Latest news with #CurbYourEnthusiasm
Los Angeles Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: A different viewpoint on the pitching situation
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. A sad farewell to Loretta Swit, who played Major Margaret Houlihan on 'M*A*S*H*,' one of my favorite shows. All that's left now are Hawkeye, B.J., Radar and Klinger. Once again, in the quest to give you some different voices to hear from during the season, I have reached out to Jake Reiner, who has co-hosted The Incline: Dodgers Podcast with Kevin Klein since 2020. Reiner, an actor, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles, executive produced and starred in the romantic comedy 'Things Like This,' which is currently playing in theaters across the country. Reiner was featured in the final season of HBO Max's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' He's also born into television royalty as the son of Rob Reiner and grandson of the late Carl Reiner. This interview was conducted via email. Q. How long ago and why did you become a Dodger fan? Reiner: I've been a Dodgers fan ever since I learned what baseball was as a young child growing up in Los Angeles. The love of baseball is something that has been passed down from my grandfather to my father and then to me. Both my grandfather and father were originally New York Giants fans that converted to Dodgers fans for different reasons. My grandfather switched his allegiance because he fell in love with Jackie Robinson, and my father changed sides when the Giants traded his beloved Willie Mays to the Mets. I was lucky enough to be born into it after they were already bleeding Dodger blue. Thank God! Q. How do you assess this season's team? Reiner: This year's team is fascinating because there is a lot to improve with this roster and yet they're still leading the division. It's no secret the offense has carried them the entire time. I love the way they're scoring because they aren't just reliant on the home run. They're manufacturing runs, hitting with runners in scoring position, and no deficit feels too large to overcome. The biggest mystery to me is why can't any of their pitchers stay healthy? We've seen a few seasons of this recently, especially with the starting rotation. It's honestly frustrating as a fan of a team that is so well-run in every aspect but we can't seem to get a straight answer as to why guys such as Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell can't stay on the mound. Q. A genie grants your wish and says you are the owner of the Dodgers and can make three immediate changes. What changes do you make? Reiner: 1. I would start Hyeseong Kim every day. Kim provides a type of offensive dynamic that the Dodgers don't have anywhere on their roster outside of Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. He's surgical with the bat, can beat out an infield single, steal bases, and has some pop. But unlike Ohtani, Kim plays the field at an elite level. Who knows how long Mookie Betts will be out with his fractured toe, so he may get some more opportunities at shortstop, but playing Miguel Rojas over Kim at this point should be considered a crime. I don't care about platooning — Kim is the better player. 2. This brings me to my next point. I think Rojas' time as a Dodger should come to an end. We saw how decisive the Dodgers were with Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes, and I think Rojas is next on the list. Not knowing everything he provides as a clubhouse leader, what he provides on the field is not cutting it. He kills too many rallies by grounding into double plays while leaving Ohtani on deck most times, he's too slow, and his defense can be replaced. The Dodgers already employ Kim, Kiké Hernández, and Tommy Edman, who can do everything Rojas can do, but exponentially better. Plus, I'd like to see a guy like Alex Freeland get called up from OKC to see what he can do at the big league level. 3. My last change(s) might be the most obvious, which is the Dodgers need to stock up as much pitching as they possibly can get before the July 31 trade deadline. Two starters and two relievers would be ideal, but I know that might be asking for too much. I don't trust Glasnow, Snell, and Roki Sasaki will all return and be effective. I also don't trust Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Kirby Yates to return at full strength either. This might be a pessimistic view, but the Dodgers medical staff hasn't instilled any confidence in me as it relates to the health of their pitchers. Q. Tanner Scott is struggling right now. The Dodgers pitching is not as good as usual, and they have 14 pitchers on the IL. Do you remain patient, waiting for these guys to get healthy, or do you make a trade? Reiner: I think you can be more patient waiting for some of the relievers to come back — especially if the Dodgers are able to maintain their standing in the NL West. But we've seen a lot of blown saves and home runs galore surrendered by this bullpen, which is not sustainable. If it were me, I'd actually try and find an innings-eating starting pitcher that can be effective and take the ball every fifth day. That might help the overworked bullpen. With all that said, the Dodgers offense has been able to weather the storm — I just hope they can keep this up until we get closer to the trade deadline. Q. Last week, a website listed their 10 greatest Dodgers. A lot of fans were unhappy that Ohtani wasn't among the top 10. Seems way too soon to consider him one of the 10 greatest Dodgers. What do you think? Reiner: I think the fact that Ohtani won an MVP, had a 50-50 season, and won a title all in his first season with the Dodgers has fans salivating and already declaring him a Dodgers legend. I don't doubt he'll continue to put up monster numbers for this franchise, and I've even let myself think about him as the greatest player of all time, but let's give him a few more seasons in blue to truly cement himself in the top 10. While we're on the topic, I think Freddie Freeman could crack that list too when it's all said and done. Q. Do you have a favorite moment from your podcast, and how can fans listen to it? Reiner: We've had a lot of cool guests on the podcast over the years: Shawn Green, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Tim Neverett, Stephen Nelson, Gavin Stone, Dalton Rushing, Bob Nightengale, and Victor Rojas to name a few (all of them basically). However, I'd say one of my favorite moments, which was also a tragedy, was when the Dodgers got swept by the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLDS. I don't think my co-hosts or I had ever been this collectively animated on a single episode. The pain and frustration we released was as therapeutic as it was completely unhinged. We can laugh about it now because the Dodgers eventually cleaned up their postseason woes from 2022 and 2023 to win it all in 2024. Fans can listen to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere you get your podcasts! Please also follow us on X @TheInclinePod! It's funny how the order of victories can change how you view a series. The Dodgers get a great comeback victory over the Yankees on Friday, then blow them out Saturday, before losing Sunday, and some act like it's the worst thing that has ever happened. If it had been reversed, and the Dodgers had lost Friday, then had an amazing comeback victory Saturday and a blowout victory Sunday, those same people would be talking about how amazing the Dodgers are. The fact of the matter is the Dodgers won two of three from the team many believe is the best team in the American League. This is a good thing. The Dodgers are beginning a tough stretch of games right now. The next 16 games are: Four against the Mets, three at St. Louis, three at San Diego, three against San Francisco, three more against San Diego. Only one day off in the middle of all of that. At the end of those 16 games, we will know a lot more about just how good this team is. Right now, they are off to a good start. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Which batters struck out the most with the Dodgers? Franchise1. Matt Kemp, 1,1792. Duke Snider, 1,1233. Gil Hodges, 1,1084. Eric Karros, 1,1055. Chris Taylor, 1,0446. Andre Ethier, 9387. Pee Wee Reese, 8908. Max Muncy, 8829. Ron Cey, 83810. Willie Davis, 815 Los Angeles only1. Matt Kemp, 1,1792. Eric Karros, 1,1053. Chris Taylor, 1,0444. Andre Ethier, 9385. Max Muncy, 8826. Ron Cey, 8387. Willie Davis, 8158. Steve Garvey, 7519. Mike Marshall, 72410. Steve Yeager, 70311. Cody Bellinger, 69112. Bill Russell, 66713. Raúl Mondesi, 66314. Justin Turner, 64715. Davey Lopes, 629 Is there a top 10 Dodgers list you'd like to see Email me at and let me know. I asked you what sort of top 10 list you'd like to see, and the response was overwhelming for 'Top 10 Dodgers at each position.' So, starting with the next newsletter, we will go position by position, listing the top 10 for each. Up first will be shortstop. And I'd like to hear from you, Who do you think are the top 10 Dodgers shortstops of all time? Rank them in order, and I'll compile it and present your list after I give you mine. Who are your top 10 Dodgers shortstops of all time (including Brooklyn)? Email your list top10shortstops@ and let me know. When Evan Phillips was first put on the IL, the Dodgers thought it would just be for the 15 days required. But no. The Dodgers announced Saturday that Phillips would undergo Tommy John surgery, which means he probably won't pitch again until after the 2026 All-Star break. A tough blow for the bullpen, which still has key members Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol on the IL. Since putting on glasses, Max Muncy is a new man. In the 25 games since then he's hitting .262/.387/.536 with six homers and 27 RBIs, 17 walks and 17 K's in 84 at bats. Sometimes, patience pays off. Though if I were the Dodgers, I'd bring a top optometrist and ophthalmologist to spring training next season. Sammy Roth writes our 'Boiling Point' newsletter, which deals with environmental concerns. His most recent newsletter takes a look at how the familiar orange and blue 76 logo, a longtime Dodgers sponsor, is now also sponsoring the, wait for it .... San Francisco Giants. Roth writes: 'Long before Clayton Kershaw donned No. 22 and Fernando Valenzuela wore No. 34, another number told fans it was time for Dodger baseball: 76. 'Union Oil Co., the 76 gasoline brand's former owner, helped finance Dodger Stadium's construction. The brand's current owner, Phillips 66, remains a major sponsor. Through six World Series titles, orange-and-blue 76 logos have been a constant presence at Chavez Ravine. They tower above the scoreboards and grace the outfield walls. 'So when 76 recently posted on Instagram that it had begun sponsoring L.A.'s rivals in San Francisco — with an orange-and-blue logo on the center field clock at Oracle Park — some Dodgers fans weren't pleased..... An interesting newsletter, worth a read, which you can do here. A look at how some prominent Dodgers from the last few seasons are doing with their new team (through Sunday). Click on the player name to be taken to the baseball-reference page with all their stats. Batters Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .253/.330/.443, 224 plate appearances, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, 32 RBIs, 118 OPS+ Michael Busch, Cubs: .266/.366/.486, 205 PA's, 11 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, 33 RBIs, 143 OPS+ Jason Heyward, Padres, .176/.223/.271, 95 PA's, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, 39 OPS+, on the IL Gavin Lux, Reds: .291/.380/.400, 200 PA's, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 22 RBIs, 112 OPS+ Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .267/.358/.420, 205 PA's, 10 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, 19 RBIs, 122 OPS+ Joc Pederson, Rangers, .131/.269/.238, 146 PA's, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, 49 OPS+, on the IL Keibert Ruiz, Nationals, .280/.327/.363, 168 PA's, 7 doubles, 2 homers, 17 RBIs, 97 OPS+ Corey Seager, Rangers: .276/.317/.466, 107 PA's, 4 doubles, 6 homers, 12 RBIs, 124 OPS+ Chris Taylor, Angels: .091/.091/.091, 11 PA's, -48 OPS+ (numbers with Angels only) Justin Turner, Cubs: .210/.302/.272, 96 PA's, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 11 RBIs, 67 OPS+ Trea Turner, Phillies: .299/.358/.423, 257 PA's, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 25 RBIs, 117 OPS+ Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .236/.313/.423, 233 PA's, 15 doubles, 8 homers, 26 RBIs, 108 OPS+ Alex Verdugo, Braves: .259/.320/.326, 147 PA's, 9 doubles, 10 RBIs, 82 OPS+ Pitching Walker Buehler, Red Sox: 4-3, 4.44 ERA, 46.2 IP, 46 hits, 15 walks, 42 K's, 93 ERA+ Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 3-6, 3.94 ERA, 59.1 IP, 47 hits, 19 walks, 72 K's, 101 ERA+ Kenley Jansen, Angels: 0-2, 5.19 ERA, 11 saves, 17.1 IP, 19 hits, 7 walks, 16 K's, 80 ERA+ Craig Kimbrel, Braves: in the minors Kenta Maeda, Cubs: 0-0, 7.88 ERA, 8 IP, 9 hits, 6 walks, 8 K's, 52 ERA+, in the minors Ryan Pepiot, Rays: 3-5, 3.21 ERA, 70 IP, 61 hits, 20 walks, 56 K's, 121 ERA+ Max Scherzer, Blue Jays: 0-0, 6.00 ERA, 3 IP, 3 hits, 0 walks, 1 K, 74 ERA+, on the IL Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees: 3-0, 2.83 ERA, 41.1 IP, 30 hits, 11 walks, 40 K's, 139 ERA+ Is there a player you'd like to see listed here? Email me at and let me know. Monday: New York Mets (Tylor Megill, 4-4, 3.52 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 3-4, 4.20 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Tuesday: New York Mets (Griffin Canning, 5-2, 3.23 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 0-0, 4.91 ERA, 2.12 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, TBS, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Wednesday: New York Mets (*David Peterson, 4-2, 2.69 ERA) at Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 3-1, 5.23 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Thursday: New York Mets (Kodai Senga, 5-3, 1.46 ERA) at Dodgers (Landon Knack, 2-2, 5.22 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 *-left-handed Hernández: 'I have no words for it.' Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani inspires awe and confidence Mookie Betts dealing with fractured toe, won't start against Yankees this weekend Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery A look at Maury Wills' 104 stolen bases in 1962. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fans left baffled as Larry David is spotted attending Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld's glitzy wedding
Larry David admittedly has few friends, so when the actor and comedian made a surprise appearance at Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen's glitzy wedding to Hollywood actress Hailey Steinfeld, fans were understandably confused. 'Larry David attending Josh and Hailee's wedding was definitely not on my bingo card but I love it!!' a member of the Buffalo fanbase known as the Bills Mafia wrote on X. Dressed in a dark suit and sneakers, the 77-year-old Brooklynite was rather conspicuous in paparazzi photos from the ceremony in Montecito, California. Many fans assumed the Seinfeld co-creator and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm wasn't actually a guest, but filming a scene for a future episode of his hit HBO sitcom. 'Are they shooting a new season of Curb and this was staged?' one asked on X. Many others joked about a potential Seinfeld/Steinfeld mix-up. 'Sorry, I thought it said Seinfeld,' one fan wrote. 'But since I'm here... how's the brisket?' The connection between David and Allen wasn't immediately apparent, given the former's allegiance to the New York Jets, a divisional rival of the Bills. However, David wasn't likely invited as a guest of the groom. Rather, he appears to be a client of the bride's father, Los Angeles-area trainer Peter Steinfeld. Peter claims to have worked with an array of stars such as Madonna, Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey, Ozzie Osbourne and David himself. In fact, Peter's brother, Jake Steinfeld, is the creator of the Body By Jake fashion line, making personal fitness a bit of a family business. Daily Mail was at the festivities on Saturday, where photographers captured the moment a beaming Steinfeld, 28, made her way up the aisle on the arm of her proud dad Peter. In a modern twist, the actress dispensed with the traditional bridal bouquet and instead, accessorized her gown with full-length white gloves, large diamond studs and a frothy veil. Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld are seen on the red carpet at the NFL honors award show Later, the couple were seen celebrating saying 'I do' with a kiss in front of a clapping crowd of guests, with a dark suit-clad Allen seen looking proud as he made his way back down the aisle with his new wife. The al-fresco wedding took place at the tony San Ysidro ranch in Montecito – a celebrity favorite that has previously seen Chris Pratt , Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Simpson marry in its grounds. For Steinfeld and Allen, the gardens of the $3,000-a-night hotel had been decked out with bouquets of white roses, as well as elaborately trimmed bushes set out in pots. Along with dad Peter, Steinfeld's mom Cheri and brother Griffin were also among the guests looking on, as were Allen's parents Joel and LaVonne, and his siblings Jason, Nicala and Makenna.
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who was Peter Kwong? Learn as Big Trouble in Little China and The Golden Child Actor Dies at 73
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of death. In a tragic news piece today, Peter Kwong, who was an incredible martial artist ans actor, has sadly passed away at the age of 73. The performer reportedly took his last breath in his sleep overnight Tuesday, per Entertainment Weekly. Theo Caesar, who was his agent, confirmed the news of his passing with the publication with referring to him as a 'great guy.' The actor made waves with his amazing work in a variety of different projects, including Eddie Murphy 's starrer, The Golden Child, and Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall 's starrer, Big Trouble in Little China, both of which were released in 1986. All about his professional front Extra outlet mentioned that Kwong was a Sacramento native, born on April 9, 1952. After stepping foot into the world of television, he made his debut in 1976 and appeared in projects like Wonder Woman, Little House on the Prairie, Cagney & Lacey, Miami Vice, Dynasty, General Hospital, The A-Team, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and many others. Apart from the above-mentioned hit films, Kwong was also featured in ventures like Never Too Young to Die, Gleaming the Cube. Additionally, the star also acted in projects including Deake & Josh, My Wife and Kids, JAG, Malcolm & Eddie, and The Wayans Brothers. One of his final appearances was in Curb Your Enthusiasm's 2020 episode, according to the reports. He was more than just an actor His agent reportedly said that, along with acting, Kwong was a 'true champion of union rights.'Kwong was also one of the people who signed a letter in 2016, protesting jokes made about asians during the Academy Awards broadcast.
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
When Richard Kind isn't sidekicking on ‘Everybody's Live,' he's at these L.A. spots
Richard Kind is visibly uneasy. The 68-year-old actor and comedian has fashioned a career as an ubiquitous presence on-screen with nearly 300 roles under his belt, drawing just enough attention to his supporting turns to make them unforgettable — whether he's playing quirky press secretary Paul Lassiter in 'Spin City,' Larry's eccentric cousin Andy in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' an oddball neighbor with an eye problem in 'Only Murders in the Building' or, more recently, the Stephen Sondheim-loving husband of a mob boss in 'Poker Face.' These days, as John Mulaney settles into his talk show era on Netflix, Kind has also found new cachet as the comedian's sidekick and announcer — a more off-kilter Ed McMahon dedicated to nudging and guffawing to the antics of Mulaney and company. It began with last year's experiment, 'Everybody's in L.A.,' and continued this year with 'Everybody's Live with John Mulaney,' a limited-run, free-for-all celebrity talk show that revels in being low-key absurd — where else can you get a host conducting an entire show with a blindfold on? The show concluded its 12-week run on Wednesday and aimed to deliver the sort of zany and baffling gag you'd expect from Mulaney: He fought three 14-year-old boys. This is why Kind is experiencing a mild mid-morning spiral when we meet a couple of weeks before the brawl. 'He better be working out because I'm just horrified about that fight — just horrified,' Kind mutters while shaking his head and picking at a small plate of bananas and peanut butter. 'Truly. I'm so nervous about the fight. I am. I am.' The thought lingers: 'It's real because, remember, I grew up on Andy Kaufman doing the wrestling thing with the women,' he says, referring to the stunt carried out by the late comedian as part of his touring act and, later, on a 1979 episode of 'Saturday Night Live.' 'Puberty adds strength that prepubescence does not. And since the derivation of it was '100 men versus a gorilla' ... I mean, prepubescent strength versus John is one thing, but 14-year-olds? I don't know. I don't know. I'm not prepared for this. If they ask me to referee, I'm gonna die.' Nerves aside, its clear that Kind, who began his comedy career pushing for unconventional laughs as a member of Chicago's Second City, enjoys the unexpected comedic thrills 'Everybody's Live' provides. He was roped into a bit where, because of a (fictitious) traumatic brain injury, he believed he was KISS frontman Gene Simmons — he spent the show in a frizzy, jet-black wig and sunglasses, often raising the quintessential rock 'n' roll devil-horns sign. Another episode had him spoofing former NFL coach Bill Belichick's viral interview with CBS Sunday Morning — Kind sported a tattered pullover sweatshirt. There's little preparation, Kind says. To prove it, he eagerly whips out his phone to show the text he received this Tuesday morning that had a rundown of the next day's episode — his first insight into what was to come. 'My joke with John is I love doing this show, except for Wednesdays between 7 and 8 p.m., because that's when it becomes reality,' he says. The gig has him splitting his time between coasts — he's reprising his role for the upcoming season of 'Only Murders in the Building,' which shoots in New York and started filming in March. Kind admits he has a complicated love story with Los Angeles: 'Being a New Yorker, it's like the Lakers and the Knicks — you are programmed to not like it here. There are some things that I do love here, my friends and I love the work, but there's not much work here anymore.' Still, we wanted to learn about the quintessential L.A. spots the actor frequents when he's in town — and not holed up on the Sunset Gower Studios for 'Everybody's Live' — or finds special meaning in. But to sit with Kind, one must be prepared to let the conversation go where it may. He has stories to tell. Like his first visit to L.A. as a teen while on a cross-country camping expedition with friends — he asked a stranger if he could borrow their surfboard so he could say he surfed in Malibu — or the time when he was living in Hancock Park during 'Spin City's' run and he was held at gunpoint outside his home. 'I got out a car, a guy comes up and says, 'You have a cigarette?' I turn around like an idiot, laugh and go, 'No, I gave it up like a year ago,'' he says. 'Then he pulls out a gun. I put my head down, and I just held out everything and I said, 'It's yours. Take anything you want.' And he did.' He says the evolution of his L.A. existence can be traced back to two people — Norman Lear and George Clooney — and two unsuccessful TV pilots. While at Second City, Kind was flown out to L.A. for a Lear TV sitcom pilot, 1984's 'P.O.P.,' about a con artist (Charles Durning) who moves in with his estranged wife (Bea Arthur) and two adult sons. 'I sit down and I talk to Norman Lear for easily half an hour. We're talking about [radio personality] Don Imus and how far can we push the boundaries,' he recalls. 'Because I was at Second City, and I had my finger on the pulse of the audience every night with what we could do and things like that. And he's taking me in and wanting my opinion.' The pilot floundered, but Kind maintained a relationship with Lear and his family in the years that followed. A few years after that pilot cycle, he starred in an NBC pilot, 'The Bennett Brothers,' about two odd couple-like siblings living together. The young actor who Kind was originally set to co-star with was fired, Kind says, and replaced with Clooney. 'We became fast friends in much the way that I think the couples should not date while they're making a film,' Kind says. 'You are working together and that bonds you. And we don't know whether or not that bond is really love or compatibility — it's 'we want to make a good product.'' The pair had only five days to do the pilot, but their bond formed and has since remained. 'We kept in contact and he kept saying, 'You got to come out. You got to meet my friends,' which I did,' he says. 'I became close to him because of that experience. 'George was my tour guide to L.A.,' Kind continues. 'George was instrumental to everything I did in L.A. We went to the farmers market [on 3rd Street] all the time. We would go out to bars all the time. All my friends who I'm still in touch with today, here they are ...' — he grabs his phone to pull up the group text they share. 'Oh my God, I got 19 [guys] on this thing,' he says as he scrolls through the contact list of the chat, which includes Clooney. In time, he digs into the spots that play a role in his L.A. story. The private club in Burbank is the site of our interview. Kind joined during his time on 'Spin City,' which ran from 1996 to 2002. 'I took up golf when I was in Second City. If you're an actor, what are you going to do with your days? You can waste your life playing golf or waiting for the phone to ring — I decided to waste my life playing golf,' Kind says. Ted Wass, a 'Spin City' director, was a member of the club, but Kind didn't want to join because he was about to have a child. He changed his mind, however: 'I said, 'I'm going join a club so everything can be regimented.' I can tell you how long it will take to get from my place to the club, how long to play a round the golf, how long until I'll be home for the child.'' 'This place is addictive,' he adds. 'I would just sit and jabber like this. We would tell stories, tell jokes. I'd have one glass of wine. I'm a lousy drinker, and I'd get home and I'd have been out in the sun, and I would fall asleep on my kids. I said, I can't trust myself to rip myself away to go home to the kids. So rather than rip myself away from this club, I ripped myself away from the state. I moved to New York. Now, all three kids are in college, so I can come here and just play golf and have fun and wait to do John schtick.' He's part of a group of showbiz types who hang out at the so-called Mazursky table, named after the late filmmaker Paul Mazursky, who often convened a small gathering of regulars, including actor Ronnie Schell and artist Charles Bragg. A semblance of the group still gathers to this day. 'I would go to the farmers market for coffee, not necessarily to eat — although I would at Charlie's,' he says. 'There was a sandwich that was named Richard Kind, it was tuna fish on toasted whole wheat with a thick slab of onion.' 'You have a favorite sandwich in L.A.?' he asks. I tell him I am no sandwich expert, but knowing this neighborhood is on his list, I relay that I am a fan of the offerings at Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese. 'It's unbelievable!' he says, eyes wide. 'It's the best sandwich in the nation. That salami sandwich — I think It's No. 3 or No. 4 [It's No. 3, for the record] — oh my God. I've brought some home to New York for my kids. They're the best.' 'I remember being there because it was sort of a famous night — when Drew Carey was on Carson. We were all at the Improv, and they turned on the TV and everybody watched Drew kill,' he says. 'I didn't know him, but you could say five minutes before it was pre-Drew Carey, five minutes after Drew Carey became Drew Carey. It was dynamite. It was a nice Hollywood moment that you saw a star being born.' About a dozen or so of America's best known character actors — which include Kind, Titus Welliver, Spencer Garrett, Laurence Fishburne, Alfred Molina, Michael McKean, Eric McCormack, Noah Wyle and Jason Alexander, to name a few — often gather for what's been dubbed the Character Actors Dining Society (CADS, for short). Craig's, owned by CADS member Craig Susser, is often the site for their dinners, but they mix it up every so often. 'I think pre-COVID, Spencer, Titus, Laurence and maybe Alfred went to dinner at Musso & Frank's and they said we should do this more often. I think each one invited a person, and we now have these monthly or bi-monthly, whenever we're in town, CADS meals, usually at Craig's because Craig is a dear friend. It's a wonderful group of guys. In fact, let me ask them,' he says, pausing to pick up his phone and text the group to see if he can mention the next part on the record. The group OKs the mention, but details are still in discussion: 'We're going to try and put together a book of stories, and then proceeds will be donated to charities. We're picking four different charities.'
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
I call out a chat'n'cut, Larry David style. I will never live down what happens next
I blame Larry David for what happened to me recently in Merrion Square. I can draw a direct line from him to a queue for the bar in that beautiful Dublin park on a recent sunny evening. If it weren't for Larry David and his show Curb Your Enthusiasm, this excruciating happening would never have happened. If it weren't for David, I'd have handled the situation differently. If it weren't for David, everything would have been fine. It wasn't fine. And I will tell you just how not fine it was in a moment, but first, for the few who aren't familiar with Larry David or Curb Your Enthusiasm, a brief explanation: In Curb, Seinfeld creator and writer Larry David plays an exaggerated version of himself, a comedy writer who likes golf, going to restaurants, hanging out with friends and complaining about attending various social engagements. His schtick is that he is a neurotic, socially awkward, brutally honest man incapable of meeting society's expectations who loves giving other people grief for not sticking to his made-up, random-seeming rules for life. He has no shame. He does not care about social norms or niceties. He does and says the things we all wish we could do and say. In short, Larry David is a legend. The specific scene in the specific episode that led to my mortification in Merrion Square happens in Vow of Silence, episode five of series eight. Larry is at his friend and manager Jeff's going-away party, in the queue for the hot buffet. The queue is moving slowly, and they are hungry. Next thing, a woman approaches the man who is standing in front of Larry and Jeff in the queue. She starts a conversation with the man, reminding him of some party they were both at years ago. It looks to most of us like an innocuous conversation. But not to Larry. 'It's a classic chat'n'cut,' he explains to Jeff. 'She's feigning familiarity with someone she vaguely knows for the sole purpose of cutting in line. She'll be picking up a plate any second.' Sure enough, the woman picks up a plate ready to get some food. Of course, Larry can't leave it there. He congratulates the woman for an amazing attempt at a chat'n'cut, one that '99 times out of 100 would have worked' except for the fact that he, Larry David, an astute observer, is behind her in the queue. Her chat'n'cut is exposed. READ MORE And now here I am standing near the top of a long queue for the bar on a sunny evening in Merrion Square. I am queuing to buy drinks for a woman I am catching up with, a world-renowned writer and thinker who is in Ireland on a speaking engagement at the International Literary Festival Dublin, and her friend a respected Irish academic. I am standing in the queue when a smiling, bespectacled man sidles up to me, feigning familiarity, asking to join me there. I have two choices. I can let the guy skip the queue, I mean who cares and sure what harm? Or, I can call out this blatant chat'n'cut for what it is. Invoking the spirit of David, I choose the latter and I tell the guy it was a nice try, but that he should go to the back of the queue. If Larry were here, he'd lean in. He'd tell everyone about his misdiagnosed chat'n'cut and own the situation The woman behind me in the queue thinks I am amazing. 'The way he came up to you, I thought he knew you,' she says. 'No,' I explain. 'In fact, what you witnessed there was a classic chat'n'cut, he just wasn't expecting me to call him out on it'. 'Wow,' she says admiringly. 'So un-Irish of you. Look at him there at the back of the queue, all sheepish in his glasses.' I look down, and smile at the chat'n'cutter. No hard feelings. He just didn't know who he was up against. Delighted with myself, I buy the drinks and return to where the Thinker and the Academic are sitting with another woman. We're chatting away when several minutes later, a man appears holding a drink for the other woman, his girlfriend. The man looks vaguely familiar. My stomach lurches. The man is the bespectacled chat'n'cutter. Except, now I realise he wasn't chatting'n'cutting in the classic sense. This man knew that I was also in the company of the Thinker and the Academic and he thought I'd be decent enough to let him buy his drink with me. We both know what happened earlier but neither of us mentions it. Then from a bag he takes out little Tupperware boxes of beautiful food he has made for the Thinker, a thoughtful gift from her home country. I die a little more inside. Of course if Larry were here, he'd lean in. He'd tell everyone about his misdiagnosed chat'n'cut and own the situation. As previously mentioned he has no shame. But I am Irish and I cannot own this situation. I can only sit there, covered in shame, munching on delicious rice wrapped in pickled vine leaves trying to convince a nice, bespectacled Turkish man that I am not the rudest person in this country of a thousand welcomes. I'm not sure he's convinced. And, to reiterate, I blame Larry David.
