Which Seinfeld episode popularized the phrase “not that there’s anything wrong with that”? The answer is “The Outing.”
“The Outing” is the 17th episode of Seinfeld’s fourth season and first aired on February 11, 1993. Its plot begins when Elaine jokingly tells a journalism student that Jerry and George are a gay couple. The student overhears the conversation and later interprets the pair’s close friendship as evidence that they are dating.
Jerry and George repeatedly deny the misunderstanding while adding the carefully worded disclaimer, “not that there’s anything wrong with that.” The phrase became one of the show’s best-known catchphrases because it combines social awkwardness, defensiveness and escalating misunderstanding.
The episode’s production history is also notable. The writers worried that its premise could seem hostile toward gay people, and the disclaimer was used to signal that the characters were rejecting homophobia even as the plot revolved around gay panic. The episode later won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Episode.