In between interviews and an acupuncture appointment, Jeff Garlin wasn’t able to tell us too much about the eighth season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” on which he plays Larry David’s manager. The 49-year-old actor and comedian did, however, spill some tidbits about starring on the Emmy- and Golden-Globe-winning show, now in its eighth season.
What can we expect to see this season?
I hope that people will think it’s funny. I can’t really give anything away.
How about with your character? Any major upheavals for him?
There’s actually one big upheaval. There’s one big change for my character early in the season.
What’s changed over the past eight years, and what has remained the same?
What’s stayed the same is that we improvise, we have a good time and we don’t believe the hype. What’s changed is the shows have become more dense as the years go on. There’s more things going on in each episode.
Have any of Larry’s neuroses rubbed off on you?
No. It’s all pretend. We don’t blur a line between off-camera and on-camera. He’s been a big influence on me personally, but that’s not the character that people see.
Do you curse as much as your onscreen wife, Susie Essman, does?
Yes, I actually do curse a lot, more than I’d like. People come up to me on the street and say, ‘My wife is just like Susie,’ and the wife is standing right there, and they’re proud of it. I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’
How are you different from your character?
The character has no integrity. I look and talk like the character, but I’m not like the character at all.
Is he based on anyone from your own life?
No, I didn’t base him on anyone — I just started doing him.
You also do a lot of voice work. What do you like about that, and how it is different from live-action?
Well, when you’re on a set and you’re working with actors, you don’t need much of an imagination to get into things, but when you’re doing voice work for movies, you’re in a room and the director is creating scenarios for you and you read off a sheet of paper — you don’t even have the whole script — and there’s nothing memorized. You just have to use your imagination, and you do it over and over and over again until you have it. It’s not as easy as people think.
I hear you might be taking on the role of Babe Ruth.
That’s not true. I was offered that role and a friend of mine at the time was directing it. I said, “Sure, I’m interested,” and the money never came together. They switched directors I think a few times, so I have no idea. Now if they did come to me and offer me the role, I would consider it, but it’s not happening in reality. And also, I’m dropping weight, so if they want me to be Babe Ruth, they better hurry up.
How are you losing weight?
I eat healthy and I exercise. Dieting is a bunch of crap. It’s temporary, and dieting is a struggle, and you just don’t need to do a struggle for something that’s temporary. You need to change your habits. That’s why I don’t eat sugar — I haven’t had in sugar in over two and half years. And I don’t eat fast food.
