The infinite monkey theorem states that with no set time limit, a monkey typing on a typewriter will eventually type out William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” It’s an idea which essentially states that anything is probable within the right set of circumstances. But if you’re looking for a more unique way of conveying the idea that anything is possible, I have a suggestion. As of last week, all you have to do is tell people that legendary actress Christine Baranski called King Princess “the lesbian Larry David.”
The revelation came up in a recent conversation between the two published in Interview Magazine. In it, Baranski and King Princess discuss how they became close friends through shooting the new season of “Nine Perfect Strangers” and at one point, the two joke about how reserved and quiet the 26-year-old Jewish musician is. (For proof of how absurd that idea is, please check out her Playboy feature and photoshoot.)
“I believe you called me the ‘lesbian Larry David,'” King Princess muses. “I couldn’t have done that,” Baranski replies. “You did,” King Princess insists. “You handed me the poem and you were like, ‘Darling, you’re the lesbian Larry David.’ It was brilliant.” As readers, we have no context as to what poem King Princess is talking about or in what scenario Christine Baranski was handing King Princess a poem — if either are reading this, please share the deets. But honestly, that’s not the important part. The important part is that Mother Christina Baranski has just doled out a very important and frankly very Jewish title, even if she didn’t fully realize how important the title is. (Or, at least, how important that title is to me, personally, as a queer Jewish comedy connoisseur.)
Which leads me to wonder: Is King Princess the lesbian Larry David?
In order to achieve it, one obviously has to be a lesbian, and King Princess certainly has that aspect of the title on lock. But what makes a person akin to Jewish comedy legend Larry David? It’s not just about being funny. It’s about embodying a very specific Old Jewish Man vein of humor which speaks to otherness and assimilation into WASPy American culture through inflection and mannerism. (In other words, by kvetching, getting on other’s nerves and adding a touch of cynicism to every interaction, all with a Brooklynite Yiddish undertone and a total lack of self-consciousness.) Writing specifically about “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Jewish writer P.E. Moskowitz says, “In every interaction, [Larry David] makes humor out of a slight but persistent uneasiness he feels trying to navigate acceptable behavior. It’s an uneasiness that feels familiar, and familial, to me.”
Citing an episode in season five where Larry believes himself to be adopted and attempts to be Christian, Moskowitz adds, “It’s through his temporary foray into un-Jewishness that David reveals American Jewishness to run perpendicular to polite society, and that its comedy comes from that.” They conclude: “To become fully white is to lose touch with what makes Larry David Larry David, and what makes him funny, which, to a large extent, is being Jewish.”
So, does King Princess live up to all of this meshuggah? It’s a bit hard to say — no disrespect to King Princess or Christine Baranski’s opinion intended. However, “Nine Perfect Strangers” is King Princess’ first foray into acting beyond music videos. It’s a bit difficult to judge their comedy chops based on the show alone, particularly when it doesn’t seem like their character Tina, an “emotionally constipated lesbian pianist with rage issues,” is Jewish. (Though I should note that King Princess’ Jewish family can be traced back to Macy’s co-owner Isidor Straus and his wife Ida, who famously died together on the Titanic. I say “should” not because this fact really has anything to do with anything other than being a fascinating tidbit of Jewish history.)
I’m definitely excited to see what King Princess continues to do in the world of both music and non-music performance. But, at least, for now, I’d have to say that the title of lesbian Larry David has to go to comedian Robby Hoffman. Whether it’s in her own stand-up or podcasts or playing Randi on “Hacks,” Hoffman is completely unable to be anything other than herself, much like Larry David. Unlike Larry David, Hoffman is a former Hasidic Jew and current lesbian (and spouse of Gabby Windey). All of this means that Hoffman’s humor is derived from being brusque, honest to a fault and unafraid to lodge a complaint or throw around a Yiddishism or a story about growing up gay in a poor, ultra-Orthodox Jewish home. In the same way that David’s humor points out the incongruity of being an American Jew, particularly in the ’90s and 2000s, Hoffman’s points out the incongruity of her own identity with itself and society at-large in the now.
Even though Hoffman isn’t quite as famous as Larry David yet, I’d be willing to be that Robby isn’t that far away from getting there. And who knows, maybe her upcoming show “Unentitled” will be her “Curb.” Either way, mazel tov, Robby! May you use this title with the outrageousness and cynicism of Larry David himself. And King Princess, I am more than open to re-evaluating my decision in the future. I hope this will inspire many more humorous Jewish antics from you!
