That episode had an unusually significant impact on me, I have no idea why. But it forever changed how I view positive/negative events in my life. I get really uneasy when too many things are going my way.
I doubt I’m the first one to suggest this, but is it fair to say that Jerry was the straight man on his own show?
More or less. He was the character with the least ‘wacky-ness’. I would actually contend that despite the title, Jason Alexander’s character was actually the central figure (and obvious stand-in for Larry David) around which most of the plot complications centered. But the standard sitcom featuring a stand-up comedian centers around that comedian because that’s the formula that was set up by The Honeymooners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, et cetera, although by the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show which is really the prototype for all of the metatextual comedies that have come since.
Stranger
You mean Stalag 13? 
I think he means Stalag 17. It’s kind of a famous movie that was the obvious inspiration for Hogan’s Heroes.
Stranger
I know the movie. I know it very well. I just don’t recall it containing any of the abovementioned moments of hilarity.
The original title of Hogan’s Heroes was Stalag 13, BTW. It was changed in order to avoid a plagarism suit.
When it was announced that the POW’s should undergo indoctrination, they (the prisoners) pre-empted their jailors and arranged a parody with all of them wearing Hitler mustachios, standing ramrod straight, listening to a speaker reading from Mein Kampf but uttering gibberish like “kaput” and “guzunheit”.
Schultz told them to desist and asked “Do you want me to be arrested by the Gestapo?” to which they chorused “Jawol!”
And then they started shouting “seig heil” in unison; which was the only time the cry way made with hilarious effect.
Right, I remember the salute. It’s been a while, though.
IMDB has a lot of interesting data on the movie in the Trivia and Goofs sections.