10 Times Larry David Went Too Far On Curb Your Enthusiasm

The social assassin at his career worst.

By Josh Mills /

He may look like a harmless pensioner in a snappy jacket and slacks combo, but Larry David is a man of extremes. His Curb Your Enthusiasm character (who he admits is increasingly similar to his real life persona) is not a man lacking in passion and investment, and tends to go all in when he spots a societal issue he takes umbrage with, or a chance to prove a point.

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Over 10 great seasons of Curb, Larry has indulged in some questionable behaviour, settled some ludicrous scores, and annoyed countless friends, acquaintances, and strangers. His behaviour is often somewhat justifiable (in fact Larry is more often than not in the right), but it’s fair to say he goes about things the wrong way.

These, though, are the moments in which he has truly crossed the line, times when even his most staunch defenders would have to distance themselves from his latest cause. Larry’s heart is often in the right place - he speaks truth to an unjust society - but his tendency to overreact and overcommit land him in trouble time and again.

10. Handicapped Perks

Larry David is the ultimate opportunist - he’s been known to hire a prostitute to utilise the carpool lane, and spent what he thought were his final moments of life settling scores with loved ones. His brief dalliance with a romantic partner he knows only as Denise Handicapped, however, produced some of his best results.

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Larry meets an attractive woman in a coffee shop and asks her out, immediately at least semi-regretting it when he realises she’s wheelchair bound. He can’t back out of it, though, and takes her on a date that doesn’t go too well.

Before he can cut things off, though, he realises the special treatment he gets for dating a disabled person. He cuts lines, he parks where he wants - suddenly Larry David, usually public enemy number one, is something close to a saint.

He gleefully uses the poor woman, not even bothering to learn her name, and when he loses her number, he quickly gives up the search for her to start dating a different disabled woman (who he knows as Wendy Wheelchair) so that the rewards don’t dry up.

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