If you’ve been following the site lately, you’ve noticed that I’ve been alternating its content between rock and roll and Larry David. Larry is just one of my biggest comedy heroes, and his newest 8th season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is off to a roaring start. The trailers for season 8 point to an appearance by legendary British comic Ricky Gervais, creator of “The Office.” For anyone who has followed Rickey, you know that he loves “Seinfeld” and considers George Costanza the greatest sitcom character of all time. I found this incredible 6 part interview of Rickey sitting down with Larry, where they have an enlightening and hilarious conversation about comedy, and delve deep into each others pasts. It is so entertaining, insightful, and funny, and it’s guaranteed to be the best thing you watch today, so enjoy.
Larry David’s rise to full on stardom was a long an interesting road. He started off as a standup but got his first big break as a writer and performer on ABC’s answer to SNL, “Fridays.” After “Fridays,” Larry made it to SNL as a writer for the 84-85 season. He only ever got one sketch on the show, and it aired in the show’s last spot. Right around the time “Seinfeld” got going in 1989, Larry had a bit part in Woody Allen’s “New York Stories.” As”Seinfeld” grew in popularity, Larry could be seen and heard in bit roles throughout the show’s run, all in relative complete anonymity. “Seinfeld” gave Larry massive showbiz and financial clout, but he was still not a star by any means. When he launched his hugely successful HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Larry the performer really took off. As “Curb” enters its eighth groundbreaking season, Larry has also officially taken his place as a pop culture icon; an anti-hero waging a war against awkward social moments, instances of perceived unfairness, and sleights against himself. With Larry being such a big star now, it’s fun to look back at his more forgotten moments when he was still finding his comedic voice, and when he had much much crazier hair. Below I’ve assembled some clips from “Fridays” and from his appearance in the Woody Allen movie for all you Larry fans out there. Enjoy.
Clip #1 showcases Larry’s recurring character, Saully Mullens, from “Fridays” where he plays a hapless temp worker sent in for assignments way outside his realm of expertise. In this clip, Larry fills in for the US Secretary of State.
Clip #2 again finds Larry in a temp role, this time filling in for Gloria Steinham at an E.R.A. rally. I don’t know about you, but to me, Larry seems to be a cross between Woody Allen and Harold Ramis, all with a tough guy NY accent.
Clip#3 features Larry and Michael Richards in a sketch where a group of friends remember how much they tormented and teased each other. In the early days, its clear to see Larry’s natural nervousness and unease with performing, but also the enthusiasm and joy he was experiencing doing it.
Clip #4 is Larry’s small role in “New York Stories.” I’ve never seen this movie, and have no idea what is going on, but it’s clear that this scene probably inspired the “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer scores a line in a Woody Allen movie. “These Pretzels are Making me Thirsty!”
Larry David is coming back, this Sunday, to HBO. Seinfeld, Larry’s first masterpiece of television an amazing 9 seasons, so it’s equally incredible that Curb Your Enthusiasm is about to enter its 8th glorious season, and by the looks of it, Larry hasn’t lost his touch one bit. The write up today in the nytimes proclaims that the new season is just as brilliant as any other, and these trailers I’ve provided below seem to indicate the truth of such statements. From what I gather, Larry travels back to New York City, comes across Michael J. Fox, Ricky Gervais, and even former disgraced Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner! Unreal. I am dying with anticipation for these episodes. DYING! My enthusiasm will not be curbed…Check it out!
Part 76 of my youtube countdown closes down punk week in a hilarious fashion. It’s an old interview from the Howard Stern show featuring Joey Ramone and Marky Ramone going at each others throats with juvenile comic viciousness. Marky calls up Howard complaining that Joey called Marky a drunk the other day. Joey gets on the line and accuses Marky of having spread rumors about him on the internet. The fight intensifies and devolves from there into petty name calling, a question into who is sober and who is not, and a cutting accusation of wig wearing. It’s so funny because its a real fight and gives you an idea as to what band fights are like, the insecurity amongst members, and the fragility of their massive egos. Happily, the fight does resolve fairly amicably, but probably because both Joey and Marky started to get embarrassed. This is a great moment in punk rock history and a must listen. Oh, yea, I included, “I Wanna Be Sedated” as a bonus video to serve as a nice chaser to the hilarious antics. Enjoy.
Welcome to part 48 of my youtube countdown! Sorry music fans, I got a comedy video for you, and guess what, I’m not really sorry! This is Louis CK, the funniest standup comedian alive, talking about how nobody is happy with the incredible futuristic society we were all born into. I actually remember seeing this appearance on the Conan show years ago, 2004 I think, and NEVER forgetting it. Luckily, the folks at youtube never forgot either. Louis basically says everything that’s been on my mind about people in today’s world, and I won’t spoil it by repeating his brilliant and hilarious insights. Please, do your soul a favor, sit back, and prepare to laugh, a lot.
To celebrate part 30 of my youtube countdown, I present you something truly wonderful. In this classic clip from Sesame Street, we have Kermit the Frog and the Cookie Monster going head to head in an epic battle of wits. Its just hilarious that Cookie Monster can’t be trifled with Kermit’s silly guessing game if cookies aren’t involved, and to get him to stay, Kermit has to continually sell out his morals. It all ends with Cookie Monster pleading for Kermit to give him cookies, much like he is a crack head, and Kermit being so exasperated that he gives in. It’s an almost demented metaphor for drug abuse, but, hey, its the Muppets, and its spectacular. Enjoy.
Woohoo, another comedy video sets off part 19 of my youtube countdown. This one, “The Liberal,” is from the height of the Reagan universe in the mid 1980s. It starts off with one of SNL’s greatest dopey theme songs sung by what sounds a chorus of Phil Hartmans. Anyway, the political themes and jokes expressed in this sketch are utterly timeless. Conservatives still think poor people are lazy, liberals still believe in birth control, conservatives still accidentally shoot themselves, or their friends, hunting (see Cheney), and liberals are still on the run, abused, and shamefully hiding their core beliefs so as not to offend their conservative opposition. This all adds up to an insanely genius sketch. Enjoy.