As a big fan of the classic 90s sitcom Seinfeld one of my favorite episodes is “The Merv Griffin Show” from season 9. In this episode, Jerry and George hatch a scheme to make Jerry’s new girlfriend Celia fall asleep so they can play with her prized vintage toy collection. Their method of choice? Feeding her turkey and wine, known for their sleep-inducing effects. As a lover of food, wine and goofy sitcom hijinks this plot line really amused me and even gave me some ideas to try out in real life!
In the episode, Jerry is dating a new girl named Celia who has an amazing collection of rare vintage toys from the 60s and 70s that she refuses to let Jerry touch. As a toy enthusiast, Jerry is dying to get his hands on Celia’s prized retro G.I. Joes, Hot Wheels, and 1960s board games. When he asks Celia for some pain medication, he slyly gives her a nighttime sleep aid so he can sneak in some playtime with the off-limits toys while she snoozes.
This gives Jerry’s friend George the genius idea to really knock Celia out by plying her with foods and drinks known for their sedative qualities. They make a whole evening out of it – first wining and dining Celia with a tryptophan-packed turkey dinner, then topping it off with multiple glasses of red wine, which contains melanoma and alcohol, both relaxation inducers. To really seal the deal, they subject Celia to 4 hours of boring home movies. Their wacky plan works like a charm and Celia is out cold, allowing Jerry and George to revel in some forbidden playtime with the prized toy collection!
While I don’t recommend drugging dates without their knowledge, I do think Jerry and George were onto something with their use of turkey and wine as natural sedatives. I’ve experienced for myself the sleepy effects of a big holiday turkey dinner, when that huge dose of tryptophan sets in and suddenly you can barely keep your eyes open! And pairing a protein-heavy meal with a few glasses of mellow red wine is a surefire way to get that nice, relaxed lazy feeling.
So if you’re looking for some natural ways to relax and unwind at the end of a long day, take a page from Seinfeld’s book! A glass or two of red wine is actually quite healthy in moderation, especially when enjoyed with a balanced meal. And turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin and melatonin, hormones that regulate our sleep cycles. Some easy ideas for a sleepy time turkey and wine meal:
- Turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce or avocado
- Bowl of turkey chili and a hearty slice of cornbread
- Hot turkey tetrazzini with a green salad
- Leftover sliced turkey on top of a tasty chef’s salad
- Turkey tacos with all the fixings like lettuce, tomato, cheese and guacamole
Pair any of these turkey dishes with a nice Merlot, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. While the tryptophan in the turkey starts to take effect, the alcohol and anti-oxidants in the red wine will make you feel even more relaxed and sleepy. Just stick to 1-2 glasses so you don’t overdo it! For an extra soothing treat, enjoy your wine warmed in a crockpot with some orange slices and spices like cinnamon and clove. The warmth is very comforting and relaxing.
So next time you need to de-stress after a long hard day, take a few pointers from Jerry and George! Cook up a tasty turkey dinner, open a bottle of red wine, put your feet up and get cozy. Before you know it you’ll be relaxed and sleepy, maybe even ready for an early bedtime. Just don’t take it too far like those crazy Seinfeld guys and use turkey and wine for any sneaky purposes! But do enjoy the mellowing effects of this dynamic food and drink duo. Your mind and body will thank you!
Frequency of entities:
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seinfeldscripts: 1
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seinfeld: 4
turkey: 11
wine: 12
tryptophan: 2
melatonin: 1
merlot: 1
pinot noir: 1
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The Merv Griffin Show
- George runs over a flock of pigeons. Jerrys girlfriend has a vintage toy collection she wont let him touch. A new co-worker is freaking Elaine out. Kramer rebuilds the set of “The Merv Griffin Show” in his apartment.
- After Kramer rescues the set of the old Merv Griffin show from a dumpster, he sets it up in his apartment where he interviews anyone who happened to drop by. Georges new girlfriend gives him a hard time after he strikes a pigeon with his car. When he hits a squirrel she insists that he take it to the vet and then care for it at home. A new guy at the office is driving Elaine crazy. Jerry has a new girlfriend who inherited a fabulous collection of classic toys from her late father. She wont let Jerry touch them – let alone play with them – but he soon finds a way around that.—garykmcd
- Kramer happens to find the old set of the Merv Griffin Show in a dumpster, and promptly fixes it all up in his apartment, where he starts to treat his life like an interview show. Elaine gets ticked off by the new guy at her office who keeps sidling up beside her without her noticing. Georges girlfriend forces him to take care of a squirrel he runs over, whilst Jerrys girlfriend has a fantastic toy collection but wont let him play with it.—two_green_bottles
- Kramer stumbles across the set of the old Merv Griffin Show in a large contracting dumpster on the street. Georges girlfriend, Miranda (Arabella Field), is disgusted when he runs over some pigeons with his car. George believes that pigeons and humans have a deal (pigeons are to move out of the way when humans approach, and humans will overlook the pigeons statue defecation), and that the pigeons have broken that deal. Jerry is intrigued with his new girlfriends Celia (Julia Pennington) antique toy collection that she wont let him touch. Laneys new co-worker is a “Sidler” Lou (Brent Hinkley): he moves silently behind people. He causes Laney to spill coffee on her jacket that creates a stain that looks like Castro. Kramer takes the discarded set pieces and perfectly recreates The Merv Griffin Show set in his apartment. He pretends that the show is still on the air and acts as the new host, even using the shows theme when “guests” come onto the set, conducting interviews with everyone who enters his apartment. Kramer even stops interviews and cuts to a “commercial break” where he sips on a Diet Coke and eats from a bag of chips, before exclaiming “Were back!” Laney schemes to “out-Sidle the Sidler” who might be “sidling her out of a job”, by wearing wrestling shoes. While George swerves to avoid a pigeon, he instead hits a squirrel. Jerry schemes for an opportunity to play with Celias toys. On his “show”, Jerry says hes finally found a way to play with the toys, by accidentally drugging Celia with sleep inducing medication; Kramer is shocked by Jerrys scheme. Kramer adds Newman (Wayne Knight) as a co-host for his “show” to help relieve the pressure of being a host. Miranda insists that George pay for a surgery required to save the squirrel instead of putting it to sleep. Laney gives Tic Tacs to the Sidler to make him noisy; unfortunately, the sound irritates J. Peterman (John OHurley), which reminds him of an old Haitian torture method and if he hears another rattle, Laney will be fired (since he mistakenly believes it was her all along). Laney confronts the Sidler and suggests an alternative, like gum; however, the Sidler hates gum, but only enjoyed the Mickey Mouse gumball machine which “they stopped making twenty years ago.” Jerry and George treat Celia to a dinner of turkey (which contains Tryptophan) and red wine, followed by a boring home movie of Georges boyhood trip to Michigan; she soon dozes off. Once shes asleep, Jerry and George happily play with the toys like children. Later, Laney joins in to play with an Easy-Bake Oven (even though the batter, according to Jerry, is three decades old). Kramer is concerned about his “ratings” and decides to change the format of the show to “Scandals and Animals”. On the “show” (still without cameras), Kramer gets Jerry to admit that hes been drugging Celia. Kramer then brings out angry Celia (who was “backstage”), who dumps Jerry as Kramer and Newman do their best to whip up the non-existent audience with “oohs” and “Ahhs”. For the Animals segment of the show, Kramer invites old friend and animal expert Jim Fowler, who arrives with a hawk and asks Kramer, “Where are the cameras?” George brings the squirrel over to the set to get Fowler to take it off his hands for him, but the hawk goes after it and George (since he was holding the squirrel). The Merv Griffin set is destroyed in the process, and afterward Kramer admits, “It was a grind having to fill 10 hours a day.” At Mirandas behest, bandaged George still has to care for the squirrel and sleep on the sofa; he then warns the pigeons (“Laugh it up. Im getting in my car now and the last thing I heard… we have NO DEAL!”) The episode ends with Laney and the Sidler knocking out Celia once again to play with her toys.
What’s that stuff in turkey that makes you sleepy…
FAQ
Who played Celia on Seinfeld?
What is the Seinfeld Thanksgiving episode?
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“The Mom & Pop Store”
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Directed by
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Andy Ackerman
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Written by
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Tom Gammill & Max Pross
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Production code
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607
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Original air date
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November 17, 1994
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Who played the Sidler on Seinfeld?
Which episode of Seinfeld is the Merv Griffin Show?
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