Barack Obama is stepping into one of the most painfully awkward corners of TV: a Larry David comedy.
And yes, it’s real. The former president is set to make his TV comedy debut in Larry David’s upcoming HBO Max sketch series, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America, premiering June 26.
Larry David announced the project’s details during a SXSW talk in Austin with longtime collaborator Jeff Schaffer, who directs the show. The series will run seven episodes and take a satirical bite out of U.S. history as part of the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary.
The premise is simple: drop a big cast of comedians and actors into famous historical moments… then let Larry David make everything weird.
Schaffer described it as “Curb” in costume, meaning it leans heavily on improvisation. Instead of tight scripts, the sketches are built from loose outlines and let the cast find the chaos in real time.
A clip shown at SXSW reportedly teased the show’s vibe with a twist on the iconic V-J Day in Times Square moment, featuring David witnessing the famous sailor-and-kiss scene — only, of course, with Larry-style discomfort baked in.
Obama’s role is expected to be a sketch appearance opposite David. And despite Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, being involved, David apparently didn’t treat him like the most powerful guy in the room.
“I’m president here,” David joked, recalling a moment when Obama offered a note on a sketch.
Schaffer also said Obama had fun needling David behind the scenes, teasing him about everything from his golf game to how much sunscreen he wears.
Obama won’t be the only big name playing dress-up with American history. The show will feature around four sketches per episode with a rotating, star-studded cast.
Curb fans can expect familiar faces like Jeff Garlin, J.B. Smoove, and Susie Essman, who will play Susan B. Anthony.
Other guest stars will jump into historical roles too, including Bill Hader and Kathryn Hahn as Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Jon Hamm and Sean Hayes as the Wright brothers.
The promise is basically this: American history, but filtered through Larry David’s talent for turning any situation — even a national milestone — into a painfully funny social disaster.
He was a comedian for 8 years.
Unfortunately, I never saw anything funny in our Islamo-Nazi-in-chief, may he suffer a protracted and agonizing death. I am NOT surprised that it’s Larry David idea. David may be funny, but he is a genuinely unlikable man.