Max released a behind-the-scenes video on Monday revealing the last moments the Curb Your Enthusiasm cast and crew shared filming Sunday night’s finale, and just how awkwardly creator-star Larry David reacted to the gushing sentimentality on set.
The 76-year-old godfather of cringe comedy officially wrapped production on the last scene from the last episode – appropriately titled ‘No Lessons Learned’ – on March 28, 2023 after 12 seasons and 24 years.
‘I just want to say something,’ the late Richard Lewis began as Larry stood nearby.
‘Larry David has treated me a god, and all of you have. This is the greatest experience of my career, and I love each and every one of you. I’m honored to be working with arguably the greatest sitcom writer in the last two centuries, and God bless all of you. And thanks for being so sweet to me.’
The standup comedian sadly died, age 76, on February 27 from a heart attack just three years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Max released a behind-the-scenes video on Monday revealing the last moments the Curb Your Enthusiasm cast and crew shared filming Sunday night’s finale, and just how awkwardly creator-star Larry David (R) reacted to the gushing sentimentality on set
The 76-year-old godfather of cringe comedy (R) officially wrapped production on the last scene from the last episode – appropriately titled ‘No Lessons Learned’ – on March 28, 2023 after 12 seasons and 24 years
And while David silently smiled on set, he told TODAY on Sunday: ‘[Richard] was just the sweetest guy. It’s so hard to believe that he’s not here. Actually, I talk to him, because I feel he’s watching me and I tell him, “Hey leave me alone. Keep away! I got stuff to do.” I loved him. Yeah, big loss.’
Richard was famously born three days earlier than the two-time Emmy winner in the same city (Brooklyn) and year (1947).
Lewis wasn’t the only getting misty-eyed on the Delta airplane set, as Larry’s onscreen ex-wife Cheryl Hines also choked back the tears while delivering her speech.
‘I was thinking about you because,’ the 58-year-old actress gasped, ‘my entire life changed when I met you. And our crew, oh my God, you guys, thank you for everything. The greatest. Larry, I love you.’
At that, David smiled silently and awkwardly walked away from his crying cast.
Once the Pacific Palisades-based funnyman left, JB Smoove was seen warmly embracing Susie Essman, who was sobbing in his chest.
Later, the whole ensemble – including producer-star Jeff Garlin and Ted Danson – posed for pictures before director Jeff Schaffer presented Larry with a wrap gift that ‘he’s gonna hate.’
David marveled at the ‘semi-odd portrait’ of himself, which was ‘signed by everybody.’
The late Richard Lewis (L) began as Larry stood nearby: ‘Larry David has treated me a god, and all of you have. This is the greatest experience of my career, and I love each and every one of you’
The standup comedian added: ‘I’m honored to be working with arguably the greatest sitcom writer in the last two centuries, and God bless all of you. And thanks for being so sweet to me’
Richard sadly died, age 76, on February 27 from a heart attack just three years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
And while David silently smiled on set, he told TODAY on Sunday: ‘[Richard] was just the sweetest guy. It’s so hard to believe that he’s not here. Actually, I talk to him, because I feel he’s watching me and I tell him, “Hey leave me alone. Keep away! I got stuff to do.” I loved him. Yeah, big loss’
Lewis wasn’t the only getting misty-eyed on the Delta airplane set, as Larry’s onscreen ex-wife Cheryl Hines (L) also choked back the tears while delivering her speech
‘I was thinking about you because,’ the 58-year-old actress gasped, ‘my entire life changed when I met you. And our crew, oh my God, you guys, thank you for everything. The greatest. Larry, I love you’
At that, David smiled silently and awkwardly walked away from his crying cast
Once the Pacific Palisades-based funnyman left, JB Smoove (M) was seen warmly embracing Susie Essman (R), who was sobbing in his chest
Later, the whole ensemble – including producer-star Jeff Garlin (2-L) and Ted Danson (3-L) – posed for pictures before director Jeff Schaffer presented Larry with a wrap gift that ‘he’s gonna hate’
David marveled at the ‘semi-odd portrait’ of himself, which was ‘signed by everybody’
‘Wow! Yeah! Thank you, guys. Thank you, everyone,’ the Seinfeld co-creator said
Larry quipped: ‘It’s something. If you could somehow remove me from this, it would’ve been much better’
‘Wow! Yeah! Thank you, guys. Thank you, everyone,’ the Seinfeld co-creator said.
‘It’s something. If you could somehow remove me from this, it would’ve been much better.’
When Larry was asked by TODAY’s Willie Geist on Sunday if he was feeling sentimental, he scoffed: ‘Maybe a shred. The slightest shred. I’m too old to be on camera every week now. To act the way I do on the show, how can I continue to act like that? It’s insane. I could do it in my 50s and 60s and mid-70s. I’m not going into the 80s acting like that.’
However, David did say of the (mostly) improvised series: ‘That’s what makes it so much fun, the actors and the cast, they kill me. I couldn’t imagine ever having more fun in my life than I did doing that show.’
Curb Your Enthusiasm’s finale was a direct wink to the disappointing Seinfeld finale, with Larry’s thinly-veiled character being immediately released from jail due to the case being thrown out after a juror broke his sequester.
‘You don’t want to end up like this,’ Jerry Seinfeld told David.
‘Nobody wants to see it. Trust me.’
When David was asked by TODAY’s Willie Geist (L) on Sunday if he was feeling sentimental, he scoffed: ‘Maybe a shred. The slightest shred. I’m too old to be on camera every week now. To act the way I do on the show, how can I continue to act like that? It’s insane. I could do it in my 50s and 60s and mid-70s. I’m not going into the 80s acting like that’
However, Larry did say of the (mostly) improvised series: ‘That’s what makes it so much fun, the actors and the cast, they kill me. I couldn’t imagine ever having more fun in my life than I did doing that show.’
Curb Your Enthusiasm’s finale was a direct wink to the disappointing Seinfeld finale, with David’s thinly-veiled character being immediately released from jail due to the case being thrown out after a juror broke his sequester
‘You don’t want to end up like this,’ Jerry Seinfeld (L) told Larry. ‘Nobody wants to see it. Trust me’
David replied: ‘This is how we should have ended the [Seinfeld] finale!’
Larry replied: ‘This is how we should have ended the [Seinfeld] finale!’
‘How did we not think of that?’ Jerry shot back.
Schaffer recalled to THR on Monday that Seinfeld was so jazzed about the finale, he said: ‘”This is amazing. This is a joke that is 26 years in the making.”‘