The Hot Tub

Plot

During the time of the New York City Marathon, Elaine has a Trinidad & Tobago or Trinbagonian runner named Jean-Paul as her house guest. Jean-Paul had overslept and missed the Marathon at the last Olympic Games, and Jerry obsesses with ensuring that it doesn't happen again. Jerry soon loses faith in Elaine's ability to get Jean-Paul to the race in time after learning she is using a faulty alarm clock that caused Jerry to miss a flight and has trouble setting timers (she burns a muffin in the microwave after setting the clock to two minutes rather than twenty seconds). He attempts to persuade Jean-Paul to stay with Jerry instead but Jean-Paul remains loyal to Elaine and resolves to stay with her. Elaine is struggling to write a sufficient story for new Himalayan Walking Shoes in the Peterman Catalogue. She becomes increasingly stressed as she suffers from a severe case of writer's block.

Meanwhile, George has learned that by constantly looking angry he appears to be busy with work. At work he does nothing but appears irritated constantly, causing his supervisor Mr. Wilhelm to fear George is cracking under the pressure of his work. As a gift to George Mr. Wilhelm sends George to meet with some visiting Houston Astros representatives and "show them a good time." While drinking with the Texans George picks up the habit of swearing from them, specifically "bastard" and "son of a bitch."

Kramer has bought a hot tub and spends as much time in it as possible until one night he falls asleep in the tub and the power goes out, leaving him to spend the night in freezing cold water. As a result, his "core temperature" drops and he is constantly cold. While eating with Jerry, George and Kramer in the coffee shop Jean-Paul hears George's rampant swearing and believes all Americans speak this way. Later in Elaine's building he calls a baby "bastard" but it turns out the baby is illegitimate and the father has left. The landlord throws Jean-Paul out after Jean-Paul calls him a "son of a bitch", forcing him to spend the night with Jerry. Jerry initially takes him to a hotel but soon believes he has offended the desk attendant after getting in an argument with him while attempting to place a wake-up call. Paranoid, Jerry insists they leave and brings an irritated Jean-Paul to his own apartment to sleep. Kramer meanwhile buys a powerful new heat pump to work his hot tub and raise his core temperature. Overnight the heat pump causes a power outage in Jerry's building and his alarm clocks fail to go off. Elaine spends the night looking for Jean-Paul (she is unaware he was thrown out) and her search for him in a dark, desolate neighborhood inspires her story for the Himalayan Walking Shoes.

Jerry and Jean-Paul oversleep but Jerry manages to get him to the race in time. At the race Jean-Paul manages to take the lead and is in first place as he nears the finish line. As he runs past Jerry, Kramer and Elaine he accidentally grabs a cup of hot tea from Kramer (who is still attempting to raise his core temperature) and is severely burned by it after mistaking it for water, causing him to scream in pain and ultimately, lose the race.

George meanwhile is severely reprimanded by Mr. Wilhelm after Wilhelm overhears George on the phone with his Texas buddies and calling them "sons of bitches" and "bastards", unaware they are being friendly. Afraid George has finally cracked under the pressure Mr. Wilhelm sends George to Mr. Steinbrenner, who says to relax George must use a hot tub. After the credits George is seen uncomfortably sitting in a hot tub with Mr. Steinbrenner as he rambles on.