Hello, People!
In my world, reality is crazy but manageable. In my head, it’s a whole different situation. If I don’t do something to sync them up I’m going to blow a gasket. The amount of anxiety I deal with leading up to anything, even something that should be fun, is unbearable at this point. The fun does not outweigh the fraught journey to having it.
I’ve got to get them to be equal if not leaning more towards the fun. Even in the face of awfulness on all sides. I feel like I’ve earned it.
That being said, I moderated a conversation with Larry David in Washington, DC on Friday. By moderate I mean I interviewed him in front of a large audience at the Anthem Theatre. He asked me to do it. I don’t know Larry. I met him once at an airport. Of course, I love the guy. He’s one of the funniest people that ever lived. He called me once after he heard my Seinfeld talk where I mentioned that he wouldn’t do the show. He called to tell me he wouldn’t do the show at the time because there was no reason for him to do it. He said he would do it when he had a reason.
The final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm seemed like a good reason. I know he was out there doing press. So, I reached out to him and asked him to do the show. He said he had some other commitments that he had to honor before me and he would do it after. It never happened. On the upside, every time I talked to the guy, it was fun. I got him laughing. It means something to make Larry David laugh. At least it does to me.
I began to realize that he doesn’t really love doing personal talks and there was a good chance he would never do the show. Which is fine. Then he called and asked if I would do this live event with him. I said sure. I said it could be great. Then I asked if we could record and I could post it as a podcast. He said he was thinking the same thing. Perfect. It was all going to happen. Until the next day when he called and said I couldn’t record it. Then I thought, ‘what's the point?’ I half tried to get out of it. Then they offered me good money to do it and I thought, ‘Well, I’d be rude not to do it and it could be fun.’ I agreed.
Over the course of a few weeks we talked a few times. I just wrapped my mind around the idea of doing this one-off live talk with him that wasn’t being recorded by anyone for any reason. It seemed a bit insane in this day and age with technology so easy to just have it go out into the ether for that audience on that night and that’s where it would stay. It annoyed me but I was in and I started thinking about my approach. It’s a whole different thing than sitting one-on-one across from each other but it's doable. I’ve done it before.
Two days before the event he calls me. He’s a bit concerned. He tells me he doesn’t want to get personal. He says, ‘No Barbara Walters moments.’ I had just gotten off the phone with Brendan to bounce my approach off him when Larry called. I told him I was just talking about him for an hour. He asked what about. I said I was trying to figure out a way to get out of interviewing him. Big laugh.
Then the dread set in. What the fuck am I going to talk to him about if he doesn’t want to get personal. A day before the show he texts me that he wants to talk and I would be happy about it. I called him. He says, ‘Do whatever the fuck you want. You’re great. You know what you're doing. I don’t give a fuck.’
It was a relief but despite that I now knew his comfort zone so I had to respect that. It was his night. He just wanted it to be entertaining.
That’s the other interesting thing. My instinct in the garage is to show up and have it be an active conversation with contributions from both people. I insert myself into the talk. That’s what I do.
I just put on a different hat. I wanted to make it a great night for him and remove myself from the equation in terms of feeling that I had to interject myself and just do it for Larry. I wanted to be funny but I wanted it to just be in service to him. The audience was there to see him. I was a special guest and probably not the one the audience was expecting.
So, I freaked out all day, filled my head with his life and work, made my notes and just got out there on stage. I brought him out and we had the best time. I respected his boundaries around what I knew he was comfortable with and just made it a good space for him to be funny and entertaining. I got a few lines in but I just wanted him to be happy.
It was a blast. He loved it. We had fun. Which I think is rare for both of us. I know it is for me.
You’ll just have to take my word on it. It only exists as memory for all involved, including the audience.
Today I talk to Alejandro Escovedo. He’s an amazing songwriter and musician who has been out there for years making great music. He’s had quite a heavy life and I’m a huge fan. It was great talking to him. On Thursday I talk to comic Dina Hashem about her life growing up Muslim in America and how she represents that on stage. Also a great talk.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
