’Tis the season for miracles….Beyond the oil that lasted 8 days, is there a more impressive feat than Larry David being singularly responsible for the world not entirely hating all Jews in 2024?
It’s been nearly 3 years since AARP magazine dubbed David as an “oddly sexy senior,” joining Paul Rudd and Adam Brody in the most unlikely hot rabbi trio for the new millennia. It’s been 30 years since Adam Sandler released “The Hanukkah Song,” proudly celebrating prominent Jews in the showbiz. And when it debuted, suddenly, perhaps even for the first time ever in history, it felt pretty, pretty, pretty good to be Jewish. To be name-checked in that song was an honor and festive coming-out party. Sadly, that’s no longer the case in 2024. Attacks on Jews continue to rise at alarming rates, despite the critical success of such Jewish centric shows as Brody’s “Nobody Wants This” and David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Those who choose to openly support the Jewish people and defend their Jewish heritage, like Tik-Tok dancer turned activist, Montana Tucker, receive constant vit-riol and threats. At a recent appearance at the Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, Mon-tana admitted that some people she’s collaborated with for years no longer want to associate with her. Montana’s got model looks to go along with her thoughtful compassion and engaging personality. She’s also smart, well-spoken and accord-ing to her mother, never curses. If only she was more like Larry David.
No matter how much Larry kvetches on anything and everything, he’s still beloved by gentiles. How is that this bald bard from Brooklyn who looks and sounds the quintessential Jewish stereotype, remains above antisemitism?
This past year’s edition of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” (it’s last of 12 in its 24-year run) was arguably its most Jewish and popular yet.
Just the other night in Los Angeles, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh (a faithful Jesus goy) gleefully kibbitzed with Larry pre-game on the field.
Larry is fresh off a sold-out “A Conversation” tour around the country and I can as-sure you, at the over-the-top prices he was charging, those crowds were not all Jewish.
Even the known anti-semite, rapper Kanye West, is a big fan. Ye collaborated with Travis Scott on his 2018 single, “Watch,” dropping bars like “I could tell Larry David was the mind behind Seinfeld.” West once told Larry Charles that he was “the black Larry David.” Charles, the brilliant Jewish man behind the Borat films, and multi-credited writer and director of “Seinfeld” episodes, helped West produce a HBO Curb inspired series for the rapper to star. While it failed to launch beyond the 2007 pilot, it proved once again of David’s miraculous cross-over appeal and influence.
And it’s not just famous men who bro-out over the self-proclaimed, “Big Jew.” Shiksas like Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Sienna Miller, Tyra Banks and Nicki Minaj all swoon over this long-balled circumcised man. In one of the most iconic “Curb” episodes, a Palestinian woman (played by Armenian Anne Bedian) tries her best to “fuck the Jew” out of Larry, but fails to do so. Larry David will not give up his Jewishness for anyone!
In 2017, Israeli author, Nissan Shor, pined for Haaretz dot com on why Larry is a better Jew than most Israelis. He states, “Larry presents his Jewishness as a defiance of God, giving him the finger.” And not that there’s anything wrong that. According to Shor, Larry flaunts his Judaism wherever and whenever he can. “That egotistical, malignantly narcissistic man clings to his Jewishness.” Shor’s main point is that Larry is able to be exactly the kind of Jew he wants to be- unlike in Israel where a certain type of Jew is not only expected, but too often forced up-on you (and the world.)
David’s authentic behavior and one-of-a-kind persona is the reason he’s beloved. The fact he doesn’t shy away from his particular Jewishness is exactly what makes his genuine popularity so confounding. So, how does the man himself feel about being the Jewish Journal’s “most popular Jew in the world in 2024?”
“It’s a miracle.”*
*We reached out to Larry David’s rep for comment and he was not available, so we improvised Lar’s response.
Steve Matoren is currently directing “Bagels & Elvis,” a documentary that focuses on why everyone’s so obsessed with who’s Jewish.
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