In ‘The Emperor of Nothing,’ Larry David rarely discusses Jewish impact on work

A new biography of Larry David, 'Emperor of Nothing,' explores his Jewish roots and the subtle influence of his background on 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' though David himself rarely discussed the topic with author Blake J. Harris.

Blake J. Harris's new biography 'Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David' traces the comedian's roots from his Brooklyn Jewish upbringing to his creation of 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' The book, which came out last month, is the result of a six-year project that included many FaceTime calls with David and even an appearance by Harris in the series finale of 'Curb.' Harris notes that David rarely discussed what being Jewish meant to him as a writer or whether he saw himself as part of a Jewish comic tradition. The book includes stories about David's Hebrew school days, his father's connection to the Jewish mob, and his friendships with Jewish comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Richard Lewis. Harris describes David as 'too smart of a guy to not be aware of the association' but lacking any sense of mission regarding his Jewishness. The article also mentions David's recent satirical piece for Air Mail about the Democratic Socialists of America and his surprise that some consider the 'Palestinian Chicken' episode of 'Curb' racist.