for the wall. Jerry is unhappy when he finds himself obliged to engage everyone in the building in conversation and getting kissed hello by several of his neighbors. He finally tells them he is uncomfortable with being kissed. As a result, he is ostracized, the superintendent refuses to fix his shower, and his picture is defaced.

Jerry's Nana calls him to open up a bottle of ketchup. When Jerry goes to her apartment, Uncle Leo is also there. Nana reminds Leo to give $50 to Jerry's mother, Helen. Nana, who has been confusing past and present, is referring to an incident from Leo and Helen's childhood. Jerry asks his father, Morty, if Leo ever gave Helen the $50. An angry Morty calculates what the interest would be on $50 after 50 years, but Leo refuses to pay, saying they have no proof Nana's story is true. Leo puts Nana in a nursing home, presumably to stop her from talking about the $50. While visiting Nana at the home, he learns her old friend Buddy is also there. Buddy confirms the exact details of Nana's story, and Jerry declares Leo busted.

Wendy cancels her appointments to go skiing with Elaine. George points out the irony that she gave only a few hours notice. Upon returning from skiing, Wendy won't drive Elaine all the way back to her apartment due to one-way streets. Elaine is forced to carry her ski equipment the remaining three blocks home and injures her arm. She is infuriated when Wendy tries to charge her for treating the arm, so she and George both ridicule Wendy about her hairdo.

Kramer has a party in his apartment with the other tenants. When Jerry stops by to use his shower, Kramer tells him that he broke up with Wendy because she changed her hairstyle. He won't allow Jerry in because of the visiting tenants ostracizing him.

Production

Because "The Kiss Hello" was the 100th episode of Seinfeld to be produced, the cast and crew were all given commemorative "100th" jackets at the table-read for the episode.^[2]

Wendy's receptionist is played by Carol Leifer, a Seinfeld writer who was to some degree the real-life inspiration for the Elaine character.^[3] During table-reads, Leifer would often read the parts of minor characters who had not yet been cast; she was asked to play the part of the receptionist after reading it at the table-read.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b "Seinfeld Season 6 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Seinfeld Season 6: Notes about Nothing - "The Kiss Hello" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2005.
^ Lyman, Rick (1997-09-07). "Touching moments with Leifer? Get real!". The New York Times. Retrieved Apr 29, 2009.

External links

"The Kiss Hello" at IMDb

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 6 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

[NaN-2] Seinfeld Season 6: Notes about Nothing - "The Kiss Hello" (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2005.

[3] Lyman, Rick (1997-09-07). "Touching moments with Leifer? Get real!". The New York Times. Retrieved Apr 29, 2009.

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v t e 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