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The
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator and “Seinfeld” co-creator will
act as executive producer, writer and star of the limited series
consisting of six half-hour episodes, produced by the Obamas'
company, Higher Ground.
The show marks the 78-year-old David's return to HBO just over a
year after the end of the 12th and final season of “Curb Your
Enthusiasm."
His “Curb” showrunner Jeff Schaffer will co-write and direct
episodes.
HBO did not give a premiere date, but the show is meant to mark
the nation's 250th anniversary next year.
The series doesn't have a title yet but it has a promotional
logline: “President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America’s
250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation
on this special occasion. ...But then Larry David called.”
And statements from some of the principals suggest the tone it
will take.
“Once ‘Curb’ ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party.
After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to
return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic
honey from the wildflowers in my meadow," David said. "Alas, one
day my bees mysteriously vanished. And so, it is with a heavy
heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my
beloved hive.”
In his statement, Barack Obama said, “I’ve sat across the table
from some of the world’s most difficult leaders and wrestled
with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared
me for working with Larry David.”
The Obamas got into the entertainment business by launching
“Higher Ground” in 2018, saying they wanted to raise the
prominence of new, diverse voices and expand the range of
conversation in the industry. They signed production agreements
with Netflix and Spotify soon after. Their involvement has had a
high profile in some productions, but they've kept more of a
background role in others.
Their shows and films have included the Oscar-winning
documentary “American Factory,” the kids series “Waffles + Mochi,”
and the movies “Rustin” and “Leave the World Behind.”
David, known for his sitcoms and stand-up, has some experience
in sketch work. He was a writer and star on ABC's “Saturday
Night Live” knockoff “Fridays” in the early 1980s, and later
wrote briefly for “SNL” itself.
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