Larry David Jokes ‘Curb’ Finale Was a ‘F— You’ to ‘Seinfeld’ Finale Haters

Larry David has sought revenge on the critics of Seinfeld’s finale for 26 years.

During a Curb Your Enthusiasm panel at PaleyFest LA on April 18 — featuring stars David, 76, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman and J.B. Smoove — Jeff Schaffer, one of the show’s executive producers, praised the way Curb’s finale harkened back to the plot of Seinfeld’s last episode.

“It was just incredible by the way, getting to bring all that full circle and then getting to do it one last time in the season finale,” Schaffer, 54, said. “As Jerry [Seinfeld] said, it was a joke 26 years in the making. It’s neat that you can stick around long enough to do that.”

David, who co-created Seinfeld, exclaimed to detractors of the sitcom’s finale, “F— you! You didn’t like the first one? F— you!”

When moderator Judd Apatow asked whether David read the negative reviews at the time, the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator admitted that he saw “probably a couple.”

“At the time, I think it did bother me,” the comedian confessed.

“Enough to pocket revenge for 24 years?” Apatow, 56, questioned.

“Twenty-six years,” David corrected.

Of the show coming to a close, the former Saturday Night Live writer expressed his sadness and fondness for the entire production.

“It was the most fun I could ever have possibly had doing anything. To do that, to write it and then film it. I can’t imagine how I could ever have had more fun in my life,” David said.

Premiering in 2000, the improvisational sitcom ran for 12 seasons before ending on April 7.

The finale, titled “No Lessons Learned,” saw David’s fictionalized version of himself on trial for crimes he had committed throughout the series. It featured guest appearances from the likes of Steve Buscemi, Savannah Guthrie, Sean Hayes, Hoda Kotb, Dan Levy, Lori Loughlin, Sienna Miller, Conan O’Brien and Rob Riggle.

Over the course of its 24-year run, Curb Your Enthusiasm picked up 51 Emmy nominations and six Golden Globe nods. 

When the twelfth and final season was announced in December 2023, David joked that he finally had “the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended”: “thoughtful, kind, caring, considerate.”

He continued in his snarky tribute, “And so ‘Larry David,’ I bid you farewell. Your misanthropy will not be missed. And for those of you who would like to get in touch with me, you can reach me at Doctors Without Borders.”

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Curb Your Enthusiasm is streaming now on Max.