There’s a certain irony to the timing of Richard Lewis’ death that many fans of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” can’t help but notice.
The funnyman died of a heart attack Feb. 28 at the age of 76, following his announcement last year that he had Parkinson's disease. His death comes after his appearance in a recent episode of the HBO series, in which he gets into an argument with star Larry David after telling David he plans to include him in his will.
In the scene, from the third episode, which aired Feb. 12, of the current 12th and final season, David and Lewis are playing a round of golf when Lewis lets him know the supposedly good news.
“I’m leaving you in my will. I’m tweaking it and you’re in it,” he says.
“No, no. Don’t do that,” the curmudgeonly David replies.
“It’s done. You’re in,” Lewis calmly responds.
Still, David wants no part of it.
“I don’t want to be in it. I have money. I don’t need it. Give it to someone who needs it,” he says.
Lewis then lets him know why he included him, in a moment that now seems bittersweet.
“When I die, I want you to know how much I cared about you,” he says before David says he’s only going to donate his portion of the will to charity.
“You’re my best friend. You’re getting it,” Lewis continues, as David gets angrier at the prospect of being included and Lewis says he still plans to give him something.
Several people shared the scene on X, lamenting Lewis’ passing.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Richard Lewis,” one fan wrote. “One of his last, great scenes from Curb Your Enthusiasm aired a few weeks ago about him leaving Larry David in his will.”
“R.I.P. Richard Lewis. A comedy genius,” another person mourned. “He was just on last weekend’s episode of Curb arguing with Larry about putting him in his will.”
“Richard Lewis. So kind he even made sure to include LD on his will (at least on TV). Surreal to think this scene just aired on the latest and final season of Curb,” someone else commented.
“glad Richard Lewis was part of final season before passing — the ‘in my will’ scene is now timely — RIP,” another fan wrote.
Lewis gained notoriety during his career for his standup performances and his work on the ABC sitcom "Anything But Love." Prior to the episode airing, he shared what now seems a macabre post, featuring a picture of him in that scene.
"I’ll be Larry’s 'best friend from hell' sooner than you think!" he captioned the picture on X on Feb. 8.
Lewis and David played fictionalized versions of themselves on “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” David said in a statement after Lewis died. “He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I’ll never forgive him.”
The duo was friends for decades, with Lewis saying they had initially met at a sports camp when he was 12.
“I disliked him intensely. He was cocky, he was arrogant,’” Lewis told The Spectator in 2023. “When we played baseball I tried to hit him with the ball: we were arch-rivals. I couldn’t wait for the camp to be over just to get away from Larry. I’m sure he felt the same way.”
Lewis and David reconnected on the standup comedy circuit and teamed up on “Curb,” beginning with the show’s premiere in 2000. Their frequent bickering served as one of the show’s highlights.
“We are heartbroken to learn that Richard Lewis has passed away,” HBO said in a statement about his death.
“His comedic brilliance, wit and talent were unmatched. Richard will always be a cherished member of the HBO and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ families, our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and all the fans who could count on Richard to brighten their days with laughter.”