Why does Larry David get away with saying the N word?

Combo · Jul 9, 2020

In this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104263/

You can find it on Youtube and I won't post it on here.

Isn't it completely unacceptable to say it even though he was supposed to be quoting someone else?

JDSN · Jul 9, 2020

I feel like the dude created the Blacks just to make this. But at least is gave J.B soomve a carreer.

UnpopularBlargh · Jul 9, 2020

He doesn't.

The whole episode is about how the doctor is offended at him using the word.

Cocolina · Jul 9, 2020

Wasn't he telling a story about a conversation he overheard? That one?

Then someone overhears him use the word and the joke of the scene is about using that word out of context.

Landawng · Jul 9, 2020

It's part of his show which is still considered fiction, but it's still a bit weird.

Howard Stern on the other hand would say the word all the time back in the day on his show. Not sure if he does it anymore. Never really understood why he didn't get a ton of shit for it

Ramala · Jul 9, 2020

Larry David (the Curb character, not the person) rarely gets away with *anything*.

blame space · Jul 9, 2020

Combo · Jul 9, 2020

Cocolina said:
Wasn't he telling a story about a conversation he overheard? That one?

Then someone overhears him use the word and the joke of the scene is about using that word out of context.

I know the context, but it still isn't acceptable to do so. Even when quoting people you say the N word.

500 years of slavery deserves more sensitivity.

Tom Penny · Jul 9, 2020

A shit ton of comedians "get away" with saying Stereotype and racial shit.

Dark Knight · Jul 9, 2020

UnpopularBlargh said:
He doesn't.

The whole episode is about how the doctor is offended at him using the word.

I think the question of the thread is more or less, why are black face episodes in Always Sunny getting pulled when episodes where a white dude unabashedly says the n word aren't. Similar context where the show is portraying shitty people doing shitty racist things.

UltraMav · Jul 9, 2020

Tom Penny said:
A shit ton of comedians "get away" with saying Stereotype and racial shit.

Louis CK had a whole bit about the N word which was mostly praised until it turned out he was a perverted piece of shit.

Teenage Fansub · Jul 9, 2020

Combo said:
I know the context, but it still isn't acceptable to do so. Even when quoting people you say the N word.

500 years of slavery deserves more sensitivity.

It's not a sensitive show.

Ultima_5 · Jul 9, 2020

Of all things that should be called out. This is low on the totem pole

Deleted member 1248 · Jul 9, 2020

Lets all ignore post #3 so we can have a fifteen page thread. Thanks in advance.

Grug · Jul 9, 2020

UltraMav said:
Louis CK had a whole bit about the N word which was mostly praised

It really was a pretty good bit, but when when deconstructed it almost feels like he had a bet with a friend that he could come up with a comedic loophole for saying the word.

There are several ways to answer the OP though. The first is that Larry David the character doesn't get away with it. Larry David the actor does get away with it.

PeakPointMatrix · Jul 9, 2020

Even though the whole point is to frame Larry in the wrong, this looks to be another relic of humor that snuck in at the time like many other shows/media looking for an excuse to say it (South Park/Louie CK).

Going forward they absolutely need to refrain, and I wonder if the best situation for the episode itself is to recieve a Warner Brothers style disclaimer before it or just ban it all together. I really don't know.

blame space said:

This is such a cinematic shot of one of my favorite moments on the show.

SeeingeyeDug · Jul 9, 2020

The entire show is based on the premise of Larry saying shit he shouldn't say and the social backlash that ensues. If you disallow every shred of commentary about why a word is wrong, eventually we will have a new generation of kids with zero understanding of why a word is wrong.

Tavernade · Jul 9, 2020

Dark Knight said:
I think the question of the thread is more or less, why are black face episodes in Always Sunny getting pulled when episodes where a white dude unabashedly says the N word aren't. Similar context where the show is portraying shitty people doing shitty racist things.

If that's the question I think the answer is:

A. The creators/streamers forgot they did this.
B. The creators/streamers think it's ok to keep up.

Always Sunny, Office, and Community are big on streaming and Scrubs was requested by the creator. Curb might have slipped through the cracks.

Tom Penny · Jul 9, 2020

UltraMav said:
Louis CK had a whole bit about the N word which was mostly praised until it turned out he was a perverted piece of shit.

Only clean comedian I can think of that was successful that didn't try to offend people for laughs drugged and raped women..
.

Desi · Jul 9, 2020

UltraMav said:
Louis CK had a whole bit about the N word which was mostly praised until it turned out he was a perverted piece of shit.

whenever I think of time travel that joke does cross my mind.

Also, Curb is a show about a fictional Larry David being called out for being an insensitive offensive idiot all the time.

BLACK LAC · Jul 9, 2020

After watching the clip I'm wondering if this thread is a joke. He IMEDIATLY gets shit on for saying it...

Dark Knight · Jul 9, 2020

Tavernade said:
If that's the question I think the answer is:

A. The creators/streamers forgot they did this.
B. The creators/streamers think it's ok to keep up.

Always Sunny, Office, and Community are big on streaming and Scrubs was requested by the creator. Curb might have slipped through the cracks.

True. If word gets around about this episode it would likely get pulled too.

Zoe · Jul 9, 2020

Combo said:
I know the context, but it still isn't acceptable to do so. Even when quoting people you say the N word.

500 years of slavery deserves more sensitivity.

People didn't take self-censoring as seriously 13 years ago.

Dalek · Jul 9, 2020

Remember when Larry fixed the black man's tip?

Disco · Jul 9, 2020

Dog-FacedPonySoldier said:
Lets all ignore post #3 so we can have a fifteen page thread. Thanks in advance.

Lmao

Deleted member 52442 · Jul 9, 2020

BLACK LAC said:
After watching the clip I'm wondering if this thread is a joke. He IMEDIATLY gets shit on for saying it...

thread is probably about him making an episode around the concept of him saying the word in general instead of making an episode about anything else

grang · Jul 9, 2020

Don't forget to crucify him for the episode with him repeatedly talking about a 9 year old girl's pussy rash

Lord Fanny · Jul 9, 2020

Combo said:
I know the context, but it still isn't acceptable to do so. Even when quoting people you say the N word.

500 years of slavery deserves more sensitivity.

I mean, it's a fictional show about a guy who is a lying piece of shit who never learns or understands the consequences of his actions, and this episode in particular is all about how it's not okay to use the word and Larry tries, and fails, to justify it. So, I don't know. I get he's playing himself in the show, but it's not a documentary.

crimzonflame · Jul 9, 2020

Yeah I never understood why Larry when retelling the story didnt just say 'the n-word'.

Addleburg · Jul 9, 2020

Combo said:
I know the context, but it still isn't acceptable to do so. Even when quoting people you say the N word.

500 years of slavery deserves more sensitivity.

It's because unlike the episode of Always Sunny or other programs with blackface, the intended humor isn't in the word itself. The humor is that he's trying to recount a racist conversation he overheard and, in doing so, incurs the type of reaction he himself had upon hearing the other person use the word. It's not the same as the visual humor that Always Sunny was gunning for in depicting Mac in blackface, even if they tried to "balance it out" by having people call him out on it.

Not condoning the Curb episode one way or another, but that's the "why" in why it tends to get a pass: the context in which Larry says it is one of him being mortified by it.

It's likely the same reason why a racist shouting the word at black people would probably incur a different reaction than some absent-minded idiot saying it as they rap to a song.

Tom Penny · Jul 9, 2020

grang said:
Don't forget to crucify him for the episode with him repeatedly talking about a 6 year old girl's pussy

Last season I'm pretty sure he had an episode with and interracial couple and asked them if they wanted their child to be more light skinned or dark skinned..

NinjaScooter · Jul 9, 2020

I don't think the premise of this thread is asking why/if "Larry David" the character gets away with using the N word. It's basically the same conversation as the Always Sunny blackface episodes. The answer is that Hulu pulled those episodes proactively anticipating there could be a backlash. HBO must feel there won't be one.

Deleted member 198 · Jul 9, 2020

NinjaScooter said:
I don't think the premise of this thread is asking why/if "Larry David" the character gets away with using the N word. It's basically the same conversation as the Always Sunny blackface episodes. The answer is that Hulu pulled those episodes proactively anticipating there could be a backlash. HBO must feel there won't be one.

HBO just doesn't care. Proof: Bill Maher

RedMercury · Jul 9, 2020

grang said:
Don't forget to crucify him for the episode with him repeatedly talking about a 9 year old girl's pussy rash

I mean, I don't think having episodes of television shows is crucifying

Saduj · Jul 9, 2020

Was Nabokov a pedophile?

Ultima_5 · Jul 9, 2020

crimzonflame said:
Yeah I never understood why Larry when retelling the story didnt just say 'the n-word'.

Cuz there wouldn't be a comedic premise if he did that that works with what the show is

Deleted member 364 · Jul 9, 2020

Toxi · Jul 9, 2020

Saduj said:
Was Nabokov a pedophile?

Yes actually.

TaterTots · Jul 9, 2020

Daytak said:
HBO just doesn't care. Proof: Bill Maher

To be fair, Bill Maher is more in line with every asshole I meet irl so it makes sense. I only find the super progressive people on the internet.

DrForester · Jul 9, 2020

There was an old Fox show about a high school. I can't remember the name of it, didn't watch it regularly. But I do remember watching one episode where one of the (white) teachers decided to have a conversation about the n-word and said it. The black students looked shocked. And that's all I remember of the episode, so I guess whatever message it was trying to convey didn't really outshine the shock value of the white actor saying it.

Border · Jul 9, 2020

Why doesn't an actor playing a character who said/says that word get in trouble for it? Is that the question?

Seesaw15 · Jul 9, 2020

Next Era thread: "Why does Larry David get away with wearing a MAGA hat?"

Companies pulling these eps when no one asked is mad condescending because it pretends that we (black people) don't know what context is. The ep came out in 2007 and the purpose of the joke was to make the audience cringe at how dumb Larry is. I'm sure if people tweet @ HBO they will take the episode down to appease us vs using their power/influence to help end racial injustice. The performative shit these companies are doing around the BLM movement is so tiring.

Goes without saying but black people aren't a monolith so people are free to be disgusted by this.

IggyChooChoo · Jul 9, 2020

Toxi said:
Yes actually.

He was?

noquarter · Jul 9, 2020

Isnt the whole point of the episode that it is never ok to say it even if you are just recounting hearing another person say it since just saying the word makes you perceived as a racist, no matter the context? There is never a place where Larry David should be saying it, no matter how much he tries to explain that he isnt racist and was just repeating someone else say it.

Kay · Jul 9, 2020

Toxi said:
Yes actually.

receipts please

Smokeymicpot · Jul 9, 2020

No clue. They should just cancel the show.

NunezL · Jul 9, 2020

That's like saying "how doas Micheal Fassbender get away with whipping slaves in 12 years a Slave?"
It's a fictional character and he gets shit for saying the word. I mean he literally gets blasted by three black people the second he utters the word.

I think it's ok to have characters being ignorant or hateful in work of fiction.

Ultima_5 · Jul 9, 2020

Seesaw15 said:
Next Era thread: "Why does Larry David get away with wearing a MAGA hat?"

Companies pulling these eps when no one asked is mad condescending because it pretends that we (black people) don't know what context is. The ep came out in 2007 and the purpose of the joke was to make the audience cringe at how dumb Larry is. I'm sure if people tweet @ HBO they will take the episode down to appease us vs using their power/influence to help end racial injustice. The performative shit these companies are doing around the BLM movement is so tiring.

Goes without saying but black people aren't a monolith so people are free to be disgusted by this.

This is a great post about all of this. Thank you.

RocketKiss · Jul 9, 2020

You are losing the plot... literally.

Pall Mall · Jul 9, 2020

Is humorous commentary not allowed? I'd understand if it were shittily done but the whole point is Larry (the character) is an asshole and he should not get away with saying it.

Why does Larry David get away with saying the N word?

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