At Larry David's Los Angeles office, there are posters, pictures, and the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence – sort of. Among its clauses: "It is illegal to ask to share an umbrella."
What's wrong with that? "Because the person who has the umbrella is getting wet, 'cause you're squeezing in," he explained. "Bring your own umbrella!"
And what if it's a loved one? "Ehhhh, no."
Also missing from the actual Declaration's list of grievances: "It is illegal to stroke one's beard." "I can't stand seeing men doing this," said David.
"What if you're Dr. Freud?" I asked.
"Hmm, yeah, I don't know," he replied.
Larry David shows Susie Essman a version of the Declaration of Independence with clauses that didn't quite make it, such as, "After January 7th, it is illegal to wish anyone a 'Happy New Year!'"
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Asked if he's upset these weren't in the Founding Fathers' original document, David said, "I think there should've been some humor in that Declaration. There should be jokes in everything. Are you kidding?"
That includes American History. So, leave it to a creator of "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" to give us "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," the limited seven-episode sketch comedy series that premiered this past Friday on HBO and HBO Max. It's a history, he says, that is completely skewed – like the Founding Father who wanted the Declaration to read, "No sharing of dessert." ("Get your own damn piece of pie, Franklin!")
There were divisive voices in the Continental Congress, not the least of which was Larry David's emotional plea against the sharing of desserts: "It's unsanitary!"
HBO
David also plays a World War I soldier pretending to be dead ("If I was in that war, knowing who I am, I would run and pretend I got shot"), and a man sitting next to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. ("I know that she refused to go to the back of the bus. But what if she was sitting next to me? She'd want to go to the back of the bus!")
Rosa Parks (Jurnee Smollett) sitting next to an obnoxious bus passenger (Larry David) in "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness."
HBO
I'm even in the show, playing suffragist Susan B. Anthony. "I just thought it would be funny if I could play a really sexist character," said David. "As soon as I heard the name Susan – oh, Susie's gotta be Susan B. Anthony. So, I thought it would be a funny dynamic and, you know, we just go at it."
I did do a lot of research on Susan B. Anthony, including watching a Ken Burns documentary about her, and reading all about her. None of that served any purpose in doing the scene. "Of course not," David smiled. "Why would it?"
Susan B. Anthony (Susie Essman), and a man who doesn't suffer suffragists (Larry David), in "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness."
HBO
There are historic figures behind the show as well. The producers are former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
And while David never got any notes from HBO the entire time we did "Curb Your Enthusiasm," that was not the case with the former president. "He really liked the show," David said. "He had an issue with one of the sketches. And he started telling me that, 'I don't think this is …' And I looked [askance] at him. And he said, 'When I was president, if there was an issue, I would ask their opinions, and if somebody had a good idea I would listen to it. And I was the President of the United States.' And I said, 'I'm the president here!'"
The Brooklyn-born David, who turns 79 on July 2 (Happy birthday!), was always interested in the subject, being a history major in college. "People would always say to me, 'What are you gonna do with that?'" David said. "I'm not gonna do anything with it!"
What did his mother think when he told her he was going to be a history major? "As long as I was in college, that was plenty," she said. "She wanted me to be a mailman."
The postal service didn't deliver. Luckily, comedy did.
In "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," everything that has happened over the past 250 years that has been progress, David paints as nightmares. He finds the funny (and annoying) in just about everything, including being a passenger on the Wright Brothers' airplane. "Those planes that keep you on the runway? Such needless torture," he said. "It's sadism!"
On this 250th anniversary of the nation, Larry David gives us something to laugh at, not a bad way to celebrate. And it's only in America that this could have happened. Where else? France?
David pondered: "U.K.?" Maybe. "Norway? Sweden?"
"Nah. They don't have a sense of humor like we have," I said. "You're the American dream!"
"Okay, thanks," he laughed.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch an extended interview with Larry David (Video)
To watch a trailer for "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," click on the video player below:
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness | Official Trailer | HBO Max by HBO Max on YouTube
For more info:
- "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" streams on HBO Max
Story produced by Gabriel Falcon. Editor: Ed Givnish.
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Larry David on "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness"
Larry David on "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness"
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