Larry David Breaks Georgia Voting Law in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
Television comedies like “Veep” and “Parks and Recreation” have long poked fun at the absurdities of national and local politics, but it's rare for them to delve into the fine print of the laws passed by state legislatures.
So it was surprising that the end of Sunday night's season premiere of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” — watch out, spoilers ahead — was a decent, nice, pretty clear goal for the most important voting law Georgia passed in 2021.
The episode highlights a provision in the legislation that effectively prohibits third-party groups or anyone else who is not an election worker from providing food and water to voters waiting in line within 50 meters of a polling place.
Larry David, who as the show's cantankerous star is better known for breaking social norms than actual laws, travels to Atlanta in the episode. Near the end, he has to find Leon's aunt, his friend and roommate, and return a pair of glasses he had to borrow from her.
He locates her in a voting line, sweating in the sweltering Georgia heat, where she says she has been waiting for more than two and a half hours. Larry incredulously remembers that he has a few bottles of water in his car and brings her some water.
Immediately the police lights flash.
“Sir, put your hands in the navy blazer,” an officer says to a confused Mr. David. “You are under arrest for violating the Election Integrity Act.” He adds, “It is illegal for anyone in the state of Georgia to provide food or water to voters standing in line at the polls.”
“What?” Mr. David exclaims as the officers lead him away and grab his arms. “That's barbaric, what kind of law, are you serious?”
The episode ends with a mug shot of Mr. David, who is given a look and tan reminiscent of former President Donald J. Trump in the photo taken after he was booked in Georgia in August.
Violating Georgia's food and water ban is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000, although anyone found guilty of this provision is unlikely to be taken away in a police car. (Campaigning within the zone, also known as 'electoral activities', would be a different story.)
“While I am personally a big fan of Larry David, the show is intended to entertain and not to reflect the reality here in Georgia,” Jordan Fuchs, Georgia's deputy secretary of state, said in a statement. “SB 202 successfully bans activists' new and creative tactics to campaign at a polling place and ensures Fulton County finally takes action to reduce drive times.”
Sunday's episode wasn't the first time Mr. David last week tried to strangle Elmo on the “Today” show., and rationalizing afterwards that “someone had to do it!” – has used “Curb” for political commentary.
Last season he left a long line to vote, concluding that he and the voter ahead of him in the line who supported the other candidate would cancel each other out, and therefore there was little point in voting. Mr David's favorite candidate lost by one vote.
In another episode, grumpy Mr. David realizes that wearing a… 'Make America Great Again' His hat around liberal Los Angeles gets him out of many unwanted encounters and interactions.
In an interview with TheWrapsaid one of the show's executive producers that the writing team decided to somehow incorporate Georgia's law when it was passed two years ago.
“We used to go to Atlanta because of that barbaric law that you can't give anyone water or food while they're standing in line to vote,” said producer Jeff Schaffer. “When we were talking about stories, Larry said, 'This law is crazy. I think it would be funny if I got arrested for that.'”