RE-RELEASE - Larry David

Summary

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Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

Episode: RE-RELEASE - Larry David

Release Date: January 1, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this special re-released episode, comedy legends Dana Carvey and David Spade sit down with the iconic Larry David. The discussion is a masterclass in comedic storytelling, improv, and the inner workings of landmark shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The trio swap anecdotes about the realities of stand-up, life in showbiz, impressions, and the freedom (and quirks) of podcasting. The tone is playful, irreverent, and deeply insightful throughout, with Larry David’s candid wisdom and infectious laughter taking center stage.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Elusive Art of Saying "No"

• Larry David’s Mantra: Larry emphasizes the power and necessity of saying 'no' in showbiz and life.
  • [02:53] Larry David: "It's the best advice you could give anyone... People cannot say no. It's so impossible."
  • The group jokes about how many podcast invites he declines annually, riffing numbers from 300 up to 2,000.
  • Dana Carvey: "Nancy Reagan had it right. Just say no and no one listened."
  • [03:38] Larry David: "She was right. She was talking about drugs."

2. The Joy and Terror of Live Performance

• The Power of Improv and Impressions:

  • The comics swap impressions, including Reagan, FDR, and requests for a "young Biden with a Baltimore accent" ([04:15]).
  • Discussion about the unique fallback of being able to lean on impressions when a joke misses.
  • [05:04] Larry David: "You're so lucky that you can do that stuff, because I don't have jokes. Well, I mean, if something you do isn't working... Most standups don't have that laugh at their disposal."

• Writing vs. Performing:

  • Larry segues into why he prefers unscripted formats and how he dreaded memorizing lines for acting.
  • [12:00] Larry David: "I never would have done a show if I had to memorize lines... I'm not really an actor... Here, I'm kind of making it up as we're going along."

3. Behind the Curtain of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

• Improvisation as the Norm:

  • The process is revealed as entirely improvisational—no rigid scripts, minimal rehearsal, and plenty of freedom for actors to experiment.
  • [11:28] David Spade: "The greatest part I love is when I can tell that you or the great Richard Lewis or Jeff Garland, you're not sure you're doing a take... It's the absolute opposite of a traditional [sitcom]."
  • Larry admits there's no traditional writer's room or classic sitcom formula ([34:25]).

• Casting Challenges and Dropped Lines:

  • Some actors struggled if they tried too hard to be funny or couldn't adapt to improvisation.
  • [13:47] Larry David: "The worst thing that actors did on the show is if they would try to be funny."
  • Audition woes: Some actors unnecessarily cried or showcased "bits" Larry discouraged.

4. Showbiz Realities and Anecdotes

• Writers and SNL Rejections:

  • Larry opens up about his one-season stint at SNL, only getting a single sketch on air and not being particularly crushed by it.
  • [30:28] Larry David: "I got one sketch on for the season... Writers made such a big deal about if their sketch was going to be on. I didn't really care that much. It didn't really bother me."

• Classic Set Stories:

  • David Spade recalls an appearance on Curb at a Lakers game and the reality behind the semi-scripted, fully improvised scenes ([09:00]).
  • They discuss NBC wooing Spade for talk shows just as Seinfeld was taking root.

5. The Seinfeld-Curb DNA & Partnership with Jerry

• Working With Seinfeld:

  • Carvey references Carol Leifer's quip that Larry and Jerry were "Lennon and McCartney." Larry downplays the analogy as "quite ridiculous" but acknowledges both had fun, if not competitive, dynamic ([27:25]).

• Show Philosophy:

  • The pair famously decided to “just do the show for ourselves”—not the network, not the audience ([32:34]).
  • [32:47] Larry David: "That's what they did."

• Legacy and Influence:

  • Every comedy pitch, Spade notes, contains "like a Curb type show" as a reference point ([12:28]).
  • Larry observes: "[34:16] We didn't even know how to write a sitcom. We'd never done it before."

6. Showbiz Surrealities & Guest Appearances

• Celebrity Crossroads:
  • Larry shares meeting Paul McCartney and asking, "Have you ever been hit in the face with a fist?" ([47:33]).
  • The group talks about star-studded, casual dinners and surreal dinners where Paul McCartney and Chris Rock mingle.

7. Impressions Parade and Comedy Roots

• Impression Masterclass:

  • Carvey and Spade riff extensive impressions: Reagan, JFK, FDR, the Beatles (John Lennon and Paul McCartney), and even a Kim Kardashian dialogue ([49:52]).
  • Hilarity peaks with Spade’s extended Jimmy Stewart “oral sex” routine ([53:01]), to which Larry is howling.
  • [54:32] Dana Carvey: "That’s a good close."
  • [54:36] David Spade: "I'm gonna edit these things together, release it as a special."
  • Larry: "[54:39] So funny. Holy cow."

• Comedian’s Comedian:

  • Larry is lauded for being a brilliant and generous audience for other comics’ material.
  • [57:02] Dana Carvey: "You're arguably the funniest person in the last... this generation."
  • [57:10] David Spade: "To make that guy laugh is just a pleasure."

8. Industry Trends: Podcasting Boom

• Podcast Proliferation:
  • The trio joke about the 3 million podcasts in existence, marveling at the democratization and risk of dilution in the medium ([55:06]–[56:35]).
  • The freedom and looseness of podcasting is credited as “a new art form,” capturing the rehearsal, spontaneity, and playfulness missing from traditional press rounds ([56:07]).

9. Curb, Seinfeld, and Comedy's Emotional Side

• Editing Regrets & Sensitivity:
  • Larry admits to struggling with cutting friends’ scenes, whether on Seinfeld or Curb.
    • [57:25] Dana Carvey: “You called me...and the funniest part was I said, okay, well, I had a great time—”
    • [58:20] Larry David: "...this guy I knew paid a lot of money to be an extra for charity, and I inadvertently cut him out of the show. And he had a party..."

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Notable Quotes & Moments

On Saying No

"It's the best advice you could give anyone. I was just talking to somebody the other day. 'Why did I say yes to this?' Why did I say yes? Everybody goes through that every day. People cannot say no. It's so impossible." — Larry David [02:53]

On Acting vs. Improv

"I never would have done a show if I had to memorize lines... And I'm not really an actor. And you have to be an actor to memorize lines. I suppose I could do it, but it wouldn't be fun. Here, I'm kind of making it up as we're going along..." — Larry David [12:00]

On Seinfeld's Approach

“At this point we're just going to do the show for ourselves. We're not going to try to project what the network or even the audience will like. That's what I felt that Seinfeld, you know.” — David Spade [32:34]

On Laughter as Currency

“You’re so lucky that you can do that stuff, because I don’t have jokes... You always have a laugh at your disposal. Most standups don’t have that laugh at their disposal.” — Larry David [05:04]

On Jerry and Larry: Lennon/McCartney?

“I’ve heard it. It’s quite ridiculous, but I’ve heard it... I think our dynamic was maybe not fraught with the friction that theirs was.” — Larry David [27:38]

On Cutting Curb Scenes

“It’s very tough to call someone telling me [I] had to cut something... I said okay, but you felt guilty and go, 'Now I feel bad.' ...If it gets cut, it gets cut.” — Dana Carvey and Larry David [57:25]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------| | 02:53 | Larry David’s “Say No” advice | | 04:15 | Larry requests a "young Biden" impression | | 11:28 | How Curb scripts are built on improvisation | | 13:47 | Actors “trying to be funny” on Curb | | 27:25 | The Lennon/McCartney analogy | | 30:28 | Larry’s SNL experience | | 32:34 | “Doing the show for ourselves” – Seinfeld | | 34:25 | No writer’s room on Seinfeld | | 47:33 | Incident with Paul McCartney | | 49:52 | Beatles impressions & Kim Kardashian bit | | 53:01 | Spade’s extended Jimmy Stewart impression | | 57:02 | Carvey/Spade praise Larry’s comedic legacy | | 57:25 | Cutting Dana’s scene from Curb |

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Memorable Moments

• Larry marveling at being asked to improvise a young Joe Biden with a Baltimore accent – and the group’s inability to nail it.
• Spade’s animated, crowd-pleasing impressions, and Larry’s full-body laughter (“he was drenched in sweat, red face and he fell out of his chair”) [01:28].
• The inside look at Larry’s real-life empathy, going so far as to apologize to friends for cutting their bits from his shows [57:25].
• Candid admissions about showbiz anxiety, feeling “relieved” when gigs get canceled, and dreading monologues for SNL hosting duties [46:30, 43:01].
• Playful Beatles impression volley, with Carvey and Spade riffing as John and Paul and dragging “Kim Kardashian’s bottom” into the conversation [51:06].
• Coda on podcasting’s overwhelming proliferation—“There's 3 million podcasts in North America”—and wondering aloud who listens to them all [55:09].

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a fast-paced, laughter-rich journey through Larry David’s comedic universe. It offers listeners rare, deeply honest insights into how great comedy is made and protected—from the value of saying no, the difficulty of making something “look easy,” to the technical prowess of improvising legendary shows. Whether you’re a Larry David fan or simply love hearing world-class comedians in their element, this episode is essential.

“You’re arguably the funniest person in the last... this generation... To make that guy laugh is just a pleasure.”
— Dana Carvey & David Spade [57:02]

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Transcript

[Larry David]

Come to DSW for the shoes, stay for the fun.

[David Spade]

Because let's be honest, if shoe shopping.

[Dana Carvey]

Isn'T fun, are you even doing it right?

[Larry David]

So go ahead, try something new. Try something different, good different. Try something that feels like you, you.

[David Spade]

Know, the real you.

[Larry David]

And then definitely brag about it later. Because at dsw, you've got unlimited freedom to play.

[Dana Carvey]

Find the shoes that get you at.

[Larry David]

Prices that get your budget at DSW stores [e-mail] let us surprise you. Looking for a new way to grow your business. With TikTok for business, anything is possible. If you've ever thought about advertising on TikTok, now's the time to do it. You can drive more customers to your website, sell products right in the app, and you can even use TikTok's creative tools to easily make content and find creators to help sell your products for you.

[David Spade]

Find new customers today, just open your.

[Larry David]

Browser, type in getstarted.TikTok.com tiktokads and grow your business fast.

[Dana Carvey]

Larry David.

[David Spade]

Larry David was a, it was a real thrill to get him on our podcast.

[Dana Carvey]

He was hemming and hauling for about two years. Every time I saw him out in the real world, he's like, I want to do your podcast. I'm like, well, it's easy. You just do it. But it had to fit in, in the, into this show or when it started or the finale. So he came in and he was as advertised, hilarious, fun, and laughed at everything. Dana said, to be honest.

[David Spade]

Well, it was just sort of this little social ecosystem between Conan and Bill Hader and myself of doing old timey impressions. You like Jimmy Stewart or Henry Fonda, stuff like that. And so I started off on those and he, Larry laughed harder at, he's laughed harder than almost any human I'd seen. I mean, he was drenched in sweat, red face and he fell out of his chair. We didn't have video then, but he.

[Dana Carvey]

I know the worst part is we didn't film him.

[David Spade]

So he was absolutely delightful to have on the podcast. Just a, a sweetheart. And you know, of course he's Larry David, but he loves comedy and a lot of these brilliant writers and performers, they love weird old impressions. I mean, they can't get enough of them.

[Dana Carvey]

So that, he was great, had a, he came in with a good attitude. He's not like a curmudgeon. We laughed. And I do wish, you know, people say, oh, why don't you film these? It's sometimes, sometimes people don't want to come into the studio and Sometimes they don't want to be filmed even when they're here. So we. We go along with them, and we got a great show out of them either way.

[David Spade]

Yeah. So that was one of the more unique and fun ones we've. We've done on this podcast. So this one I would listen to if I were you there. He. Always say no.

[Larry David]

It's the best advice you could give anyone. I was just talking to somebody the other day. Why did I say yes to this? Why did I say yes? Everybody goes through that every day. Yeah, People cannot say no. It's so impossible.

[David Spade]

Well, if you're turning down a lot, it's a rhythm thing. No, no, no.

[Dana Carvey]

But at least you're known as someone that says.

[David Spade]

How many podcasts do you turn down in a year? 300.

[Larry David]

I don't wanna.

[Dana Carvey]

Over a thousand.

[David Spade]

Over a thousand.

[Larry David]

I don't want to sound immodest.

[David Spade]

2000.

[Dana Carvey]

There is. Listen, Nancy Reagan had it right. Just say no and no one listened.

[Larry David]

Yeah, completely.

[Dana Carvey]

She was right.

[Larry David]

She was talking about drugs.

[David Spade]

Well, can I eat my Reagan?

[Dana Carvey]

He got his Reagan in, by the way.

[Larry David]

I'll sit here for an hour and just listen to you.

[David Spade]

Well, I like this rhythm. I'll see if you like this rhythm. Them. It's Reagan dealing with modern enemies. Right. Who are they? What? Tallahoo Banny. What? What they do to who, where, when, how, why? Well, then we have no choice. Fire away with everything we got, and then call them and see if they're still there. There. That was it. I made Larry David laugh. I've got.

[Larry David]

I've got one for you that if you can do. I would just. I would ask you to do it every time I saw you.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[Larry David]

A younger Biden. Not the old Biden, a younger Biden. With that. With that.

[David Spade]

I don't have one of those.

[Larry David]

Baltimore accent.

[David Spade]

I know, I know. Well, that's very specific.

[Larry David]

You know that accent I'm talking about. They did it in that. That series. What was it called? With Kate Winslet.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Something mayor.

[Larry David]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. They had that accent. He's got some of that right.

[David Spade]

This never doesn't get a laugh in. Stand up and I'll do it over and over again to the audience. Yeah, No, I mean serious. And I say to the audience, I will keep doing it until you don't laugh. I'm getting around here.

[Larry David]

Yeah, see, you're so lucky that you can do that stuff, because I don't have jokes. Well, I mean, if. If something you do isn't Working. Then you just. You make them laugh again. You always have a laugh at your disposal. Most standups don't have that laugh at their disposal.

[Dana Carvey]

It's terrifying to go up and if you don't have a go to something.

[Larry David]

Right.

[Dana Carvey]

Dana's got great stuff. And also you can put a 10% joke in an impression and it's worth.

[David Spade]

100% and just ride the rhythm I put on my notes.

[Larry David]

Stay.

[David Spade]

Stay here. Don't be in a hurry. Stay here. If it says Ross Perot, you're going.

[Dana Carvey]

To do him for Anthony Fauci, president since Calvin Coolidge.

[David Spade]

He doesn't.

[Larry David]

The crowd's like.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, they freak out.

[David Spade]

But a young Biden, that's a challenge.

[Larry David]

Yeah, you do fdr.

[David Spade]

We know I'm doing jfk. We don't do it because my bid on JFK now is that he needs an AI. Bobby needs an AI. That his. His voice will then go to jfk. His voice.

[Larry David]

Oh, Bobby's.

[David Spade]

Yeah, because we all sound like Bobby. If we smoke pot in high school, be like, I can't believe what the pharmaceutical companies are doing. You know, introducing jfk. AI. We understand that the pharmaceutical companies are doing. I'm just going to do this all afternoon.

[Larry David]

Come on. I'm, you know, I'm totally entertained. I want to take it, to listen to it.

[David Spade]

Go ahead, see if you can say, we don't do it because it's easy. We do it because it's hard. We're the right age group.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Crickets up here. Yes. So.

[Dana Carvey]

So you're settled in, you said?

[David Spade]

Yes, you're here. Do you need anything?

[Larry David]

I'll open some water.

[Dana Carvey]

Here, we got you some of the high fancy water from your writer.

[David Spade]

Has any human.

[Larry David]

What about those people who they want like grape jelly or something.

[David Spade]

Have you ever seen your writer? I don't know if you do a lot of standup. Have you ever seen your writer?

[Dana Carvey]

What are you demanding?

[David Spade]

Me neither.

[Dana Carvey]

I feel like yours is a little below JLo, but above Chris Kattan.

[Larry David]

Let's see.

[David Spade]

I've had people in tears coming at me. I'm coming backstage for the gig. We only have three towels.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, I don't. We couldn't find triskets.

[David Spade]

I didn't see my writer. I don't, you know, I don't like.

[Larry David]

To eat anything at all before I'm going on somewhere.

[David Spade]

Not even a little bit of bite of chocolate?

[Larry David]

No, Nothing.

[Dana Carvey]

You still do stand up. Do you go out and do like an hour?

[Larry David]

No. Last year I did, you know, I was interviewed on stage. On stage?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. One of like these things.

[Larry David]

Yeah, yeah. Something like this. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. That was the best though, because it's not really.

[Larry David]

Yeah, it's not stand up.

[Dana Carvey]

It's not that hard, right? Yeah.

[David Spade]

Oh, yeah, I heard before the pandemic. Julie Louise Dreyfus, remember her? You know her? She, she was doing interviews.

[Dana Carvey]

Check out the call sheet, you'll remember.

[David Spade]

She was doing interviews for corporate events. I thought, oh, man, that's so nice. 20 minutes with the CEO.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

She breaks it in.

[David Spade]

What's the question that makes you the happiest? And what's the question that is annoying for you? I think I have an idea.

[Larry David]

I think now the most annoying question is, are you going to do another season?

[David Spade]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, now that we're here.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you just say yes at the end? Meaning you are. You're not, are you? I didn't know that your special was named Curb youb Enthusiasm. Is that true? Your stand up special and then you borrowed that. Yeah. You took that in and. Was it 2000? Has it been around that long? Yeah, 2000. And you've had people on Curb that went on to be bigger stars. You actually got them early.

[Larry David]

Yeah. Who?

[Dana Carvey]

I'm asking you? Me.

[David Spade]

Well, that's exciting.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, I do have a curve story for you.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

You might have heard it because you were part of it. But Dana, I did this young man's show. It was one of the great fun things of life is to be on a show that's fucking hit show. Everyone loves right up, you know, everyone's sensibility. Everyone in the future goes, oh, I want to do a show like Curb. That's the most common thing. I hear it's ten times more complicated than they can probably think. It seems very easy. Looks easy. I think the fun part when I did it was the idea was you. I don't know if you remember this. You did so many. But you wanted tickets to Laker game and you used to work at NBC. So you asked the president of NBC and they have two sets. This is, I think true. Anyway, so they say, yes, give Larry two tickets. So you go with Jeff and you, you're in the rafters. And then you get the binoculars to see. Oh, they have two sets of tickets. And then you go, who's on the floor where we wanted to be? And he's sitting with me.

[Larry David]

Right.

[Dana Carvey]

And so you're like that motherfucker. Why is Spade down there and why are we up here? I fucking. I was on side. So anyway, we run into you guys leaving and the part that I thought was interesting, I didn't even tell Dana this, but it's like the way I got, the way I remember it was someone comes up to me and I think we have the forum or wherever it is, and I think that's how big of a production is. You have that. You have extras. We did some at a real game. I think we used those Endeavor seats or whatever, William Morris. And then so we were at the real game. And then afterwards we get a bunch of extras to stay. And so we were leaving. So me and that president of NBC are leaving and Larry's coming out with Jeff and they come up to me and they go, you're going to run into him. So be apologetic. Something like that. It was just an idea. No lines. And then they, I go, and what's Larry doing? They go, you'll find out. So then you guys decide what you want to do. Obviously you decide. And so we come in and we have like a five minute talk.

[Larry David]

We.

[Dana Carvey]

Where I'm like, I'm sorry. Cause you're like, why would he be there? I'm like, I don't want to be a part of this. Whatever, whatever. Then they go, cut. And then they come back and they go, this one. Defend yourself. And it's so funny because you have five seconds. So I'm like, well, whatever happens, and I don't know what you're going to do. And then you're like, why would he be there? I'm like, well, we both were on big shows. And you're like, well, I was on Seinfeld. I go, well, listen, we're both top 10 shows. We're both. It's kind of a push. And you're like, a push?

[David Spade]

Just shoot me.

[Dana Carvey]

Was the same as. So anyway, it just makes for a fun reality, fake argument, whatever, whatever. And then they did like one or two more of different things. Was a blast.

[David Spade]

David.

[Larry David]

It's.

[Dana Carvey]

It's very interesting, honestly, for people to know that, because the hard part for Larry is to go in there and decide which is the funniest version what line. That's just so complicated.

[David Spade]

The greatest part I love is when I can tell that you or the great Richard Lewis or Jeff Garland, you're not sure you're doing a take because you're just talking and you might use it, you might not. I mean, it's the absolute opposite of a traditional. You know, Larry Sanders was the first that I had an experience like that.

[Larry David]

I. First of all, I never would have done a show if I had to memorize lines.

[David Spade]

Smart.

[Dana Carvey]

It's too hard.

[Larry David]

I don't like it. And I'm not really an actor. And you have to be. You have to be an actor to memorize lines. I suppose I could do it, but it wouldn't be fun here. I'm kind of making it up as we're going along, and I don't know, it's just. I just laugh my way through 12 seasons.

[David Spade]

I know it's infectious to watch. You know, the last 20 years, I don't think I've ever gone to any kind of meeting about any kind of show where you know it's going to be like Curb or we're thinking like a Curb type show. Has anyone even landed close to the sensibility? And what is the secret? You don't have to tell us here. You can cut this part out. Tell us if there is, like, one secret.

[Dana Carvey]

Tell us who's done it poorly first.

[David Spade]

Who's doing it?

[Larry David]

I don't even know who's doing it.

[David Spade]

The only thing I can think of is Larry Sanders in the 90s had a sense of three cameras going at all times, 16 millimeters. And Gary would say, you do this kind of. Or say something like this, you know.

[Larry David]

Oh, they improvise a lot.

[David Spade]

At least when I was there.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

But. But I don't think it was quite like yours where, like, you're so improvised. Whatever you have, it's working. Don't even.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Hey, are you gonna do another season?

[Dana Carvey]

Is there anybody you asked to do Curb that didn't do it like some star that you wanted?

[Larry David]

I. I think there were some people who were just. Weren't down with the idea of improvising.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Summer would like to do the lines.

[Larry David]

They're.

[Dana Carvey]

They'd be more comfortable.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

More comfortable. It's hard to make lines your own. That's hard when you're doing shows and movies. That's why they sometimes feel stiff, because if you can just play off what's happening at that second and the attitude, that's way more fun. It is hard to do, though.

[Larry David]

I mean, the worst thing that actors did on the show is if they would try to be funny.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Are they coming, going, I'm funny?

[Larry David]

They're trying to come up with, like, funny lines.

[David Spade]

Not. No.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

The hardest part I've seen, even on, like, for Adam and Sandler and those movies, is a lot of people that come on that have never worked with them, first of all, proclaim their funniness, which is always a red flag. And then they come up and say, I had some ideas for the scene, and it's for you to be the creator, and you can't blame anyone else, and you have to say no. So when they come to you and go, larry, I thought I'd play it more.

[David Spade]

I got a guy that talks like.

[Dana Carvey]

This and you gotta go, oh, fuck. Can you just. Don't do that. It's a hard position to be in.

[Larry David]

No, it's very easy.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay. I was trying to help you a little bit.

[Larry David]

It's not hard at all. No, that's. That's. That's not good. Don't do that. Okay, I've got two I would kill.

[Dana Carvey]

And they would slink away and go.

[Larry David]

Sometimes. Sometimes at auditions, actors would. Would try and cry. I go, oh, God, no.

[David Spade]

Stop.

[Dana Carvey]

No, no.

[David Spade]

Oh, man. I. The two metrics now never have a line that's written that someone has to say. And don't anybody ever be caught trying to be funny unless the character is trying to be funny.

[Larry David]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[David Spade]

Different. But none of that winking. It's a real Rubicon. You can really feel it in sitcoms when it just pushed.

[Dana Carvey]

I like it.

[David Spade]

Good. I'm just saying, I'm a fan.

[Dana Carvey]

The stuff that's played, like in a wide shot is always good. Sometimes you get on a movie and they go weird. Dana and I talk about this. You get too locked into two shot, one shot, pushing, pushing, and you're losing all the momentum and all the fun of it, and it looks too stiff back forth. But sometimes it's nice. Those old Woody Allens or whatever, even Tarantino in a wide shot, just two people talking, looks real. You've got to figure out where to look instead of going, look here, look there. We got it, we got it. We've seen it.

[Larry David]

The Woody Allen thing is a little scary because I did. I did.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you did a couple.

[David Spade]

What was the name of that movie?

[Dana Carvey]

It's a couple, Dana.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah.

[Larry David]

Anyway, I did one once upon. He doesn't remember and, you know, because he does these take. You got to get it all in one. And the whole take, I'm going, I got four more lines to go. I'm not comfortable at all because I. You can't make a mistake. There's no cutting.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

After my first take, the first day of filming, after the first take, he comes up to me and he goes, not terrible. And now I use that every time somebody asks me, yeah, how you doing? I go, not terrible.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, that's a good medium. Place to be.

[David Spade]

Robert Mitchum told me that the Guy who played Tarzan because Robert Mitchum was a guest host. He was the host at snl. I go, hey, how you doing today? He goes, worse. I go, worse. Why do you say worst? I think it was Lex Bar. Some guy who played Tarzan. He came out of his trailer and said, I feel great, and then did a header, you know, so ever since then, he just says worse.

[Larry David]

I love that.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you know Tide has been upgraded to provide an even better clean in cold water? Tide is specifically designed to fight any stain you throw at it. Even in cold butter. Yep. Chocolate ice cream.

[David Spade]

Sure thing.

[Dana Carvey]

Barbecue sauce. Tide's got you covered. You don't need to use warm water. Additionally, Tide pods let you confidently fight tough stains with new coldzyme technology. Just remember, if it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be Tide. Oh, you did tough guys. Is that the one?

[David Spade]

I did so much shit. I was so bad. I have a hall of fame. I can't say lines 175 times between all the takes and all the close ups. And by 4 in the afternoon, you first said the lines at 7am and by 5 o', clock, it's not even English.

[Dana Carvey]

Going in tight on Dana.

[Larry David]

You guys got some heads of hair on you, the two of you.

[David Spade]

You know, best hair money.

[Larry David]

When did you know? Did you ever think like, oh, I'm going to have all of my hair for the rest of my life? Did that that thought occurred to you at some point?

[David Spade]

Yes. I had a pretty good head of hair. First of all, it went way up in these corners that are covered right now. When I was in my 20s. So I went to a barber. He goes, it's. You're gonna be gone by 30.

[Larry David]

What? Really?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Barber got. You saw it going back. It was. But it went back and then it stopped. Wow, very rare. And then.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

And then I do take a little finasteride.

[Larry David]

What's that?

[Dana Carvey]

I'm sorry?

[David Spade]

It's stuff that keeps formaldehyde. What does that do? Keeps your hair in your head.

[Larry David]

Really?

[David Spade]

Yeah. Matthew McConaughey does it. All right. A rat.

[Dana Carvey]

Rat.

[David Spade]

Rat.

[Dana Carvey]

Dude, I grew up, I put motor oil. Everything I could find, I threw in my hair. Just trying every trick in the book at the. So horrible.

[David Spade]

But let me just explain that because we'll get. We'll get letters. Old fashioned parlance.

[Dana Carvey]

Go ahead.

[David Spade]

Dosage matters with any med you take. I had this woman, she was trying to do super vegan and she was amazing. She was 87. I go, you could have some salmon. Oh, no, I can't. Well, I tried a statin and I had terrible side effects. Would you ever think of taking a lower dose? Ask your doctor. So she lowered the dose, took her cholesterol down, no side effects. So the same thing with finisteride. People were popping it like candy. Then they had sexual side effects, depression. You just need a little bit to keep the hair in your head and it will grow.

[Larry David]

You had to give her that advice. What? The doctor couldn't tell her that.

[Dana Carvey]

She couldn't read the back of the bottle.

[David Spade]

Doctors are not really. Most of them are just high school seniors that have a lab coat on. They don't know anything. Most of them, they're terrible. I mean, right? I mean, do you.

[Larry David]

What doctors?

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

I still have great faith in them.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Dana.

[David Spade]

Interesting.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

I look at you.

[Larry David]

They're doctors, Dana. Doctors.

[David Spade]

I know. I used to bow down. We were talking about. To a contractor or a landscape architect. We'll put a big tree right in the middle of the grass. Why? Well, you need it. No, you don't.

[Larry David]

Well, you know, you can never have a doctor as a friend because you'll lose all confidence. You see, they're so human. How could you?

[David Spade]

Right?

[Larry David]

You know, you're kind of stupid, actually, in life.

[David Spade]

Well, you can read the same stuff they're reading. You can read nih, you can read Harvard, whatever. You can read everything the doctors can.

[Larry David]

Why are you reading that?

[David Spade]

I do. I do.

[Larry David]

You do?

[Dana Carvey]

A lot.

[David Spade]

If I have an issue of something. Yeah, I'll look it up.

[Dana Carvey]

I understand.

[David Spade]

Don't you ever research stuff?

[Larry David]

I don't want to read anything medical. It'll just scare me. I never. I never look at anything medical.

[Dana Carvey]

When you do get this, when you go to the damage here, they talk about everything jokey except for what's wrong with you. Like they come in, how's it going? What's been going on? You've been on the road. I'm like. I've been sitting here for 49 minutes waiting. And I know I've got a six minute window with you. Like, let's get to the stuff and then there we end the last second. Oh, right. Bend over me. Stick a finger in your ass.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[Dana Carvey]

Sorry. I almost forgot that part.

[David Spade]

Did you ever do a prostate exam joke?

[Larry David]

No.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes.

[David Spade]

I didn't think you would.

[Dana Carvey]

I thought you were talking to me.

[David Spade]

Oh, yeah. The cheesiest one that always gets. I don't do. I've never done one. I never written one, but. What? The one that made me laugh the most was. Look, Ma, no hands.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

I mean, That's a stock joke. It wasn't mine.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, no, the, the, the joke that you try to bury into real life is when I was playing the Mirage, I go, david Copperfield was in the steam room. I milked out so long. And they go, he was in the steam room. And I go, yeah. And he's sitting next to me, but his towel slid off. He was just sitting there. Weird. And he goes, hey, I. He goes, I go, can you do magic now that you have nothing here? And he goes, yeah. And I go, it's not real. And he goes, all right. Quickly he goes, get up. He gets behind me and he goes, all right, do you feel my thumb in your ass? And I go, yeah. And he goes, ta da. Reaches around me. So it was sort of magic.

[David Spade]

That's funny. Did you ever do a Hitler joke? You do a lot of Hitler jokes. I'm not talking about the editorial, but just because everyone has a Hitler joke. What's your best Hitler joke?

[Larry David]

I did, I used to do one in, in Stand Up. It had to do with. About Hitler going to a magic show.

[David Spade]

That's already funny.

[Dana Carvey]

Anything Hitler does is.

[Larry David]

And he goes backstage after and he's very insistent on, on finding out where the rabbit is. And you know, magicians have, magicians have a code. They, they don't. They can't tell how the tricks are done.

[Dana Carvey]

Right.

[Larry David]

And it was going, where's the rabbit? I'm very curious. Where's the rabbit? And he goes, well, mein Fuhrer, you know, we. We not really allowed to code amongst. Yes, yes, yes. But where is the rabbit? It was something like that. I forgot the rest of it.

[Dana Carvey]

Where was it?

[David Spade]

Did you do that in the 99 Special?

[Larry David]

I did, yes.

[David Spade]

I remembered it, yeah. Do you have a Hitler joke?

[Dana Carvey]

You know, write one. I don't think I have one because. Oh, you know, I did have a book when I did my first book. Oh, a couple people remember. Thank you. Is it was. I used a picture of me when I was 5 years old. My mom had me a little blue suit with white hair down to here. And it was a weird shot down on me in front of my old apartments. And I'm just standing so stiffly that I said, what if we call the book Mr. Hitler? We'll see you now. Because I was like a five year old kid, looked like a little Aryan and it got universally. No, so. And I'm kind of glad because I sort of skim over stuff. I'm from Arizona. We were never into religion. We were never into many things that could be very offensive. And so we joked about everything. Racism, all this. So sometimes I would stumble in my act and say things too far, and someone would pull me aside and say, I wouldn't say that anymore. And I wouldn't know how deep these things went or hit. And I'd be like, okay. So it took me a while, even on that one. It was a little late in the game, but to even say I should do that. But Hitler gets thrown around, and it just. It offends too many people. I'm not Jewish.

[David Spade]

I did a Hitler bit. I was doing a benefit for Cedars Sinai Cardiology Department, and I did a Hitler bit. A guy had actually put a stent. My chest goes, do you know where you are? You know? And I. Do you want to hear it?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Go.

[David Spade]

It's not a bit. It's an observation. Because I thought, I don't have any original observation about Hitler. And then I thought of one, and I want you to tell me you've never heard it before, hopefully, or you've heard it before. All we do is see Hitler throughout history. History, screaming. We never see him talking normal. He. We do this for a living. He must be exhausted backstage. Just wiped out. Almost effeminate. Oh, him. I confi. My deltoid. Whoever said to do this, shoot him.

[Dana Carvey]

He gets off stage and goes, the heads is the green room. And he's like, they were good. They were pretty good, but just exhausted.

[David Spade]

Hitler, Langeris. Good. Ain't my little loofah.

[Larry David]

Yeah, that's great.

[David Spade]

Don't fat shame yourself. I have a cookie. I eat it. I put the plate down. You have a good cookie, your brain throws a party, you have a hundred cookies. So he breaks down, you know, addiction to carbohydrates.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay, Hitler's green room. What's his. On his rider? All right. I look at my notes. There's literally no notes to ask anything. It's too. Go ahead, Dana, whatever you got.

[David Spade]

Well, I know this will make you happy. Jalen Bronson Brunson.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

New York Knicks.

[Larry David]

Yes. Yes. Right in the throat.

[David Spade]

Stephen a. Smith and LeBron. Who would win if they went? Because we. We think we know. But Stephen A. Smith isn't tiny. I mean, I would get snapped in half by LeBron.

[Larry David]

Hey, Stephen A. Smith would get snapped in half. Yeah.

[David Spade]

LeBron is a beast, man.

[Larry David]

It's unbelievable.

[David Spade]

What is he doing?

[Larry David]

I don't know. He's 40 years old. It's just incredible. Crazy what he's doing.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

If I had that money, I think. And he's Already like such a perfect specimen athlete. I don't know what I would do. I don't know what I would obviously pour it back into. Trying to stay alive. Top 100. I look at Brad Pitt and I go, I don't know what's going on, but if something, no one's going to get to regular Brad Pitt. He looks even better now. I'm like, that. That's like cheating. Because he could have been fine skating along. And if he did say, I don't say he did because mostly just jealousy and anger. But if he did something, I'm flying to that guy and just saying, do whatever you got to do. Because someone told me on my comments, it looks like I slept on my face. And those sting. Larry, you're supposed to let him go.

[David Spade]

And, well, you look kind of the same. Yeah, you look so, like 45 years. Because when did your, your hair. But when did it go white? How old?

[Larry David]

It probably started in my, probably in my late 30s. Wow.

[David Spade]

That was a joke. No, but Steve Martin, the same thing. You look, he looks kind of this, like 12. I'm working on this baby face with bangs. I'm gonna be 70.

[Dana Carvey]

Keep the hair messy.

[Larry David]

Really? You're gonna be 70 in a month?

[David Spade]

Yes. Thank you, Larry. Wow. For being surprised.

[Larry David]

Isn't that a great compliment when people are surprised when you tell them your age?

[David Spade]

Yes. Yeah, it is. But when you tell them, eventually you say, I'm going to be 70amonth ago. Oh, you're like, really? I just don't know. Yeah. Can I get up? Really? Andy Samberg said you're gonna be 70. I go, thank you, Andy.

[Larry David]

Yeah, It's a great compliment.

[David Spade]

Okay. I have something you may not have heard before. Tell me if you have. Carol Leifer was on our show.

[Larry David]

Okay.

[David Spade]

And she talked about you and Jerry, the dynamic. And she said you're John Lennon and, and Jerry is Paul McCartney. Have you heard that before? You probably have heard it.

[Larry David]

I, I've heard it. It's quite ridiculous, but I've heard it.

[David Spade]

Yeah, but, but then it makes you unpack it a little bit in your brain. Like, well, wait a minute. How my Strawberry Fields and he's Penny Lane. Both geniuses. Yeah. Not bad.

[Larry David]

Yeah. I, I, I don't, I don't. I think I have a feeling our dynamic was maybe not fraught with the friction that theirs was.

[David Spade]

So I asked Paul McCartney about it, and he said, well, the difference was, you know, they were doing comedy and we were doing, we were doing strumming and singing. So it's a different thing. The analogy doesn't quite fit. You know, Larry David looks the same for the last 40 years. I go, I totally agree, Paul.

[Dana Carvey]

Were you on a CBS Radford lot? Yeah, that's right. I think we were there the same time. Honestly, I think just shoot me. Will and Grace.

[Larry David]

We were there up until 98.

[Dana Carvey]

What was the call sheet? What was the order of the cast?

[Larry David]

Have no idea. Larry never looked at it. Tell me, you mean the Seinfeld call sheet, Jerry? Honest to God, I never looked at it once.

[Dana Carvey]

What do you think it was, Dana?

[David Spade]

I assume it'd have to be Jerry.

[Dana Carvey]

And then we'll keep going.

[Larry David]

I mean, it's a good question.

[Dana Carvey]

I never in a row.

[Larry David]

I never looked at it.

[David Spade]

Julie Louise, dress number two.

[Dana Carvey]

Two. She was probably bigger name. Right?

[Larry David]

Well, Jason. Julie wasn't in the pilot. Jason was in the pilot.

[David Spade]

Oh.

[Dana Carvey]

He might have inched ahead and leaned at the tape and got to number two.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

I was not an early adopter. I was being wind and dined by NBC to do the Letterman slot. Warren Littlefield and having lunch with him.

[Larry David]

A talk show host.

[David Spade]

Yeah. They want.

[Larry David]

You're gonna be, you're gonna be a host on, on television.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I, I know it seems amazing. He'd be great. It wouldn't work at all. This is my first degree.

[Larry David]

Well, maybe, maybe if you had David as, as the co.

[David Spade]

No, but, but basically they said, you know, we have this, this new show. I think only four had been made or something. It's called Seinfeld, and we think it might be. It's going to be really big. And they told me about it and who was in it. And I just thought to myself, oh, boy, that's not gonna happen. That doesn't sound like a winner. Yeah, I, I agree with that.

[Larry David]

Well, whatever I'm involved in, I never thought would work. So. No, I thought it would be gone very quickly. I, I hadn't. I was just doing it for the pilot. I would do a pilot, get paid for the pilot.

[David Spade]

Right.

[Larry David]

And then that was. That would be it.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. The chance of pilots going are so slim, especially. And you're coming off SNL then. Was that SNL to that?

[Larry David]

So SNL was 84, 85.

[David Spade]

How'd that go?

[Larry David]

Oh, swimmingly.

[David Spade]

Well, you, you made up for just.

[Dana Carvey]

Shows that you just don't know. You need the right situation or whatever. Because for you not to do great on that show and then you go off and do. Some people do that, they have trouble there and they go off and do.

[Larry David]

Great I didn't really, it didn't really bother me that much. I got one sketch on for the.

[Dana Carvey]

Not for the season.

[Larry David]

For the season. Yeah, I got one sketch on. It's like. And it reminded me a bit of a stand up in a way when I would. I'd be waiting to go on and then I don't know, somebody famous would come in and I'd get bumped and bumped again and. And I was actually glad I got bumped because I didn't want to go on anyway. I was happy, I was happy not to go on. And so I don't know. Writers made such a big deal about if their sketch was going to be on. I didn't really care that much. It didn't really bother me.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, when I was there writing, all I cared about was getting picked up again for the next year because just no money. So I just don't want to look like an asshole. And they'd call Gervitz and Brad Gray and go. Lauren would go, I don't know, we may bring him back. So I'd have to get rid of my apartment. And every, every year I did that and I drag. There wasn't doordash ladies, it was drag your apart, you know, your mattress down the stairs. And then you gotta re. Put your part. My apartment was like a bed, a desk, anything I could just literally carry. And then two months later we'll bring them back and then I'm like, so I gotta go move back, find an apartment. It's so dumb. But they like to keep you on the edge of your seat there.

[David Spade]

So you didn't have Lauren. Lauren was not.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you didn't have Lauren.

[Larry David]

No, I didn't have Lauren.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, I was just doing a impression. It was a 10 out of 10, unfortunately. You didn't know.

[David Spade]

Well, no, he's hosted twice.

[Larry David]

I knew you were doing Lauren.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

It was a very subtle, you know.

[Larry David]

No Dick Ebersol, it was too real.

[David Spade]

It's kind of a sporting event. Someone said about snl, it's rock and roll, it's loud. I mean there are subtle. Jack Handy used to do his deep thoughts and there are subtle sketches.

[Dana Carvey]

Funny.

[David Spade]

But I think I heard that you and Jerry just said for sure. At this point we're just going to do the show for ourselves. We're not going to try to project what the network or even the audience will like. That's what I felt that Seinfeld, you know. Yeah, that's why.

[Larry David]

Yeah, that's what they did.

[David Spade]

Yeah. So.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, but you were I remember we.

[Larry David]

Went out to dinner very early on and I, and I, I said, I, I can't letting. How are they letting us do this? I was shocked.

[Dana Carvey]

Were the audiences biting on it, though? It was in front of an audience. Yeah, they were biting. So you thought, well, something's working here.

[Larry David]

Seemed like it.

[Dana Carvey]

Because when we were doing ours, I like to keep comparing. Like they're the exact same. When we were doing or any, any sitcom, they would do it and then it would get a medium laugh. And then we liked it all week. The people that we thought were funny to each other and then they go, listen, the, you know, the youth prisoners that they bust in for the show aren't biting on this one, so let's dumb it down a little bit. And then I go, well, let's not wind up with the one that these guys like because we believed in these jokes. And then they're scrambling and trying stuff. I'm like, then I don't even know what winds up on the show. But you go, you can't do that. Like it's better to have something where you just pick it and say, this is our style, this is our vibe.

[David Spade]

Like it was, it was new and we'd gone through Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, mash, all these brilliant sitcoms, half hour shows, and all of a sudden there's a show with a puffy jacket or a suit Nazi. It just was instantly a different sensibility when I saw it. And I saw at least 13 of them. I don't know how many I've seen.

[Dana Carvey]

But.

[Larry David]

We didn't even know how to write a sitcom. We'd never done it before.

[Dana Carvey]

You didn't have that good.

[David Spade]

You didn't know how to do a bad one.

[Larry David]

And there was no, there was no writer's room.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, really?

[Larry David]

Yeah, we didn't have a writer's room.

[Dana Carvey]

Who wrote? Well, we knew some SNL people that wrote on there. But was it. I heard the idea was people would walk into a cold, like, freezer room and then it was you sitting there in a chair in the dark and they would pitch.

[Larry David]

I was always very nice.

[Dana Carvey]

If you didn't like it, you hear shame. And they'd walk out. But they said it was, they make it more than it is. They probably because they go, we'd have to wait. And then we go in and pitch. And then Larry would just shake us.

[David Spade]

And they, you're. You have a big laugh. And so they loved it. If they could make, oh, if you could laugh, they could make Larry laugh in the pitch.

[Larry David]

I I. I was always very nice to everyone who came in.

[Dana Carvey]

I could imagine you're a good crowd right now. You're just. You're very open. When I see you out in the world, I don't see that much. But you always seem very loose and friendly, and there's no people. I think people think of this curmudgeon thing that's like a little. Because it's in the show.

[Larry David]

That's. No, that's me. This is. This is the act.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Do more people talk to you? What do they talk to you about? In order they know, is it Seinfeld or is it Curb, or is it something else now? Yeah.

[Larry David]

Well, now it's Curb.

[Dana Carvey]

It's just Curb all the time. Curb, curve, curve. Seinfeld. Curb, Curb. Seinfeld.

[David Spade]

Was Jerry ever like Jerry?

[Dana Carvey]

Good question.

[David Spade]

Being sort of a stoic, you know, he doesn't like people being neurotic and creating problems. Because I've gotten to know him a little bit. I did comedians and cars and stuff. And so then I realized when he is abrupt about that, he's really slightly annoyed that someone would create a problem, you know, out of nothing. So it would just. I'd say, I don't know about my act. I don't. How do you write new jokes? Just write them. You know, he's like. You know. And at first I was like, is this guy aggressive?

[Larry David]

No.

[David Spade]

He doesn't like neurotic comedians going, I don't want to play that club. Don't play it. I mean, does he like that with you? I mean, once I understood where he was coming from, we had him in here, and it was. I totally got it. He does not like problems that don't need to exist. And he just.

[Larry David]

No, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

I like. I like this stance when I said it. He doesn't do that many specials. And I said, all the comics now, they do a special for an hour, and then they have to throw away the material. And he goes, why do they have to throw it away? I go, I don't want to throw it. I go, I have stuff. It takes so long to sharpen it and get it to fucking work. And when I go on the road, they want to see a show that works. I don't want to start from scratch. And he goes, listen. He text talks to me like I'm a child. He goes, listen, don't throw it away. He goes, do the jokes at work. He goes, people think they have too many jokes that work. He said, when you boil it down, every great comic probably has an hour 15. In their whole career, that's just killers. And I think Leno's like that, too. They just boil down to, like, get what works and do it. And if some of them are great jokes, it's like songs I like that I like. When someone does something I like, especially a comic, I go, this is my favorite one. I'm glad they're doing it. I don't want to see. Because specials get watered down over time. And I'm like, ah, another one. What the fuck? What do you got left in the tent?

[David Spade]

There's two jokes of Jerry that still stick with me that are. One was, the moose gets lifted out of Alaska and it's up in the sky and it wakes up and what. What does the moose think? I guess I can fly now. I just thought that was a great one. And then the eulogy one. You know, the eulogy one.

[Larry David]

That one.

[David Spade]

The number one fear of all human beings are. Is public speaking. So at any funeral, the person giving the eulogy would rather be in the casket. It's a great joke.

[Larry David]

That's good.

[David Spade]

Yeah. So you had a great partner, and he had.

[Larry David]

Yeah, yeah, we had. We had a great time.

[David Spade]

Yeah. But you'll be remembered for Curb. My point is this. No, I don't. Curb's 20.

[Dana Carvey]

Do an impression.

[David Spade]

Do an impression. You did Bernie Sanders.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Okay. What's your memory? I just did Biden.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

I was like, I don't know.

[Larry David]

So the. There was a debate in 2000. The election was 2016.

[David Spade]

And Bernie was running. Hillary was running.

[Larry David]

Yeah. So there was a debate. And then I think it was probably. I think the debate was 2015.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

And I never. And so I'm. When Bernie Sanders started to talk, everything he was saying, I would repeat. I don't know if you ever do that. Sometimes all of a sudden, because he sounded so familiar to me, because we're both from Brooklyn.

[David Spade]

Right.

[Larry David]

That I was able, in a way, to just tap into, you know, the way he talked.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

And. And he would say something, and I would repeat it. And then. Then my. My agent called me when the debate was over just to talk about it. Ari Emanuel. He said, did you see that? I said. And I said, of course I saw it. What do you think? What do you think? And he goes, okay, I'm calling Lorne Michaels.

[David Spade]

Perfect.

[Larry David]

Five minutes later, Lauren is on the phone with Ari. And that was on a Tuesday. And on Saturday, I'm doing the show. Oh, fun.

[David Spade]

So you have the 84 experience. Then all of a sudden, 2015, you come on you do, Bernie. And it is a smash. I mean, it's like, oh, my God, of course. Larry David. And you killed. Must have been fun.

[Larry David]

It was fun.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Because everything you said. You gotta laugh.

[Larry David]

Yeah, it was fun.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you go to the 50th? You went to the 40th? You did a lot in the 40th?

[Larry David]

I thought I was. I did. Yeah. I was in the. I went to the 40th.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

And I was in the audience, and I did some bit in the audience.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Larry David]

And the 50th. I went. But I didn't do anything. But I got sick at both of them. Okay, good.

[David Spade]

The 40, even the COVID In 2015, what would you get?

[Larry David]

2015. I got sick at the 40th.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

And I was doing a play at the time, and I was. I had to do the play with like, 102 temperature. 102 temperature, you know, Ouch. Because you got to go on.

[Dana Carvey]

It's so gross to be like, I gotta go on. You feel bad.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Larry David]

And then. And then I got sick again at the. At the 50th. Got the flu.

[Dana Carvey]

I think, you know, something must be there. When I hosted last time, I got sick during dress the worst anxiety riddle time in the middle of a sketch. They go, come on, come on. And I stood up. I was in, like a UPS outfit. And I go. And then I sat back down on the set, and they go, come on. The band's like, you got 90 seconds. And I go, I don't feel good. And I laid down on the floor, and everyone's like, what the fuck is going on? So they walk me to the dressing room, put me in the bathroom. I lay on the floor, and the audience is still there.

[Larry David]

Wow.

[Dana Carvey]

So they. It was the last sketch they just wrapped, and they let everyone out, and then they're pounding in the door going. And I hear him going, if he doesn't come out, we're gonna have to put a rerun on. We gotta tell NBC. And I'm laying on the floor sweating. I got. I don't know if I was food poisoning. Then I started barfing. And then I just sat there in my UPS uniform going, there couldn't be more stress already. You're sick. And everyone, including Lauren, is behind the door going, are we doing this? It's fine if we're not. We just have to. And so I finally get the door and I go, I mean, I can try. And then they go, all right, let's pull the rerun. Let's just try it. And wow. I started feeling a little better and I got some food in me and I was like, I don't know what happened. I got the whammy and then I did a good solid 70% I gave. And the guy in the UPS sketch, the writer, I could see him in the back going, yeah, you're a real fucking hero. Because obviously that sketch got cut because I don't think I even finished it. You know what I mean?

[Larry David]

The thing about it, when I was doing it and I was sick.

[Dana Carvey]

And.

[Larry David]

I remember thinking during the middle of it, I don't feel sick. I don't. Something.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, your adrenaline maybe.

[David Spade]

That's remarkable. I felt like Fraser in the 15th round last time I hosted. Like really now, can I do this? And the same thing.

[Dana Carvey]

Just pass out once you get out.

[David Spade]

There, the applause, the laughs, I mean, you're hosting was good experiences or is it not really.

[Larry David]

Yeah, it was okay. It was okay.

[David Spade]

Did Lauren give you a thumbs up or what did Lauren say to you?

[Larry David]

Well, they invited you. Invited me to. To do it again. So I, I guess it wasn't a total bum, but I had, you know, the hardest part was having to prepare a monologue.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah.

[Larry David]

Because I hadn't been on in a long time.

[Dana Carvey]

Expect the world from you.

[Larry David]

So I had, I had to write a monologue and then do it in different clubs.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you had to go out?

[Larry David]

Yeah, that was.

[David Spade]

It's a lot of. Just do Q and A with the, with the, with the cast.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah, that's the fake.

[David Spade]

You singing would have been funny.

[Larry David]

Y. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

In a club they go, we have a guest here, Larry Dave. And you walk up, so dogs are funny. And everyone's like, what's he doing?

[Larry David]

And then a half hour before the show at 11 o', clock, I was called up to Lauren's office and the sensor was there. Oh, and the sensor said that I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this a bit.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, at 11?

[Larry David]

Yeah, at 11 o' clock off. And there two bits they didn't want me to do.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, come on.

[David Spade]

Oh, please.

[Larry David]

And then.

[David Spade]

Well, the other one, whatever.

[Larry David]

You know, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna, I gotta, I'm gonna do it.

[Dana Carvey]

You're not gonna do it?

[David Spade]

Well, you said you're gonna, so I.

[Larry David]

Said, no, I'm gonna.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you said you're gonna do it. I said, yeah. And I can't.

[Larry David]

I said I can't. I have to do it.

[Dana Carvey]

You have nothing.

[Larry David]

And I go, yeah, I go What? Why is it offensive? I don't get it. Who's going to be offended by this? Lauren. Lauren, after five minutes of this, said, I. I can't. I can't do him. But he said, like he said to the censor, I don't think you're gonna win this one. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, he said to the censor, yeah.

[David Spade]

I don't think you're gonna win this one.

[Larry David]

Yeah, that's exactly it.

[Dana Carvey]

Let's get Larry to make up.

[David Spade]

Like, you know, you can only take so much from a Larry.

[Dana Carvey]

Dave, we've wasted Larry's time enough.

[David Spade]

Let him go down, check his celebrity net worth, and you'll see that he truly is.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, when I. When I hosted a great story about me, we can cut this out. We already did. No, I had. When I hosted, I had. It was. Sandler was in my trick monologue. I'm only telling you this because it's kind of similar to where he's the audience member, but he's playing a goofy guy that he used to do. So he was there that weekend. He goes, I'll come and we'll do that. That'll be your monologue. So I can worry about the 13 sketches that are about to bomb. And so that morning, Saturday, they say, Adam goes, I gotta Waterboy open that weekend big. And he had to fly back to la. And he goes, I can't do it, pal. I was like, oh, shit. So I couldn't cover it because it was his character. And I'm like, what's my monologue? And then we're like, okay, rehearsal. And I'm like, in going, guys, I gotta get a monologue. One of the breaks. And they go. And everyone does just do standup. But I hadn't done it for a while, and I definitely hadn't done a club or anything. So there's no practice, which you need a little. Even when we were at the 50th, I just did a set with Chris Rock and Nate Bragazzi just for fun. Cause we were out having dinner and they go, oh, Mulaney and Steve Martin and Martin Short were just here doing standup. They all came in, everyone did a set just like everyone bumped super fun night. But I don't get to do that. So I just go, oh, I have this one in my act about a polar bear and about this other one. And then they go, just do that. So the only time I rehearsed it was at dress, or right before dress, you know, to try it, but I couldn't really remember it.

[David Spade]

All.

[Dana Carvey]

And then I had to sit in my dressing room and go, how does that one go? So scary. It went all right, but I know the monologue. It's all.

[Larry David]

How come you didn't get them on cards?

[Dana Carvey]

I got it. Oh, because I had to tell cards what to put, and I just said, just forget it. Just put monkey joke, polar bear.

[Larry David]

Oh, okay.

[Dana Carvey]

And go to a commercial when I start fucking crying.

[David Spade]

I don't, like stand up either. I mean, honestly, if anytime a show was canceled, I was happy.

[Larry David]

You're happy, right?

[David Spade]

But if I go up and I'm killing, I go, well, this is kind of fun, but I might never want to go. And I don't like.

[Larry David]

I'm exactly the same way.

[David Spade]

I never want to be in a de facto comedy competition. Go to the comedy store. There's 10 comics. I'm gonna try new stuff. They're doing their A stuff. Lean into it, you know, And I just don't like the people. You were one of the best tonight. I mean, what do I need that for?

[Dana Carvey]

I'm just like you do you do corporates, do they. They call you to come in.

[David Spade]

They're fine.

[Dana Carvey]

Somebody's got enough money.

[Larry David]

No, I. I don't get asked.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, yeah, really?

[David Spade]

I'm gonna talk to my people. Have you ever been in. In a headlock by another adult male? As. As an adult, because I see the CEO was drunk and had me at a corporate event.

[Dana Carvey]

Guy.

[Larry David]

It's funny you should ask me that because. Because at the 50th, I was introduced to Paul McCartney, and I said to.

[David Spade]

Him, has anyone ever.

[Larry David]

No, I said to him, has anyone ever punched you in the mouth instead.

[David Spade]

Of hello, and we love all your albums.

[Larry David]

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been hit in the face with a fist? Has anybody ever punched you?

[Dana Carvey]

That's fucking great.

[David Spade]

And he must have loved it.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, wait, we were.

[David Spade]

What did he say?

[Larry David]

Yeah, the dinner. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

You were sitting right next to Paul. Yeah, you were hilarious. He was a good laugher, too. Yeah, he was into it. I think he likes having.

[David Spade]

He's a charmer. I mean. But what did he say after you said. He just started laughing.

[Larry David]

No, he. There wasn't. There was an incident. There was an incident in his youth when he was, like, 13 or 14, and somebody headbutted him. He told me.

[David Spade]

He's. He's so charming. There's something on YouTube. You can look it up. But McCartney's going into a nightclub with people. This is like, with five years in la, The. The Doorman doesn't recognize him. And they, no, you can't go. And then you hear Paul say, we've got to write more songs. We got. We better go back to drawing. But we're not big enough, not famous enough.

[Dana Carvey]

So anyway, that was a night I'm gonna ask him. I was sitting next to Chris Rock and I came late and I felt embarrassed, but I was 100% not invited. I was. Chris I was meeting for dinner. And he goes, just come here. And then I realized I was crashing at dinner. He was. Invites you or something, whatever. So anyway, I went and Paul was very nice. Whoever threw that thing, just like 10 people. But the funny part was I was sitting just where I could see kind of between. You guys are on the same side as me. So I'm trying to crank my head between Chris and you and see Paul and here you go, and Larry's killing. And then every time Paul gets to a story where he says something like, I told you where he's like, you know, yesterday, the way I came up with it was one night when I was dreaming the guy who had potato skins. Then he leaves and I go. And then he's putting this shit down, he goes, top off your water. Top off. And I'm like, I'm trying to. And then he goes. I go, it's a quarter inch. We're topped off. And he's like, I got a little more in there. Then he comes out and I go. And he goes. And that's how I came with yesterday. And I go, uh huh. Then he goes, the last thing John ever said to me, hey, coconut shrimp. Hot plate, hot plate. And I'm like, God damn, dude. I'm missing every. This thing. I couldn't pay enough to hear Paul McCartney.

[David Spade]

The dichotomy between how humble and liverpud lean he is and the geniuses. We sat down here for a plonk, you know, John and I like looking in a mirror. And that's how we came up with Abiroud. You know, we just plunked, you know, it's like, what the.

[Larry David]

What about, what about Lennon? What would he say?

[David Spade]

What would he say? Well, here we go.

[Larry David]

Let's see.

[David Spade]

John Lennon. Yeah. John would be more nasal, you know. Paul was always one of those. Ringo is more like peace and love. They were me brothers. They're me brothers. Me brothers. They're me brothers. Peace and love. Can you say anything else? No. Me brothers made out of love. And the polls like this. And George was sort of language laid back, you know, they were the primary songwriters, for me, they were my brothers, you know. So anyway, I'm obsessed with too much. I just want to make you laugh because you. You came. You drove 300 miles.

[Larry David]

No, that was easy.

[Dana Carvey]

Do that Kim Kardashian one.

[David Spade]

What is that Kim Kardashian one? Oh, that's why, dude, John Lennon talking to Paul. John from heaven. Because I want to hear them talk, you know? And you know, what happened to the big orange man, you know? Well, he's president again, but he was beat by another man, you know, named Joe Biden, you know, and he goes, wasn't he? What about didn't kill Kanye West? What happened to him? We went. Flew away. We don't know what happened to him, you know. Was he with a woman named Kim Kardashian? How's she doing? I'm doing the short version.

[Dana Carvey]

John knows a couple little things.

[David Spade]

They talk right away.

[Dana Carvey]

Pop references.

[David Spade]

Well, you know, she's a nice girl, you know. Well, how does she make a living? Well, she takes pictures of her bottom. What's her special about her bottom? It's not a normal bottom. It's a bottom 2.0. It's like God made a fanny and attached to person is an afterthought. The whole family has big bottoms. All of them are doing it. And if they follow their backs, they're sort of like turtles. They can't get up again. They have to have turtle wranglers lift them up. You know, the whole family's doing it. One gentleman got so frustrated, he became a woman.

[Dana Carvey]

So that's.

[David Spade]

That's a truncated version of it. You have a great sense of humor. Can you come back tomorrow?

[Larry David]

Well, I love impressions, so.

[David Spade]

Me, too. If I see someone.

[Larry David]

Yeah. Bill Hader was on my show, and he was.

[David Spade]

Oh, he's so.

[Larry David]

Oh, my God.

[David Spade]

Yeah, he did he do one of my bits, I think. Burton Kirk or. Yeah, Jimmy Stewart.

[Larry David]

He gave you credit. He did Burton Kirk. Yeah. He gave you full credit.

[Dana Carvey]

I know, I know.

[David Spade]

It was flattering how much he loves it, because I think he's absolutely brilliant, you know, but, yeah, he loves that Burton Kirk thing, too. I want you. I want you. No, now, take it easy, son. We're just two men having fun. Don't keep bucking around like that. I only got so much play down there. You keep bucking around like that.

[Larry David]

So great.

[David Spade]

I want you. What are you gonna do, cowboy? Come on, I'll take you. So I do this for 20 minutes. I once had Jon Lovitz throw up in a parking garage because I'LL do it for 20 minutes, but because he.

[Larry David]

Was laughing so hard.

[David Spade]

Because it goes on and on and on and on, you know?

[Larry David]

Shit.

[David Spade]

So I keep doing bits.

[Dana Carvey]

No, we're doing good. I think maybe we wasted enough of his time.

[David Spade]

I mean, this is my current favorite. Do you want me to do it?

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, do one more.

[David Spade]

It's not. This is Jimmy Stewart, which I think Conan, but trying to come up with a new Jimmy Stewart thing is that someone's gonna perform oral sex on him and he does it as Jimmy Stewart Case. It's not X rated.

[Larry David]

Okay, I know this one, too.

[David Spade]

Yeah. All right. No, no, no. Don't touch it. No, just slow down. Now I want you to slowly turn your head and look away. Yeah, yeah, that's it. Just look away. Now I want you to forget about it. Pretend you never saw it. Now slowly, but ever slowly turn your head back around and discover it again. That's it. That's the look I want. Just discover it. You're. Just consider it now. Slowly. You know, so that's. That's my latest.

[Larry David]

That's just hilarious.

[David Spade]

I've never done this many times.

[Larry David]

That's so funny.

[Dana Carvey]

Discover it and consider it.

[David Spade]

Well, I have one where he leaves the house. Now I'm gonna go around the corner and get a soda pop, and I want you to forget all about it. You never saw it. Then I'm gonna come back and I want you to slowly turn and discover it again like it's brand new. Yeah, yeah. No, no, don't, don't, don't. Don't touch it. Just. Just think about it. I'll back the head up again. I know. I'm gonna back up and go out in the hallway, so. I see. I'll just go for 20 minutes. But you're the greatest audience.

[Dana Carvey]

That's a good close.

[David Spade]

I do, too.

[Dana Carvey]

It should be your closer. That's a great one.

[David Spade]

I'm gonna edit these things together, release it as a special.

[Larry David]

So funny. Holy cow.

[Dana Carvey]

Anything you need from us, Larry, you'd all right?

[Larry David]

Oh, no, I'm good.

[Dana Carvey]

Thank you very much for coming here.

[David Spade]

You're. You're just an amazing guest, and I don't know what to say other than.

[Larry David]

I did the best I could.

[Dana Carvey]

You did great. We all didn't want to do this, and we all did it, and I think I'm proud of us all.

[David Spade]

Did you want to go? Yes. That's all I do with Jerry.

[Larry David]

How many. How many podcasts are there?

[Dana Carvey]

Over three.

[David Spade]

Over three million now. No, honestly, no, no. I think there's three million.

[Larry David]

Does that seem too low?

[David Spade]

Sounds like a joke. There's 3 million podcasts in North America. I don't know how.

[Larry David]

How does everyone do it?

[Dana Carvey]

We googled it and that was over 3 million. That was about a year ago. So it's.

[David Spade]

Most don't get past 30 episodes. So they come in and out, but I don't know how. Greg, here's our producer. How do they.

[Dana Carvey]

It seems easy. It's kind of hard to do.

[David Spade]

Digital space is unlimited. That we can all just.

[Dana Carvey]

It feels like the easiest thing in the world. So if you're an actor or if you're doing anything in showbiz and things are slow, you feel like you want to do something well.

[Larry David]

Right.

[Dana Carvey]

And then it's like when people used to watch the Kardashians. They wanted a reality show. They go, hey, I argue. I hate my family too. I yell at them in the kitchen, I can do this show. So that's what they think. And then they go to podcast and it's a little trickier and tougher and a lot fizzle, but some stick around. It's, it's, it's a little bit to it.

[David Spade]

It's a new. So it's sort of like, you know, you do the talk show and you do the pre interview and you have two minutes and they're cutting. And so this is just like us hanging out. So just new art form of like shooting the rehearsal, doing half baked stuff. We don't have a script. I had a few questions.

[Dana Carvey]

Right. It's good to have a Danish.

[David Spade]

So it is fun. It can be fun just because of the freedom of it.

[Larry David]

Yeah. And it's great that you're doing it together.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I think, yeah, we, we get along really well.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. It's easier. And then if someone else, whoever we got here, one of us knows something about something and. But we let them talk sometimes. We let you talk a little bit.

[Larry David]

Yeah, I said, I said a couple of things. Feel free to cut me out of the whole thing.

[Dana Carvey]

We don't need too much.

[David Spade]

Well, I'd say I watch you on Conan and I noticed this morning just. And I said, oh, God, Larry loves to laugh, you know, you know, like you, you're like maybe the funniest guy. Whatever. Let's just say he's arguably the funniest person in the last. This generation.

[Dana Carvey]

Arguably last 300.

[David Spade]

You're in the conversation as the funniest person. So to make that guy laugh is just a pleasure.

[Larry David]

You heard the, the Conan what Podcast?

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

And you guys are having such a good time. And I noticed because I haven't hung out with you a lot. I just said, larry loves to laugh.

[Larry David]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

You know, and so that's why I just thought I'd do a few things, you know.

[Larry David]

All right.

[Dana Carvey]

Anyway, when he did. When I did Curb, and this is the last thing I'll say, you had to cut some stuff out. And you called me because very. It's very tough to call someone telling me how to cut something. So he told me. And the funniest part was I said, okay, well, I had a great time, and thanks for putting me on there. And it was. And then you felt guilty, and you go, now I feel bad. And I go, well, well, I understand it. And they go, are you being sarcastic? I go, no. I know that these shows go long and we ad lib forever, and if you got to take some stuff out and you go, all right, I'll try to put it back in. And I go, no, it's fine. And it turned into another episode. It was just funny to hear you feel bad that you had to call me. But it's hard to tell someone that. And a lot of people say they never even told me. I'm like, it's hard to tell people this. It is what it is. If it gets cut, it gets cut.

[David Spade]

But that was. The people who would design Seinfeld and Curb would have all that kind of emotions because it's coming from all this human.

[Dana Carvey]

You're on both sides.

[David Spade]

So that makes sense that you would suddenly feel bad because if you're a.

[Larry David]

Sensitive instrument on Seinfeld, this guy I knew paid a lot of money to be an extra for charity, and I inadvertently cut him out of the show. And he had a party. He was gonna have people.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, my God.

[Larry David]

People over his house.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

So him. All right. Okay, thanks. Thanks, bud. Hey, guys, if you're loving this podcast, which you are, be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app, Give us review 5 star rating, and maybe even share an episode that you've loved with a friend.

[David Spade]

If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now.

[Dana Carvey]

Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey, an executive produced by Dana Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro and Greg Holtzman, Maddie Sprung Keyser and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey.

[David Spade]

Our senior producer is Greg Holtzman, and the show is produced and edited by.

[Dana Carvey]

Phil Sweet Tech booking the by cultivated Entertainment.

[David Spade]

Special thanks to Patrick Fogarty, Evan Cox, Maura Curran, Melissa Wester. Hillary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kirk Courtney and Lauren Vieira.

[Dana Carvey]

Reach out with us. Any questions be asked and answered on the show? You can email [e-mail] that's a U-A C-Y dot com.