T Watches "Life, Larry and the Pusuit of Unhappiness: an Almost History of America"

Last night my wife and I finished the first season, I don't think he will do anymore but time will tell, of "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: an Almost History of America".

I was inclined to like this show no matter what. I'm a humongous Larry David fan. I fully believe that he is the best comedy writer of all time. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was a justified massive hit. I quite enjoy the movie "Clear History". I think the man is a straight up genius. So when it was announced a while back that he was going to do a show about the history of America, but in his style of humor, you better believe that I was on board. This season only had seven episodes, but it felt kind of perfect in the amount of episodes and length of each episode, right around 30 minutes.

I thought this show was great. It is not on the level of "Curb", but I don't think most shows dream of being anywhere near as wonderful as "Curb" was in its time. "Curb" may be the best sitcom that has ever been put on television. But "LLPUAAHA" is definitely one of the funnier shows to come out since "Curb", and for someone who is not necessarily a history buff, this show not only made me laugh, but may have even taught me a few things. And what better teacher could I have for american history than LD?

Each episode takes a few stories from history and they go over them, but in LD's biting humor sort of way. They cover a bunch of stuff, and the guestlist for this show is second to none. I knew LD could get some heavy hitters in there for this, but he went above and beyond. We have so many people to mention, and I'm sure I'll miss someone here and there. But we have names like Jerry Seinfeld, JB Smoove, Susie Essman, Jeff Garlin, Vince Vaughn, June Diane-Rahael, Fred Melamed, Rob Huelbel, Jon Hamm, Bill Hader, Kaley Cuoco, Kathyrn Hahn, Neil Casey, Michale Chiklis, Beck Bennett, Samuel L Jackson and Barack Obama. Samuel L Jackson is on every episode, but he never shows his face. That's because he narrates each intro to each story. Samuel L Jackson lent his fame and voice to this show simply because, I'm going to assume, LD asked, maybe begged, and he was more than game for it. The other people I mentioned, amongst others, show up for one segment. I don't think any of the super famous people are in there for anymore than that. He got Jerry Seinfeld to do a scene where he and LD play Lewis and Clark, and they have to convince their wives to go on their exploration. And it is hilarious. Oh, and Rita Wilson plays LD's wife in the sketch too. Kaley Cuoco has one of the most memorable scenes, playing the widow in a soup kitchen line who argues with LD. Colton Dunn is the guy handing out soup. Barack Obama opens and closes the show. The fact that the greatest president who ever lived shows up, to poke fun at his tan suit, which was such a big deal I'll never know, makes me love him even more. Obama is more than down to make jokes and have fun at his and Larry David's expense. I was grinning from ear to ear during that sketch, and to have the two of them walking off and chatting to close out the show was so perfect. The episode that featured Hahn and Hader was great because they were playing Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Bill Hader seemed to be having a grand old time doing Lincoln, and Hahn was remarkable as Mary Todd. She and LD argued and argued and it was some of the best writing of this whole season.

LD got to poke fun at RFK. RFK is a monster and a moron, and for LD to take him to task, considering who played his ex wife on "Curb", it made me so very happy to see him take his shots. The sketch focused on Jonas Salk and his creation of a successful polio vaccine. So, with vaccines being they crutch here, they took RFK's crazy ass to town and ripped him a new one. Larry David was on his game for that one for sure.

The episode that I loved most was the one with JB Smoove. Smoove and Larry David are comedy gold. They may be the best duo in the game. They work so well off one another and it shows with every project they do together. In this sketch LD plays a sympathizer to the slaves and Smoove plays a slave who takes him up on his offer for a bed and a meal. And it only grows from there and gets funnier and funnier by the second. Watching those two act off one another might be my favorite thing in all of comedy.

I recommend this show to anyone that is a fan of Larry David's and wants to see his take on American history. It's hilarious and revealtory and I had such a good time watching it. I believe you will too. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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