S4 Ep. 3 - “The Blind Date” with Moon Zappa

You can watch the original episode we'll be discussing in every other episode of HBO's Curby Your Enthusiasm, including the new and final season, on Max. You can also watch the video version of the History of curbyr Enthusiasm podcast on Max and YouTube, as well. Links available in the episode description. Hi everybody, I'm Susie Esmond.

I'm Jeff Darland.

And today we are doing season four, episode three, the Blind Date.

Yes, and we have the blind date with us. Please welcome Moon.

Zappa, Moonzapa.

Hi, everybody, Nice to be with.

You, Happy to have you here. Hello, It's an honor.

Moon, and it's nice to see your face out of a burka. Having just watched the episode, Moon is an old friend of mine who I love very nice. We have never met because I wasn't in any of those scenes with you, so we have never met, and it's love to meet you.

Thank you.

How did you get this part? I think I just auditioned.

I think I just came in and you did gave.

I plowed her through, which she was.

So good that she got it.

Jeff, No, no, no, Look, if she wasn't good, I could not push her through the thing was she was great and sometimes that still doesn't work. But when you have somebody who's your friend in the room and you kicked ass, you got the part. It's done.

So did you audition in a Burka Moon?

No? But the thing is what I remember is Jeff had said he tried a few times to bring me into audition for a few different roles and nothing just worked out prior to that. And so then when I went in for that role.

I drove all the way from Hollywood to Santa Monica, which is like saying I left the planet to go.

To It depends on.

That's true.

And well, Susie, you want to talk about time of day from Hollywood to Santa Monica, Yeah, you're good around midnight.

I live in New York at four o'clock in the morning. You can't go on the Cross Bronx Expressway any time of day.

The crossbro Expressway is a fucking nightmare.

But all right, So nowadays you just have to treat everything like it's.

You're going to a festival and your camp out before you go anywhere.

It seems so you drove all the way.

I drove all the way and then uh, yeah, I just remember that the process.

Of like being given a kind of a note and then improvising a little bit.

By the way, if I may, the notes that we give to actors are not the actual scenes.

Right exactly.

There's something not even resembling the scene, just something totally different. Because Larry doesn't want any of the stories.

You just want anybody knowing.

Yeah. Yeah, So there's these slips of paper, you know, where it's just this little scene that has nothing to do with what we're going to film.

And you know what's interesting to me rewatching these episodes because I mean, I haven't seen this episode in nineteen years. Same, what's interesting is once it's cast, nobody else could have done that part.

I mean, yes, of course somebody else could have done that part.

No, but she did it with a spin that was fucking beautiful.

Y that once you inhabit that part, it's like, you can't even think of somebody else doing that part except for Moon playing haboos.

Well, you know, some of my favorite things in the world are matchmaking and matchmaking gone wrong. And outside of professional life, is there anything funnier than people trying to make love happen?

It's just it happens all the time.

Yeah, exactly, And then to have the fun of getting to have you know, whether you like a personality or don't like a personality another personality is just a fun adventure. And then to do it as though you are from another country, which I think is riskier and riskier these days and entertainment.

Yes, it is so, and it's interesting watching this. Certain things I don't know if they could be done today, but exactly.

Oh, by the way, that's true. I disagree on some levels, but in terms of content not so much, because we're a reverent and politically incorrect. Not to be reverent and politically incorrect, it's just the way that turns out. But certainly, with Moon's part, we would have.

Had to have hired and who would have ever known?

No, no, but nonetheless a Middle Eastern actress. Yes, we would have definitely had to but that's not a bad thing.

No, But luckily Moon was hired because you were just perfect. So let's start the episode. We start out with Larry vacuuming Michael's apartment. This Michael is a real fucking primadonna.

Isn't also just Larry vacuuming?

Yeah?

Fur, this dude is funny on its own. Boom hilarious.

And Michael's got his headphones on and he's listening to music, and you know, Larry's telling him he should get a cordless vacuum. He's like, what what, he's not even he's listening to his music. And then Larry says him, you need to get yourself a new girlfriend. He's tired of doing his errands in vacuuming, and and Michael says, it's your fault that I don't have a girlfriend, which it really is in Larry's fault.

It is Michael's fault for being so petty and superficial.

That's another thing about Larry's character. You can convince Larry in the right moment that it's his fault. I'm talking about the character.

Oh he's always willing to take blame.

Yeah no, no, no, not from you, but like.

From no, I mean, I don't mean me, I mean one.

No, no outsiders who aren't mean. But what's all so beautiful about this is when he talks to him and he criticizes him about his blindness and his expectations for a woman. Do you know what I'm saying?

Well, he says to him.

You know what, you better get yourself a new girlfriend, all right, because this isn't gonna last that much longer. Yeah, well, whose fault is it that I don't have a girlfriend anymore?

Larry?

Hey, I did your favorite. The problem is it's hard to even fix you up. You're so particular.

I would like to be an attractive woman, Yes, I wouldn't, not.

Long as you have to be good looking. But she's going out with a blind man, so just to wait on hand and foot.

So what matters to women is what's on the inside of a fella.

Okay, first of all, you've got nothing good inside of you. Okay, let me just make that clear. You're the most superficial man I've ever met.

Be that blind or sighted as.

It meant, it's just not fair that people get to see her and I don't.

So he's saying, it's not fair that everybody knows what she looks like except you.

Right, you're the most superficial man I've ever met. He says to You're the most superficial man I've ever met.

And he says, how would you know how beautiful they are?

Yeah, he wouldn't, And then we cut to Larry doing his lines to himself, saying, you know, Max BIELI stock, I did summer stock in the winter, you know, hilarious. Yeah, And he's in his car and he's going into a parking lot and the what is that called the arm, the wooden arm comes down on the way in the front.

Of the hood.

I can't remember what those are called. Whatever, the thing that comes down at a parking.

So he goes into reverse and he reverses through that tired thing that do not reverse will cause tire damage, which you know you always see.

You wonder is it really going to cause tire damage? Yes, it does.

Those spikes Are you kidding me?

And then Ben and Christine have to pick him up so he can't open the back door. And Ben is taking Christine to yoga and Larry goes off on a ridiculous riff about yoga and yogurt and they related.

And dot and they're pulling in. He's still on the.

Road, still carrying on.

It reminded me of the last episode at Ben's birthday party when he's talking to Katie Huffman in that same way, and in the first episode with mel when he's trying to pick up the beautiful girl and he's talking about bowling balls, this is just digging, digging, digging holes.

But every single time, all I think of Sari Moons. Sari's my girlfriend. And when I watch those episodes, I thought of us, because I do that naturally, which you might know. And I thought to myself, poor, poor Sarry to have to deal with that, because I really great, Jeff.

I'm so glad that you're learning something from doing it.

By the way, I am. And Larry off camera doesn't do that, but I do. I'm the one who does that.

No, Larry is the opposite of that. He's very comfortable with silence.

Yes, as you know, Jeff is not well. No, on a conscious level. I am on the subconscious level, No fucking way, yeah, because obviously I act out.

So they drop Christine off at yoga and Ben says, when you come sit up front, Larisa, I'm good, I'm good, I'm okay, I'm good.

And Ben's like.

I'm not going to drive you around like I'm your chauffeur. And Larr's what kind of person? It is so insecure? And I agree with Larry on this fun.

Right the way I wrote that to Larry not wrong, especially because it's a very short run.

Very sure what are you just going, yeah, we're not. Yeah, what's the big fucking deal?

Right, that's a rare occurrence of Larry being right.

I don't know.

I think he's almost always right, Jeff, he's almost always right.

No, I feel that he does not have the common courtesy to just let him. Like, you're with your shirts with all the the watch McCall's, the bedaz yeah, bedazzled shirts. All he has to say to you is, hey, those those are lovely and then move on. Yes, but instead so, yes, he's right, they're bullshit shirts. But he doesn't have common courtesy.

He doesn't have common courtesy.

However, Yeah, when it comes to a moral or ethical issue, he's almost always right.

Well, that's the reason people like the show because they can associate with and also say I wish I could say that. Well they could. I would have liked to.

Have said that, right, say what people think, but will not say.

Yeah, that's that's the magic.

So then they continue.

Ben calls him a grown man baby a little baby wants to walk, just like ridiculous. It devolves into a ridiculous fight. You're the baby, you're the baby. Bit bit bit bit bit bit bet. Cut to that Larry walks into the kitchen of his house singing and complains that to Cheryl, your little cousin finished all the grape nuts and how much longer is he going to be there? And he wants to borrow Cheryl's car. She says, okay,

I know it's it's uh Anton Yelhun.

Anton Yelchin, who played at the I thought it's yelkin. Maybe it's pronounced yelkin, it's a ch but maybe it's you.

Of your options. Maybe his family said everyone can pronounce it correctly.

Maybe, but he was a really talented kid. He was played check Off in the Star Treks and.

Actually was not just a good actor. The kids were remarkable and.

He was remarkable in this part, remarkable.

In this part, and as people if you know or don't know, he passed away, and you know, not only was he sweet and a wonderful actor, his mom was sweet too. See when you work with children, as I've done before, Daddy daycare, etc. You know, Wizards of Waverley Place and my other credits check out IMDb for the full list of credits, and then you can see children

It's said, well, we know that, but Jeff his parents were professional figure skaters. Yes, so they know about being in the public eye, and you know when they came from the Soviet Union.

But his mother, who was with him was such a wonderful woman. I remember during daddy daycare, it was the grandma and the mother who came El Fanning, the Fanning family, and those girls have grown up to be remarkable women. I'm just saying, basically, I'm saying, don't let your kids in show business if it's about you now. But a narcissist is not going to know that. Let's keep going.

Well anyway, it broke my heart to see him because he died way too young, and he was so talented.

It was a horrible way that he died, and talented.

And sweet that's a double bonus. You know, he hangs with Larry in this. Oh he doesn't give in. Oh yeah, he does not give in, which is remarkable.

Okay, go ahead, and he shows Larry a card trick and it's actually a very good cart trick and Lars has had you do that. No, no, magicians don't tell people how they do their tricks.

Yeah, well, you're not really a magician. Oh yeah, I am. Well, because you do one trick that a magician to a trick?

You were you a magician before you knew how to do that trick?

No?

Really, well who taught you how to do the trick?

A magician? Okay, so you weren't a magician.

A magician taught you how to do the trick, right, Yeah, okay.

So I'm not a magician.

Now you're a magician, So you teach me how to do it?

I can't just because he said I am a magician, I can't teach you. He's like a magicians don't tell And he's like, you know, if a magician taught you, Larry says, a magician taught you, so you could teach me. Yeah, but you're not a magician. I love that whole run with him.

A magician.

By the way, the great line is why did the magician tell you because I'm a magician? No, no, no, because he knew I was a magician.

Right, which is just And the magician can tell I'm a magician and you're not.

He says, yeah, yeah, So I just love that. And what Larry leaves.

Cheryl says to Stuart, her cousin Stewart Anton, you guys are a lot alike.

And he says, yeah, except he's not a magician. I mean, he was just spot on this kid. Everything.

He said.

Right, we'll be.

Right back, stay tuned.

Okay, we're back.

And then you and Larry are going into Mel's office and Larry asks you if you're going to the Halloween party and if you're wearing a costume, and you say, of course, and he's not gonna wear a costume, but of course you're going to wear a costume. And then before you go into the office, Larry tells Jeff that last night he was, you know, in the bathroom taking care of a few things. J Jen, Larry, that's what I meant, Jeff tills Larry and Jenna, what is it?

Jenna Jamison?

Jenn. At that time, she was the number one porn.

Star, shorn star. She was in your head? She pops out, and guess who popped in?

Yeah?

Cheryl, Cheryl, what do you mean?

He's yeah, she was there. I couldn't believe it, you know, I just boom, she was there. You can't control it. Pops in? She pops in, She pops in? Well, why did you pop her out? I tried popping around. She wouldn't pop out. Was she insisted on staying? Not exactly. I want to be here with you, Jeff. I couldn't pop around. I'm out of control that. Besides, my bench is kind of thin. I don't really have a lot going on there. Oh your bench? Just what was she on your team? Now my team? She popped in?

Well?

He using my wife for I tell you, be flattered. Flattered. I'm fucking nauseous.

Larry is not happy about this, and I don't blame him.

No. I teased this in an earlier episode where we were seeing the house that Larry used to shoot we used to shoot in. We filmed this scene before I know. It was really funny and I got right to the point, but too harsh. Larry said, we have to go into this more conversational Hu and softer for this kind of scene.

Okay.

When he told me that, I was like, oh man, that that scene was so funny. And then we redid it, and he always goes you see, you know, and I course I see, so this one it's more of a conversation and I'm more of an innocent like I didn't know.

You know.

Well, also you thought he'd be flattered. Yes, what you say, which is hilarious.

Nuts, that's the least. Oh that was beautiful.

Yeah, yeah, and let Larry says, I'm nauseous, and You're like, it didn't really happen. It'll never I'll never intentionally use her again. But you are right, you can't control who pops in.

Uh well, yes we see that later on.

You know, yes we too, And Larry's like, next time she pops in, pick up your pants and get out of the room. So they walk into Mal's office. You know, I'm just thinking about it. How I would feel if somebody told me I popped into there. I guess it would depend on who it was. How would you feel, moaned?

Well, I mean, don't people are using us all the time with whether they tell us or don't tell us, right, Yeah, but how do you feel about right, So at.

Any point, I just can't picture someone using me.

Someone is someone is Well, by the way, I used to do a joke.

It never worked, but I thought it was really funny. No matter what, somewhere someone is masturbating to that show, seeing the news, doesn't.

Matter what ever, it is somewhere in the world. Yes, so correct.

Under that, guys. Yeah, I guess I popped in a feture.

You know, I used to have a website which I don't even have, but on my website was a contact thing. This is many many years ago, and I had to take it down because it was all these men sending me all these s and m things.

Which is funny for this episode exactly.

But they would send me things like baking me to screaming. You know, who knows who's turned on by what, but they would send me these things baking me.

We also never know anything we're about to say or think or do. We are always surprising ourselves an never know anything about anything. Forget the jerking off part.

The jerking off is just the extra special cherry on the cave.

Well, by the way, I want to say, if you know the other person and there's a seduction and an attraction when you tell the other person that much more so women telling men that you thought of them. That I know. For if someone came up to me and I was attracted to them, and they told me that they thought of me, I would have been like, oh, how about wow?

Yeah, an attractive woman, you would have been flattered.

No, No, any woman I'd be flattered, would it to be attractive? I'm not a blind man.

I was not flattered that men wanted me to scream, yell and spank.

I'm talking about people, you know. Yeah, that's online crap. Someone's sitting in their basement wanting us and m with you, and their mom's upstairs making eggs salad.

But if it is someone you know, then the next time you gather with them, then it is a little bit a little ick.

Right, Well, no ick, if you feel ick, I imagine that there's someone that you really dig and they say, you know, in a non creepy way.

Just I was just gonna say that, Jeff, it can feel creepy.

It's all how you approach it.

Yeah.

Right.

If you were a victim to the pop in and you're you were victimized by your own subconscious and.

That's all it different. But I would never my character would never tell Cheryl.

Just saying, but I have no interest in real life in knowing anything about who or what.

My husband fantasizes about. I don't want to know.

Well, by the way, my girlfriend thinks I don't because she doesn't like it me thinking about anyone but her. By the way, yes, but now she won't anymore because I've said it.

All right, well whatever, it's a fantasy.

That's what text scrolling is.

For text rolling.

Text scrolling when.

You love someone's phone, that's a bad idea.

I don't want to want to talk.

Anytime you look at you look at your partner's emails or phone, you're getting information you should not have.

And it's a bad.

Idea, an utter invasion of privacy.

It shouldn't because if there was trust, then you wouldn't need to exactly.

Yes and no. Because even though I don't do stuff like that, sexting or what have you, I would not want anyone bringing it.

No, because it's privately Google in the government.

Right, Oh yeah, why I don't use Google. I use Perplexity because it eliminates there's no tracking, like you look up what's the best way to make porridge, just saying, but it'll give you all the information and there's the bottom, all the sources, so you can see.

What's really what is perplexity?

Perplexity. It's an app, and.

I discuss it after I want to find out people.

Well, I remember, I just want to go back in time. So I'm in New York and uh, a friend of mine tells me I need to get somewhere. He goes, have you tried Uber? And I was like, Uber? What's that? And he goes, don't tell anyone. And I was using where it was a new thing, And I remember being on stage at Caroline's in New York talking about Uber. Nine tenths of the audience had no idea what I was talking about. So what I'm basically saying is I'm ahead of my time.

Oh you are an innovator baby, Okay.

But Perplexity. I recommend it, and I don't think it'll affect my usage. If people use it.

I hope that we have enough listeners that it makes a difference.

No, I don't want it to make a difference. I want them to enjoy it, but if it scruise me, I don't want it to make a difference.

So you and Larry walk into Mel's office and Joanne played by Rachel Harris, is they're not happy to see you if she doesn't like you.

But all done, I've always avoided her. I go sit down, I say hello, here to see Mel. At this episode, Larry thought it'd be good if I got the shit to establish that it's not.

Just him, right, So you go into By the.

Way, I go on a lot of tangent on the.

Show, and I ignore them, and by the way.

She ignores them. And sometimes we fight because she ignores them because sometimes I actually think they're interesting. The last one who knows.

So you go into the room and there's Mel and Norm and Rudy and Mel ask Any complaints that Larry says he's not happy with the toilet paper in the rehearsal law, which.

By the way, brilliant. I went to someone's house one time, and I do this. I used to bring pop tarts and toilet paper to a party like here, I've brought something people are always really happy about that pop tarts are delicious. Who doesn't need toilet paper? I did it as a joke the last time I did it, and I didn't check the toilet paper. I bring it and a relative of this person looks at me and goes, it's single ply, and it was being dead serious, and I'm like, what, I don't like single.

Pl but I do.

Do you read I.

Prefer Scott tissue single ply.

I've never met you want to prefer single There.

You go to save the planet or you like the texture. Now I just I'm used to it. It's one of those things. That's what I'm used to, is what I grew up with. That's what I'm used to.

By the way, I buy recycled toilet paper, which is just as soft, but it might be two or three I know it's at least two ply, if not three ply. And so I'm upset with you keep.

Going Okay, So apparently he was Ben's books Fuck, Bad and Beautiful, So you shit a lot. In Florida, Mel tells Larry that Ben gave him an ultimatum and said either Larry or me, and Mel picked Larry and Ben is out.

Ben Stiller is out of the producers.

Mel picked Larry and Norman Rudy do a tag team on Larry on this You couldn't sit in the front of the car, you didn't bring a gift to the party. They go on that you didn't shake hands, you wouldn't sing the birthday songs.

It's really funny that Ben would tell them this is.

The right little detailed the skewer. Well, the skewer was major because of his eye. And Larry says, you know what, it was a blessing in disguise. And Mel says, how about David Schwimmer? Okay, maybe, uh huh, And then you guys leave and Norm says to him, you're making a terrible mistake.

He's mentally challenged that.

Maybe with yeahous, Mel says, there's something about this middle aged ball guy that is thrilling.

Well, by the way, Mel's undying belief in Larry David for this role.

Well we find out why.

Yeah, because he's great. Yeah, but also a piece of trivia that I'll give now because I don't know that I'll remember it. Larry was so good that he was offered to really do it. Yes, that's how good Larry was. Yes, in portraying it, because he's perfect to be Max bi Alstock And no, he was actually offered and you know, I guess he didn't want to do it. I know he didn't want to him, not because it wasn't good. I think he was just the thought of it was overwhelming.

Well, also to do for he did a straight play eight shows a week, and that was brutal. To do a musical eight shows a week, Oh my god, that is exhausting.

Do you know they put out feelers for me for hairspreads?

Oh yeah?

And not only did I not want to do I love the show, but not only did I not want to do it. Part of it you had to shave your eyebrows, and I'm sorry, I'll shave my head for a part. No eyebrows. Sorry, eyebrows have to.

Stay, all right, Well, you have your standards, Jeff.

But the idea of me walking on the street during the day without eyebrows or penciling them in, no, thank you.

That was missus Burkerwitz, my kindergarten teacher. I remember that about her.

Her eyebrows were gone and it was thick brown pencil and it struck I remember, five years old.

It's a clown. Look, yeah, it's very scary.

So now Larry takes the car.

He sees guys in the street holding up signs for a car wash, Cheryl that has him to wash the car. Ten and these guys are clearly mentally challenged. What are you supposed to say mentally challenged? Mentally is that the at least I believe so it changes all the time, changes all the time.

What we did hear that was a mistake? Was we cast to people who are not mentally challenged?

Yes, Judah Friedlander And why do you think it was a mistake, Jess.

Because that's not right. You don't want someone now, Look, I'm not saying the elephant man or my left foot.

You have to hire somebody or else or Dustin Hoffman and Rainman.

Dustin Hoffman and Rainman. That's a different kind of thing for this. It should have been all mentally challenged people.

Well, you know what, I think it worked well, Yes it worked.

But I'm saying, and it's not that you can't do this today. I just think and we're usually good, Like I mentioned two people who were in wheelchairs, we you know, had people who were really in wheelchairs. And by the way, when you see the scene encanters later, the people who are actually mentally challenged do a great job with dialogue. So I'm just saying that it's improvised, so I forgot the reasoning why we did it.

But we'll be right back. Stay tuned, and we're back. So the car wash is a complete fiasco.

We see it. It's just a nightmare.

And it's all finished, and Larry's driving and all of a sudden he runs out of gas and he calls, Shaul.

You let me you lift the car. No guess of the car. And then my sunblock is missing. My sunblock is missing, and I have to pee. He has to pee really bad, so he goes. He goes to a tree, but then a woman walks out the door, so he stops.

And then he's knocking on door after door and people are shutting the doors in his face and just saying no and no, and it's about five or six of them and finally, but go ahead, es sorry.

Look, I know we're getting the moon right now. But I want to say something. This is something I fought against because when you have to pee bad, you can't go to a half dozen houses. You got a one or two and then you're taking your chance in some bush somewhere. That to me, I know that's not what Larry would do. I mean he would It's a tough thing. But I always wanted to get to Moon quicker because I hate unrealistic shit, even for the purpose of comedy.

I disagree because I think it heightened it and it didn't bother me at all.

But then he comes knocks on a door.

Well, by the way, disagree to disagree?

Yeah, Then he knocks on a door and a woman answers in a burka with the most rgeous hazel eyes I've ever seen, which are really pronounced because that's all you see.

Oh my God, may help you.

My Cob is out of gas and I'm just desperate to as a bathroom.

Come in, Please come in, be my invited guest.

Come in.

You're kidding, please come in, Please do come in.

Oh my God, and she's uh, come in, come in.

That that accent was so beautiful, Boone, Did you base it on anything, No, it just.

Just popped out.

Being in That just made it up.

Yeah, And did the sweetness come for you? Did we tell you to be sweet or did you Did that just come out of your character? Was that an adjustment or no?

I think he was asking me to be friendly. And by the way, do you talk about the importance of just a philosophy of yes? And is the possibly the most important thing we should all adopt?

Yeah, and improv Yes, and it is.

You really did it, and which made him so happy. But it was also such a beautiful surprise, and you know, I believed it completely. See that I believe that she would invite him in that she's she was trusting. Yeah, it was just so it was actually joyful and fun to.

Watch and so delighted to have him.

Yeah.

And then he needs gasoline that my wife left it empty, and then I love that. But oh, you were married. That's a disappointment. You know, I thought I had finally met someone. You thought he was your soulmate that just knocked on the door. It was so sweet, But the way.

She said, oh you're married, that is such a disappointment. Yeah, was just so blatant and beautiful at the same time.

Yeah, there was a there was a sweetness to you that was just very infectious.

That was the thing that I picked up watching this was her character's kindness and sweetness because and agreeability. Just the whole thing was pretty great. And by the way, may I also say for our listeners, yes, I'm get excited with Moon. It's not because she's here. If she wasn't here, I'd be just as excited. I don't stick my head up anybody's ass. It wouldn't fit number one and number two. I like being honest. I just said

She was terrific, Okay, And Larry says, he, well, we're very superficial people. We like to know what women look like. So it's going to be tough for you to meet somebody. And then and then he gets an idea. They see the light bulb go on us and he says, I think I got a guy for you. And it's a literal blind gait as you say yeah.

And next oh, you go to Cantor's.

She's driving him.

Yeah, you're driving to get gasoline. And then you're he says you want deli.

Yeah, he says, you want to go to lunch, and she says, yes, that'll be lovely. Do you like Deli? Sure? I love Deli? Exploring, heighten, exploring, heighten. Look what you're doing?

Car wash?

Guys are there at a table eating and he says, how did you do today?

And the shm if they seed his sun block?

Hello? Wow? Remember me? Yeah, the guy with the really clean car? Yeah? Yeah, blue car.

Yeah.

You guys did quite a good job on that car.

Thank you very much. No, how'd you do today?

Good?

Very good?

Yeah, we did good today. You didn't. How much money did you make?

We made one hundred dollars?

We had ten cars? Wow? Pretty good? Congratulations? Good, good good.

Hey, guys, let me ask you a question.

Did you happen to see.

Any sunblock on the passenger seat in my car?

I don't know. I never saw any sunblock at all? Is that right? Don't you get a feeling by the way in the way that they replied that they kept the money?

Oh, I don't know. What do you mean they kept the money?

In other words, when he asked them, the look on their faces was very mischievous, like they were keeping a secret.

Well, because it was about the sun block. The secret was about no.

No, no, no, no, no, I'm saying when he said how did you do today? And the last guy says one hundred dollars. But they were playing it with smirks on their face and they were trying to hold in laughter, which Larry didn't notice. And obviously you didn't notice.

Keep going, well I did. I thought it was about the sun block. No, because we know nothing about the sun block.

They did that after that.

And well, then I didn't notice that.

And then Larry and Haboo sit with them, and Larry says, weren't there four of you? And then Judah Friedlander shows up with the sun block all over.

Oh, hold on, hold on, hold on. At first they say it was just the three of them, and then they say, yeah, there was a four.

Well they were lying, yeah, yes, no, no, I.

Know that, but there was a build up to Judah showing up with it all over his face. I've known Judah for years. We performed together many many times. I was so happy that he did show i'lbeit against what I thought was right.

And then they said relied and they laugh, left, laugh and giggle.

It's just a delightful scene.

And then Larry is they're passing food and he drops food on Habous's burka, and Larry says, I'm gonna go get this cleaned. And then Larry tells a joke. They're all laughing, and while this is all everybody's hysterical. She no no, no, no, no no no, but he insists on it. It's we see the whole interaction.

No.

But also what was great about this and thoughtful was he didn't touch her douse. That would have been terrible, right.

Right, keep going, They're all laughing, yucking it up, yucking up, and Norman Rudy walk in and see all this.

It's quite the visual. If I'm sitting at a table nearby, I'm inherently curious on that one, like what's going on there?

How was doing that scene?

Moon? Uh? Yeah, I mean I just first of all, I just mostly remember Larry Humming. He was like a weird radio station in between the takes.

So yeah that he whistles, whistles.

Later years he would sing. He went from homing to singing.

Okay, all right, well, and then just you know, you, as a professional, you just try to stay in character and just see how the character feel about the circumstance. And then and if you're you know, I would imagine that if that's normal to you, then you're just used to the weird thing.

It must have been fun to play, really fun, Yeah, really fun. I could see that. I could see you having a good time in your eyes. This is the only place I saw it.

Right, It's freedom. My dream jobs are where you don't have to wear makeup.

So oh yeah, well you don't have to wear makeup or memorized lines exactly by the way.

I would go with Sam's costume if it wasn't most of the time of suit, although I do wear suits. Yeah, I did a Steven Soderberg movie called Full Frontal, and you wore your own clothes and did your own makeup, no kidding, And that I loved that was like, you know, how to thank him for that? Was? That was to me.

The wardrobe, I don't care well, I love my wardrobe. I mean on curb.

Gardrobe is another story. Yeah, that's actually a story on its own.

But the not having to learn lines to me is the highlight.

Relaxing, so delightful, I mean, holy Molly. And then by the way, Moon's character, who wouldn't love a friend like that? Who just she's so lovely no, no, but game game to do anything. Yes, let's go to a pottery shop, let's go make Dradle's, let's go buy as many raisins as we can. These are things I might like to do.

It's surprising she doesn't have a guy. She's such a great gal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Next we're at Michael's and Larry is telling him about haboos and Michael is like, you've leveled the playing field.

Yeah, that's a great line.

Level the playing No one knows what she looks like.

Everyone is blind now, Larry says, and lack but says, I do have to go with you to chaperone, which, of course, because she's Muslim and very strict and has.

To be done.

So next we are back at Larry's house and Stewart is doing card tricks in his bedroom in his Superman costume. It's Halloween and Larry's trying to guess the trick and he demands to know, and Stuart.

Is just like, you know what I mean, a magician.

He's just so matter of fact and non plus you know you're not a magician, Harry.

But what's beautiful about this? With the trick and everything? Larry's getting furious at this kid.

Really, Trick is not a magician, he says to him.

He tells him, when you come back with the Halloween candy, I'm taking half of it.

Okay, that's like a real you know, nasty.

By the way, Anton at no point laughed. Larry's hilarious and even at that age, so focused.

So see that he was probably about twelve or something.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember, by the way, sitting with he and his mom at our wrap party. They were just delightful, I mean really yeah.

And then from the background, Cheryl calls Larry. And then Cheryl is in her costume. She's in a dream of Genie costume, looking very fetching and hot.

Look at this happy Halloween.

What do you think?

Oh my god, huh isn't she like correct?

That's great?

Oh look at Andy Divine over here?

Use I am sure now you look hot?

Thank you, Susie.

What are you wearing?

What is this?

No outfit?

No costume? She could wear a burlapped bag and looked fetching and.

Hot and hot. And then Jeff and I walk in.

Jeff is dressed in a cowboy Andy Devine look, and I am in full Dominatrix garb And I'll tell you something funny about that day that I recall.

And I was wearing these spike heels and I couldn't walk.

I had to basically be carried and placed down because they were like these.

Thigh high patent leather boots and spike heels.

I don't remember you if you remember when I saw you, I couldn't function.

I was.

It was quite the outfit.

But what I remember most about that is the crew guys were so solicitous to me when I was in that outfit. It was like they could completely change. They were like, Susie, can I get you anything? And I was like one of them. You know, I've been working with them all these years. I was like one of them. They were like my brothers. And all of a sudden, I'm in this black patent leather with a whip.

I had a whim and by the.

Way, what else did you have? Domin ponytail?

I had a ponytail Dominatrix outfit and they were all like, Susie, do you need anything? But they was like how men are so visually oriented and completely change on a dime by a visual It's amazing.

Audio wise change on the dime. All we need to hear is someone who might be having sex, someone who's they're going, oh, you know even that, like, are they having sex? No, it's both men. Just react.

It's ridiculous. I'm telling you.

It was so noticeable that I'm in a dominatrix outfit and all these guys that I saw every day are my ass Oh.

Yeah, I never knew this. And by the way, may I knowing that crew, I'm actually.

Surprised, I recall. I recalled that. It was like, wow, look at this.

We'll be right back, stay tuned, Okay.

We're back.

And then Jeff kind of very surreptitiously looks at Cheryl's boobs, you know, because she's wearing something very low cut.

And then right away Larry notices it and he's like, all right, that's it, you're changing.

And he brings out how Boos's burka, which he had, and it's in the dry cleaning thing, you know, with the plastic and just back for the drive cleaners.

You're going as an Islamic fundamentalist.

Then four of us are in the car, and the fact that it's not realistic to me that Cheryl actually listened to him.

But whatever it was for a purpose.

The four of us are in the car, Larry and Cheryl in the back, and these kids. What did he say, hey, oh sama or something like this obnoxious kid throws an egg at Cheryl in the burkup, which she ducks and it goes into Larry's face.

Now I want to give a little background on that. Okay, that night, Larry was really sick. I mean we shot that at like six o'clock in the morning. If I read run yes car at Sam Vicente, I remember Jay. But hold on, though, Larry's up all night and he's sick as a dog. I mean, he's really sick. He usually contains that no one knows. We knew he was sick. He was a cold sweat the whole thing. And the egg thing didn't work. It missed, it hit the wrong place.

And also, even if you're feeling well, who wants raw egg on their face?

It's a salmonila nightmare? Who wants that on you?

Well? By the way, don't forget Rocky put a raw egg in his drink and he didn't pretty good.

Yeah, I'm not from the raw egg people.

By the way, can I tell you I would have bet everything I own that you're not part of the raw egg people?

Now, not me, my paranoid self. Okay, So the kid throws the egg on Larry. Next we cut to Michael and Larry Or at Haboose's front door. The blind date is happening and it's raining, and Larry has an umbrella and Haboos answers the door. Her abuliant is that the word abuliant? And oh you're beautiful to Michael and date with two handsome men, and she's so excited and what shall we do?

Shall we take a walk?

And you know, she's thinking of things to do, and Larry says, well, you could walk because I have an umbrella, and he goes to open the umbrella and he pulls off her burka somehow at the point of the umbrella, and you see Larry's face.

He's just disgusted, but she's.

Also horrified at the exact same time.

Of course, she's hard to great and this really bothered me.

What would he mean?

It really bothered me that they were so judgmental of her looks.

But if I may, that wasn't necessary.

What wasn't necessary?

Well, the blind man obviously can't be but Larry being so judgmental, although maybe that was showing that even Larry is shallow in that situation.

But Moon with the table, what the fuck of these two guys to be so goddamn judge meant all like it's Brad Pitt and Paul Newman standing.

Well, by the way, that's the joke. But Moon in that moment, because I was standing behind Moon watching and I was standing behind Larry when we did both sides. But the noises that she makee when she was upset were hilarious.

How did you feel about that?

Moon?

I mean, you know, if you're playing somebody who's ugly and wants to be accepted as they are, and it's you know, it's I think that's always an interesting circumstance. I mean, you know, beauty.

Really is in the eye beholder, and it's just a funny setup that, you know, like you said, I if somebody's blind, why does it matter, But that.

He's sent the umbrella hit you on one or two takes. I remember that because.

It's very it's almost as though Larry's reaction was almost as though you were deformed or something. Yeah, that's how I took it, you know what I mean, Like it was so extreme that you were just figured and he was, you know, shocked and appalled by that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, And that's how I took it too, that I was undtable, undatable even for a blind man.

All right, Then we're back at Larry's house and Stewart is showing Judah Friedlander, who's at Larry's house, the trick, and Judah figures out the trick. So this mentally impaired person figured out the trick that Larry couldn't figure and Judas says, anyone could figure that out.

Well, by the way, here's another thing for Judas performance. And he did look mentally challenged. But part of it is is yeah, you know, putting the time and you can see his tongue pushing out his bottom lip, and it was just, you know, he was in character, that was for sure. But yeah, yeah, that was really funny.

And then then we see Larry in the bathroom. No, no, where's Arry Chelsea's I don't know. I think he's in the bathroom. We see Larry in the bathroom fantasizing he's walking backstage in the theater. Katie Huffman comes out in some feathery kind of a thing and calls him into her dressing room pink feathers, and you know, you feel like the seduction is gonna happen.

And then all of a sudden, who pops in.

In your outfit by the way.

In my dominatrix outfit? Yes, and Lars, where's the other one? Where's the other one? I want the other one?

I was like, you got me, baby, Yeah, you went nuts.

It was awesome.

It was so much fun. That was such a fun scene to do. I'm just like, it was just so much fun. And that was it.

That was it, And that was the sad story of Haboos and Michael that they could have been a lovely couple.

But you know what, I think he wasn't good enough for Haboos.

Well, of course he wasn't. Michael's a jerk.

Michael's a superficial asshole.

Shallow blind man who writes it.

Is interesting though, because it's true that, you know, which is in the beginning of the podcast, that you guys got in on the ground floor with the freedom to be inappropriate, and then in fact it's it's you know, that's what's your what the show is, it'said tension a right.

Imagine an NBC show where one of the care there's criticizes rightly, mind you a blind person the letters. To my knowledge, we don't get letters. Do you know? The only show that we got some pushback on is when Larry peas on the Jesus and the.

Bed doesn't pee on the Jesus. No, it bounces, splashes.

Splashes, But we got complaints on that.

That was the only one that I remember.

Also, yeah, yeah, but most people love it.

But looking back in this way, it is interesting too.

Uh.

It is like analyzing a dream when you when you think about it, because when you improvise a show and then you reflect on it as though it was intentional, because it's your you're reflecting on the improvised moments, and so it's it's it's just an interesting, weird exercise and considering now like it makes me think of how composers must have played.

Music before there were recording devices. There's no way to capture it.

Yeah, but you're you know, you play the music in real time and in a forward linear way, and only the audience is like, what was that? And then you can't hear it back as the composer or as the audience.

But we've advanced to be able to look at the stuff, and.

That's what this whole exercise of doing this podcast has been for us.

Moon We're looking back.

But also just that there's all these just talking about the psychological parts of it, and the surprise is about how you arrive at something.

By the way, originally cast in that role was Bette Midler and she quit same day. Then Ben Vereen came in. Then it was Susie What.

Is that true?

No, what do you mean that's true?

Ben Vereen? Ben Vero? But what do I know?

What people like and what they now?

It was always made from day one? No one else was ever cast.

And why and how did you both get the jobs. Did you both audition?

No?

What for this?

Neither of us are auditioned. We both knew Larry No, I the show.

Mine's different because I came up with the idea for the show, and I approached Larry. And it's always good to tell a genius your idea, and the show turned into what it did. And by the way, if I was left to my own devices, even though they told me I could make a show like I got the green light on my own failure, failure, failure from the get go. I told the genius and now here we.

Are, and Larry just called me up one day and offered me the part.

Yes, we talked about he'd see that exactly, the roast.

Of generals for years I knew.

Oh yeah, we all knew each other.

You know, all stand ups back in the old days in New York catchurizing stars.

So yeah, yeah, but that's how we got our Neither one of us had to audition. Yeah, and s Cheryl had audition, which we discussed last episode of the one before JB had to audition. Yeah, Ted didn't have to audition. He's Ted dancing well, by the way, just in life, whatever he does, you just go oh he's Ted Danson. We're going to.

Discuss it coming up to the next episode. We have another guest start. I'll tell you something. Going through these episodes, and there's a lot of people who died over all these years.

It's it's horrible what.

You're talking about. I know, Bob Einstein and Anton, hopefully a.

Bunch of others, a bunch of others.

But anyway, we're going to get to that next episode.

Are you doing. The show's about positivity.

Yes, positive death is not negative?

Death is reality yet negative, Susie, And everyone lives on exactly and everyone's gonna die.

But let's deal with more pleasant things, Susie.

Don't We loved having you with us and I I once more admired your performer, Twista.

I think was a tour de force in that.

And I think, you know, it's an exercise for an actress to not use their face. You could only use your voice and your eyes. So that was another you know trick is so to speak, that was working.

So what a thing to come up with, because I have to say, if I'm playing somebody who asked to wear a mask, what voice do I use? How do I play this? It's a very difficult like I always say, I'm a comedian who acts, so have low expectations. But I'm a decent actor. But I'm a comedian who acts, and uh, Moon, I would say it is a writer performer who acts. Am I correct? That's sure?

Yeah, And I was surprised by how many people really loved the performance.

And we thank you for coming, and thank you for adding positivity and not discussing death.

It's not I have no problem. I don't find death negative. I find it's.

Negative, but it doesn't need to be brought up. It's a Curb your Enthusiasm podcast. Let's not talk about people who died.

Didn't but didn't he doesn't he talk about death in a bunch of episodes.

By the way, that the number of times, and I'm not there's no exaggeration. I think three times we have filmed in the cemetery in the middle of the night, and I always walk around singing thriller.

I do thank you for coming, Moon and audience. We will see you next week, thank.

You, and I promise you next week there'll be no death talk. Bye, Susie. Oh they will be oh you don't and who's going to tune in I Love a good.

People get comfortable with death.

Yeah, well next week is one of our favorite people who is no longer with us, so we'll get to that. Oh all right, Bye, by thanks everyone, by thanks moon, bye, thank you.

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