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Why HBO pulled Larry David documentary right before its premiere

The highly anticipated look at the life of the comedy curmudgeon was set to air Tuesday, but the network nixed it from the schedule just hours before showtime.

Larry David fans were forced to curb their enthusiasm this week as a two-part documentary about the writer, actor and producer was pulled from HBO’s schedule the night before it was set to be released.

And now those fans know why.

Sort of.

“The Larry David Story,” which promised a rare peek into the highs and lows of the 74-year-old funnyman’s life, was set for a Tuesday release — until the network tweeted the following message:

“The #LarryDavidStory on @HBOMax is being postponed. Instead, Larry has decided he wants to do it in front of an audience. Stay tuned for more info.”

A documentary for a live audience?
A documentary for a live audience?HBO Max

It's an explanation that begs the question, huh? How the documentary will translate to a live audience and why the news came so shortly before showtime remains a mystery, and it’s one that has fans on social media questioning the switcheroo.

“What the? Is this a joke?” one person wondered.

Another tweeted, “This is straight out of an episode of Curb. I can just see Larry telling Jeff, '...ehhh, I think I want a live audience.'” 

And several others simply declared the last-minute change a typical move from the beloved comedy curmudgeon.

The documentary was originally set around an interview between David and his friend, director Larry Charles. 

“David gets candid about his personal and professional highs and lows, from his humble beginnings as an unfunny Brooklyn kid to becoming America’s favorite misanthrope,” a logline from an HBO press release read. “In between reflecting on his bumpy road to success — and hit series ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ — David shares his thoughts on everything from metaphysics to parenthood.”

The description went on to call the doc “genuine, hilarious, and eye-opening.”

As for when would-be viewers will get to see that for themselves — live or on HBO — David himself may be the only one who really knows.