Larry David credits Brooklyn upbringing for influencing humor

BY DAVID HINCKLEY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013, 4:39 PM

Larry David spoke at the ‘Clear History’ panel discussion during the HBO portion of the 2013 Summer Television Critics Association tour.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Now we know exactly where Larry David’s humor comes from. Not just the borough or the neighborhood or the street, but the exact apartment.
David was on a panel for TV writers here to discuss his HBO movie “Clear History,” which premieres Aug. 10.
He did this film instead of starting another season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” he said, though “Clear History” has David playing a character with pretty much all the same exasperations and neuroses.
Partway through the panel, a writer asked, “Where is the influence of Jewish humor in your sensibility? Where does that come from?”
Larry David is barely recognizable in “Clear History.”

David, who has played a remarkably similar neurotic character for decades, through “Seinfeld” and “Curb” among other stops, was speechless.
Eventually he repeated the question.
“Where does it come from?”
He paused again and answered.
“It comes from Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay, Apartment 1D, Nostrand Avenue. Where do you think it comes from?”
The questioner didn’t stop: “Can you elaborate a little bit more on how it affects your work?”
David paused again.
“You know, obviously, wherever you grow up impacts your entire life. I grew up in a building with six floors, I don’t know, about nine apartments on each floor and Jews in every apartment.