October 26, 2009 | 2:03 am

Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: October 24, 2009

Posted by  Eddy Friedfeld

This week’s masterful episode begins with the sound of Larry urinating, which sounds like a waterfall.

The chemistry between Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David is palpable:

“What do you have Seabiscuit in there with you” Jerry asks, as Larry walks out of the bathroom in his office.

“I’m taking new medication.”

Jerry proposes Lisa Kudrow after Meg Ryan has scheduling conflicts.

“You want an unknown for this,” the sneak Larry says, still trying to get ex-wife Cheryl back into the show and his life, “that happened to Cheryl in real life.”

“What’s real got to do with what we do? You think Nixon could’ve been Nixon in Frost Nixon?”

The two pals and colleagues whisper over how to deal with their new assistant, Maureen, who bares her midriff, showing with a flabby stomach.  They would fire her, but Elaine got her the job. 

“I can’t do that- I don’t want to,” Jerry says, “this doesn’t call for eloquence- it calls call for charm.”

The conversation with Maureen does not go well.  “You can take a break in the flaunt,” Larry tells her.  The upset Maureen quit, refusing to go on anymore vitamin runs for Larry or buy his socks.

Jerry and Larry debate honking an irate driver, as they take one on.  They then debate Larry’s excessive use of napkins at lunch: “How many napkins does a person need to get through a sandwich- you should bring a bath towel.”

Richard Lewis joins them for lunch, and then leaves while the two decide which one moves in closer to share the booth.

Cheryl runs into Jerry and thanks him for already having given her the part.

“Jerry was strange,” she tells Larry, “I thought I had the part.

“It’s like winning an election but waiting to get sworn in. The audition is the election.”

Elaine berates Jerry and Larry for firing Maureen:

“You can’t go up to a woman and tell her that her shirt is distracting, that’s the style.”

“We don’t live in your fancy LA young crowd,” Jerry tells her.

“Larry lives in Los Angeles.”

“He lives in his own mind, he doesn’t know anything about it.”

Larry apologizes to Maureen.  Her mother drops the groceries when she walks in, declaring him the spitting image of her late husband. 

Flashback to 1962, the lookalike Larry drives with his new bride and takes on an irate driver who assaults him with a tire iron (coincidentally, the lookalike also refers to bad drivers as “Schmohawks.”)

“They kill you for honking, they don’t kill you for shushing,”

His racehorse-like stream splashes the picture of Jesus near the toilet which causes a tearing Jesus, prompting a religious epiphany.

“Have you ever witnessed a miracle?” Maureen asks.

“I think every erection is a miracle,” Larry says.

The rest of the hysterical episode, includes Maureen’s stomach literally saves Larry’s life.

“Maybe tomorrow we can dress up as Kaufman and Hart,” Larry tells Jerry.  And while the reference is funny, it’s also intriguing- watching these two geniuses at work does harken back to the legend of the Broadway masters.  This was a brilliant and hysterical installment.  I keep thinking of the roles Larry and Jerry could play in a future series.  I see the two of them as detectives, both eccentric, who banter endlessly while occasionally solving crimes.

See you next week.

Eddy Friedfeld is a film and entertainment journalist and the co-author of “Caesar’s Hours” with Sid Caesar and teaches the history of comedy in America at Yale and NYU.

October 19, 2009 | 1:27 am

Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: October 18, 2009

Posted by  Eddy Friedfeld

Weaving his web of self-made crises, Larry David continues to straddle that line between marginal social acceptability and “destined to be cared for by the state.”

In a coffee shop, while singing to the music on his headset, he apologizes to a woman, Denise, at the next table, who turns out to be a big fan of the artist.  Larry has been invited to a private concert with the artist.

He makes a “pre-date,” with Denise of course who rolls out from behind her table in a wheelchair.

“You could be a creep,” she says.

“I’m a very big creep,” Larry replies.

In another scene, only Larry can have a wrestling match with Rosie O’Donnell over whom should pick up the check (“It’s the inviter who picks up the check,” Larry declares, as opposed to Rosie’s position as the grabee of the check)

It is also fun to see Rosie O’Donnell poking fun at herself, lecturing Larry about being mean and insensitive). “My kid never stops calling me,” Rosie tells him.

“Wheelchair girl,” as Denise is now referred to by Larry, go to a restaurant without a ramp.  Instead of going back to the car, Larry offers to carry her up a long flight of stairs.

But he can barely carry her up the stairs- (Maxwell Smart once had the same problem).  Wheelchair girl now has a problem with Larry’s follically-challenged head.

The ever-annoying Larry asks what the proper term for her condition is. “Are you challenged?”

“Right now I am.”

Their substantive romantic rendezvous consists of Larry trying to figure out how to kiss a woman in a wheelchair in a funny acrobatic play.

Later, an ethnically insensitive remark about a couple’s adopted Asian baby gets Larry dis-invited to the private concert.

Leon is still living with “LD,” and counsels Larry to break up with his newest girlfriend.  Taking her out once more in order to so, Larry gets to park in the handicapped spot and get a table at restaurant immediately with a long line and without a reservation (as well as complimentary champagne), reason enough for Larry to continue dating her.  Being seen with Denise even gets him re-invited to the private concert.

Even “a day at the beach” is a problem for Larry when he hesitates to rescue Susie and Jeff’s daughter from drowning to protect his blackberry, prompting Susie to throw his blackberry into the ocean.

Larry, who doesn’t know Denise’s last name (he had her in his blackberry as “Denise Handicap”) tries to find her by roaming her neighborhood with Leon.  He sees a woman in a wheelchair and decides that she and Denise probably know each other.  Leon, Larry’s new sidekick and validator, supports Larry’s logic:

If you lived in an all white neighborhood and there was only one other black person, you’d know him, wouldn’t you?

Wendy, also in a wheelchair, does not know Denise, but is also listening to the artist’s music.  Larry takes her to the concert, as if no one would know the substitution.  As if that were not enough, Denise managed to find her way to the home as well. I like Larry when situations happen to him, but less when he creates it for himself, but the showdown was hilarious, including a funny payoff which I won’t spoil if you haven’t see the episode yet.

See you next week.

Eddy Friedfeld is a film and entertainment journalist and the co-author of “Caesar’s Hours” with Sid Caesar and teaches the history of comedy in America at Yale and NYU.

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October 12, 2009 | 2:17 am

Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: October 11th 2009

Posted by  Eddy Friedfeld

This week’s episode began with Larry’s newest pet peeve:  Men wearing shorts on airplanes.  In the latest entry the plot is still intricately weaved.  Larry reminds me of “Q” in the James Bond movies:  The gadgets that Q gave 007 at the beginning of each film are like ticking time bombs-we know that they are going to be used at some point.  Larry’s Q plants the seeds of idiosyncrasies and new characters who all converge and make his life ever more miserable.

After burning himself on the little hot towel given to him by the Flight Attendant in first class (it could only happen to Larry) and then cajoling his doctor’s (well played by the stoically sardonic Philip Baker Hall) home phone number out of him “just for emergencies” (“I don’t want to be in your wallet,” he tells Larry), Larry calls him by accident and then proceeds to chit chat with him, annoying him even further.

Coincidentally (not that there’s ever one in this world) running into an ex-girlfriend Mary Jane Porter, he gets asked out.  “I’ve changed,” he tells her, which is not only a lie, but would be a tragedy.

“She is a ‘big bowl of out of your league” Jeff Garlin tells her.

Larry solicits dating and sexual advice from the slightly less clueless Jeff about how far he can go with a rekindled romance.  “Everything you’ve done before counts sexually.”

At Ted Danson’s party, Larry patrols the buffet area, admonishing Christian Slater about taking too much caviar, reminiscent of George Costanza’s double dipping, and then rats him out to Mary Steenburgen.

We learn of yet another life-long aversion of Larry’s-hearing people singing in public.  He abruptly curtails Jeff and Susie’s daughter for singing at Ted Danson’s party.  He also cuts a singer off at an Italian restaurant.

Larry’s reunion date with Mary Jane is less than successful.  While the Seinfeld cast was nowhere to be found this week, there was also a reminder of George’s “switching sides” trick, with Larry’s injured wrist.  He has to take off quickly when Mary Jane gets a phone call from the boyfriend she neglected to mention.

The next day, a phone call from Mary Jane that she has given her angry and jealous boyfriend his address and phone number, sends Larry to the streets in his shorts, seeking refuge first at his doctor’s house, who throws him out, then at Susie and Jeff’s who throw him out after he yells at their daughter for singing.

The day after that when he goes back to apologize to the singer at the restaurant, he runs into Mary Jane and tries to run away from her boyfriend, escaping from the restaurant.

And while his escape was about to be successful, he gets busted by Christian Slater, who in complete retribution, directs Mary Jane’s boyfriend to where Larry is hiding.  Larry loses again, and we as the audience clearly win.

Mozzrella? Nah!

See you next week.

Eddy Friedfeld is a film and entertainment journalist and the co-author of “Caesar’s Hours” with Sid Caesar and teaches the history of comedy in America at Yale and NYU.

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October 5, 2009 | 1:19 am

Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: October 4th 2009

Posted by  Eddy Friedfeld

“You know those reunion shows never work…,” Larry David tells manager Jeff Garlin.

“You criticized and downgraded people for doing reunions,” Jerry Seinfeld tells his former producing partner.

And yet…

Larry has hatched perhaps his most daring plot of all- using the much requested and much refused Seinfeld reunion as a ploy to get ex-wife Cheryl back:  Cast her as George’s ex-wife and use the time spent together to court her.

Will it backfire?  Of course it will.  It wouldn’t be a Larry David scheme if it didn’t.

It’s fun to see them together- especially older.  To see Jason Alexander eating lunch (and arguing over the tip) with his doppelganger/alter ego-is like looking into a fun house mirror.  The older Alexander is now way too good for his character’s creator, he is rich and respectable and iconic, ironically for personifying Larry’s foibles and character flaws.  Watching Larry cringe as Jason unwittingly described George’s flaws which were Larry’s:  “He’s a jerky, schmulky little character…”

“Well he’s not little,” is all Larry is able to come up with.

Larry David systematically and effectively manages to alienate all of his former colleagues and the head of NBC.  And will hate himself more than normal for apologizing

Last Friday night, with David sitting in his guest chair, David Letterman marveled at the prospect of the reunion of the Seinfeld cast.  “How did you employ the logistics of accomplishing that?

“I begged.”

David also tweaked both Letterman and himself by saying that he had “broken the record for the least amount of sex for a person with his own television show,” which set the table nicely for the show within a show.

The challenge of a reunion like this is to balance expectations with novelty.  The old gang hasn’t been together in over a decade, and they can’t let us smell the mothballs. This Fab Four was almost as famous as the original and the best comedy quartet since Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel.

Television audiences had never seen anything like this before and it hooked me and millions of others forever.  The series created a subculture, introducing phrases into popular culture ranging from “sponge-worthy,” to “yadda yadda yadda,” to the often quoted “not that there’s anything wrong with that.”  “The Restaurant” episode has been compared to “Waiting for Godot.” “The Contest” broke television ground:  An episode about a taboo subject without ever mentioning the operative word:

“Are you master of your domain?”
“I’m king of the castle!”

Even on a subsequent episode, when George went on a job interview, when asked if he had self-control, he responded “I won a contest.”

Michael Richards looks a little bewildered (and seem to forgot the entire conversation he had with Larry about a reunion show)-  and looks too fragile for one of his trademark slides or limber pratfalls.  One of Elaines signature “Get out!” pushes may land him in the hospital.

Jerry makes it seem like their relationship was solidly based on both mutual affection and a healthy mistrust.

And with this episode closing with Meg Ryan agreeing to play George’s ex-wife, Larry is thwarted, at least for the short-term.

I think he should continue dating and in true Seinfeldian tradition, characters should return: Lucy Lawless could get Warrior Princess on poor Larry, Gina Gershon as the Orthodox dry cleaner, coupled with returning Seinfeld characters as a string of ill-fated dates and micro-relationships:  Low talking, man-handed women, masseuses who won’t massage, maids who won’t clean, and perhaps a virgin thrown in for good measure.

The most Desperate of Housewives Teri Hatcher (who played Sidra of questionable authentic-breastedness (yes, I know it’s not a real word)) could guest as herself and taunt Larry over dinner: “They’re still real and they’re still spectacular!”

Larry could get say something wrong (shocking) and get sued and we could see Greg Morris return as the Johnny Cochrane-esque Jackie Chiles, quicker than you say “Hello Neeewman!”

Or maybe even- another contest- this time including Larry.

Eddy Friedfeld is a film and entertainment journalist and the co-author of “Caesar’s Hours” with Sid Caesar and teaches the history of comedy in America at Yale and NYU.

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September 2, 2009 | 4:42 pm

New ‘Shalom Sesame’ using Grover to bridge Israel-Disapora gap

Posted by  Shoshana Lewin Fischer

When I was a student at Hillel Torah in suburban Chicago, we loved watching “Rachov Sumsum” in class. I’m glad that a new generation of young Jews will get the same great treat thanks to the Sesame Workshop.
The series will, of course, be available in time for Chanukah presents.

HERZLIYA, Israel (JTA)—Grover has been getting to know Israel.

The furry, blue “Sesame Street” character has visited the Dead Sea, Caesarea, the Western Wall and even Jerusalem’s shouk to sample the produce.

Along with Disney Channel star Annelise van der Pol, Grover has been exploring the Jewish state as part of a Sesame Workshop production called “Shalom Sesame.”

The 12-part series is geared toward North American Jewish children and their families to forge a sense of Jewish identity by providing a taste of Israel, Jewish traditions and culture. It will include celebrity appearances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Debra Messing and possibly Ben Stiller, among others, and is scheduled for a Chanukah 2010 release.

A 1986 production of the same name sold 1 million copies and is considered the top-selling Jewish educational title.

More than 20 years later, it was time to update and overhaul the content.

“The needs of the Jewish community have changed,” said Danny Labin, the project’s executive director, speaking at the studio outside of Tel Aviv where segments are being filmed.

In the first episode of “Shalom Sesame,” the character played by van der Pol— a Jewish-American actress who was named after Anne Frank—is seen on a plane flying to Israel for her first visit.

After hearing Grover, cast as a flight attendant, shout out “Kosher meal! Aisle 10!,” they strike up a friendship and decide to travel together throughout the country. Throughout the series the pair remain in Israel—a device that lets children see various landscapes, meet Israeli children and even learn a little Hebrew.

Read the full story at JTA.org

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August 27, 2009 | 2:54 pm

Curb to host ‘Seinfeld’ Reunion—- Top 5 ‘Seinfeld’ Reunion Q’s

Posted by Jay Firestone

It’s happening.  The cast of NBC’s monster sitcom, “Seinfeld” will reunite during the next season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

It’s really an “anti-reunion reunion,” says Julia Louis-Dreyfus in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. 

My guess is if you liked “Jerry,” you’ll love this. 

Entertainment Weekly has the full story.

Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer together again? Get out! It’s true—and this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly goes on the set with Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards, who joined old pal Larry David for the new season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Over the last six seasons, viewers have come to expect the outrageous from Curb, Larry David’s comedic exploration of a man named Larry David. For season 7, the co-creator of Seinfeld decided it was finally time to reunite the gang from his old…

Read the full story at EW.com.

Top 5 ‘Seinfeld’ Reunion Questions:
1) What’s the deal with prison?
2) How many prison job’s did George manage to get fired from?
3) Did Bob Sacamano ever visit?
4) Did Puddy wait?
5) Did Newman’s reign over humanity officially commence at the start of Jerry’s most unfortunate demise?

The new season of ‘Curb’ begins September 20 at 9pm,

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August 19, 2009 | 1:41 pm

Unexpected Endings

Posted by  Shoshana Lewin Fischer

Sometimes in TV Land you get your happy endings: Ross and Rachel finally get together on “Friends”; the Halliwell sisters strike a balance between witchcraft and normalcy on “Charmed”; Zack and the gang graduate from Bayside on “Saved by the Bell” (and bonus: he eventually marries Kelly); Donna and David get married on “Beverly Hills 90210” (they end up separated, but we had bliss for a time).

Sometimes in TV Land you get endings that make you cry: BJ Hunnicut’s “Goodbye” message to Hawkeye on “MASH” ; Dorothy getting married and leaving on “The Golden Girls”; Mary and the WJM team getting fired (except Ted) and walking out singing “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Sometime in TV Land you get endings that make you scratch your head: Bull gets taken to live with aliens on “Night Court”; the “Seinfeld” gang ends up in jail.

Sometimes you get endings that make you go “wow”:  Bob Newhart waking up next to Suzanne Pleshette on “Newhart” (his wife from “The Bob Newhart Show” and realizes the entire series had been a dream; St Elsewhere was all in the mind of an autistic boy.

And sometimes in TV Land, you never get your ending: When last we saw “Soap,” Jessica was in front of a firing squad.

I possess an amazing knack for falling in love with shows that end without warning. My recent scorecard includes: NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle”; CBS’s “Swingtown” and “The Class”; ABC’s “Cashmere Mafia,” “The Nine,” Dirty Sexy Money” and “Women’s Murder Club”; FOX’s “Wedding Bells”; and Lifetime’s “Side Order of Life.”

While some of those shows ended after one season, others just ended. “Dirty Sexy Money” stopped with four shows left, which ABC aired over the summer; “The Nine” has three shows remaining when they went off the air and, instead of running them on ABC.com, they can be seen on DirectTV. Yup, that was my reaction, too.

Yes, most of these shows were aimed at females, but here’s a note to the big-shot executives: We women like closure. Don’t dangle these shows in front of us, suck us in and then snatch them away. I’ve gotten to the point where I am wary about trying a new show for fear that it will get canceled as soon as a start watching (“Glee” and “Mercy,” you have been warned).

Give us our happy endings, or we may be forced to start watching reruns.

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August 11, 2009 | 3:55 pm

Weeds Top Jewish Moments: Season 5, Episode 10

Posted by JewishJournal.com

Spoiler Alert - The Jewish References in this episode may taint your perception of Jews or worse, spoil this episode for you.

1) Chai Achiever

Andy wears a “Chai Achiever” shirt when comforting his nephnew. Here’s where to buy:

http://www.flippinsweetgear.com/shirt/party_tshirts.flippin_sweet.6844921+chai-achiever-t-shirt.html

2) Sweaty Jew
Dean helps Celia move into her new condo.  She immediately kicks him out and calls security, reporting that a “sweaty Jew” is roaming the halls.

 

 

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