“The Larry Sanders Show” was a 1990s TV trailblazer: shot documentary-style and without a laugh track, the HBO comedy about a fictional late night show relied on awkward humor, sharp dialogue and celebrity cameos to create its signature satirical style. "Good Morning America" hosted a mini-"Larry Sanders Show" reunion Friday, where Gary Shandling and Jeffrey Tambor reflected on the show's legacy and told some stories about its early days.
Tambor told Chris Connelly he knew the show would be a hit from the moment he read the script, but was less sure his character Hank Kingsley's catchphrase "Hey now" would catch on. "When I read the script, I said, 'I could see it.' I think I was the most convinced of anybody ... Well I actually didn't think 'Hey now,' was gonna deliver, but [Shandling] said, 'Just say it."'
In an interview with EW, Shandling expanded on the show's influence on the TV landscape, which can be readily seen on shows like "The Office" and "30 Rock." "I was surprised by the impact it seemed to have on new writers, new comedic actors, directors. Sometimes I’ll be watching TV and what happens is I’ll flip to [a show] and within two seconds, I feel like I’m in the writers room again. That’s when I know there’s some similarity in the sensibility of the writing ... Mostly 'The Price is Right.'"
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