Curbing New Hampshire: Larry David Stumps for Obama

Hanover, New Hampshire -- On the night of the Iowa primary, I got an email from Larry David: "Obama's victory speech was the first time since middle school that I felt that much pride in being an American....(except for getting my syndication checks!)."

He was so excited, he decided to come to New Hampshire, along with Ari Emanuel, his longtime friend and agent.

Monday night, he headed to Dartmouth College in Hanover to talk about the importance of getting out votes for Obama at two large dorm gatherings.

As we headed toward the first gathering, at the McLaughlin cluster of residence halls, students started running up to him, crying out, "I love you, I love you! I'm your biggest fan!!" Pretty soon there was a long, snaking line following him into the building, prompting one student to say that Larry was "like a Jewish Pied Piper."

And, indeed, the place was packed. So many students showed up that not everyone could fit inside, so they crowded around the doorways, trying to listen in.

The questions started coming rapid fire. It immediately became clear: these students were high-level aficionados of Larry's work. Some of them were undecided about Obama, but no one was undecided about Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld.

What followed was unlike any campaign event I've been at. A circular conversation that pinballed between politics and showbiz -- Why are you for Obama? Are you going to get back with Cheryl (his TV wife)? -- and often combined the two, with both Larry and the students riffing on how the '08 race related to moments from Curb or Seinfeld. Alas, the question of "shrinkage" never came up.

Throughout the event Larry was... well, Larry. Completely himself and utterly hilarious. At one point he noticed a student scratching himself and asked, "What are you doing itching your balls at an Obama event?"

Another student asked him what he thought Obama's chances were. He answered with his signature "Pre-tty, pre-tty good," leading to a raucous outburst.

"I'm undecided between Obama and Hillary," one young woman said. "Aren't you tired of the old?" he replied. "Don't you want to put on some clean clothes? Voting for Hillary would be like doing Frasier again on TV. Don't you want something fresh, new and creative?"

"I mean, haven't we had enough with Bushes and Clintons and Bushes?" he continued. "The country needs a shower, a good, long, hot shower. That's what Obama is, a hot shower. So fresh you can smell him. Delicious."

Another student asked him when he first met Obama. "I met him in Martha's Vineyard," he replied, "in the summer of '04. I liked him from the first moment, even though he's a skinny man...not presidential in a bathing suit. And I decided to support him when I first heard him speak at the Democratic Convention."

When asked which Republican he would vote for, if he had to vote Republican, Larry replied: "Candidates who do not believe in evolution are not my cup of tea."

When a young woman said that she was trying to decide whether to vote for Obama or John McCain, Larry took a beat, and pursed his lips. "Let's see," he said, "one was against the war in Iraq from the beginning, and one wants to keep the troops there for another hundred years. I can see your dilemma."

More Curb: How did you cast Leon? "He just came in, I took one look at him and he got the job. He made me laugh." "'I bring the ruckus to the ladies!'" a student called out, quoting Leon. Followups: Who would Leon vote for? "Obama." What would most hurt Obama's chances? "He needs to avoid saying 'Fuck' in his speech and sexual come-ons to women around him. He also needs to avoid going, 'I dunno if I can do this, I'm scared.' Other than that, it'll be alright."

The gathering ended with a question about whether Larry and Cheryl would get back together. Larry asked the group whether they wanted them to -- and was a little surprised when the overwhelming majority said they would. Only a few wanted him to stay with Loretta Black (Viveca A. Fox). And one guy wanted him to swing.

Then it was off to Zimmerman Hall and another lively Q & A.

"I'm not sure if I'll vote for Obama," a student said. "I'm concerned about his lack of experience." "Would it help," said Larry, "if I told you that Lincoln only had two years of experience in Congress before he became president and the times could not have been more turbulent. And did anybody have more experience than Bob Dole, who had been in the Senate for over 25 years when he ran? And how awful would that have been if he had won? Plus, just imagine how the rest of the world will see us the day they wake up to Obama as president."

"What about Giuliani?" asked another student. "He did a good job for you in the low-fat yogurt Seinfeld episode." "Yes, he did," Larry responded, "but he's a lunatic."

"What did she whisper in your ear?" someone asked about the Curb episode featuring Alanis Morissette. "Nothing intelligible," Larry replied. "Originally, it was supposed to be Carly Simon, who was going to reveal to me who "You're So Vain" was about, but she canceled and I had to find an alternative."

Favorite Curb episode? "The Ski Lift".

Favorite Seinfeld Episodes? "The Contest," "The Marine Biologist," and "The Opposite": "We would have been much better off if President Bush had done the opposite of everything he wanted to do -- on the war, on torture, on shredding up the Constitution."

Which Seinfeld character would he like to see as president? "Newman. Because every time he would give a press conference and walk up to the podium, everyone would say 'Hello, Newman.'"

What would be in an Obama sandwich? "Tomato, lettuce, and sardines." (Regrettably there was no debate on how The Obama would stack up against The Larry David combo of whitefish, sable, capers, onions and cream cheese.)

"Isn't your hair too short?" he suddenly asked one young man. "Do girls like it that short?" "I like it longer and curly," a girl piped in.

"I'm undecided between Obama and Edwards," said another student. "What can you say to convince me?" " If you don't vote for Obama I'm never doing the show again," Larry replied.

I took the kid's name down; it was Zach. So we have someone to blame if Larry never does Curb again. "I wouldn't have been a comedian if my name was Zach," Larry added, and then ended with a sincere pitch for Obama: "Please, please vote for him."

Comments

[longislandlol]

Larry David has an unbelievably huge following.. next- Al Gore should endorse Obama soon- then Teddy Kennedy-- then Bill Richardson... Pelosi, --will-- but don't bet on Feinstein..

[anotherbozo]

Very entertaining post, Ms Huffington, thanks for Larry's wit, mainly. But also instructive, giving me some one-liners when I field questions about Obama among friends.

[nyscribbler]

Read the op-ed from Gloria Steinem yesterday. She is a "victim feminist". These types parade around as progressive women but are so fearful and resentful that they ultimately urge regressive solutions. Ban all pornography! Assume all men are rapists! If you look back at old time feminists this sort of person is evident. Many joined the Women's Temperance Movement and other conservative groups. Real feminists (like Hillary Clinton) have no use for these scaredy-cats except as useful idiots. Lets follow the lead of our achieving women, Nancy Pelosi, Madeline Albright Katherine Graham, among the more conservative.

Gloria Steinem is so afraid that women are going to be sold out. She should concentrate on the policies Hillary endorses and the status quo she endorses- if we dont support the status quo we will beg to disagree. Ms. Steinem wants to be part of the power base- hence she supports a candidate with the same conservative impulses.

nyscribbler

[cartach]

How come whenever I post a comment with the name Arianna in it I'm advised that that it's pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved? Word from the top I suppose. Must be one of the rules that moderators look for,one of the unwritten rules that is? That does'nt seem to be in the interests of freedom of the press. Seems kind of one-sided and biased against posters.

[PrinceHal]

Larry David and Rahm Emanuel -- what a quiniela!

[rsammy]

I will hold my nose and vote for Hillary if it comes down to it....She is better than any of the evolution denying, torture fetishists on the other side. But who are we kidding about "experience"? She was the first lady of Arkansas, on and off, for roughly 8 years...I can't wait for Mrs. Huckabee to run on the same platform in 2012. Oh but she was also first lady of the US, too! Well, so much for standing up to the republicans. She got steamrolled on her Universal healthcare assignment she was inexplicably given. That's it, Hillary fans. Oh yeah, NY Senator...I recall her
brave sponsorship of a flag-burning amendment. Iraq war authorization! brilliant! neo-con vote on the iranian guard? The only thing that kept us out of that rush to war was the NIE. Hillary didn't help. We don't need her "experience"...
Will I vote for her in November? Of course; but only as a half-assed attempt to begin to reverse the profound damage of the last 8 years.
Obama is a new way. LD is right. Let's take a shower, put on some new duds, and reintroduce ourselves to the world.

[amosduncan]

Who is Kramer supporting?

[tif]

Dear Arianna...I hope you get this comment. Hey, staff monitoring, pay attention! All the talk about all the politics is moot if the votes don't/aren't counted. Electronic voting without paper back-up is ... how strongly can this be said... Not An Option. Think Susan B. Anthony. This is THE most important topic we can talk about, monitor, and relentlessly bring to and keep in the forefront until Nov. 2, 2008. Please talk about this and let's take back the process.

Thanks, tif

[luckyoldson]

HEY, HUFFINGTON:

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[USMC1980]

Arianna can write whatever she wants, but the fact is Obama is done. Hillary will be the nominee. One would hope that a smart and decent person like Arianna, would at least acknowledge the facts.

[NAMI]

HIllary won by 2 % in New Hampshire.
Obama won in IOWA by how many % ? was it 8 %
so.........what is the big deal ? just because Pollsters decided to make it look as if Hillary was so much behind.
DID YOU NOTICE THAT NONE OF THE MEDIA PUNDITS MENTIONED THIS 2 % SMALL VICTORY.

[twinkledawnn]

How is Obama any newer than Hilary? We have never had a black president or female president. Nothing old here. The only real difference between the two is that Hilary is experienced enough of a politician to understand the reality that when you are a politician you have to play politics less you be bumped by all the other politicians who are playing politics. Although personally I would be happy to see either one of them take office.

[mcnary]

You know the real funny thing about today on the Huff Post... Fearless Leader Went to the Middle East... not one word about it...Do you care.. I know I don't.

[illinoisan]

My all-time favorite Curb scene was the switched cell phone conversation between Leon Black and Tim Meadows ("I hit it and I quit it"). Meadows thinks it's Larry doing an offensive black guy routine and Leon says, "Yeah, I'm living the black man's life. I'm Barack Obama, mutha f&@ka, I'm the president of hittin' that a$$."

BTW, going through my own divorce, I cried at the end of the last season when Larry and Loretta got together. I hope that story line continues. CYE is my all-time favorite TV show.

[illinoisan]

Being named Larry myself, some of my fave Curb moments are when characters shout, "F&@K YOU, LARRY!" It happens in almost every episode.

Now I can't stop laughing thinking about Hillary shouting that too.