Curb Your Enthusiasm

[MacGuffin]

Lame? "Seinfeld" stars reunite after 11 years

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Pathetic. Desperate. Lame.

The "Seinfeld" reunion its creators swore would never happen for the aforementioned reasons finally takes place next month.

The four stars of the famed "show about nothing" will appear together in the new season of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," 11 years after their characters were left to rot in jail.

But, as anyone with a passing knowledge of the "Seinfeld" anti-sentimental ethos could guess, there is none of the hugging and good times that often besmirch such TV reunions.

It's really an anti-reunion, with actors Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander playing versions of themselves as they prepare to shoot a one-off show despite some misgivings.

"Get together? ... Why don't we just have a nice dinner?" Seinfeld suggests when he's being pitched the idea.

But the season promises to be "spectacular," to use a "Seinfeld" catchphrase.

"Curb" creator/star Larry David, who also created "Seinfeld" with Seinfeld, corralled the gang for up to five of the 10 episodes of his HBO show. The seventh season premieres on Sunday, and the "Seinfeld" reunion arc kicks in for the third episode, which airs on October 4.

LARRY'S LATEST SCHEME

As is often the case with "Curb Your Enthusiasm," real-life blends with fiction. The premise is that David's character, also named Larry David, caves in to years of demands for a reunion show as a ruse to get back together with his estranged wife Cheryl (played by Cheryl Hines).

He envisages giving Cheryl a key co-starring role, as the ex-wife of George Costanza (Alexander), so that "she'll see me in this whole new light," his character says.

In reality, people have often asked about a "Seinfeld" reunion, and David did split with his wife, environmentalist Laurie David. But the verisimilitude seems to stop there. David declined in a teleconference on Monday to say whether he ever thought of using a "Seinfeld" reunion to win her back.

He did say that other "Seinfeld" alumni will appear, albeit in very brief cameos, including the portly postal employee Newman (Wayne Knight), George's long-suffering mother Estelle Costanza (Estelle Harris), and the unfunny standup comic Kenny Bania (Steve Hytner).

Other guest stars include Meg Ryan, Rosie O'Donnell, Christian Slater, Sharon Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue.

David said he was "thrilled" with how the reunion turned out. "But of course, I liked how the 'Seinfeld' finale turned out. So maybe you've got the wrong guy," he said, referring to the 1998 closer that underwhelmed many fans and critics.

Getting the four "Seinfeld" principals together was fairly easy, though they were dubious it would ever happen, David said. But once schedules were juggled and the old "Seinfeld" living-room set spruced up, it was like the good old days.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the reunion is the re-emergence of Richards, who played the wacky neighbor Cosmo Kramer. Richards, an intensely focused master of physical comedy, largely disappeared from public view after a bruising, race-baiting encounter with hecklers at a comedy club in 2006.

"Michael went through a very traumatic experience, really, and he's been quite chastened by it," David said. "It deeply affected him, personally."

As for the other stars, Louis-Dreyfus is about to begin the fifth season of her own sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine," while Alexander has returned to his theater roots, and Seinfeld collects Porsches.

David said it's "possible" that "Curb Your Enthusiasm" will be back on the air next year, after taking 2008 off, but he will think about it over the next few months.

He has a few ideas for story arcs, "but I don't think any of them are going to be as good as the 'Seinfeld' idea, though, It's going to be hard to top that, I have to admit."

[Kal]

That article has spoilers dude, come on. I know its Curb but its still fun to be a bit surprised on what goes on.

[squints]

As for the other stars, Louis-Dreyfus is about to begin the fifth season of her own sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine," on a shitty sitcom that nobody watches, while Alexander has returned to his theater roots desperatley needs money and can't find work, and Seinfeld collects Porsches bangs supermodels on piles of cash.

[SiliasRuby]

As for the other stars, Louis-Dreyfus is about to begin the fifth season of her own sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine," on a shitty sitcom that nobody watches, while Alexander has returned to his theater roots desperatley needs money and can't find work, and Seinfeld collects Porsches bangs supermodels on piles of cash.

I hate to nitpick but a lot of people watch Julia's new show. Just no one here does. If you are a star or celebrity on a broadway show you can be paid really well, Trust me on this. Plus, Jason started out in theatre and he loves it. Seinfeld is happily married even though he could bang supermodels on heaps of cash.

The season premiere was amazing and Catheine o'hara was the stand out.

[Stefen]

It was alright. Curb's season premiers always seem to underwhelm and it doesn't hit it's groove until it introduces it's storyline for the season.

Catherine O'Hara was indeed awesome.

[Bethie]

Cheryl is looking hot.

[cine]

Curb's season premiers always seem to underwhelm and it doesn't hit it's groove until it introduces it's storyline for the season. 

seriously? they set it up that cheryl likes larry more when he was working and there was less larry around the house. so in a way, its like a new exploration of season 2, a maximum heightening to the nth degree. you're probably just underwhelmed cause you know whats coming...

but really, jeff fucks a crazy woman and larry is overacting because he WANTS his girlfriend to die and doesn't want it to show. what a great premiere.

[Fernando]

loved the premier too, larry wanting to correct that bam bam isn't crazy not once but twice was priceless.

im also happy to see wanda back even if she was in it for 5 seconds, i hope we see her more often.

Cheryl is looking hot.

oh boy does she

[pete]

I never thought I'd stop watching a curb show halfway.  it's not convincing anymore - they just set up obvious conflicts so Larry can do his routine, which was never as funny as watching really good improv comedians arguing about something like that - now they have it backwards - the doctor and his partner were lightweights and it just seemed so desperate.  the not telling people about the other party guests thing...who gives a fuck?  I stopped watching it but it just seemed like bad acting and uninspired improv.

[cine]

im also happy to see wanda back even if she was in it for 5 seconds

and not only that, but it was so funny to see wanda totally calm and supportive of him. and of course she's going to... too funny.

[Kal]

I thought it was a perfect comeback after such a long break. It had everything you expect, and everyone you want to see. Funkhouser for me is one of the best characters of the show, and his crazy sister may be even better. Both Wanda and Leon were there for a few seconds but I love them, and the whole setup for what is coming is also coming along great. Couldn't have asked for more on that.

[Stefen]

The beginning and end of episode 2 was hilarious. I about died laughing. I hate vacuum packaging.

[pete]

second episode was great.

[MacGuffin]

Larry David on the 'Seinfeld' reunion and shaking hands
Creator of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' talks about his life and HBO comedy.
By Martin Miller; Los Angeles Times

Larry David didn't want to shake hands.

Nothing personal -- no hard feelings at work here. It was, in fact, a very pleasant, amiable lunch between the three of us -- me, and the two Larrys, the funny, neurotic, cranky, fictional star of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and the funny, neurotic, less cranky, real-life man who created the celebrated HBO show, now a couple of episodes into its seventh season.

But what made the "no-shake" stance unusual was the introductory handshake. No hesitation there. Firm, direct. "Hi, I'm Larry David," said one of the Larrys who was dressed casually like the character -- blue long sleeve T-shirt, khaki pants, glasses.

Then, at a corner table inside the upscale Stefan's at L.A. Farm in Santa Monica, the famous 62-year-old recognizes some television executives. He wanders over, says hello, and quickly returns. "I just shook four hands," said Larry, grimacing. That tally includes mine. "You have any Purell?" he asks, looking for hand sanitizer.

Not on me. He politely excuses himself to wash his hands. "How could a guy like me not be carrying Purell?" he wondered aloud.

The moment is the stuff "Curb" (or "Seinfeld," Larry's other baby) is made of. It's like being forced into a double goodbye from a party, violating the 10 p.m. cutoff for phone calls or any of the hundreds of other mountain-out-of-mole-hill social situations that routinely play out on what is arguably the funniest show on television.

Larry, whose hypochondria functions as a critical plot device in Sunday's highly anticipated kickoff to "Curb's" so-called "Seinfeld" reunion story arc, has reasonably good intentions, but they're misconstrued. With the H1N1 virus lurking around every corner and whatever else lingers on the human hand, he's not being rude, simply being health conscious.

"He means well," said one of the Larrys, probably the real one. "He tries to do the right thing and gets in trouble for it."

Some "Curb" seasons, Larry doesn't do any press interviews. That's only one of the advantages to having a critically beloved hit show on a premium cable channel. It also doesn't hurt to have a small fortune -- even after a 2007 divorce from environmental activist ex-wife Laurie -- thanks to co-creating "Seinfeld." No offense intended, but speaking to a journalist isn't his idea of a fun afternoon.

"I don't like reading what I have to say, so I don't like other people reading what I have to say either," he said. "I'm not in control of it. I can't edit this conversation and if I could it would be a lot different than what you're going to do with it."

It would certainly be funnier.

But Larry wants to promote his show's end to the "Seinfeld" diaspora, after once famously swearing that he would never stage a reunion. While Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jerry Seinfeld have all been on previous "Curb" episodes as individuals, the "Seinfeld" gang has never appeared together on the show. Now, the foursome, including Michael Richards, returns as their reunion story line unfolds over five episodes.

Hence, Larry is willing to submit to some media torture over a lunch.

"I don't see any upside. I see all downside," he told me, raising his voice, then reining it back in. "I could say something and then I'll get phone calls, 'Why did you say that about me? I thought we were friends.' Who needs that?"

So, here we are talking about the non-reunion reunion on his almost entirely improvised comedy show. The conceit for Sunday night's episode is comically simple: Larry's desire to win back his (on-screen) ex-wife, Cheryl, now an actress, overrides his utter disdain for a "Seinfeld" network special. The reunion show will go on, after all, and he promises to cast his ex in it. Of course, problems ensue. Many, many problems.

Other than that, Larry remains mostly reticent on specific plot details. Are you going to handle Richards' 2006 racist comedy club tirade? "People are wondering how we're going to address it," he said. "Yeah, we address it."

No normal moments

As "Curb" viewers know, a good portion of Larry's life takes place in nice restaurants, which like any experience for him can be fraught with peril. When he walks into the main dining room, a couple of patrons exclaim, "Larry David! Larry David!" He admits he's gotten used to it with a shrug, but still finds the shout-outs annoying.

In person, he's as trim as he looks on television. That 10 pounds television is supposed to add hasn't in his case. And despite knockin' on senior citizenship's door, he appears not to have aged since "Curb" began in 2000.

I offer him my hypothesis regarding balding (a club of which I'm member). Bald guys pay up front in the age and appearance department. A bald 30-year-old can look 40, even 50. But once the hair is gone, you can be ageless for a few decades, or until you start looking like Yoda.

I figure he'd probably be sympathetic since male pattern baldness is a strong motif in the show. In one early "Curb" episode, Larry refuses candy to a sullen teenage trick-or-treater, who later vandalizes his house, spray-painting a bald-person epithet on his front door -- an act he decries to a police officer as a hate crime.

"Interesting theory," he said.

Time to order. He wants a salad. Meg Ryan of "When Harry Met Sally . . ." fame, who by the way is in Sunday night's episode, comes to mind.

"You may not like this," he starts with the waiter. "But is the egg chopped up? Or do you just put half an egg in there?"

Any way you'd like, answers the waiter.

"OK, do it with the egg whites, no bacon or ham. And very light on the blue cheese. That's the Larry David salad. And throw some cucumbers in there too. Tell the chef I apologize, but that's the only way I can eat."

Then, Larry explains he's a vegetarian -- most of the time.

"When I get bored and when I can't take it anymore, I'll eat chicken," he said. How long does it take to get bored? "Ten days. No, a week."

He adds that he can't eat hot food for lunch. It doesn't agree with his stomach. In fact, he advises, hot food is not good for you anyway.

How does he know that?

"When I go to the doctor's office, I read the magazines."

He knows he has issues. When asked about Dr. Phil's brief appearance on "Curb's" second episode this season, he declares: "I like him. I would definitely go to Dr. Phil if I could. You know what? I'm putting this out there right now that if he would take me, I'm going. Does he still have patients? I don't know if my problems are big enough for what he's used to."

A more immediate problem surfaces, and Dr. Phil is nowhere in sight. Larry spots something in his salad.

"Is that a scallion?" he frowns. "I've got a date tonight."

When informed he's probably one of the most eligible bachelors in town, he laughs.

"I wouldn't go that far," he said.

You're rich, you're famous -- you got a great sense of humor.

"Women don't like the humor when it's combined with inconsideration and insensitivity," he corrects.

In real life, to some, his actions may be taken for inconsideration and insensitivity, but in the world of "Curb" it's always hilarious and, to Larry, completely authentic.

"This show is the only chance that I have to be honest about anything," Larry said. "Your life generally is so dishonest. Your dealings with your fellow human beings are so dishonest, everything is so dishonest, to have this opportunity to be honest is very refreshing to me."

Later, in the parking lot, the farewells are said. No handshake.

"Yeah, this was fun," Larry said.

[Bethie]

the past two episodes have been perfect. i have been talking to my tv more so than normal.


michael richards being distracted by the nudie paintings in the restaurant. brings the laughs.