Larry David is celebrating the United States’ 250th birthday with his new HBO show, “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America,” but he wasn’t feeling too patriotic when President Donald Trump marked the nation’s milestone anniversary with a UFC fight at the White House.
“It was a travesty,” David told me Tuesday night at the “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” premiere in Hollywood. “What else can you say about it? It was embarrassing. I was embarrassed to be an American.”
#LarryDavid says President Donald Trump's UFC fight at the White House made him "embarrassed to be an American." pic.twitter.com/zFlCfeOwyG
Premiering June 26 on HBO, “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America” is a sketch show satirizing key points in U.S. history.
The series features a slew of celebrity guests, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bill Hader, Kathryn Hahn, Jon Hamm, Henry Winkler, Sean Hayes, Joe Manganiello, Jane Krakowski, Greg Kinnear, Alan Tudyk, Rita Wilson, Jerry and David Seinfeld. Vince Vaughn also guest stars, as do “Curb Your Enthusiasm” alumni Jeff Garlin, J.B. Smoove and Susie Essman as Susan B. Anthony.
Barack Obama also acts in one of the skits. His and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground is producing the series.
#LarryDavid says it was “really trippy” acting alongside President Barack Obama in “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness.” pic.twitter.com/O6HJOYWFMk
While details of the skit are being kept under wraps, David said Obama had “perfect” comedic timing. “He was really good at ad-libbing,” David said.
He described having Obama as a scene partner as “really trippy.”
“It was exciting. We had a great time,” David said, adding he tried not to think about it too much because he didn’t want “to screw it up.”
Perhaps the former President will earn an acting Emmy for his performance? In typical David behavior, he shrugged, “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Larry David isn’t too sure Barack Obama's role in “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” will win him an Emmy, despite the former president's “perfect” comedic timing.
“I wouldn't go that far.” pic.twitter.com/ihY5OzJw19
It was Higher Ground who approached David about the project.
“I know the President a little bit. We played golf together, and I did a Super Bowl ad maybe four or five years ago where I was dressed in costumes and everything. So maybe that was part of their thinking,” David said. “I don’t know. Maybe they just like ‘Curb.’”
David sure does wear a lot of period costumes and wigs. No surprise, but he wasn’t a fan of spending so much time in hair and makeup. “I don’t know how people walk around with wigs and hairpieces,” he said. “It feels like you’ve got 1,000 insects crawling on your head and beards are even worse. They’re so itchy, you can’t eat.”
The series is directed by co-creator Jeff Schaffer. Higher Ground’s Ethan Lewis serves as executive producer.
In order to keep the evening free of spoilers, guest stars who attended the premiere, including Garlin, Essman and Winkler, were not allowed to talk to press. David, Schaffer and Lewis were the only ones giving interviews.
Lewis told me that the Obamas were looking to celebrate the 250th anniversary, but wanted to do so “in a way that feels unexpected and unique.”
Schaffer said one of his biggest concerns was what to call Obama while directing him. “I was telling the Higher Ground people, ‘What do I call him when I want to give him a note?’” he recalled. “They were like, ‘Just try sir.’ You’re trying to remember not to just go, ‘Alright, Barack, you’ve got to do this,’ because we move really fast. But he was amazing.”
