Barack and Michelle Obama team up with Seinfeld creator to create new comedy show

Here’s a sentence you never thought you’d hear — the Obamas and the creator of Seinfeld are collaborating on a new HBO television show.

That’s right folks — the former President and First Lady of the United States, Barack and Michelle Obama, along with Larry David, are working together to bring a new six-episode sketch comedy exploring American history to our television screens.

The unlikely collaborators are joined by Larry’s longtime friend and Curb Your Enthusiasm showrunner, executive producer, and director, Jeff Schaffer, who will help co-write and also take the directorial reins of the yet-untitled show.

The network announced in a statement on July 10: “President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honour America’s 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion…But then Larry David called.”

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President Obama said: “I’ve sat across the table from some of the world’s most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David.”

Speaking about his involvement with the show, Larry humorously shared: “Once Curb ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party. After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic honey from the wildflowers in my meadow. Alas, one day my bees mysteriously vanished. And so, it is with a heavy heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my beloved hive.”

The new series, produced by the Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground, will star some Curb Your Enthusiasm castmates as well as other “noteworthy guest stars”, as per HBO.

Jeff shed some light on the premise of the sketch series and shared: “The characters Larry is playing didn’t change history. In fact, they were largely ignored by history. And that’s a good thing.”

The Obamas, Larry David, Jeff Schaffer, Vinnie Malhotra, and Ethan Lewis have been named as executive producers of the show, which marks Larry’s return to television a year after Curb Your Enthusiasm's 12th and final season concluded. No premiere date of the yet-to-be-named show has been shared as of yet.

Higher Ground was founded in 2018 — a year after President Obama left office — and has since produced the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory, the feature films Worth and Rustin, along with a notable slate of children’s programming. In 2022, following the end of its exclusive podcast partnership with Spotify — which launched with The Michelle Obama Podcast — the company signed a first-look deal with Audible.

Larry David on the other hand, has had a storied career, receiving more than 30 Primetime Emmy nominations across his mega-successful shows, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Michelle recently fuelled divorce rumours on her recently launched IMO podcast’s July 9 episode, as she said: “I mean, at this stage in life, for me personally, is the first time I've been completely free.

"There’s been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they're going — it's totally about me. This is when we start living, ladies.”