Larry David reflects at the Netflix is a Joke Festival

Larry David doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would want people to come out to see him onstage talking about himself. Again, this is the same guy who released a video asking people not to do just that. Well, despite his best efforts, fans showed up in droves to the Greek Theater. And judging from the reaction of the crowd – the majority of whom were wearing knock-off Curb Your Enthusiasm shirts -, there was nothing but love for everyone’s favorite curmudgeon.

“I’d like to thank Lauren Striker for putting this together,” he said of the event when he sat down. He then added, “Although it doesn’t seem so hard.”

Eventually, David even questioned his own decision to partake in the event. And also questioned why he agreed to do so outdoors. “I’m usually so climate conscious,” he assured the crowd. But nevertheless, the show went on.

Audiences were treated to a 2 hour trip down memory lane. Make no mistake about it, Larry David’s life has been anything but dull. And throughout the night, he walked us through his Brooklyn upbringing, questioning whether he would’ve been as successful if he grew up in the middle of nowhere. He also touched on a mistake he made at his Bar Mitzvah, meeting Richard Lewis in summer camp, going to group therapy with Lewis, being told Johnny Carson wouldn’t like him, taking an acting class, his bad experiences on Fridays and SNL, and the infamous moment when he walked offstage without telling a single joke.

Of course, he also talked about his successes, such as Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He recalled two moments when he almost walked off the former, and how Jerry eventually talked him out of it. But of course, a lot of attention was also given to the latter. He talked about the casting of Susie Essman and JB Smoove, one of his favorite scenes, and working on the new season.

We all (even Larry) got an additional surprise when the moderator brought up a co-star, before having Larry engage in a fittingly anti-climatic ending where Larry attempted to shoot a piece of paper into a basket. He missed. When asked if he wanted to try again, he declined. Typical Larry David.