Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

Episode: RE-RELEASE - Larry David

Release Date: January 1, 2026

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.

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..."

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]

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 |

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].

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]