Top 10 Most Hilarious Larry David Moments on Curb Your Enthusiasm

“Shaq”

In this season 2 episode, Larry finds himself in a bit of a pickle after accidentally tripping over Shaquille O’Neal at a basketball game and injuring him. Now, while most folks would be mortified by such a mishap, Larry, being Larry, relishes his newfound status of social pariah. Things get so bad that even Cheryl tries to avoid being seen with him in public, but Larry insists on accompanying her for a coffee run. Faced with a complicated array of fancy coffee names, a confused Larry opts for a mishmash of everything. Of course, he ends up embarrassing Cheryl with his “milk and coffee” spiel, prompting her to pack up and leave.

“The Larry David Sandwich”

Larry’s favorite deli, Leo’s, has bestowed him with the prestigious honor of having a sandwich named after him. This puts him up there with the likes of Tom Hanks, Bette Midler and his pal, Ted Danson. There’s just one problem: Larry finds the sandwich’s ingredients utterly repulsive. Naturally, he sets his sights on Ted’s sandwich, a far more palatable option, and tries to switch with him. At first, Ted entertains the idea of swapping, but upon discovering the unsavory contents of Larry’s sandwich, he becomes a lot more reluctant. Needless to say, this pisses off Larry, who is even further aggravated by Jeff constantly reminding Ted of the sandwich’s unappealing ingredients.

“The Car Pool Lane”

Few among us would jump at the chance to serve on a jury, and Larry David certainly isn’t one of those few. But while most people would tender legitimate excuses to get out of jury duty, Larry decides to wear his “Seinfeld” jacket, banking on their apparent disdain for Hollywood types. However, once he gets to court and discovers that the defendant is African-American, he switches gears and, instead, claims to be racist. Predictably, this plan backfires spectacularly later in the episode. Lucky for Larry, he is saved by the presence of Monena, the sex worker whose stash of dope previously sent him spiraling into a deep existential crisis.

“The End”

It’s common knowledge, at this point, that hardly anyone can tolerate Larry David and his antics. Not his wife, not his friends and, apparently, not even the celestial beings. In the season 5 finale, Larry dies after giving his kidney to Richard Lewis and ascends into Heaven, where he meets his guardian angels. As Larry proudly discusses his supposedly excellent DVD storing system, sparks fly between him and the angels, and not the heavenly kind. Only Larry could trigger such an expletive-filled angelic meltdown. After a brief discussion, the verdict from on high isn’t favorable. The angels decide that Larry’s antics aren’t exactly heaven material, and he is promptly cast back down to Earth.

“The Table Read”

During the “Seinfeld” reunion table read, Larry encounters a young fan, who he learns has a rash on her private parts. However, when letting him in on this information, the girl’s mother makes use of a crude word. Although Larry is initially taken aback, he ends up embracing the term, much to the horror of those around him. This newfound vocabulary lands him in hot water when he visits the hospital after developing a rash of his own. When questioned by the doctor, Larry’s explanation, though technically accurate and innocent, paints him in a rather unsavory light. Unsurprisingly, the doctor jumps to conclusions, pegging Larry as a potential predator and promptly calling the cops.

“The Baptism”

Some of the most hilarious moments on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” stem from the banter between Larry and his friend, comedian Richard Lewis. But this one deserves a special mention for turning such a trivial matter into a full-blown spat. Richard asserts that Larry stole his outgoing message for his answering machine - a claim the latter vehemently denies. Larry argues that he wrote the message seven years prior. Richard shoots back, claiming he did it seven-and-a-half years prior, and then tries to play the pity card. They go around in circles until Larry eventually lets up and changes his message. But make no mistake, this is no admission of guilt, Larry’s just flexing his “big, expansive” muscles.

“The Doll”

Not many of us would cut off the hair of a little girl’s doll, even if asked. Then again, not many of us are Larry David. After ruining the doll belonging to a network executive’s daughter, Larry opts for a quick fix from Jeff’s kid’s collection. Luckily, they find the exact doll, but when Susie nearly catches them, Larry stuffs the doll head down his pants. Not exactly grown man behavior, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Larry pulls off the same stunt later on in a theater restroom, this time trying to hide a water bottle. But things get awkward when he is hugged by the very girl whose doll he destroyed, making for a highly uncomfortable moment.

“Trick or Treat”

Ever wondered what the cutoff for trick-or-treating is? Well, according to Larry David, it’s somewhere before the age of 16. When two uncostumed teenagers show up at his house on Halloween demanding candy, Larry questions their motives and refuses to oblige them. The girls argue and hurl insults at him, just before he slams the door in their faces. Fast forward to the next morning and the vengeful teens show Larry the “trick” side of Halloween. They toilet-paper his house and spray-paint what he deems hate speech on his front door. Sure, the mess could’ve been avoided if he’d just given them the candy, but then what? A parade of 30, 40-year-olds trick-or-treating? Not on Larry’s watch!

“Palestinian Chicken”

The episode “Palestinian Chicken” is a fan favorite, even earning a nod from the real-life Larry David. In the episode, Larry becomes a social assassin when he is essentially hired to tell his friend’s wife to stop saying “LOL”. Then, he finds himself in a dilemma after discovering a new Palestinian chicken restaurant, where he becomes attracted to a woman named Shara. Their affair kicks off after Shara witnesses a brawl between Larry and Marty. Things escalate when the Palestinian restaurant opens a branch next to a Jewish deli, prompting Larry’s friends to join a planned protest. Caught in the chaos, Larry faces a tough decision amid chants from Marty and Susie on one side, and tempting offers from Shara on the other.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Larry Rejects Ted Danson’s Pie, “Denise Handicapped”
A Nice Gesture Devolves Into a Shouting Match Between Larry & Ted


The Popcorn Dilemma, “Car Periscope”
Larry Falls Out With an Inventor After Refusing to Let His Wife Hold His Popcorn


Larry, the Failed Car Salesman, “The Car Salesman”
With Zero Marketing Skills, Larry Unsurprisingly Fails to Sell a Single Car


“Judge Judy” Appearance, “The Shucker”
Larry Drags Mrs. Shapiro to the Reality Court Show After She Steals His Plant


The Freak Book, “The Freak Book”
Larry Gifts Ted an Inappropriate Coffee Table Book and Disrupts His Party While Reading It

“Seinfeld”

Arguably the most hilarious Larry David moment is one that actually cuts across two seasons. It kicks off in the season 7 finale when Julia Louis-Dreyfus blames Larry for a ring stain on her family’s antique wooden table. He vehemently denies this, proclaiming his profound respect for wood. Despite being innocent, Larry launches a mission to find the wood-disrespecting culprit. This runs parallel to his quest to win back Cheryl, which he very nearly succeeds at. Just as they’re about to reconcile, Larry realizes it was Cheryl who left the dreaded ring stain and promptly calls Julia with the revelation. This spills over into the season 8 premiere, where Cheryl storms out, effectively burying any hope of rekindling their romance.


What Larry David lessons have you injected into your own daily interactions? Let us know in the comments below.