Obama Blames Larry David For 2014 Tan Suit Debacle In ‘Life, Larry & the Pursuit of Unhappiness’ Finale
In the finale of HBO's sketch comedy miniseries "Life, Larry & the Pursuit of Unhappiness", Barack Obama made a surprise cameo playing himself, with the sketch reimagining the origins of his widely mocked 2014 tan suit as the idea of comedian Larry David. The episode, broadcast on Friday, sees David spill juice on Obama's jacket before persuading him to wear the tan suit instead for a live press conference on military action against ISIS, jokingly taking credit for the ensuing media furore.
The series, created to mark the United States' 250th anniversary, comprises seven parts and uses David's trademark observational comedy to revisit key moments in American history. Obama produced the show through his Higher Ground company after personally asking David, his long-time friend, to take part; executive producer Jeff Schaffer told Deadline the pairing reflects a message that America has made mistakes but keeps "moving forward". The tan suit itself became a notorious talking point in 2014 after Obama wore it to a White House briefing on ISIS.
- Obama cameos in "Life, Larry & the Pursuit of Unhappiness" finale
- Sketch jokes Larry David inspired Obama's infamous 2014 tan suit
- Show marks US 250th anniversary; Obama produced via Higher Ground
New here? Start with this
Britain's constitutional monarchy has never produced a moment quite like this, but American comedy has: a scripted sketch in which a real former president plays himself, joking about one of the more talked-about wardrobe choices of his time in office. Here's the background.
Barack Obama was US president from 2009 to 2017. In August 2014, he wore a light tan suit to a White House press briefing about military action against the group known as ISIS, a departure from the dark suits presidents usually wear for such occasions; the choice drew disproportionate media attention and became a lasting talking point about his presidency.
Larry David is an American comedian and writer best known for co-creating the sitcom "Seinfeld" and for his own long-running show "Curb Your Enthusiasm", in which he plays an exaggerated, awkward version of himself. He and Obama are known to be friends. "Life, Larry & the Pursuit of Unhappiness" is a seven-part HBO comedy series marking America's 250th anniversary, which revisits well-known moments in US history through David's comic lens; Obama's production company, Higher Ground, made the series.