By Matthew Wood

Larry David’s not a racist, he just acts like one. Retelling the story of another guy using the N-word starts the chain of events that make up this week’s CURB hilarity.

Larry recites the comment, which is overheard by a black doctor, who is so enraged that he accidentally shaves Jeff’s (Jeff Garlin) head in a botched surgery, which leads to Jeff losing a deal with Ben Stiller because he’s bald, which leads to Jeff suing the hospital, leading to Larry having to testify by reciting the story in front of a room with black people in it, which he can’t do. Cut to closing credits.

It’s classic CURB by-the-numbers as something Larry says is misconstrued by pretty much the entire world and a snowball effect takes place in which pretty much the entire world starts hating Larry. But hey, it’s still funny, so go with it.

The big story line for this season has become Larry’s love life – especially after last week’s too-close-to-reality bombshell when Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) left Larry. The twist gained a lot of publicity, as it closely parallels David’s real life after he broke up with his wife last year. So does that mean everything on the show about LD is true? Does he really get an erection after only five seconds of close contact (referred to as the “5 Mississippi Rule”)? That got him in trouble with Auntie Rae this week, and also played a part in his date with a doctor.


And speaking of said date, don’t you imagine that’s what going out with a doctor is like? She “schedules” him for an 8:30 dinner, and when he picks her up, the living room is set up like a waiting room – complete with waiting room music in the background and her sister playing the role of receptionist. At the end of the night, she sends him into her room to get out of his clothes and wait for her, only to tell him she’s going to have to reschedule. Poor Larry just can’t seem to get any lovin’. When he finally gets another chance, the pharmacist sabotages him by giving him estrogen after (get this) perceiving Larry as being racist. The estrogen renders him unable to perform (even after, like, 7 Mississippis).

Larry almost gets a stroke of good luck after the Blacks move out upon hearing of his n-hating ways, but they decide to move back in when they can’t take Jeff’s snoring. So it’s one big happy family once again – except for Cheryl, who is conspicuously missing, save for a quick flashback sequence.

Looks like we’re on our own this season, Larry – both on TV and in real life. Of course, it seems those two worlds have long since blurred into one.