Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld, didn't hold back his disdain for last week's White House UFC event, telling Variety on Tuesday that the spectacle made him “embarrassed to be an American.” Speaking at the premiere of his new HBO sketch series, David described the event as “a travesty” and questioned the very premise of hosting mixed martial arts fights on the White House lawn.
“What else can you say about it?” David said. “It was embarrassing, you know? I was embarrassed to be an American, yeah.” The comedian's remarks come amid a backdrop of heightened security concerns, as federal authorities recently arrested two suspects in an alleged plot to attack the White House UFC event. Meanwhile, an alleged drone plot at the venue exposed gaps in stadium security, adding to the controversy surrounding the administration's decision to host the fights.
David has long been a vocal critic of President Trump. Last year, he penned a New York Times guest essay titled “My Dinner with Adolf,” satirizing comedian Bill Maher's dinner with Trump at the White House. The piece drew sharp backlash from Maher, who blasted it as “insulting” to Holocaust victims—a criticism that resonated given David's own Jewish heritage.
On his acclaimed HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, David frequently lampooned Trump, mocking red MAGA hats and even recreating the former president's Fulton County, Georgia, jail mugshot from 2023. His latest project, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America, continues that tradition of political satire, this time with the backing of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground.
The series takes aim at pivotal moments in U.S. history, featuring a cast that includes Bill Hader, JB Smoove, Sean Hayes, and Jerry Seinfeld. Obama himself appears in one of the sketches alongside David, who praised the former president's comedic timing as “perfect.” When asked if Obama could win an Emmy for his acting, David quipped, “I wouldn’t go that far.”
David's criticism of the White House UFC event adds to a growing chorus of voices questioning the propriety of such events on the grounds of the executive mansion. The administration has defended the event as a celebration of American freedom, but David's comments reflect a broader sense of unease among some political observers and entertainers.
