Jquery unwrap () method?

There wrap()

is a nifty method in jquery named that will wrap the selected element inside a new element, e.g .:

Start with:

 <p>I wish I was wrapped!</p>

      

        
        
        
      

    

Add code:

 $("p").wrap("<div></div>");

      

        
        
        
      

    

End with:

<div><p>I wish I was wrapped!</p></div>

      

        
        
        
      

    

But I need something that unfolds so that the above process will be canceled. It looks like the problem is that when you select a bad item (say, an unnecessary table), it always grabs what's inside it, so if I want to delete all <td>

s, I left nothing, because that was deleted td

and that- then inside.

Is there a standard reliable way to remove items, but only keep children / ancestors?