In which episode does the White House hold 'Big Block of Cheese Day'?

The White House holds its first “Big Block of Cheese Day” in “The Crackpots and These Women.”

The fifth episode of season 1, which aired on October 20, 1999, centers on senior staff meeting with unusual or overlooked interest groups. Chief of Staff Leo McGarry explains that the event is meant to make the White House accessible to people who would not normally receive a meeting with powerful officials.

The name refers to a story about President Andrew Jackson. In 1837, Jackson placed a huge block of cheese in the White House foyer, and the public was invited to eat it at a reception. The cheese became a symbol of openness between the president and ordinary citizens. The episode turns that historical anecdote into a comic administrative tradition.

The staff’s meetings include C.J. speaking with advocates for a highway designed to protect wolves and Sam Seaborn hearing from a citizen concerned about UFOs. The fictional event is mentioned again later and inspired real White House online events during the Obama administration.