To Larry David: You Know Better

Written by Ellen Karis on November 2, 2009

What is it with people in the entertainment industry who come from humble beginnings, have a few years of real struggle and then by shear luck get rich and famous?

The chances of becoming as famous as Lindsey Lohan are 1 in 1,574,638 as tracked by E-Poll Market Research.  But really, wouldn’t you rather be you?

Mr. Larry David has been blessed beyond any struggling writer, producer, actor or stand-up comedian’s wildest dreams. What made him unable to become a working stand-up comic was the exact catalyst that propelled him into becoming instrumental in the creation of Seinfeld, one of the most successful and funniest television shows ever.

Talk about taking lemons and turning them into a beach houses in Malibu. Larry’s total cash receipts have still not been tallied since the funds continue to pour in from that series, but it is accurate to say that with his earnings to date could pay for a lot of Nancy Pelosi’s botox.

Years after helping make television history, he jumped back into the small screen with the blessing of HBO and created “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which, in line with him marching to the beat of his own drum, is done unscripted. The show, which has a very solid following, is in its seventh season, which is three lifetimes in TV these days.

Great Larry, Mazal Tov. Isn’t America grand? I’ll bet you would only have had the career of Heidi from the Hills if you lived in Cuba.

So what would possess Larry to create, in a recent episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, a scene where he is at a Catholic woman’s home and accidentally pees on a portrait of Jesus hanging in her bathroom (of all places).

I believe the motivator is pure and simple: Its arrogance – a sense of entitlement of “I am a genius” because that’s what he has been described as over the last two decades.

I am a stand-up comedian and actress; I have a very high tolerance for humor. I am also aware that comedy is subjective and what might be a falling off the chair moment for one person, can be a cure for insomnia for another. However, I believe that Larry knew exactly what he was doing to get a reaction, it has now become in vogue to take swipes at Christianity whenever possible.

He could have picked anyone else to miss the toilet on and, by the way, for such a genius he used the lowest common denominator of humor-the bathroom and urinating- a fine improvisational moment if there ever was one .

Let’s put our imaginary hats on and think of what the outrage would have been if this had been done to, say, Muhammad—yes, exactly, lawsuits a flying, reparations, apologies, a lifetime supply of starbucks!!

How dare you!!!

But using Jesus, the Lord and Savior to at least 65% of the United States population-eh, who cares, I have a show to do and a laugh to get. If someone had pulled the same stunt and this had been a photo of Al Gore instead, accusations of hating the earth would have been blaring across the headlines of the NY Times. Larry would have been especially offended given that he funded Al’s academy award winning movie “Inconvenient Truth” which Al gets to watch over and over again in his learjet and in all of his three homes.

I posted my disgust on my facebook page and most people agreed however, there are always those few that like to use freedom of speech as a replacement for freedom of being a complete jerk. However one person with whom I was arguing saidm “why don’t you stop complaining and do something, write or call HBO.”

I hate to admit that this lefty had a point but he was right. So I called HBO, it took 15 minutes to get the number and then get an actual person. I told her in a very nice way (I toned down my New Yorkness) that I was a stand-up comic and was open to all types of humor but as a Christian, I was very insulted and found it very disrespectful as I am sure many would agree.

As I was speaking she let out a sigh, a big fat sigh, she then said she would make a note of it, she did not ask me my name, email – nothing!

So I guess I have to turn to the only recourse I have and cancel HBO, which although I do not watch much of, I like to know I can. What was also a complete elitist way of dealing with a sensitive issue, was the very next day after the episode aired HBO stated that it was done in satire and parody. So Larry and others do us a favor, stay away from the one person that we hold at a higher standard, even higher than your Al Gore.

—