Larry David took a brutal swipe at former friend Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his new HBO sketch series, using comedy to mock the health secretary’s long-standing skepticism of vaccines, Wonderwall.com can reveal.
The biting parody marks one of David’s sharpest public jabs at Kennedy since the two drifted apart politically.
‘Drop dead, Bobby!’
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In Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America, David introduces a thinly disguised version of Kennedy named “Bobby,” a leather-tanned, painfully hoarse vaccine skeptic who repeatedly interrupts polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk as he works on his groundbreaking discovery.
As Salk focuses on his research, Bobby repeatedly interrupts him, declaring, per The Daily Beast: “That vaccine’s gonna kill people. It’s gonna give them heart attacks!”
Salk’s mother, played by David, immediately fires back: “Drop dead, Bobby. You should die a dog’s death. You don’t know anything about science; you’re not a doctor. If you were in charge, God help us all! If some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge, that would be a dark day for humanity.”
Bobby later begins ranting about “fluoride causing gender confusion” and other conspiracy theories before two men in white coats escort him away.
Donald Trump also gets roasted
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Kennedy isn’t the only political figure targeted in the HBO series, which is produced by former President Barack Obama.
In another sketch, David warns a group of colonialists about a future leader, calling him “some narcissistic p—k who doesn’t follow the Constitution” and saying he uses the presidency to “enrich himself and his family.”
David’s character then asks: “Did I mention he’s friends with a pedophile?”
The character portraying Donald Trump responds: “I can’t ever fathom the existence of such men.”
From friends to feuding
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David and Kennedy were once close friends despite eventually finding themselves on opposite sides of the political spectrum.
The comedian even introduced Kennedy to actress Cheryl Hines, who went on to become his wife after starring alongside David on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Their friendship has since fractured as Kennedy’s role in the Trump administration drew criticism from David.
Cheryl Hines left off new series
David’s latest HBO series reunited almost all of the major Curb Your Enthusiasm cast members, but Hines was noticeably absent.
Speaking on Obsessed: The Podcast, Curb co-creator Jeff Schaffer said of Hines: “My experiences working with her were nothing but the best, the warmest, the funniest, just a delight, loved working with her.” He added: “So, I don’t know, people make choices.”
Hines later revealed she has not spoken to David since the Curb Your Enthusiasm series finale.
“I think he’s mad [that] Bobby’s in the administration,” she said.
