Barack and Michelle Obama Team with Larry David for New HBO Series
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Larry David is heading back to HBO with his signature brand of curmudgeonly humor, this time joining forces with Barack and Michelle Obama for a sketch comedy series focused on American history.
The network announced Thursday that David will executive produce, write, and star in the limited six-episode series, which is being developed in collaboration with the Obamas' production company, Higher Ground.
The untitled series, marking David's return to HBO just over a year after the finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm, is intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States next year. David's longtime collaborator and Curb showrunner, Jeff Schaffer, will co-write and direct the episodes. While the network has not yet announced a premiere date, it did offer a tongue-in-cheek logline:
"President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion. ...But then Larry David called."
Former US President Barack Obama arrives onstage after his wife and former First Lady Michelle Obama introduced him on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois,...
Former US President Barack Obama arrives onstage after his wife and former First Lady Michelle Obama introduced him on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024. Inset: Larry David arrives at the PaleyFest LA 2024 - "Curb Your Enthusiasm" at Dolby Theatre on April 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California.David, 78, released a typically irreverent statement about his return to television.
"Once 'Curb' ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party. After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic honey from the wildflowers in my meadow," he joked. "Alas, one day my bees mysteriously vanished. And so, it is with a heavy heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my beloved hive."
Former President Obama offered a similarly dry remark:
"I've sat across the table from some of the world's most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David."
Since launching Higher Ground in 2018, the Obamas have sought to amplify new and diverse voices in the entertainment world. Their productions have ranged from the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory to children's programming like Waffles + Mochi, as well as films such as Rustin and Leave the World Behind. While their level of visibility has varied across projects, this upcoming sketch show appears to mark a more public creative collaboration.
Though best known for Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, David has early roots in sketch comedy, having written and performed on ABC's Fridays in the early 1980s and briefly contributing to Saturday Night Live. This new series brings him back to that format—only now with presidential producers in the wings.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
From UFC to FIFA: Trump's Domestic Trips Are Dominated by Sports
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump will travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday to attend the FIFA Club World Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea—his latest in a string of high-profile sports-related trips across the United States since his second term began. The President and first lady Melania Trump are set to make the 40-mile journey from his Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, on the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania. The president did not schedule any public commemorations for the date aside from a pretaped Fox News interview with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, which aired Saturday night. A Newsweek review shows sports outings have constituted the bulk of Trump's domestic travel since January 20, outpacing trips for disasters, political rallies, and official ceremonies. President Donald Trump speaks alongside President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office at the White House on March 07, 2025... President Donald Trump speaks alongside President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, D.C. MoreWhy It Matters Major national sporting events have provided Trump a highly visible platform, enabling his continued outreach to a broad base and signaling his affinity for popular American pastimes. Trump's appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup final also serves as a preview of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across North America. What To Know Trump's domestic travel schedule for 2025 has prominently featured major U.S. sporting events. According to travel logs and contemporary media reports, these included Super Bowl LIX on February 9 in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 NASCAR race in Daytona Beach, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia, and the opening of the LIV Golf League in Miami. Other categories of presidential travel have included visits to disaster-affected regions—such as trips to North Carolina and California in January to survey hurricane and wildfire damage—political and GOP fundraising rallies, ceremonial events like commencement speeches, and official observances, including Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery. Trump has also frequented his own resort properties, notably Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, for personal retreats or closed-press political dinners, but these have generally not been categorized as public events. Relationship with International Sports Leaders Trump has cultivated a warm relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has visited the White House multiple times. The decision by FIFA to open an office at Trump Tower in New York City, ahead of the 2026 World Cup, has drawn additional attention. "FIFA [is] a global organization [and] to be global, you have to be local, you have to be everywhere, so we have to be in New York—not just for the FIFA Club World Cup this year and the FIFA World Cup next year—we have to be in New York as well when it comes to where our offices are based," Infantino said during a visit to Trump Tower, according to a press release from the event. What Happens Next The White House has not released additional details on forthcoming presidential travel or planned appearances at World Cup fixtures beyond the president's own statements that he intends to attend multiple matches next year.
Time Magazine
2 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Rosie O'Donnell Responds as Trump Threatens Her Citizenship
Comedian and actor Rosie O'Donnell has responded to President Donald Trump's threat to have her U.S. citizenship revoked, the latest move in a yearslong back-and-forth between the two New York-born former TV stars. Taking to her Instagram on Saturday, hours after Trump's threat, O'Donnell uploaded a picture of the U.S. President with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump socialised with Epstein decades ago and is now embroiled in a charged public discourse as people demand for his Administration to release the full Epstein files, something he seemed inclined to do during his campaign. Captioning the pointed image, O'Donnell, who is currently living in Ireland and seeking Irish citizenship through her grandparents' roots, said: 'I'm everything you fear. A loud woman, a queer woman, a mother who tells the truth, an American who got out of the country before you set it ablaze. You are everything that is wrong with America—and I'm everything you hate about what's still right with it.' 'You want to revoke my citizenship? Go ahead and try, King Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan,' concluded O'Donnell, making reference to the villainous child-king from the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. O'Donnell commented further during an appearance on the Sunday with Miriam show on Ireland's RTÉ Radio 1. "I reacted with a little post that I jotted off in five minutes, and that's been getting a lot of attention online," she said, reiterating her response to Trump's threat. "I am very proud to be opposed to every single thing he says and does and represents." Read More: White House Speaks Out Amid Backlash Over Meme of Trump as Superman On Saturday, Trump had told his more than 10 million followers on Truth Social that he was giving 'serious consideration' to stripping O'Donnell of her citizenship, claiming she 'is not in the best interests' of the U.S. 'She is a threat to humanity and should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her,' the U.S. President said. Trump's threat comes as his Administration continues its attempt to rollback birthright citizenship law. On Thursday, a federal judge placed a temporary nationwide block on Trump's order ending birthright citizenship. Experts argue that a 1967 Supreme Court ruling means that the U.S. government does not have the ability to revoke the citizenship of a native-born U.S. citizen under the fourteenth amendment. Just recently, Trump has threatened to revoke the U.S. citizenship of his one-time ally and now key critic, Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, and the Democratic New York City mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda. However, his threat against O'Donnell is particularly loaded, as the pair share a fraught history that goes back years. O'Donnell notably criticized Trump in 2006 during an episode of the round-table talk show The View, of which she was a long-time panelist. O'Donnell mocked Trump in relation to a press conference he appeared in for the Miss USA contest, which he co-owned at the time. Meanwhile, Trump lashed out in an episode of The Apprentice at a boardroom meeting, during which he called O'Donnell 'disgusting' multiple times. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump brought up the comedian. In a debate with his opponent, Hillary Clinton, he said: 'Rosie O'Donnell—I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her.' O'Donnell responded at the time, saying Trump "will never be President," in one post and calling him an 'orange an-s' in another. Meanwhile, O'Donnell's choice to post an image of Trump and Epstein comes at an interesting time. On Saturday night, Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has come under fire for not releasing the Epstein files in full. There have long been calls to see a so-called "client list" supposedly belonging to Epstein. (Bondi's previous release of some files were heavily redacted and informed the public of little they had not learned before.)'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again,' Trump said, encouraging people to move from the topic. 'One year ago our country was dead, now it's the hottest country anywhere in the world. Let's keep it that way, and not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.' Trump's input comes amid backlash over the publication of a memo from the Justice Department and FBI, who conducted a review of the Epstein investigation. Per the memo, their findings concluded there is no evidence Epstein kept a 'client list' or was murdered. It also said "no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions." Read More: Where Things Stand With the Epstein Files Following Musk's Allegation Against Trump Trump's commentary about Epstein has been of high interest, especially since Musk, in a now-deleted social media post, alleged that Trump is listed in the files related to the late financier and alleged sex trafficker. 'That is the real reason they have not been made public,' Musk said in early June. He did not provide evidence pertaining to this. Trump's connection to Epstein dates back decades. In an interview with New York magazine in 2002, he said that Epstein was 'a lot of fun to be with.' 'It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,' Trump told the reporter. In July 2019, NBC News' TODAY released video footage believed to be from 1992, which showed Trump hosting Epstein at his Mar-a-Lago estate. After Epstein's 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Trump made an effort to distance himself. Speaking in the Oval Office in 2019, Trump said: 'I had a falling out with him [Epstein]. I haven't spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham ‘Understands' How Lack of Diversity in ‘Girls' Was ‘Really Disappointing' for Audiences
Lena Dunham is looking back on claims of a lack of diversity in her iconic series 'Girls.' Dunham created, produced, wrote, and starred in the HBO show, which aired from 2012 to 2017. Almost a decade after wrapping, the showrunner is reflecting on how the series was critically received at the time. 'I think one of the profound issues around 'Girls' was that there was so little real estate for women in television,' Dunham told The Independent, '[so] that if you had a show called 'Girls,' which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like it's describing all the girls in all the places. And so if it's not reflecting a multitude of experiences, I understand how that would be really disappointing to people.' More from IndieWire Lena Dunham Details Possible 'Girls' Revival Plot: 'I Would Always' Work with That Cast Again Jason Momoa Unites a People in Apple's 'Chief of War' Trailer Dunham is now returning to TV again with her semi-autobiographical Netflix series 'Too Much,' which has a large ensemble cast representing a slew of races, genders, and nationalities as the show takes place in both New York City and London. 'The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but it's diversity behind the camera,' Dunham said, citing how her experience with 'Girls' impacted how she approached 'Too Much.' 'As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story.' The discussions around diversity in 'Girls' plagued the series ever since it premiered in 2012. The NYC-set show had a white core cast; Dunham famously introduced Donald Glover in Season 2 as one of her onscreen love interests, seemingly in direct response to the criticisms. Glover's character Sandy was a devout Republican in a subversive creative decision. Dunham said in 2012 that the casting was not due to the diversity controversy, though. 'Some are people of color, some are not, some are caucasian because I went to the actors who I wanted to work with and told the stories that seemed vital and exciting,' she said. 'I don't care about satisfying the critics, but I care about satisfying my viewers. And I know I have viewers who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected onscreen. So, that's what matters to me. It doesn't matter to me to satiate people who are looking to kind of put destructive energy onto the world — not to sound like a hippie.' Dunham added in 2018 that she later discussed Glover's character with him and wanted to make sure he was comfortable with the arc. 'I emailed him later to say, 'I hope you feel the part on 'Girls' didn't tokenize you,' and his response was really Donald-y and enigmatic: 'Let's not think back on mistakes we made in the past, let's just focus on what lies in front of us,'' she said (Glover has been vocal about his love of working with Dunham ever since starring in the series.) The magnified criticisms of 'Girls' at the time in part led to Dunham taking an acting hiatus. Dunham told The Times early this season, 'I always joke that I need a T-shirt that says, 'I survived New York media in 2012 and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.' And all I got was this lousy PTSD. I didn't really understand how to distinguish between what was and wasn't necessary for the public. I felt confused about how I was supposed to respond. I thought if I explain properly who I am, or give a glimpse of who I am, people are going to have a different perception of me, that we would be friends. But no one cares — and that's fine.'Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
