The Classic Seinfeld Episode That Injured Michael Richards

At the end of “The Parking Garage,” Kramer does finally locate his car, and is relieved to be able to unload the air conditioner into his trunk. As Alexander explains it in his DVD interview, the trunk was only about three-quarters of an inch wider than the box the air conditioner was in, making for little leeway. In order to get the very real air conditioner into the trunk, Richard had to give the box a gigantic heave, hoping it would slide quickly into place.

Of course, that wasn’t what happened. Richard noted that the box stopped short on the edge of the trunk and he accidentally slammed his face into it. His lip split open and he started bleeding. “Which was good,” Richards noted, “for the comedy.” Richards tried to play off the injury, saying that he only had “a bit of a bump. Bumps are good.” He was also a consummate professional and stayed in character throughout. “Michael refuses to break,” Alexander noted. Sadly, Louis-Dreyfus witnessed the injury close up, saw the blood, and started to laugh, completely breaking character.

Richards, trying to salvage the take, merely said, still in character, “I really hurt myself, Elaine.” He then tried to continue with his next line. Sadly, Seinfeld and Alexander also started laughing, and Richards eventually had to chuckle to himself.

The episode’s pièce de résistance, it turns out, wasn’t scripted. After a terrible day of being lost in a parking garage — and a frustrating day of grunting and lip injuries — the quartet finally gets in their car to leave. Richards was to start the car and drive away. But, because the car was old and terrible, it didn’t actually start. A close look then reveals the cast cracking up inside the car, amused at the sheer bleak perfection.

It’s a horrid, aggravating, and utterly hilarious “button” to a very good episode. It’s also part of why certain “Seinfeld” cast members aren’t convinced the show could get made today.