See How ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Paid Tribute to Richard Lewis

Featured in two scenes, Lewis beamed over laughs he’d gotten from attendees at one of the meetings, and in another moment, he relayed some information Irma shared during one of the meetings to Larry over lunch, thinking he’d be written into his friend’s will. As the episode played out, Lewis’ revelation about Irma leaving her former husband because of his bedridden medical condition inspired Larry to fake an illness and rid himself of the relationship.

As with every plan Larry tries executing, the faked illness backfires, leading Irma and more to immortalize Larry’s bad behavior on bricks outside of their synagogue.

But beyond the episode’s storyline, it was a great installment for Lewis whose effortless improvisational banter with David remained on display. It’s unclear how many more installments Lewis might appear in, but since the show’s debut back in 2000, he’s appeared in more than 40 episodes.

Lewis died February 28 following a battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He disclosed his diagnosis in April 2023. Although recent reports suggest the comedian’s direct cause of death was a heart attack. The inclusion of the AA storyline for Lewis rang true to his own experience as a recovering alcoholic, something he shared publicly for years.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 12, Sundays, 10/9c, HBO