Seinfeld: 10 Things About George That Have Aged Poorly

While it’s still considered a staple of the ’90s, Seinfeld hasn’t aged well as a whole. The sitcom derives its humor from how offensive its characters are, causing some of the jokes to be tasteless and insulting to some. Yet, no one in the cast is perceived as a hero, and Jerry and his friends do pay for their callousness in the series finale.

George isn’t the show’s titular character, but he is the most cynical of the group. Although Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer occasionally show signs of humanity, the same can’t be said for George. Nothing about him has aged well, and there are several aspects of George’s character that prove to be problematic.

George Checking Out A Teenager

George doesn’t respect women, in general, but watching him objectify a teenage girl is particularly mortifying. The girl’s father catches George looking at her cleavage, as George noticeably stares at her when she bends over. To make matters worse, George claims it isn’t his fault and defends himself by saying, “It’s cleavage—I couldn’t look away!”

Considering that the girl is a minor, he shouldn’t have even been looking in her direction. Jerry might have instigated things by poking him, but it doesn’t make George’s behavior any less inappropriate.

George Asking Jerry To Call In A Bomb Threat

It’s not shocking that season 8 episode “The Nap” is such a highly-rated installment of Seinfeld on IMDb. Much of the show’s comedy comes from George getting himself into ridiculous situations, but the problems arise when he tries to get out of them.

George refuses to get caught napping on the job, so he asks Jerry to call in a bomb threat as a way of distracting his boss. Although Jerry is equally at fault for obliging him, George never should’ve made such a demand. Bomb threats aren’t something to joke about, but George clearly can’t care less. All he cares about is his own personal comfort, which is a less than ideal character trait he shows time and again throughout the show’s run.

George’s Racism

Unfortunately, everyone in Seinfeld is shown to be racist at one point or another. The sitcom confuses insults with humor, which ironically, sums up George’s character. After making a careless comment to his boss, George’s colleagues believe he’s racially biased.

To prove he’s not, George searches for a “black friend” that he can show off at work. He spends the entire episode perpetuating racial stereotypes and ends up coming off more offensive than his original comment does.

George Pretending To Lead A Terrorist Organization

Stealing a limo and pretending to be the leader of the Aryan Union is one of the worst things George has ever done in Seinfeld. To be fair, George’s only intention is to live extravagantly and go see a basketball game at Madison Square Garden, but there’s no way this plan can go off without a hitch.

George poses as Donald O’Brien, not knowing that he’s the head of a white supremacist terrorist organization. The whole debacle is insulting, with George playing the part to keep him and Jerry alive. Regardless of how the group is portrayed, the entire premise of the season 3 episode”The Limo” is crass and makes fun of a serious topic (white supremacy) that is still a concern today.

The Way George Treats Susan

There is an endless list of reasons why George and Susan shouldn’t get married in Seinfeld. George only proposes to her because he makes a pact with Jerry and is unable to go back on his word. He spends their entire engagement dreading what’s to come and lying to Susan about his feelings.

Susan’s dedication to George only makes things worse, as George tries to cheat on her with a famous actress (Marisa Tomei). He has no way of knowing that his chosen wedding invitations are poisonous, but George is relieved by Susan’s death as it allows him to be single again without the burden of having to deal with the ramifications of a breakup.

George Lying About Being Handicapped

Throughout Senfield‘s 9 seasons, George continues to prove that there isn’t a line he won’t cross. No matter how despicable his actions originally seem, he only gets worse as time goes on. For example, in order to gain access to a private bathroom, George pretends to be a wheelchair user when he starts his new job.

He takes advantage of his co-workers and prevents employees who do have a disability from accessing the necessary utilities. This entire plot is hard to take, and it doesn’t let up until George is finally exposed for his lies. Even then, it’s unforgivable that George allowed others to believe he had a walking impairment to gain such a frivolous perk.

George Creating A Fake Charity

“The Human Fund” remains an iconic part of the series due to how ridiculous the entire ploy is. But whether or not the gag is amusing, creating a fake charity doesn’t reflect well on George. He lies to his co-workers and exploits the less fortunate just so he doesn’t have to buy any Christmas presents.

If George truly can’t afford to spend money, creating homemade gifts or doing nothing at all would both be better options. However, he wants the attention, and he gives out fake donation cards to make himself look more selfless than he actually is.

George Drugging His Boss

Although he ends up in some unfortunate situations, George’s problem-solving methods make it difficult for fans to root for him in Seinfeld. It’s not unheard of for a person to get fed up and quit their job before thinking it through. Yet, rather than taking a mature approach, George decides to drug his boss’s drink at a company gathering.

The show plays it off as a joke, which is tasteless given how dangerous roofies are and what they’re normally used for. Drugging someone is a serious offense, but George acts as if he’s just being petty. While the consequences are minimal on the show, George’s actions in real life would have probably gotten him arrested.

George Hiding From His Girlfriend So She Can’t Breakup With Him

Breakups aren’t always mutual, but if one person wants to split, the relationship needs to end. While this shouldn’t be a hard concept to grasp, George does everything he can to stop his girlfriend from saying the words.

George figures that if she can’t find him, she can’t dump him. He refuses to leave the house and even starts screening his phone calls as an extra precaution. Not only is he trying to trap her in their relationship, but he isn’t taking her feelings into consideration.

George’s Overall Heartlessness

George’s character hasn’t aged well, in general. Certain characteristics, such as his laziness and lack of ambition, can be considered relatable to an extent. However, his cynism, selfishness, and overall heartlessness are not traits that viewers look too kindly upon.

Almost everything he says is offensive, and it’s not surprising that Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer are George’s only friends. George may prove to be amusing as a fictional character, but he’s the last person anyone wants to associate with in real life.