Larry David is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer known for co-creating the iconic sitcom, Seinfeld, with Jerry Seinfeld, where he served as head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons.
He gained further recognition for creating and starring in the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he portrays a semi-fictionalized version of himself.
David’s work on Seinfeld earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards and he has been nominated for numerous awards throughout his career.
Born on July 2, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, he has made significant contributions to the comedy industry and entertainment world, showcasing his unique humor and talent across various platforms.
Net worth | $450 million |
Profession | Comedian, writer, actor, TV producer |
Date of birth | July 2, 1947 |
Nationality | American |
Background
David’s parents are Rose and Mortimer David.
Rose was described as a loving and supportive mother, while Mortimer was more critical and demanding, influencing David’s parenting style to be nurturing yet challenging.
Mortimer had a successful career as an electrical engineer and inventor, which sparked David’s interest in technology and problem-solving from a young age.
The close relationship with his parents and the dynamics within his family have been reflected in the themes explored in his work, showcasing the influence of his upbringing on his comedic style and storytelling.
Net worth
David’s net worth is estimated to be around $450 million.
This figure reflects his successful career in the entertainment industry, including his role as co-creator of the iconic sitcom, Seinfeld, and creator/star of the HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.
David’s net worth has been significantly influenced by his ownership stake in Seinfeld, continued success with Curb Your Enthusiasm, and lucrative deals related to television projects, syndication royalties, DVD sales and licensing deals.
Additionally, he has made substantial investments in real estate, owning several prestigious properties and making strategic sales that have contributed to his financial prosperity.
FTX endorsement deal
The FTX endorsement deal with Larry David involved a Super Bowl ad where David starred as a skeptic who travels through time and scoffs at various innovations throughout history.
The ad ends with David being pitched FTX as a safe and easy way to get into crypto, to which he responds, “Eh, I don’t think so, and I’m never wrong about this stuff. Never.”
The ad resurfaced on social media after FTX imploded, as David’s character was right to be skeptical.
FTX filed for bankruptcy proceedings in the United States on Friday, marking a stunning downfall for one of the biggest and most powerful players in the crypto industry.
The lawsuit, which also names FTX’s co-founder and former chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried as a defendant, seeks $11 billion in damage.
The plaintiff and class-action members alleged that FTX lured them to its yield-bearing accounts and transferred investor funds to Alameda Research, a hedge fund also run by Bankman-Fried.
FTX celebrity endorsers, including Larry David, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Kevin O’Leary and Naomi Osaka, are named defendants in the class action suit filed against FTX.
They are accused of engaging in a conspiracy to defraud investors and violating specific laws and regulations.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has gone after celebrities for deceptively touting cryptocurrencies since November 2017.
In October 2022, the SEC found that Kim Kardashian violated the anti-touting provision of the federal securities laws by plugging on social media a crypto asset security without disclosing the payment she received for the promotion.
She was fined $1.26 million in penalties, disgorgement and interest, and cooperated with the Commission’s ongoing investigation.
In an interview this week, David called himself an “idiot” for doing the FTX Super Bowl ad, stating that he was told by friends who were well-versed in crypto that the ad was “totally on the up and up.”
He also revealed that part of his salary was in crypto, and he lost a lot of money when FTX collapsed.
Real estate
David has a notable portfolio of real estate properties and houses that reflect his taste and financial success.
One of his recent transactions involved selling his Pacific Palisades estate for $8.9 million, a custom-built home with four bedrooms, five bathrooms and over 5,000 square feet of living space, offering stunning 180-degree mountain views from every room.
This property, designed by Johnston Marklee, exemplifies luxury and elegance, showcasing concrete walls, glass walls and two-story ceilings that create a sense of spaciousness and light throughout the residence.
In another significant move, David purchased a traditional-style home in Montecito for $7.6 million, which features five bedrooms and five bathrooms across 4,326 square feet of living space.
Built in 1917, this single-level structure has undergone extensive renovations while retaining its original charm with vaulted exposed-beam ceilings, vintage fireplaces and classic coastal style interiors.
The house boasts a bright living room with white wooden beams, a Tuscan-inspired kitchen with skylights, and a dining room adorned with textured light gold walls and a shaded chandelier.
Furthermore, David previously acquired a French Normandy-style cottage in Montecito for $5.7 million, showcasing four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and a design by architect George Washington Smith from the 1920s.
This charming abode features modern luxuries and conveniences, including a living room with an open beam ceiling, a formal dining room, and a kitchen with a butler’s pantry overlooking garden views.
The property’s outdoor space includes a spacious red brick patio, an emerald lawn surrounded by citrus trees and pathways that enhance its allure.
Career
David is best known for co-creating Seinfeld with Jerry Seinfeld.
He was the head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons of “Seinfeld”, which ran for nine seasons and is still one of the most popular sitcoms of all time.
David also created and stars in Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is now in its 11th season.
His work on Seinfeld won him two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1993, for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series.
David has been nominated for 27 Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
He has also directed and starred in several films, including Sour Grapes and Whatever Works, and has made recurring guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, where he impersonates 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
David’s success in television, film and comedy has made him one of the most successful and influential comedians of all time.
Creating Seinfield
David left the series after its seventh season due to concerns over maintaining the show’s quality and avoiding a decline.
David, who is known for his particular sense of humor, helped create some of the best Seinfeld episodes that helped make the show so iconic.
However, he found the job to be particularly stressful and feared that the writers would run out of interesting things to write about after so many years.
Despite leaving the show, David’s influence never faded, and critics have continually faulted Seinfeld for dipping in quality after his departure.
Seinfeld, which was created by David and Jerry Seinfeld in 1988, initially pitched as a show about how a comedian gets their material.
While Seinfeld himself became the face of the show as its star, David’s role was to run it from behind the scenes, serving as head writer and executive producer throughout the show’s golden era, which ended when he left Seinfeld in 1996.
David’s particular sense of humor, which was very similar to Seinfeld’s own humor, helped make the show stand out as a unique sitcom at the time.
Creating Curb Your Enthusiasm
The show began as a 1999 HBO special of the same name, which was shot in a mockumentary style with talking heads and guests like Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander.
However, when the series was developed, the mockumentary style was dropped in favor of a cinéma-vérité filming style with improvised dialogue.
In Curb Your Enthusiasm, David plays a fictionalized version of himself, dealing with moral and ethical dilemmas in his 21st-century Hollywood Hills existence.
The show is known for its satirical sermon on leading a principled life, often with Larry facing cosmic comeuppance for his actions.
The show’s improvised dialogue and cinéma-vérité style have been influential in modern television comedy, and the show has been praised for its unique approach to storytelling.
The show has also been known for its guest stars, including celebrities playing fictionalized versions of themselves and its ability to tackle controversial subjects with humor.
Awards and nominations
David has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his illustrious career in the entertainment industry.
He won two Primetime Emmy Awards in 1993 for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series.
David received the Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement by the Writers Guild of America in 2010.
He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 1994 and was nominated for various categories in subsequent years.
David has been nominated for a total of 27 Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
He received nominations for various categories such as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.
David has also been nominated for Writers Guild of America Awards and Producers Guild of America Awards for his outstanding work in television.
Personal life
David has been married twice.
His first marriage was to Laurie Lennard from 1993 to 1999, with whom he shares a daughter named Cazzie David.
In 2020, David married Ashley Underwood, his second wife, and together, he and Ashley have two children, a son, and a daughter; however, the names of their two youngest children have been kept private to protect their privacy.
Cazzie, David’s daughter from his first marriage, was born in 1994.
She is a writer, actress, and comedian who has gained recognition for her work, including a best-selling collection of personal essays titled No One Asked For This.
Cazzie has also appeared in TV series like The Umbrella Academy and dated comedian Pete Davidson for two and a half years.
Romy David, David’s second daughter, was born in 1996.
She interned at the White House under President Obama and is currently studying for a master’s in oral history at Columbia University.
Romy has been described as taking after her mother, Laurie David, while Cazzie takes after David.
Both daughters have been an integral part of Larry David’s life and have contributed to his comedy routines and personal experiences.
David’s family, including his wife Ashley and daughters Cazzie and Romy, play a significant role in his life and have influenced his work in the entertainment industry.
Their privacy is respected, with Larry and Ashley choosing to keep certain details, like the names of their youngest children, out of the public eye to maintain a sense of normalcy and privacy for their family.
Divorce settlement
David and Laurie separated in 2007 after 14 years of marriage.
The separation was confirmed by a representative and described as amicable.
David reportedly paid Laurie 50% of his net worth at the time, resulting in a $200-300 million settlement that includes future syndication income from both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Additionaly, the separation was also reflected in Curb Your Enthusiasm, where David’s fictional spouse, played by Cheryl Hines, left him in an episode that aired shortly after the real-life separation
Controversies
David has been involved in several controversies throughout his career.
One of the most notable controversies is his use of the N-word in the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In the episode, Krazee-Eyez Killa, David repeatedly uses the racial slur while interacting with a Black rapper named Krazee-Eyez Killa.
The episode received widespread criticism, with many arguing that the use of the N-word by a white person is always inappropriate and offensive
Another controversy surrounding David is his lack of understanding and sensitivity towards certain social issues.
For example, in the episode, The Group, from the first season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, he attends an incest survivors group with his ex-girlfriend and makes up a false story of abuse to fit in.
While the episode is meant to be humorous, it has been criticized for trivializing the experiences of incest survivors.
David has also faced criticism for his portrayal of women in his shows.
Some argue that the female characters in Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm are often stereotyped and objectified.
For example, in the episode, The Contest, from Seinfeld, the characters engage in a bet to see who can go the longest without masturbating, with the female character Elaine being the only one who is not allowed to participate.