Season 7 Episode 9: The Table Read
Larry gets frustrated by a nine-year-old’s emails; Leon poses as a dead man; Jerry befriends Funkhauser.
Wow. What an episode! When I heard that Larry was going to a Seinfeld reunion on Curb, this is exactly the kind of show I was hoping for. Everyone was brilliant in this episode. The whole Seinfeld crew, Leon, Marty. This was enjoyable as purely another episode of Curb and as a way of seeing that classic cast interact again.
The opening exchange with Stacy (anyone recognise her as George’s secretary when he worked at the Yankees?) sets up the mayhem from the beginning. I loved the nonchalant delivery of, “Yeah she just has a rash on her pussy” and Larry’s subsequent facial expression. Watching Marty enthusiastically tell Jerry that dirty joke was a riot. The actual table read scene was a lot of fun for Seinfeld fans like myself. They really did just slip back into those characters and the exchanges felt as natural and as funny as they’d always been (apart from the Seinfeld finale but let’s not go there!). Larry’s disgusted face as Jason cleaned out his ears with Larry’s pen was priceless.
We all wondered if he’d go there, and Larry delivered. Only Larry could manage to make Michael Richard’s horrible racial outburst 3 years ago into something funny. To his credit Michael Richards went with it and the result was great. With some help from Leon – Danny Duberstein was comic gold. When he uttered, “Tasted like peaches!” I lost my shit. JB Smoove has got to stay, this was his best episode to date. Great ending to boot, I saw Kramer return in that scene and it was just like old times. And if you weren’t uncomfortable yet, Larry saved a wonderfully politically incorrect pedophilia gag for the final scene.
This season hasn’t been perfect, but this episode was close. Season seven has had controversy and a couple average episodes. But in the end, Larry always finds a way to deliver. And that’s why we”re perpetually “tuning in next week”.
What did you think?
Highlights:
- Jerry on Marty, “I like that guy. He’s crazy” – Agreed!
- Jerry and Larry’s discussion of “barbercide” and hairdresser’s offing themselves.
- “How’s her pussy by the way?”
- “You know about the crystals?”
- Newman. That is a character that deserves to live on, Wayne Knight was hilarious.
- “Bah Misfit!”
- “Oh my God. Look I made mistake, it’s been 3 years. Don’t hurt me!”
- “How many times per week am I fucking?”
- “Danny Duberstein’s good at two things. That’s math, and fucking.”
- “Who is this little, fat bastard?”
loved it! they were saving up for this one…larry and jerry are like some sort of galactic match-up….
Amazing episode!!!
Funkhouser and especially Leon stole the show. I tell you, Leon got me on my knees with the Bar-mizva and the whole hat thing. Come to think about it, every moment he had, nobody could match his groove, it was like watching NBA against European basketball…
Everyone, except maybe Jason Alexander who doesn’t have a well defined persona, was top notch. Don’t get me wrong, Jason played excellent, but his role, pitting Larry, over minor trivialities, ( not much different than Julia) is a bit shallow or comes out flat..
At the end, Larry could have easily picked a sinister punch line, like “do you like playing with my pen…”, but this time, compared to the Jesus incident, he played it safe. Well, pedophilia would have been the last straw… more than ever he is walking on a pretty pretty fine line this season, and while I secretly wished he’ll play on Richard’s controversy, I couldn’t believe, especially after watching the previews, that he actually did it!!
this episode was absolutely hilarious! best of the season so far!
classic – one of the best eps… up there with the Ski Lift
Hilarious episode, and by far, the best of the season. I couldnt believe Richards played on the controversey. I thought they’d keep going without ever mentioning it, but LD has shocked us again. Incorporating Leon was absolutely brilliant! And man, the scenes with the little girl and “p*ssey” references were truly cringe worthy.
LD has crossed every line imaginable, and I love him for it! : )
pretty good. the michael richards thing was great, was really waiting for that…still think they could have done more with that situation, but what they did was great.
Loved it!
It was a classic episode. The funniest part was Larry and Jerry’s discussions especially the ‘Barbercide’ discussion and Jerry’s face when Larry asks the 9 year olds mum how her pussy is doing. I found the dialogue between Larry and Jason hilarious as it was about something so petty, which is what Larry and of course the George character often argue about. The stuff with Richards and Leon was funny and i’m glad to see Michael can make fun of it now.
Great great ep. Numerous moments: Jerry’s reaction to Funkhauser’s vile joke, Leon’s hat, the iToilet app, Michael Richards tirade on cellphone, and of course the ending with LD laughing crazily, texting, while the doc asks for the police.
After next week, we wait another 2 years??
It’s worth it.
danny doobersteen is good at two things
thats math and fuckin’
great stuff
As a huge fan, this episode in my opinion had some funny comedic riffs but written very poorly. And the pussy thing not funny but dumb.
So far this season has had it’s moments but the Seinfeld reunion has got in the way of thematic development.
Awesome Ep, so funny my pussy got a rash! Top 3 so far this season, I still think the first two eps were better. But I just love seeing the Seinfeld guys back in action, spesh at a Table Read. Saw the Michael Richards thing coming and so glad they went there.
Funkhouser’s joke was pretty epic too! Leon was great as usual.
@Si
Yeah definitely one of the best episodes. Ski Lift’s my favourite too!
By far the best episode this season. Leon had me laughing out loud. Jerry and Richards were great. Everything was perfect except the whole “pussy” story. That part was just stupid. But the rest of the episode made up for it.
Are you serious? The pussy story was the funniest part…i was in stitches.
i agree, last scene of Larry laughing out loud while doc calls the cops – really great! so I am assuming the ‘pussy’ was a cat? did we get an answer, or left with ambiguity..
No i dont think it was a cat. When her mother originally says to Larry ‘I got to take her to the doctor, she has a rash on her pussy’. She doesnt say ‘from her pussy’
Hated it worst ep ever of all time… Just joking I was expecting that from Braydon though. Jerrys face when larry asks “how’s your daughters pussy?” classic
I don’t see that as linguistically definitive, although perhaps I am wrong..couldn’t it be a rash ‘on her pussy’ whose name is boots, for example?
🙂
From one bad review, you expect that of me? Am I not allowed to dislike an episode you like? Grow up.
sorry trace, you’re really stretching it. the preposition (on) makes it very clear. If you were talking about a cat it’s possible that you might say “her pussy has a rash” But no one would ever say “she has a rash on her pussy.” (She has) is showing possession. Th combination of (she has) and (on) make it unmistakable. It’s clear that you just like to contradict people.
yes, I do like to argue..I think it still could be her pussy (she owns it) that has a rash..yes, it would be sloppy linguistically..Is that the exact sentence, “she has a rash on her pussy?”..need to re-confirm..and even so, it would make a heck of a lot more sense that the mom is talking about a cat rather than a young girl, to which I personally don’t think ‘pussy’ is correct terminology..
hm..
many directions to go with that..
perhaps we shall be afforded a clarification in future episode..
look you wouldn’t say the word (on) because it is completely unnecessary if you are a talking about a cat. You would just say the cat has a rash. You don’t say the girl has a rash on her cat. Or you don’t say the cat has a rash on itself because it’s just redundant. yeah pussy isn’t correct terminology. that was the joke. I didn’t think the joke was very realistic but that’s what it was none the less. The ending was funny but you definitely had to suspend your disbelief. here’s the dialogue:
Mother: So listen I might be a few minutes late getting back from lunch. I have to take Emma to the Doctor.
Larry: Oh really?
M:Mmm Hmm.
L: Oh, is she OK? (he says in a concerned tone)
M:Yeah she just has a rash on her pussy. I’m gonna get the table read started, OK? started. Good luck.
Why would she need to take the little girl to the doctor if her cat had a rash. Why didn’t she say vet? She also answered “Yeah she just has a rash on her pussy” when Larry asked “is SHE OK?” which is clearly referring to the little girl because the conversation was about the girl the whole time. there is more proof later on in the episode but I would assume that that would be enough.
no, still don’t think it’s 100%, sorry..vets are doctors – I say I am taking my cat to the doctor..I think, converseley, if she had a rash on her own private parts, she would NOT be ok..but she is ok, because it refers to her cat..
whatever..
the up-frontness of the reference, beyond the bounds of ordinary conversation, makes it funny. And everyone else in the episode thinks it is the girl’s privates,..so the public moments in the episode (Jerry’s reaction) defines it in your favor..
ultimately it’s just a script..
what would one say, ordinarily, if one’s daughter had such a rash? Probably nothing that gets that specific..but of course that mother is pretty pushy..oh well..I think I am done with this topic..Maybe LarryDavid will chime in, and tell us his though processs.
will be funny if he picks up on that again in last episode, as sometimes he does…
ok i think there’s no hope for you. watch this clip.
sorry I meant to say, I don’t see how it can’t be 100% for you. To me, there is no doubt. I admit it is very weird though.
And anyway, this is the actual clip with all the “pussy” comments in the episode.
ok..ready to argue some more..thanks for the clips – …so funny…just great..
in support of my perspective,
1. Larry is at first shocked by the concept, ‘she has a rash on her pussy’ – he is shocked just like everyone else..Then he changes and uses the phrase without embarassment or double – entendre..I think one is to suppose that he has had a conversation with mother, between scenes, where she explains that it is a cat, not female anatomy..Otherwise, why does Larry get over his shock?
2. In the last scene, Larry tells the doc he is ‘seeing a nine-year old girl,” or something like that..Same ambiguous language – but WE KNOW he does not mean he is sleeping with her..So I think that the ambiguity, in the pussy phrase, should fall on the side of it referring to something innocent..
Can I get a PhD from Berkeley for this?
Truly the only day I laugh out loud, Sunday with Larry
Guys, a pussy is a pussy is a pussy, very clear to me
Larry does not understand most social codes, so he always looks to others to see how to behave himself, so when the mother refers to her daughters pussy, he considers this topic acceptable. This is something that happens again and again in curb, or at least this how I’ve come to see it.
good point, Ask Solem..What about ‘seeing’ the nine year old girl – similar language confusion..
I just can’t go there..It doesn’t actually matter, to anything…I am going to believe there is a kitty somewhere in the background with a rash..
🙂
There’s absolutley no doubt about what he’s referring to.
Braydon, “In YOUR OPINION, in your opinion!” as Larry would say..
It’s more a fact
sorry, braydo..no fact..
I DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS EPISODE …ALL OF THEM, MATTER OF FACT…….LARRY, DON’T WAIT UNTIL I CAN NO LONGER REMEMBER LINES…..GET ME NOW .WHEN I AM STILL FUNNY, BRILLIANT, CHARMING, BEGUILING, GLAMOROUS. ETC ETC ..AND WHILE I CAN STILL WALK, RUN AND ROCK AND ROLL, NOT TO MENTION STILL BAKING THE STRUDEL AND HONEY CAKE LIKE YOUR MOTHER USED TO MAKE…..(SORRY, DEFINITELY NO SHTUPING THOUGH) SHEILA SURKES SCOTTI
hey i wrote a blog on this episode, more specifically about the parody of michael richards, check it out if you’re interested:
http://hearthesiren.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/can-michael-richards-really-be-redeemed-i-think-not-but-good-try-larry-david-i-still-love-you/
and i think the rash on her pussy could be a very interesting double entendre, as the earlier author suggests, this just reifies that fact that LD is a genius…especially since only one person on here got it.
The world is debased and sad if THAT episode was amazing. That was HORRENDOUS. He is a pedophile.
I am still waiting for Larry David to phone and hire me before I reach 80…and before the orthopedic shoe stage sets in… incidentally i shot many MEDICAL CENTER SHOWS(not listed) with CHAD EVERETT. which produced a very talented son, Dale Andre Lee Everett (see Dale and hear him on You Tube and Facebook).Can anyone get me copies of the Medical Center segments I did, most of which wherein I had 2 or 3 insignificant lines….,,,(worked on it as Nurse 36 times)
STill have my wonderful, Bronx, New York accent in the event ANYONE WANTS to do “My BIG FAT JEWISH WEDDING” or ‘ WHATEVER……………….