‘Seinfeld’ actor claims this scene started the ‘raw dogging’ travel trend
“Seinfeld” did it first.
Patrick Warburton, who played David Puddy in the sitcom “about nothing,” recently took credit for the viral “raw dogging” travel trend.
“So this ‘raw dogging’ has become a bit of a thing, and I feel a bit responsible,” the 60-year-old actor said in an Instagram video on Monday.
His clip included a screenshot of a 2024 BuzzFeed article titled “People Are ‘Rawdogging’ Flights Now, And We Need To Know How You Feel About This Trend.” The viral travel trend involves plane passengers enduring long flights without any entertainment.
Warburton’s video then showed a scene from “Seinfeld” Season 9 (which aired in the late 1990s) where David chooses to “raw dog” on a flight while sitting beside his girlfriend Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
“You want something to read?” Elaine asks David.
“No, I’m good,” David responds, while staring at the back of the seat in front of him.
“Are you gonna take a nap?” Elaine asks.
When David confirms he has no plans to sleep on the flight, Elaine asks him, “You just gonna sit there staring at the back of the seat?”
After showing the “Seinfeld” clip, Warburton joked to his followers, “My concern is that somebody’s gonna get hurt, and if you go into this thing blindly… You know what I’m saying?”
“Just not reading, watching something, you better be okay with what’s going on up here, inside your ol’ noggin. I’m not, but it’s weird and entertaining at times,” the actor added. “Just be careful. That’s all I’m saying. It’s not for novices.”
Warburton captioned his video, “The ultimate Puddy stare | Try this trend at your own risk! 🛩️💺.”
In the comments, the “Rules of Engagement” star asked his followers, “Have you tried this social media challenge?!”
He also shared the video on TikTok, where BuzzFeed commented, “It’s okay, we forgive you — but Elaine might not. High five! 🙌🏻.”
Warburton wrote back, “Thank you!! 👏.”
The BuzzFeed article from last year mentions the “Seinfeld” scene with Warburton’s character “raw dogging” on the plane.
“It turns out that this behavior (over which Elaine eventually and inevitably detonates the relationship again) isn’t just a gag on 1990s Must See TV. It’s happening on actual planes ― and, of course, on TikTok,” the article says.
In August, nutritionist Toby King warned travel site Inspire Ambitions that “raw dogging” flights is a huge health risk.
He said the act could increase the risk of blood clots, which “can break off and cause a blockage of the arteries in the lung, which is very serious and can cause death.”
“This is one of the most dangerous trends I have seen on social media in a while,” said King.
