Larry David is heading back to HBO this summer with a new project that brings together a former president, a pile of historical figures, and his signature brand of awkward humor. The seven-episode sketch comedy series, titled Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America, will premiere on June 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The announcement came on March 13 during a panel at SXSW in Austin, where David and his longtime collaborator Jeff Schaffer showed footage from the show and shared details about what viewers can expect .
The series marks David’s first project since Curb Your Enthusiasm ended after 12 seasons. But this time, he has some unusual producing partners: Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. Their company, Higher Ground, is behind the show, and the former president even makes a cameo appearance in one of the sketches .
The official logline for the series sets up the premise perfectly: “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” .
What Is This Show About
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is a sketch comedy series that drops Larry David into key moments from American history. Each of the seven episodes will contain about four sketches, and the show is being described as “Curb Your Enthusiasm in costumes” by Schaffer himself . Unlike traditional scripted shows, the sketches work from outlines rather than rigid scripts, meaning much of the dialogue is improvised, just like on Curb .
The timing of the release lines up with America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, but don’t expect a patriotic tribute. As Schaffer put it during the SXSW panel, making a show about America right now is “sort of like throwing a birthday party for your friend that’s in rehab. He’s fucked up. But I love him” .
One clip shown at the festival featured David dropped into the famous V-J Day in Times Square photograph from 1945, where a Navy sailor kissed a stranger to celebrate the end of World War II. In classic Larry David fashion, his attempt to recreate the moment goes horribly wrong. After grabbing a woman and kissing her, she calls him a “perv-o, fk-o” and her boyfriend shows up to confront him. Within minutes, David finds himself surrounded by an angry mob in Times Square .
The Star-Studded Cast and Guest Appearances
The cast for this series reads like a who’s who of comedy and Hollywood. Alongside David, viewers will see familiar faces from his previous work and some surprising historical portrayals.
Curb Your Enthusiasm veterans showing up include Jeff Garlin, J.B. Smoove, Vince Vaughn, and Susie Essman. Essman takes on the role of women’s rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony .
Some of the most interesting casting choices involve famous historical figures:
- Bill Hader and Kathryn Hahn play Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln
- Jon Hamm and Sean Hayes appear as the Wright brothers
- Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld portray explorers Lewis and Clark
- Barack Obama makes a cameo appearance opposite David in one sketch
Other guest stars mentioned include Lin-Manuel Miranda and Joe Manganiello, who appears in the V-J Day clip as a sailor who takes offense when David tries to kiss his girl .
The Unusual Partnership With Barack Obama
One of the most talked-about aspects of this series is the collaboration between Larry David and Barack Obama. During the SXSW panel, David shared stories about what it was like working with the former president. The two are apparently golf buddies, and David admitted he knows Obama personally, adding “Don’t look down on him because of that” .
But their professional relationship hit a bump when Obama tried to give notes on a sketch. According to Schaffer, Obama spent 45 minutes praising David before offering a suggestion about one of the comedy bits. David wasn’t interested. Obama reportedly stressed that during his presidency, he always listened to experts in their fields. David’s response? “I’m president here” .
Barack Obama previously joked about the collaboration in a statement, saying “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” .
Higher Ground, the production company founded by the Obamas, has produced acclaimed projects like American Factory, which won an Oscar, Crip Camp, Rustin, and Leave the World Behind. This series represents their first comedy collaboration with David .
Release Schedule and Where to Watch
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness debuts on Friday, June 26 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. New episodes will roll out weekly, with the finale scheduled for August 7 .
For viewers who prefer streaming, all episodes will be available on HBO Max (which is being rebranded as Max) at the same time they air on television. The show will be accessible to subscribers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and globally through HBO’s various distribution partners and streaming platforms .
The series consists of seven half-hour episodes, and given David’s track record, each one will likely pack plenty of uncomfortable moments and sharp observations about American life and history.
The Creative Team Behind the Series
Jeff Schaffer, who worked extensively on both Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld, directs the series and co-wrote it with David. Both serve as executive producers alongside the Obama team .
From the Obama camp, Ethan Lewis and Vinnie Malhotra also executive produce for Higher Ground. The company has built a reputation for high-quality storytelling across different formats, and this series continues that trend with an unexpected comedic twist.
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What the First Clip Reveals
The footage shown at SXSW gives a clear idea of the show’s tone. In the V-J Day sketch, David’s character spots the famous Life magazine photographer setting up the shot and decides to get in on the action. After his disastrous kiss, he tries to explain himself while things spiral out of control. The woman he kissed calls for her boyfriend Johnny, and when David pushes Johnny’s hand away, Johnny responds, “Did you just take a swing at me?” .
The scene captures the same awkward, escalating conflict that made Curb Your Enthusiasm so popular, just transplanted to a historical setting. Based on the description, fans of David’s previous work will feel right at home.
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