The famously cynical comedian, actor and writer Larry David does not want to be seen as “nice”, according to his first biography which came out on Tuesday.
The 79-year-old's biographer, Blake J Harris, spoke to magazine Variety about what it was like working with the Jewish comedy legend on the book, Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David.
She said the pair spoke weekly over video call for six months during Covid, and the book took six years to finish.
Harris described the conversation when he first approached David, saying he had told her: “There are far better ways to spend your time. There’s nothing interesting about me, and there’s no interest in me. That’s not being modest. It’s the truth.
“So why the book? My parents are dead, so now we’re only left with my kids and my wife to read it. I don’t think three books is making it to the best sellers list. Surely there are better subjects who would welcome a biography.”
Eventually, David agreed, saying: “Oh Jesus. If we must.”
Harris said: “There were things he wanted removed that I did not agree with. The things he objected to were when I showed a sweeter side of him. I had a quote from [American actress and comedian] Mary Steenburgen talking about how Larry is really a sweetheart, and that, when asked to list the in-case-of-emergency person, she would consider putting Larry down.
“He crossed it out and wrote, ‘Too nice, embarrassing!’ I ended up using half the quote. It feels very Larry that he didn’t care about looking stupid, but he didn’t want to look nice.”
Harris continued: “The only thing Larry cares about is being funny, which I say because I think you get from the book that the two greatest joys in his life, even more than golf, are his daughters Cazzie and Romy.
“Some of the other stuff he wanted to cut, which I did not cut, was the stuff about them, because he’s like, ‘Oh, this isn’t funny’ - and I’m like, ‘Yes, it’s not supposed to be funny. It’s supposed to show you that you’re a human and a father’.”
On the completion of the biography, he told Harris that he regretted agreeing to it.
Harris said: “When he finished reading the manuscript of the book, he called me and we talked about some of his thoughts.
“I thought he was going to maybe reflect on his life, but he said, ‘yeah, if I could do it again, I wouldn’t do it. I regret doing the book’...
“[He told me I] did a great job. [but he] just [didn’t] want people knowing about [him].”
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.