In a legendary moment uncovered by the New York Post’s Page Six, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Larry David went after celebrity attorney Alan Dershowitz in a Martha’s Vineyard grocery store for his Trump administration ties. Television viewers can only hope the argument between the two former friends will make its way into season 11 of the misanthropic comedy series.
According to the source who says he or she witnessed the interaction, David went off on Dershowitz for having his “arm around [Former Trump Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo!” saying, “It’s disgusting!”
Dershowitz defended himself by mentioning Pompeo is a former student of his at Harvard Law School—where he is a professor. The attorney, who has defended the likes of Mike Tyson, O.J. Simpson, and Patty Hearst, is a regular Newsmax contributor. He also defended former President Donald Trump in his first impeachment.
“It’s disgusting. Your whole enclave—it’s disgusting. You’re disgusting!” David responded. After this remark, David reportedly walked away and Dershowitz “[took] off his T-shirt” to show another one that read “It’s The Constitution Stupid!”
Dershowitz confirmed the incident to Page Six, claiming that “it wasn’t funny at all” since David “screamed” and “yelled” and looked like “he was going to have a stroke.”
“I’m a liberal Democrat and I voted for Biden just as enthusiastically as Larry did,” Dershowitz told the outlet, in addition to claiming the “Seinfeld” co-creator “is guilty of contemporary McCarthyism.”
While the lawyer said he is happy to “extend a hand of friendship” to David and discuss the negative interaction, he attacked the comedian’s intelligence. “Larry is a knee-jerk radical,” Dershowitz said. “He takes his politics from Hollywood. He doesn’t read a lot. He doesn’t think a lot,” in addition to, “While he was writing bad jokes, I was helping to bring about peace in the Middle East. What has he done?”
This is not the first time Dershowitz has lamented “McCarthyism” in Martha’s Vineyard. He claimed in a 2018 op-ed for The Hill that the island is “shunning” him for his Trump ties. However, David, whom Dershowitz claimed he represented pro bono on the island and whose daughter he helped get accepted into college, certainly was not afraid to voice his political grievances.
With a new season of “Curb” premiering by the end of this year, one has to wonder whether David will satirize the absurd squabble. At this point, how could he not?
It’s not the only recent interaction that seems worthwhile for David to fictionalize, either. The comedian described this week he was disinvited to former President Barack Obama’s superspreader 60th birthday party that was supposedly “scaled back” due to the coronavirus. David said he was “so relieved” that he poured a drink. He indicated to The New York Times as well that he was worried he would have to perform at the star-studded party.
“Curb” would benefit from an Obamafied episode, but there is something about two older and prominent Jewish men arguing that would fit right in too. Perhaps Jeff could be with Larry at the store, and Susie could describe her disdain for Dershowitz after hearing the situation. But where would Leon stand? Would Richard Lewis defend Dershowitz?
These are questions worth pondering.
The ultimate question is not whether David and Dershowitz will re-build their evidently rocky and bizarre relationship. That seems unlikely. It’s whether we can re-live it on the big screen.