just finished all 8 seasons in a fortnight... couldn't stop laughing... this interview is a dream come true.... all they need now is borat to interview them both
i'm sure nobody cares what i have to say, but i already posted in part 4 how great larry's laugh is. i just have to say it again though. i was close to tears after watching and re-watching the faux comedy bit starting at 7:33. my stomach muscles will be sore tomo from laughing...
Yes you're right, and I just watched all those episodes again and realized that. He seems bewildered that everyone says George Costanza is an idiot lol but I don't think I caught that the first time I watched the show. It just dawned on me once when I was watching Seinfeld. Maybe I did pick up on it though, subconsciously. Who knows.
That's exactly what he meant. He was in a comedic movie, which he was great in, but he was in his comfort zone because it was comedy, just in front of a different camera. It was a good Woody Allen movie, just with Larry playing Woody's part...
The funny thing is that Larry ended up doing the movie "Clear History" on HBO. It was actually pretty funny. Pretty much just a big Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, but it was pretty funny.
It’s funny to watch this back listening to him talk about crow barring things in knowing that most of Ricky’s bits came from XFM and he’s just recycled them throughout his career.
what he said about none of the characters in sit coms laughing at the jokes is so true actually, hmmm now I'm aware of this it's probably ruined 90% of sit coms for me. Thanks Larry!!
Ever since the Office, I try to figure out who fits which character from the show around the office I work in ... it worked like a charm .. like therapy to get me through the day so to speak
yeah, an appearance like that is basically a commercial for whatever you're doing if you aren't a hugely famous celebrity that people want to hear stupid stories about your christmas holiday. its like when good standup comedians have to go on ham and egger morning drive radio shows to promote shows and since the hosts have nothing to contribute, they just set them up to do bits from their set
I think that some sitcoms serve different purposes, whether the writers are aware of them or not. Shows like 'Big Bang Theory' or 'Friends' are what I call 'Amusement shows'. They are light-hearted, mildly amusing entertainment shows that can very occasionally make me literally 'lol' (Friends being a slight exception since it was one of the first sitcoms I got into and as such I have huge nostalgia for it). However 'The Office', 'Alan Partridge' and 'Curb' are comedy shows full of belly laughs.
I agree that Friends isn't funny, it has a lot of terrible jokes and is lacking in wit. But I love it, and I'll love it for the rest of my life, for the same reason I love Blink 182, they don't make good music but I grew up with them, I grew up with Friends, it's nostalgia. I watched Friends season 1 - 10 the summer my parents separated, now it's just comforting. People like shows for different reasons. Maybe I'm just being defensive.
My GF and I used to argue when I said that the character in Seinfeld that is closest to Larry's real self was George Costanza. She said no way but after awhile of CYE she started to agree with me. Then Larry actually says that in the 7th season of CYE. I had to call her right up and gloat just a little lol
You do get that sense yeah. However, I would say that early 'Friends' included many reaction shots of the characters laughing when a joke was said, but this realistic element seemed to progressively phased out for some reason. Gervais and Merchant were influenced from 'Friends' though, for example Gervais said that Tim's character in 'The Office' had a bit of Chandler in him by being the one reacting to stupidity and Merchant said the love story in 'The Office' was influenced by 'Friends' too.
Love this interview a lot. Having said that, does it not seem ironic that Gervais says "If you're talking about what everyone's thinking, you're not doing anything." Isn't that what Larry David makes a living off of in his shows? (And yes I threw in an intentional Curb reference to show that I really do love his humor).
It depends how you define "good comedy" or "bad comedy". His point is that there are people within the general public (not the public in its entirety) who find the most obvious and inane observations about life hilarious like "Don't you hate it when you are walking and it rains and you have no umbrella?". However comedy that is intelligent, original and interesting is on a higher plateau (oo lala!) than that of the obvious, mundane comedy.
@DumblyBrilliant Most studio audiences don't pay. But, you're right - they're invested in it being funny. Not because they paid or because of their ego, but simply because they want it to be funny.
8:14 At the "Talking funny HBO" Ricky mentioned the same thing and nobody got it but Larry thinks the same way. How is that Jerry didn't mentioned it when he brought that subject? Maybe because nobody took him serious
@heistsy originally the office was not universally popular - it actually flopped when it was released and they almost took it down due to poor viewing. This is fascinating example of how a niche concept comedy slowly BECAME mainstream. It's funny because the first time i saw it - I did't find it funny but then after a couple of episodes it gradually became hilarious...
Well I think all the actors in Seinfeld made the characters their own, but even Jerry is a little bit LD. LD and JS I think, just completely understand each other. For instance, who came up with the bit where Jerry dumps a girl only because she ate her peas one at a time? Was that pure Larry or could it have been Jerry's idea? It's hard to tell. As for the voice, I never really noticed that before but you're right. They are both New Yorkers from Brooklyn, so that could be why. IDK
8:28 It fucks me off when comedians come out with "if it gets a laugh it works"; I'd counter that with "if it's universally popular it's a sack of shite". That David vetted his audience is music to my soundsuckers, same with Gervais wanting the "right laugh" because that actual question has continually crossed my mind... undoubtedly there ARE halfwits who sit there bawling over Curb Your Enthusiasm & the Office, but it's a relief to know they aren't welcome to as far as the creator is concerned
@schneideywhitey I believe Gervais is meaning that if a comedy says what the audience basically knows and does its not clever. I.e. its not exactly uncommon for someone to crack a joke about the "munchies". Larry David does things we think of butcrindge because we didnt know other people thought like that. Larry's is the laughter of recognition. What Gervais is bashing is comedy that is so obvious it insults out intellegence.
I agree, I did like Seinfield but its nothing to Curb your enthusiasm. Larry also said he couldnt do drama but when hes the gangster in season 3 I thought he was really good! I dont watch many films tho.
@ianhitman Can't argue with you on that sir. Perhaps it's that Larry talks about things that we are all familiar with but says them in a funnier way than we normally think of. Crap I thought of a way better way to word that earlier. I think we're on the same page though.
@remcotorken this is a joke right ? this is from tv and those are the titles before the breaks, this show wasnt specially made for your convenience on youtube you know !!!!@:@:LPL!PL!
i always feel really uncomfortable when i get compliments, i dont want to be like oh yeah i know im the shit but you want to sound greatfull you might wonder how this is relevent it was interesting to see how gervais responded to larry when he was complimenting his work
That 'yeah you do get the munchies' bit has me laughing out loud
How ironic!
I could easily watch a full 24 hours of these two geniuses talking to each other. It's sublime, incredibly funny and insightful!!
2:24 you know he is talking about 'Friends' there, and he is right
Genuine laughs from Larry Dvaid are what keeps the world turning.
It's borderline surreal having them both in one room no?
Larry eating BAKED lays, is funny to me.
these two guys are just great. i love the kind of comedy they brought in through their shows. my favorite brand.
Who on earth are the thirteen people who didn't like this? This is amazing!
It is a rare moment indeed when I can say that youtube has enriched my life. This is one of those moments. Thankyou sir.
just finished all 8 seasons in a fortnight... couldn't stop laughing... this interview is a dream come true.... all they need now is borat to interview them both
Omg, 2 of the best of all time!
Love this. Gotta hand it to these two, they're in a very admirable occupation. They're in the business of making people smile.
:D
It's funny that Ricky says "The warm-up guy throws stuff out and shows his arse", because that's exactly what he did.
Someone not working since marriage asking the bread winner when he's going back to work😂
i agree about big bang theory and two and a half men. but damnit i liked friends.
i'm sure nobody cares what i have to say, but i already posted in part 4 how great larry's laugh is.
i just have to say it again though. i was close to tears after watching and re-watching the faux comedy bit starting at 7:33.
my stomach muscles will be sore tomo from laughing...
I love the thing about the laughter. I've always hated how a character will say something hilarious and no one will even smile.
I can just imagine Ricky watching the episode when Larry tries to act the George Constanza's part in the Reunion show on Curb
The scene at the beginning of this video is the funniest fucking thing.
Amazing interview.
hahaha, the comedy club bit is class
I like how Larry said he would never do films but yet he did "whatever works" which was fucking hilarious!
Totally agreed that George Constanza is the best sitcom character of all time
I’d love to see Karl pilkington and Larry David do an idiot abroad type of show together x
fascinating rapport between these two comedy titans.
sounds like a dig at Peter Kay with the crowbarring gags from stand up in.
great interview
Yes you're right, and I just watched all those
episodes again and realized that. He seems
bewildered that everyone says George
Costanza is an idiot lol but I don't think I
caught that the first time I watched the
show. It just dawned on me once when
I was watching Seinfeld. Maybe I did pick
up on it though, subconsciously.
Who knows.
you do get the munchies XD
Theres a moment in the clip around 1:00 where Cheryl looks like she is about to crack up....very funny
That's exactly what he meant. He was in a comedic movie, which he was great in, but he was in his comfort zone because it was comedy, just in front of a different camera. It was a good Woody Allen movie, just with Larry playing Woody's part...
The funny thing is that Larry ended up doing the movie "Clear History" on HBO. It was actually pretty funny. Pretty much just a big Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, but it was pretty funny.
thank you so much for this. Amazing.
Ricky and Larry are champs
good point. I have heard him do that before.
You DO get the munchies!!
The bit starting at 7:30 is priceless
love this...
two comic greats!
He also pretty much says it in the beginning of S02, when Larry and Jason have a meeting together.
YOU GET THE MUNCHIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
legends
The weed joke is brilliant (7:39 ish)
It’s funny to watch this back listening to him talk about crow barring things in knowing that most of Ricky’s bits came from XFM and he’s just recycled them throughout his career.
what he said about none of the characters in sit coms laughing at the jokes is so true actually, hmmm now I'm aware of this it's probably ruined 90% of sit coms for me. Thanks Larry!!
Lol 7:28 onwards had me in tears
i hope their stuff in the next curb season will turn out great
fucking love larry davids comedy.
ive never seen larry happy like that ricky makes him laugh they should be married :P
What ricky says about the weed comedy is so true
Ever since the Office, I try to figure out who fits which character from the show around the office I work in ... it worked like a charm .. like therapy to get me through the day so to speak
You're obviously Tim
It is Will Rogers who said:
" I have always noticed that people will never laugh at anything that is not based on truth."
this isn't an interview. this is like an earlier version of talking funny.
I think it got way funnier as it went on
yeah, an appearance like that is basically a commercial for whatever you're doing if you aren't a hugely famous celebrity that people want to hear stupid stories about your christmas holiday. its like when good standup comedians have to go on ham and egger morning drive radio shows to promote shows and since the hosts have nothing to contribute, they just set them up to do bits from their set
of course, the Coup-de' toe
@Brooksider100 I think Da vinci/Newton is abit overstated lol
ive found that sometimes ricky gervais meets larry david
I think that some sitcoms serve different purposes, whether the writers are aware of them or not. Shows like 'Big Bang Theory' or 'Friends' are what I call 'Amusement shows'. They are light-hearted, mildly amusing entertainment shows that can very occasionally make me literally 'lol' (Friends being a slight exception since it was one of the first sitcoms I got into and as such I have huge nostalgia for it). However 'The Office', 'Alan Partridge' and 'Curb' are comedy shows full of belly laughs.
Do they? The Office, Curb, Extras... no canned laughter.
@mufc187 Cheers is another perfect example of this, just nonstop one liners that no one on the set laughs at
I agree that Friends isn't funny, it has a lot of terrible jokes and is lacking in wit. But I love it, and I'll love it for the rest of my life, for the same reason I love Blink 182, they don't make good music but I grew up with them, I grew up with Friends, it's nostalgia. I watched Friends season 1 - 10 the summer my parents separated, now it's just comforting. People like shows for different reasons. Maybe I'm just being defensive.
My GF and I used to argue when I said that the
character in Seinfeld that is closest to Larry's
real self was George Costanza. She said no way
but after awhile of CYE she started to agree
with me. Then Larry actually says that in the
7th season of CYE. I had to call her right up
and gloat just a little lol
No shit, George was based on Larry, everyone knew that 20 years ago.
You do get that sense yeah. However, I would say that early 'Friends' included many reaction shots of the characters laughing when a joke was said, but this realistic element seemed to progressively phased out for some reason. Gervais and Merchant were influenced from 'Friends' though, for example Gervais said that Tim's character in 'The Office' had a bit of Chandler in him by being the one reacting to stupidity and Merchant said the love story in 'The Office' was influenced by 'Friends' too.
Love this interview a lot. Having said that, does it not seem ironic that Gervais says "If you're talking about what everyone's thinking, you're not doing anything." Isn't that what Larry David makes a living off of in his shows? (And yes I threw in an intentional Curb reference to show that I really do love his humor).
@Brooksider100 its hardly Da Vinci and Newton lol but i agree with your second point
Add Carlos Mencia into that mix and you're good. :)
well said
hahahah 0:50 is hilarious
It depends how you define "good comedy" or "bad comedy". His point is that there are people within the general public (not the public in its entirety) who find the most obvious and inane observations about life hilarious like "Don't you hate it when you are walking and it rains and you have no umbrella?". However comedy that is intelligent, original and interesting is on a higher plateau (oo lala!) than that of the obvious, mundane comedy.
Leif Ericsson discovered america
@DumblyBrilliant Most studio audiences don't pay.
But, you're right - they're invested in it being funny. Not because they paid or because of their ego, but simply because they want it to be funny.
it's part 5 of 6. we know already it's ricky gervais meets larry david. you don't have to keep showing it in between
8:14
At the "Talking funny HBO" Ricky mentioned the same thing and nobody got it but Larry thinks the same way.
How is that Jerry didn't mentioned it when he brought that subject?
Maybe because nobody took him serious
@heistsy originally the office was not universally popular - it actually flopped when it was released and they almost took it down due to poor viewing. This is fascinating example of how a niche concept comedy slowly BECAME mainstream. It's funny because the first time i saw it - I did't find it funny but then after a couple of episodes it gradually became hilarious...
what ricky was saying about comedians was so true. thats all you get these days michale mcintyre and all that
Well I think all the actors in Seinfeld made the
characters their own, but even Jerry is a little
bit LD. LD and JS I think, just completely
understand each other. For instance, who came
up with the bit where Jerry dumps a girl only
because she ate her peas one at a time? Was
that pure Larry or could it have been Jerry's
idea? It's hard to tell. As for the voice, I
never really noticed that before but you're
right. They are both New Yorkers from Brooklyn,
so that could be why. IDK
Columbo did discover America....his name was changed to Columbus years later, because it sounded more important!
8:28 It fucks me off when comedians come out with "if it gets a laugh it works"; I'd counter that with "if it's universally popular it's a sack of shite". That David vetted his audience is music to my soundsuckers, same with Gervais wanting the "right laugh" because that actual question has continually crossed my mind... undoubtedly there ARE halfwits who sit there bawling over Curb Your Enthusiasm & the Office, but it's a relief to know they aren't welcome to as far as the creator is concerned
the 'right' laugh is the thing...these are auteurs.
@giz277 If they posed like the lemonparty picture I would die laughing.
@Brooksider100 They already have worked together, ricky is in the next season of curb
Jerry rules.
You fail.
@schneideywhitey I believe Gervais is meaning that if a comedy says what the audience basically knows and does its not clever. I.e. its not exactly uncommon for someone to crack a joke about the "munchies". Larry David does things we think of butcrindge because we didnt know other people thought like that. Larry's is the laughter of recognition. What Gervais is bashing is comedy that is so obvious it insults out intellegence.
Being famous is fking awesome, i can only imagine, sadly.
Ricky should have taken note as to why Larry didn't attempt a film
@Brooksider100 I get the same feeling.
@7:30 hahahahaha
I agree, I did like Seinfield but its nothing to Curb your enthusiasm. Larry also said he couldnt do drama but when hes the gangster in season 3 I thought he was really good! I dont watch many films tho.
@ianhitman Can't argue with you on that sir. Perhaps it's that Larry talks about things that we are all familiar with but says them in a funnier way than we normally think of. Crap I thought of a way better way to word that earlier. I think we're on the same page though.
@logant44 can't but agree(plus, extra points for spelling "rapport" correctly) :P
Interesting take by Gervais on lazy comedy of recognition. That's Peter Kay's stand up.
and if you're talking about Seinfeld Larry didn't have 100% creative control..
@remcotorken this is a joke right ? this is from tv and those are the titles before the breaks, this show wasnt specially made for your convenience on youtube you know !!!!@:@:LPL!PL!
well I meant knowing the way he is, that was pretty obvious. watch the video at 3:44 and analyze larry
Coup D'Étoe
maybe they should write a movie together or something
ha ha columbo
@thedeafparrot sorry that i have to ask but my english is so-so. But what are munchies and what is supposedly funny about it?
why did I get a thumbs down for this??
i always feel really uncomfortable when i get compliments, i dont want to be like oh yeah i know im the shit but you want to sound greatfull
you might wonder how this is relevent
it was interesting to see how gervais responded to larry when he was complimenting his work