I still think that ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ is having a great season, but this week’s episode has a storyline that feels uncomfortably similar to one previously done in an old episode of ‘Seinfeld’. It’s still funny, though.
The episode title is ‘The Bi-Sexual’, which promises some classic ‘Curb’ political incorrectness. Larry picks up a woman named Jane at an art show. She’s Jewish, she’s sexy, she’s funny, she likes baseball… She’s everything that Larry wants. However, after running into Rosie O’Donnell a few minutes later, they compare notes and realize that they’re both dating the same woman. Jane plays for both teams. This prompts a competition between Larry and Rosie to see who can do a better job of wooing Jane to his or her side.
As I said, this is a little reminiscent of an old ‘Seinfeld’ storyline, the one in which Elaine dates a gay man and tries to turn him straight. Larry even has a conversation (with a visiting Leon) about his theory that homosexuals have an unfair advantage because they always have access to the “equipment” and know it better than the other team’s players. A later softball match against Rosie also reminds me of the Bette Midler episode of ‘Seinfeld’.
That aside, Larry starts to feel inadequate when Rosie asks Jane to go to the Tonys with her. He thinks he can’t compete with that. Leon gives him some Viagra, so that Larry can give Jane such a good rogering early in the week that she won’t want to go to the Tonys with Rosie. Sure enough, it works. Of course, now Larry has to keep up this level of performance. When Leon runs out of Viagra, Larry has to score some in the park, like a drug addict. Unfortunately, on a date at the Baseball Hall of Fame, Larry drops one of his pills in front of Jane. She gets so upset to learn that he’s been “juicing” that she dumps him on the spot.
In a side story, Larry develops a feud with a Japanese restaurant that doesn’t package its take-out containers securely enough for his liking. When he complains, the manager tries to brush him off, but Larry is of course persistent. He eventually gets an apology, complete with bow, but later learns that the shallow bow is actually a sign of condescension and disrespect. It’s a “shit-bow.”
This episode isn’t quite as hilarious as the last few. The baseball/steroid metaphor feels forced. (Honestly, would a woman really get upset about her boyfriend using Viagra?) However, it still has some good laughs. Larry’s interactions with the frustrated restaurant manager who just wishes he’d harass some other restaurant instead are especially fun.
