TV show explores social oddities

Column by Austin Hill

The ultimate “antihero” will return as “Curb Your Enthusiasm” returns for its seventh season on Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO.  Built like a reality show, it might be the epitome of real life, taking on issues from everyday interactions and dissecting them. Armed with only a page-long outline for the idea of each show, the actors do not use a script but rather ad-lib dialogue by putting themselves in real-life situations.

Each season is centered on one general idea with many other stories branching out of the nucleus. Larry often finds himself in conundrums as a result of bad luck, his own deception or the victim of a misunderstanding. Season seven will feature the highly anticipated and much talked about “Seinfeld” reunion.  All the characters excluding Michael Richards (Kramer) have made cameos, but this is the first time the gang will be back together.  Richards himself has not appeared on any sitcom since his stand-up meltdown in which he launched into a racial tirade.

“Curb” Creator Larry David, who is the co-creator of “Seinfeld,” plays himself, or at least by character name. He follows himself around a daily life placing himself in different situations that mirror real life. Much like “Seinfeld” the show picks apart socially-created laws by asking questions most people think about but are too afraid to inquire on.

For instance, how many times have you been in line somewhere that offered free samples of food? While the person in front of you takes multiple samples, and there might not be a sign prohibiting it, it is deemed socially polite to take one and move on. Most wouldn’t confront the person, but Larry does in season six.

David knocks down classes and stereotypes by confronting them and exploring many of the racial things that divide us. Do black people tip? Are Jewish people frugal? Are white people oppressive with their ideals? There are no boundaries in his attempt to erase the lines we draw socially and help us understand we are all humans in the same world.

David is a very imperfect person. He lies, he is rude at times, but, when the time comes to confront a situation that lacks in common logic, he explores it.

He has a big heart. He befriends homeless people, he invites a convicted sex offender over for the holidays when others judge him, and he takes in an African-American family from hurricane relief. Now he does many things as a result of his own personal interest, but don’t we all take ourselves into consideration when making decisions? Like everyone, he learns, both about himself and about the things he might normally avoid due to petty difference, in doing so.

It is a show dedicated to randomness, but that is what life is really about.  Have you ever asked yourself what a car and a college textbook have in common?  I have, and I know. They depreciate in value the moment you leave with one. Think about it. If you buy a sweater and it doesn’t fit when you get it home, you can return it with a receipt and get your money back. Now, you could have tried it on in the fitting rooms, but they don’t say that when you bring it back you get your money and move on. If you buy a new book for class and don’t have your syllabus and discover an hour later you got the wrong text, then, when you return it with your receipt, you have already lost money and will not receive a full refund but a portion. How does that make sense?

Every day we see discrepancies in our social system. They stay with us in the back of our minds, and we resort back to them when they reoccur but generally ignore them. This is a man who says he is not a fixer but an improver and, in a world full of these moments, tries to understand their significance as they relate to bigger problems.  When people prefer to turn a blind eye to hot button topics or the smallest misunderstanding, it does create larger issues. It is comforting to know there is someone who fixates on knowledge enough to find the answers for us all. It’s about breaking down our walls of comfort to see ourselves and our differences in the ugliest form using the catalyst of humor to bring us together.

Austin Hill is an English senior. E-mail [email protected].