Richard Lewis, who last year announced that he was stepping down from stand-up after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, sadly passed away at the age of 76 at his home in Los Angeles. But despite retiring from stand-up, the self-deprecating comedian did reprise his role in Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12, set to be its final outing.
From appearing in the very first episode of the show, Lewis was ingrained into the show’s DNA, and his chemistry with Larry David ensued for some of the funniest moments in the show.
“F-ck You, I’m Paying”
Arguably one of the funniest interactions between Larry David and Richard Lewis takes in episode 3 of Season 10, Artificial Fruit. After engaging in a funny banter when Lewis initially rejects David’s offer to go on lunch, Lewis eventually agrees, but following their stubborn tendencies, both of them offer to pay. This eventually leads to David saying “F-ck You, I’m Paying”, before leaving.
Larry Taps a Stranger
In episode 7 of Season 11, even though Lewis had undergone three surgeries up to that point, this didn’t stop him from engaging in a friendly bickering with his lifelong friend. Throughout Mayhew’s speech, the two engage in a debate ranging from their fashion to their personalities before they team up to banter with the lady in front of them after she refuses to tap the person upfront.
Richard Lewis’ Self Portrait
While Lewis was proud to showcase his self-portrait that he sold in Season 9 Episode 4, his friends were less than impressed by his artistic chops for the inaccurate display of his age. Jeff and Larry proceed to hilariously insult him on his face, with David exclaiming, “That’s you from 50 years ago”, as he ends the joke with “Maybe you can paint me with great hair”, leaving Jeff in stitches.
“Call Me By Sundown”
The duo’s impeccable chemistry on screen was notable from the very beginning, as in the first episode, the two butt heads following a disagreement on Lewis’ new love interest. As the argument continues, David can be seen almost breaking his character. At the end when Lewis asks to call him by sundown, David replies, “What are you Gary Cooper?”, which almost causes Lewis to break his character.
Larry David’s underwhelming response to Parakeet’s death
In another funny instance from Season 9, Richard Lewis calls out David following his lack of empathy following his beloved bird’s death. David eventually looks to his friend for some sympathy after finding himself in a socially awkward situation, but Lewis has none. This leads to David asking if he is comparing it to his dead Parakeet, to which Lewis replies, “Nothing compares to my dead parakeet.”
Larry David Mourns Richard Lewis’s Passing
Reflecting on Richard Lewis’s death, who peacefully passed away at his home from a heart attack, his life-long friend Larry David expressed that he’ll never forgive Lewis, as he had made him sob. In a statement released shared by HBO (via The Guardian), Larry David stated,
“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me. He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I’ll never forgive him.”
While it’s hard for both fans and his loved ones, the legacy left behind by Lewis will continue to live on and will keep on making people smile.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is available to stream on Max.
