SXSW 2024: Larry David, Charley Crockett & Festival Highlights
Larry David is embarking on a new comedic venture, and it’s one that’s decidedly historical – and features a surprising collaborator: former President Barack Obama. The duo are producing a seven-episode limited series for HBO, titled Life, Larry & The Pursuit of Unhappiness, set to premiere on at 9pm.
The project, unveiled at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, places David within various iconic moments throughout American history. Details emerged during a panel discussion titled “A Waste of Time With Larry David and Jeff Schaffer,” where David and his longtime collaborator, Jeff Schaffer, discussed the series and their working relationship with Obama.
The premise is, unsurprisingly, characteristically David. The show will consist of four sketches per episode, with David inserted into famous historical scenarios. A preview clip showcased at SXSW featured David re-imagining the iconic V-J Day photograph of a sailor kissing a woman in Times Square, portraying him as something of a “pervo-Nazi,” according to reports from the event.
While the concept might seem unusual, the collaboration itself isn’t entirely unexpected. David revealed he and Obama have a casual friendship, occasionally playing golf together. “I recognize him,” David conceded during the SXSW panel. “Don’t look down on him because of that.”
Obama’s involvement extends beyond a producer credit; he will similarly appear in one of the sketches. The series boasts a strong supporting cast, including Bill Hader, Kathryn Hahn, Jon Hamm, Sean Hayes, and familiar faces from David’s previous work, such as Susie Essman and Vince Vaughn.
Schaffer described the current political climate as a somewhat awkward backdrop for a celebratory series about American history, likening it to “throwing a birthday party for your friend that’s in rehab.” He added, “He’s fucked up. But I love him,” a sentiment reflecting a complex relationship with the nation’s past.
The series is written by David and Schaffer, with Schaffer also directing. It’s produced by Obama’s Higher Ground production company, alongside David, Schaffer, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Vinnie Malhotra, and Ethan Lewis serving as executive producers. This marks David’s first project since the conclusion of Curb Your Enthusiasm with its twelfth season.
The SXSW panel also offered a glimpse into the dynamic between David and Obama. Schaffer joked that the former president playfully criticized David’s golf game and his generous application of sunscreen. David, in turn, quipped that he had to remind Obama, “I’m the president here….”
Beyond the comedic premise and star power, the series arrives at a particularly interesting moment for HBO. The network is currently in the process of being acquired by Paramount, along with the rest of Warner Bros. Discovery, a situation Schaffer wryly referred to as HBO being “the cool division of Oracle.”
Life, Larry & The Pursuit of Unhappiness represents a unique blend of historical satire and David’s signature brand of cringe comedy. The involvement of Barack Obama adds another layer of intrigue, suggesting a willingness on his part to engage with a project that promises to be both irreverent and thought-provoking. The series’ exploration of American history through David’s lens is likely to spark conversation and, a healthy dose of laughter.