Why Do Ugly People Wear a Make America Great Again Hat

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[This story contains spoilers from the season 10 premiere of HBO'due south Adjourn Your Enthusiasm, "Happy New year's day."]

Larry David is back. And he returned to HBO'sCurb Your Enthusiasm on Sun by wearing a MAGA hat every bit a people repellent and getting #MeToo-ed.

The two hot-push plots — which intersected by the stop of the episode when Larry (played by David), donning a bathrobe and the pro-Trump "Make America Great Once more" cap, does an ill-timed impersonation of the president's famous "grab 'em by the pussy" line and sends his female person banana running — had been in the tin can for months, which made executive producer and David'due south Adjourn partner Jeff Schaffer nervous while he awaited premiere night for flavour ten.

"When you make up one's mind to put a bear witness on a shelf and concur it for like four months, y'all definitely have these moments where y'all're like, 'Oh no. What if someone does this story?'" Schaffer, who also directed the premiere, tells The Hollywood Reporter. "But we actually had a long talk about it, and we weren't that concerned that someone else was going to have their lead character exist #MeToo-ed in a comedy."

A joke from the premiere sees Larry dodging wishes of "Happy New year's day!" weeks subsequently January. 1. That bit prompted David and Schaffer to concord the flavor until early 2020, even though the episodes were locked and loaded in the fall of 2019. And that timing happened to line up well for the premiere's #MeToo plot, with Harvey Weinstein's criminal trial beginning before this year.

"Usually I say that every season of Curb is the final season, and when we're done there will never exist another one," says Schaffer, reiterating what he told THR after the end of last season (season ix aired its finale in December of 2017). "Merely Larry had so much fun in season nine that, completely out of the ordinary, he was ready to practise another ane right away. We were actually washed with this season in the fall, only we wanted to agree it until Jan because we wanted the 'Happy New year's day' stuff to be relevant. Nosotros didn't desire to air that in Oct. [And] past holding, Weinstein also reared his ugly head again. The Harvey stuff was a bonus."

Below, in a chat with THR, Schaffer explains the origin of the premiere'due south Weinstein joke, remains shocked at existence able to keep Larry's MAGA hat scenes a surreptitious while shooting around Los Angeles, reveals how long the "star-crossed lovers" reunion between Larry and Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) has been in the works, and explains how the opener sets up the rest of the season, which may or may not be the last: "We're definitely talking virtually talking about it."

What was the timeline for creating this 10th season?

We were sitting in the edit room finishing the "Fatwa!" [flavour nine finale] episode. We finished on a Friday, and Larry turns to me and goes, "All right. I'll see you on Mon. We'll practice another one." I said, "Okay, then we're doing that. Let me cancel a few things." The creative process was exactly the same in that just because nosotros say nosotros're going to exercise another season doesn't hateful nosotros're actually going to practise some other flavor. Larry never wants to experience like he's forced to practise something he's not proud of. It's really non until we're seven or eight shows in that I say, "Hey, we should really call HBO and tell them nosotros want to practise another season so we can coiffure upwardly." (Laughs) Otherwise, people won't exist available. "And too, peradventure we should tell the cast?" I know it seems like it'south been a big break, but for us, two years is a little break. Cicadas come every 17 years and fuck everything up — we're way faster than that. I'grand non going to feel guilty.

There has been a continuing civilization shift in the two years plus since y'all've been off the air. Even during terminal season, we discussed the minefield of Larry David walking throughout the world. Is that ongoing challenge why you wanted to beginning the season off with a Larry #MeToo story?

Here's the thing for u.s.: Nothing is really off limits. I remember it's just how you do it. Whatsoever subject area is totally fair game; it's how you execute it. Larry is willing to address problems other people just might not want to bear on at all, and I think there'due south a very practiced reason for that, and that's that he doesn't care if you watch. There are so many people worrying virtually all the big things, and we're congenital for the little things. But we likewise breathe the same air as everybody else, and we're also creatures of our surroundings. We but look at all the actually terrible stuff that'south happening in the earth and think: "What if that happened to Larry?"

Can you share the origin of the premiere joke of Jeff Garlin being mistaken for Harvey Weinstein?

When news near Harvey Weinstein and all of his awful behavior broke, I said to Larry, "How soon before Authentication calls Jeff to play Harvey Weinstein in some fabricated-for-Television movie?" Nosotros laughed about that and and so said, "Wait, why give this to Hallmark?" And then nosotros started thinking about it, and and then I said to Larry, "We have to call Jeff to see if he's absurd with this!" (Laughs) He said, "For you guys, of course." He was totally down. And I have to say, it's ane of the biggest laughs in the episode. I don't know if information technology'south always really happened to him. But once Harvey did the walker, I think that helped Jeff a lot. The bad news is that if Jeff e'er hurts his dorsum, he'due south fucked.

Larry accidentally gropes a waitress, and his oddball means similarly offend his assistant. Why is Larry the perfect character to represent how the culture has changed?

Because Larry has never changed. Every science experiment needs a constant. (Laughs) That'due south why that works. The get-go show is always a tricky ane because you're trying to make a actually entertaining episode but you lot're also trying to prepare all these things that are going to play out through the rest of the season. And that's ane of them: Larry is in a little chip of hot water with his assistant, who thinks he's a sexual harasser. Considering we felt like no one else was going to touch it, it made it a actually attractive story to exercise. And that's going to weave through the rest of the episodes. That story keeps moving frontwards. I tin't tell you more, because I don't desire to spoil anything, merely keep watching the adjacent few episodes. I promise you that no potted plants were harmed in the making of this flavor.

A few other arcs that we set up upward this episode volition also carry through. Larry is going to open up a java shop next to Mocha Joe'southward called Latte Larry's [as he threatened in the premiere]. Aye, it is a "spite store." And that spite store gives Larry a chance to take a real, hard look at the service industry experience. Nosotros always say, he's not an inventor; he'south an improver. Then he's going to flex that muscle in the coffee arena. And then, of course, Larry is also cuckolding Ted [after sleeping with Cheryl]. He's never cuckolded someone earlier, let alone Ted Danson. Then that's fairly invigorating. Although, Larry doesn't see it as cuckolding at all, because he and Cheryl were together before. I don't know if anyone else agrees with that assessment! Simply that's how he really sees it. And so all of these stories volition intertwine with tons of other things throughout the flavor. But don't worry — it all turns out bang-up in the end, and everyone is very happy. (Laughs)

Volition Larry learn anything near how he treats women, or people in general, later on these accusations?

Are you asking if Larry volition pause and have a moment of self-reflection? (Laughs) Yous know how there's certain kind of bacteria that's resistant to antibiotics? Larry is resistant to learning. It's non going to happen. He'due south a very strong strain of Larry!

Final flavour had a large arc with Fatwa! The Musical. This season, you said y'all were going back to more classic Curb. What did you similar about concluding season'south arroyo, and why did y'all want to alter things up going into this season?

I loved final season, and so did Larry. Getting a chance to practise a musical with Lin-Manuel Miranda and F. Murray Abraham was just an amazing dream come true. But because we had done something that big the flavor prior, you never want to feel similar yous're repeating yourself. The reason why we wanted to become back to a more than what I'll call a "classic Curb season" was to differentiate ourselves from the season prior. It's not like we have a ton of ideas for musicals! We're not actually turning this into Larry'due south Glee. Simply even though there isn't 1 giant, overriding idea — similar Larry has a fatwa on himself for writing a musical about a fatwa — there are definitely, as you see from this episode, some large stories that are going to gear up and follow us for all 10 episodes.

What real-life headlines did you have to navigate when crafting Larry'southward flavor ten journey?

When y'all're writing that far in advance, we were afraid and very hopeful that Trump would no longer be effectually, and we would accept happily re-shot a whole new story. But that didn't happen. And with the Harvey stuff, we were thinking when we were writing, "When is this trial? Are people going to remember this?" And then that timing but worked out. When you make up one's mind to put a show on a shelf and concord it for like iv months, when you're done with it, you just want information technology to come up out so everyone can come across it. But yous definitely have these moments where you're like, "Oh no. What if someone does this story?" But we actually had a long talk about information technology, and we weren't that concerned that someone else was going to have their lead character be #MeToo-ed in a comedy.

We didn't have to modify the big stuff, it was more the little stuff. Originally we couldn't decide whether Larry was going to knock over the Bird scooters or interruption the selfie stick. (Laughs) Nosotros had this discussion near information technology and I said, "Let'due south practise the Birds, because I hate them more." They're like the new cigarette butts — they but become thrown everywhere. Larry wanted to do the selfie stick; I wanted the Birds. In the end I think he was right — the selfie stick was a little funnier. I'm very glad we did both. I'm supposed to transport him an email saying, "You were right." Spoiler alert: I'yard non going to transport that email.

What was the experience similar of filming Larry David wearing a "Make America Great Over again" hat all around Los Angeles?

We had a total security concern, because Larry David in a MAGA chapeau is quite a photograph op. We're shooting on location out on San Vicente, and that walk-and-talk was on Pico; nosotros were out in the open. We were always on the lookout and request, "Delight, no photography." Considering we really didn't desire to ruin that epitome, and we got really lucky — that would have been a huge spoiler. Larry told all the extras in the sushi restaurant to please non say anything, and everyone played along, which we were really grateful for. Larry in the hat is such a dissonant image. Y'all realized when he put it on that you just never see a person in a MAGA chapeau in Los Angeles. It'due south like spotting a double rainbow of intolerance. He wanted to wait until the last minute to put it on when he got on set, so it really had a proficient effect. It was like seeing your uncle the banker doing cosplay, information technology was baroque.

With David now known for his Bernie Sanders impression and being a role of the pop-civilization conversation effectually politics, did that brand the MAGA hat bit more than enticing for him to do?

They're carve up. He loves doing Bernie. Everyone asks if he'll do Bernie on Curb, and we're like, you tin can't mix those things. It gets too dingy. So just to tell everybody: No, he will not be playing Bernie Sanders on this flavor of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The genius of Larry is taking something and making it most himself commencement, but past making it about himself, he's actually saying something near everybody.

Are you lot pleased past the reaction to it? Trump hasn't tweeted yet…

Yes. I'm actually happy that people are happy that we're dorsum. And I'll speak for Larry — we're just so excited to evidence everybody this season. I feel like we've been sitting on this egg for so long. I'm glad this selfish, neurotic chick hatched. And I don't have a Twitter account — but I hope he does! [The president tweeted about the episode weeks afterward.]

As the season goes, were there ideas that prompted heated discussions, or was there something that was tricky to get right?

At that place are definitely a few more hot-button problems that we touch on. At that place is definitely the opportunity for people to be offended. And frankly, I wouldn't have it any other fashion.

The premiere too sees a big reunion between Larry and ex-wife Cheryl, which is something the fans wanted concluding season. Why was it time to bring them back together?

Terminal twelvemonth, you did ask if there was anything we didn't do. And I said there was definitely a story that we wanted to exercise but we didn't fit in the season, and this was that story. It couldn't fit with season nine, but we always wanted to do it. Now we could requite it the oxygen it needed, and y'all'll see (laughs) how these 2 star-crossed lovers wander through the next few episodes. This was definitely something that was a last-flavour holdover that we always wanted to explore and only never had the space.

Their chemistry is obvious in how amused she is by him. Only what does she run across in Larry romantically?

I think Cheryl explained it and so well in the episode. When she's with Larry, she feels superior. When she'due south with Ted — Ted is such a good person who does everything correct. It'southward difficult to be with someone who is perfect. Information technology's a lot easier, and maybe even more attractive, to exist with someone who is so terribly flawed that no matter what yous practice, you come up out on top.

In add-on to the returning ensemble, there are many guest stars ready to appear — Vince Vaughn, Isla Fisher, Mila Kunis and Laverne Cox, to name just a few. Do actors approach you when you're plotting the season to come on the show?

There are some roles where nosotros think as nosotros're writing them, "Oh, I know who this should be." There are some people like Fred Armisen, who comes in later in the flavour; or there was an episode with Nick Kroll or Abbi Jacobson or Tim Olyphant where nosotros were like, "This person is going to be perfect." Jon Hamm, same affair. Equally we're writing, we hope the person is available, and nosotros ask and unremarkably they're fans of the show. So there is another group of people who we would never recall would picket the show, let alone like it. Merely every once in a while, you lot get those calls. We heard that Clive Owen was a huge fan — we thought that was impossible — but we were told Clive Owen loves the show, and we were writing an episode and thought it would exist perfect if Clive Owen could play Clive Owen in the flavour. Nosotros merely got totally lucky that this amazing picture star has a fondness for Curb, and boy, he knocked it out of the park. Jonah Hill also plays himself — and he's hysterical. In terms of guest cast, it's just an amazing year. And they're all so funny.

Mocha Joe was a nod to the Seinfeld reunion episode on season vii of Curb. How many Easter eggs will you lay in this season?

In that location will definitely be some Easter eggs this season, and a few other blasts from the by that I can tell you right off the bat. Richard Kind is back every bit cousin Andy, and Kaitlin Olson is back every bit Cheryl'due south sister Becky. Fans of the show will definitely recognize some echoes of things from seasons by. We practice that only when it works. The soul of the prove is the stories and how to tell the stories in a funny way, so everything revolves around that. If y'all haven't seen a person in a while, that's considering we didn't accept the right story. Larry is loath to wedge someone in just considering people want to encounter them, and information technology's the same with stories. Parts of the show become taken out if we don't need it. We're pretty brutal in the edit room.

How volition you address the passing of longtime co-star Bob Einstein (who played Marty Funkhouser)?

The passing of Bob will definitely exist addressed. Information technology was a real shock to u.s.a.. We were obviously all so sad to lose i of the funniest human being beings on the planet. We thought that there was really a chance that nosotros were going to become him back. He had been on the upswing and we thought we were going to become him back after Christmas, just patently that didn't happen. We had saved a lot of scenes considering we wanted him in the show equally much every bit possible. Nosotros had written stories specifically for him, and and so nosotros had a lot of pitiful narrative gymnastics to re-figure out a few things on the wing. Information technology was doing a thing you didn't desire to do for a terrible reason. Merely he's definitely addressed, and certainly missed.

So, is this the last season? What have your discussions about doing more entailed?

(Laughs) I'll say this: Every season is the concluding flavor, only we're definitely talking about talking about it.

That sounds familiar, Jeff.

Yes, I know!

Is the end of the season building toward something? Does information technology prepare up more episodes?

All the stuff that got set up in the premiere, plus a few more things that are about to happen, are definitely building toward an terminate where all of these things intertwine to i bigger moment. There are definitely some things this yr that I sort of tin't believe that we pulled off.

How many ideas are left on the table for a potential 11th season?

We definitely have ideas that didn't fit in the flavour. Whether they'll fit into a adjacent season is really hard to say.

David has said that Curbwill end without ceremony — unlike the series finale of Seinfeld. Did that gene in this twelvemonth, where you make a finale that could function as the terminal?

I take a theory nearly season finales, having done information technology before on The League. Nosotros try really hard to make it a actually skilful episode of the show, as opposed to trying to brand it something different from the bear witness itself. I think that's always a mistake, to recollect the finale has to exist a completely dissimilar testify or a unlike tone from the show that people actually liked. And I recall Larry agrees with me — let's do a really fun episode. And since it'due south the tenth of ten of whatsoever that year is, it's going to wrap up a lot of story strands and themes you've been dealing with in that flavor, so there should exist a sense of abyss anyway. If information technology's ultimate completeness or not, that'south up to him. Just every flavour feels like it should tie upwardly the unabridged season in a good mode. That's what flavour nine did. Information technology made anybody feel similar, "Oh, that episode worked equally the end of this season, I feel like that was a good season." And that'due south really all you lot can hope for.

You will reach the 100th-episode marker with the finale of season ten. Did yous go into it any differently because of that milestone, or was there already pressure because it's a flavour ender?

Larry's really counting on syndication! (Laughs) All the 100th episode meant in terms of any pomp and circumstance is that we were able to multiply ten times ten. The end of the season has its ain pressure considering information technology has to wrap up the entire flavour in a really interesting and unexpected way. Then that'southward the pressure: the force per unit area of the stories. The remainder is nothing.

Y'all directed 8 of these ten episodes. From behind the photographic camera, what impressed you most about David and the cast?

I've been working with Larry on and off for about 25 years. And Larry likes to say, "Ugh. You know all my moves." But I take to say, there are a few things this season where he only totally surprised me. Where I went, "I never idea you lot were going to do that." (Laughs) Directing these episodes, you go into every day with a plan of what you think you lot're going to shoot, but these magical digressions happen and things change, and yous know you're going to throw half that plan out the window. Just similar yous are writing it alive, you lot're going to be directing it live. That's why I ever say it's a alive-comedy sporting upshot. You only know every day that you take a funny story and you have these really funny people, and you lot're going to brand something actually funny — but you may not know know what it is yet, and that's okay. In terms of the cast, it's such a fun surroundings considering y'all're only working on, "What'south the funniest affair?" There's no bullshit. As Alec Berg always used to say, "There'southward no 'they.'" On a network show, everyone is always like, "Volition they like information technology? I don't know if they'll let u.s.a. do this." There is no "they" here, it'due south simply us. And y'all just go to make something up that makes everybody laugh. The cast was amazing this year. If y'all're a fan of Leon's (J.B. Smoove) or Susie'due south (Susie Essman) or Jeff's (Jeff Garlin), they have dandy stuff to practice.

Yous also have other comedies coming up. Tin you talk about Netflix'sBrews Brothers and FX's Dave?

I'm super excited for people to run across Curb, finally. And I'chiliad likewise really excited for people to see other things that I've been sort of EP-ing. Dave is a really interesting evidence, and I recollect people are really going to like information technology. It'due south non just for fans of Petty Dicky. People are going to be really pleasantly surprised at how much it has on its mind. And Brews Brothers was really fun. It was and then much fun to work with my brother [Greg Schaffer], and information technology'south a really hilarious show.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

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Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/curb-your-enthusiasm-season-10-premiere-larry-david-metoo-maga-hats-interview-1271423/