20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Seinfeld
11. One Episode Was Banned For Five Years
The final episode of Seinfeld may have disappointed some fans but there is no episode that drew more controversy than The Puerto Rican Flag. In this episode, the gang get stuck in traffic due to the Puerto Rican Parade. When Kramer tosses a sparkler behind him, it sets a Puerto Rican flag ablaze. When he stomps on it to put out the fire, locals assume he is making a political statement against the nation.
Unsurprisingly, the episode sparked protests and angry letters from activists and Hispanics. While Seinfeld was promoting a show on Broadway, he received death threats and had people hanging outside with signs reading "Jerry Seinfeld is a Racist." It got so bad, the episode was pulled from syndication for half a decade. Jason Alexander said in an interview that he believed the scene wasn't offensive and "If it's a shot on anybody, it's a shot on Kramer."
Seinfeld said the funniest thing that happened during the controversy was when he was confronted by the head of a Puerto Rican Pride Coalition. When Seinfeld asked if the man actually saw the episode, he said, "No, but we assume it's offensive."