Garry Shandling unmasked Hollywood
The Show: The Larry Sanders Show, Episode 89 The Moment: Jim Carrey’s farewell
On his last night as a talk-show host, Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling) introduces Jim Carrey, who makes a hammy entrance to huge applause.
“You’d think it was your last night,” Sanders says, with a (clearly pained) smile.
“Just when I thought everything was solid in my life, you decide to go,” Carrey says. “You know I can’t get it up? Ever since the announcement I’ve been flaccid.”
Carrey launches into the ballad “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls; he leaps on Shandling’s desk, hugs him. Until they go to commercial.
“Let’s cut the crap,” Carrey snarls. “What are you gonna do now, movies? I’ll crush you.”
“Are you doing a bit?” Shandling asks nervously.
“We’re off the air, Larry,” Carrey replies. “This is real life now.”
When Shandling died Thursday at age 66, Twitter exploded with RIPs from comedians (Jimmy Kimmel, Seth MacFarlane, Albert Brooks, Ricky Gervais), praising him for popularizing and perfecting so many current comedy trends: behind-the-scenes exposés; a deadpan, laugh-track-free tone; takes that linger on uncomfortable mo- ments and celebrities playing nasty versions of themselves.
His show established HBO as a go-to source of cutting-edge humour and launched a raft of talent, including Bob Odenkirk and Jeffrey Tambor (actors who are still pushing the envelope on their respective series Better Call Saul and Transparent).
Shandling wasn’t the first person to unmask Hollywood as a snakepit of insincere egomaniacs hiding their desperation under their toothveneers and he won’t be the last. But to date, he did it the best. The Larry Sanders Show is available on CraveTV. Johanna Schneller is a media connoisseur who zeroes in on pop-culture moments. She usually appears Monday through Thursday.