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Curb your Enthusiasm is a unique show in that it is written as a reflection of Larry’s real-life: he plays himself, the creator of Seinfeld, now living in Hollywood and causing chaos at every possible opportunity. As such, there are lots of Seinfeld references throughout the show. Some are more obvious than others, but die-hard fans of the sitcom will be able to spot them out.
5 The Entirety Of Season 7 Is A Seinfeld Reference
Season 7 of the show was essentially dedicated to Seinfeld. A clever ode to the humor that made Curb possible, Larry decides to reboot the show in an effort to win back his ex-wife, Cheryl. Throughout the season, the four main actors (Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards) all appear as themselves.
It’s hilarious how Larry weaves their personal lives in with the characters they played on the show. Even funnier is Larry’s bumbling self-sabotaging screwing up the production. Every episode is laden with references to the show, from minor call-back jokes to pop culture easter eggs. In many ways, Curb Your Enthusiasm is a sequel of sorts to Seinfeld, carrying the torch where Seinfeld left off in the 90s.
4 But Season 7 Isn’t The Only Seinfeld-Centric Season Of Curb Your Enthusiasm
The second season of Curb Your Enthusiasm also explores the success of Seinfeld through the rearview mirror of Larry and the cast. Larry decides to create a new show, first with Jason Alexander, which of course falls through, and then with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
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Any fan of either show knows this spells a recipe for disaster as Larry destroys everything good he touches. In many ways, this season is an allusion to the Seinfeld episode in which Jerry and George pitch a show to NBC about “nothing” – a clever inside joke about how Seinfeld itself was a show about “nothing.”
3 Larry And George Costanza
Larry David and George Costanza are two peas from the same pod. In fact, it is said that George Costanza was based on Larry David in real life. Jason Alexander appears as himself multiple times on Curb Your Enthusiasm, often appearing more formal and well-spoken than Larry, who ironically plays the screwy “George character” on his own show. Larry even follows some of George’s mannerisms and uses his vocabulary and diction.
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He even performs as George Costanza during the Seinfeld production in season 7, with hilarious results. It isn’t hard to see how George’s character was an extension of Larry during the original show’s run.
2 The Car Periscope
There are various minor allusions to Seinfeld that die-hard fans could likely recognize, from subtle character nods to more blatant references. One of the more obvious call-backs is the car periscope from season 8. Larry and Jeff are confronted with a potential investment opportunity while in New York. The investment? A car periscope that allows the user to look above their car as if on a submarine. This idea is actually one of Kramer’s schemes he conjured up on Seinfeld. Kramer is known for his far-fetched quick cash cons, but the car periscope is a hilarious one that Larry brought back to life years later.
1 Larry’s Pressure Point Issues
Larry David isn’t afraid to confront people for what he believes are social misdeeds. All throughout Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry makes it a point to correct others on their faulty habits. As such, there is a lot of crossovers between the two shows with regards to Larry’s irks. One particular example would be the “Happy New Year’s” phrase – which characters on Seinfeld admonish shouldn’t be spoken to someone in February or March.
Larry, himself, takes issue with the delayed greeting in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which he chastises the use of the saying after the new year has already begun. Larry is never one to just let something slide and that’s why audiences love him. Both his character on Curb Your Enthusiasm and his fictional creations on Seinfeld represent the assertiveness of speaking one’s mind in a society that doesn’t really care what anyone has to say.
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