Explain this Seinfeld scene

Cafe Society
1

This is the episode named The Outing where that NYU reporter writes a story on Jerry that makes everyone think he’s gay, not that there’s anything wrong with that! :smiley:

In a scene at Monk’s, Jerry and George are talking, Elaine is there too. A soldier approaches Jerry and says that the story gave him the courage to come out even though it may mean a discharge from the military. Frustrated, Jerry tells George that he’s not going with him to Guys and Dolls, a play whose tickets George bought for Jerry for his birthday

Jerry: “Y’know, I think I’ll pass on the “Guys And Dolls”…”
George: “Alright fine! I go and do something nice for you on your birthday and this is the thanks I get!”
J (whispering): “Would you keep your voice down?”
G (voice rising): “No I will not keep my voice down! Nothing can make me keep my voice down!”

The manager, a burly-looking black guy who we’ve seen before in past episodes, walks over to their table

Manager: “If you boys cannot control yourself, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave”

At this point, he turns his head a little towards George. We see the left side of his head. A prominent diamond stud earring is on his ear.

Here’s the part I’m rethinking: Since the first time I saw that episode, I’ve always thought it was a hidden reference to the manager being gay. Back in the 90’s, there was talk about how some gay guys wore earrings on one of their ears to display their sexual orientation, but that was before the internet and I never could remember if that was widespread and real or whether it was the right ear or left. This scene had always reminded me of that, like the manager was secretly telling the two that he was gay, and I thought I had detected a slight pause by the camera and a focus on the earring, as if we’re supposed to notice it.

But I was rethinking the scene. The manager appears in a few episodes and his sexuality is never referred to again. His actions are always asexual, as if this episode’s earring thing was a one-time joke. Plus, what he tells Jerry and George isn’t suggestive of anything at all. They were making noise and he was going to throw them out. If he had said something else, like they were being “naughty” or he’ll have to spank them, I would have gotten that. But no hints at all, and SeinfeldScripts.com doesn’t hint at anything either.

So did any of you get the impression that the manager was supposed to be gay as well or was that something I read into it?

2

IMHO, the manager comes of as a bit homophobic based solely on his lines. Hinting that he’s gay himself sidesteps that issue.

I would guess that they added the earring as an afterthought.

3

Can anyone find a clip?

4

The only reason to show the earring is for the joke of the manager actually being gay as well–OR to imply that he might be gay or…that he might not be. That whole scene (and maybe the whole episode really?–it has been awhile) is about how things can be misconstrued.

The fact that it’s never referenced again means nothing–were there any diner owner-centric episodes in the show? Why would it be referenced again?

5

The left ear is straight, the right ear (or both ears) was gay. At least until the 90s, when the whole think was basically dropped. Though I can say, I’ve seen lots of straight men, wearing only an earring in the left ear and I’ve seen lots of straight men wear them in both ears. I’ve never seen a straight man wearing it in just the right ear.

6

Left is right. Right is wrong*. That’s how we remembered which ear was okay for a straight guy to have an earring in during my younger days.

Erm… not that there’s actually anything wrong with that.

7

I thought is was an example of guessing the nature of a person’s sexuality based on observations of trivial characterisitics. I forget exactly when the episode aired, but it was probably a commentary on current social discussions about ‘outing’ and identifying people as ‘gay’ and/or ‘straight’, and/or ‘other’. It would also be ironic that George and Jerry are subject to the same type of generalizations they are fond of using, at the same time as they are jumping to the same kind of conclusions, and all of this projected on the audience as well.

8

I had always heard it “Left okay, right he’s gay.”(not that there’s anything wrong with it):slight_smile:

9

I’ve never noticed the bit about the manager having an earring before. Guess I’ll have to pay more attention next time the ep shows up in the syndication cycle.

10

Seinfeld aired on Thursdays. Was the manager wearing green?

11

No…is that a gay thing too? :confused:

12

:confused:

13

I thought it ment the manager was gay. He overheard their “tiff,” understood (in his mind) that this
was a lovers quarrel, but being a manager in charge of a restaurant first, he told them to pipe down or leave.

14

Concur.

15

Out here (pun not intended…wait…never mind)…It’s L is for Left and M is for Mary.

16

Yes, unless St. Patrick’s Day falls on one. :stuck_out_tongue:

17

I’ve had my right ear (only) double pierced for years, just because it amuses me that it looks like I’m pseudo-gay. Of course, I’m a straight woman and it’s two piercings not one, so it’s all bogus, but it still makes me sort of chuckle, to stick it to the “right is wrong” days.

(Ha I just remembered that it’s actually triple-pierced on that side. I’m such a dope.)

18

Back in the day, within the context of gay culture, anything worn on the left meant “top,” and right meant “bottom.” Earrings were no exception.

This was mostly concerning hankies worn in the back pockets. An elaborate [TMI] hanky code evolved. It’s amazing what you could learn about someone, just by looking at his ass. A lot of this was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as it were.

19

I’m really hoping I didn’t see what you did there.

20

You did! (so did I)