Jimmy Kimmel pokes fun at Larry David’s family history during live interview

Larry David’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! took an unexpected turn when the host revisited a surprising revelation from the comedian’s past appearance on Finding Your Roots.

David joined Kimmel on Thursday to promote Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, a sketch-comedy series marking America’s 250th anniversary through a satirical look at historical events. But the conversation soon shifted from his latest project to both basketball and family history.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm creator also reflected on the New York Knicks’ recent NBA championship run. David, who attended the team’s dramatic Finals comeback victory, admitted that following the playoffs had been emotionally exhausting.

“That game took years off my life,” he said, adding that the entire postseason had been intensely stressful.

David also joked about his courtside strategy for distracting opposing players. Sitting close to the Spurs bench, he said he hoped players might recognise him and strike up a conversation, which would have immediately made him root for the opposing team.

“All it takes is one Spur recognising me and I’m switching over immediately,” he joked.

Later in the programme, historian and Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr. joined the discussion, prompting Kimmel to revisit one of the most memorable moments from David’s ancestry episode.

During that appearance, David learned that his great-great-grandfather had owned slaves after immigrating from Bavaria to Alabama in the 19th century. The revelation stunned the comedian, whose humorous reaction became a memorable moment from the series.

Asked by Kimmel whether anyone had ever been so enthusiastic about discovering such information, Gates explained that David had assumed he was unlikely to uncover any connection to slavery because of his Jewish immigrant roots.

According to Gates, David’s great-great-grandfather, Henry Bernstein, moved from Bavaria to Mobile, Alabama, joined the Confederacy and owned two enslaved people.

Kimmel then contrasted the revelation with his own ancestry.

“Just for the record: My family never had any slaves, whereas Larry’s family were slaveowners,” the host joked.

David quickly responded with a smile, delivering a classic deadpan comeback.

“Oh, I guess that makes you better than me, right?”

The exchange drew laughs from the audience and highlighted the playful chemistry between the comedian and the late-night host, who balanced humour with discussion of a complex chapter in American history.

David’s appearance comes ahead of the June 26 premiere of Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness on HBO.