In the "Seinfeld" episode "The Bubble Boy" (October 7, 1992), George (Jason Alexander), his girlfriend Susan (Heidi Swedberg), Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) go on a road trip to a lakeside cabin in upstate New York belonging to Susan's parents. Before they go, though, Jerry is stopped by a man in a coffee shop who recognizes him (Jerry is a famous comedian in the universe of the show). The man entreats Jerry and his friends to visit his son Donald (Jon Hayman), who would appreciate a visit from a celebrity. Donald is sensitive to germs and has to live in an airtight plastic tent to avoid getting sick. Jerry, being very rude, immediately begins calling the kid "Bubble Boy."
When the road trip finally begins, George is a road warrior, and pushes through the trip as quickly as possible. He arrives at Donald's house early. The extra time forces George and Susan to pass the time by playing Trivial Pursuit with Donald, which is his one true passion. Donald is never seen on camera, but his gloved hands can be seen in frame manipulating a Trivial Pursuit board. Donald, George finds, is incredibly rude and smug, bragging about his trivia skills. George hates him right away, but agrees to play the game. Naturally, George eventually gets defensive, and eventually turns to mocking the boy in the plastic bubble. Did I mention that the characters on "Seinfeld" are all horrible people?
Jason Alexander, as he revealed on the special features for the episode's DVD, kind of hated "The Bubble Boy." The episode came during the show's fourth season, and Alexander felt that it was a little too high-concept for its own good. Most "Seinfeld" episodes were derived from recognizable, everyday neuroses. "The Bubble Boy" was, he felt, officially situational comedy. It was a sign for the actor that "Seinfeld" was failing.