No one would call Larry David a catchphrase comic. And yet, the prolific comedic mind behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm certainly has a way with words that get stuck in your head.
Through 12 seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David has authored many a meme-able phrase. Who among us hasn’t said “pretttay pretttaaaaay good” or “you don’t respect wood!” at one point or another? In the Curb series finale, however, Larry opts for some nonverbal communication instead … with predictably disastrous results.
As he vainly tries to garner some sympathy with the jury who will decide his fate, Larry has an undercover Susie Greene (Susie Essman) pose as his sickly girlfriend who Larry rescued from disaster. When that ploy fails, Larry opts for something simpler: he attempts to make a heart sign with his hands. We say “attempts to” because it’s clear that every muscle and tendon in Larry’s body is violently rebelling against the twee act. The end result is less of a heart shape than a wobbly hourglass – all the while Larry noticeably grits his teeth.
It’s one of the many standout moments in the Seinfeld-inspired Curb Your Enthusiasm finale. What makes it even better though is that Larry David has secretly been trying out his failed heart sign for awhile now. In the week leading up to the finale, the real, non-Curb Larry David (if there is such a thing) attended a New York Knicks game with Susie Essman. When captured on the Jumbotron, he attempted what should now be a very familiar hand signal.
