When the 'Curb' and 'Seinfeld' Worlds Collide...Magic Happens!

Now that's what I am talking about!
Sunday night's episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” titled “The Table Read,” was as brilliant a piece of television comedy that I can ever recall viewing. By blending it with a pseudo-Seinfeld reunion rehearsal, Larry David managed to capture the best of both shows.
Frankly I had thought that this season of “Curb” had not been Larry at his best, but all is forgiven after last night's hilarious show.
It wasn't just the pure comedy, but the weaving together of snippets of both shows into 45 minutes of pure genius. Perhaps one must be a fanatic follower of every episode of “Curb” and “Seinfeld” to totally appreciate the humor (as I am), but I for one could not stop laughing throughout the show.
(By the way I am also a fanatic football fan, but was so enthralled by this episode that I watched it INSTEAD of viewing the Patriots-Colts game, a decision that totally shocked my wife.)
I thought it was fascinating to see actors Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards morph into their Elaine, George, and Kramer characters. Of course Jerry always appears as just himself, whether on stage, or on his or Larry's show.
There were great pure “Curb” references such as Marty Funkhouser showing up uninvited to the table reading. And pure “Seinfeld” references, such as Jerry once again delivering the famous “Hello Newman” line and the appearance by mediocre comedian Kenny Banya complaining that the economy was killing his already moribund career. Of course as in every “Seinfeld” episode there had to be a Superman reference, which last night involved Jerry being surprised that Elaine already knew about the Fortress of Solitude crystals.
But what really made the show a classic was when the “Curb” and “Seinfeld” worlds collided, best exemplified by Kramer being diagnosed with the fictitious Groats disease (which Larry had helped raise money for in a Season two episode).
In the piece de resistance of the whole “Curb” season came the interaction between Michael Richards and Larry's “boarder” Leon (JB Smoove). The latter's attempts to portray Danny Duberstein; a white Jewish accountant who had passed away from Groats has to rank as one of the funniest scenes in any show ever!
Naturally that scene led to Richards going off on another racist tirade with bystanders all around taping the scene on their cell phones. Kudos to “Kramer” for allowing Larry to reprise that incident, which in real life practically ruined his career.
Overall the show worked on so many levels and left me totally satisfied and looking forward to next week's season finale. And if you were a more loyal Patriots fan than I and missed the show or forgot to DVR it, make sure you catch it on reruns of HBO later this week!
You won't be sorry.