Император на нищото: Създаването на Лари Дейвид може би е най-неохотната авторизирана биография, писана някога. Историята за това как авторът Блейк Дж. Харис убедил комедийната легенда да го „търпи“ започва, от всички места, във Fox News. Беше 2020 г. и втората книга на Харис, Историята на бъдещето: Oculus, Facebook и революцията, която помете виртуалната реалност, беше публикувана предходната година. Палмър Лъки, основателят на Oculus, беше „уволнен, защото подкрепяше Тръмп“, а Харис, който беше всичко друго, но не и фен на Тръмп, просто съобщи фактите. Говорейки по телефона от дома си в Колорадо, той обяснява: „Книгата ми в крайна сметка се представи добре, защото бях навсякъде в десните медии — те обожаваха да ме имат като гост. Бях либералният журналист, който разкри истината за това как се отнасят с консерваторите в Силициевата долина.“ Глен Бек беше един от няколкото десни коментатори, които дадоха на Харис телевизионна платформа, която помогна на книгата му да успее. Той дори попита дали авторът би обмислил да напише неговата биография. Харис учтиво отказа, но започна да се чуди дали има публична фигура, за която би искал да прекара години от живота си в проучване и писане. Един ден, докато се къпеше, той започна да мисли как Сайнфелд и Задръж си ентусиазма бяха оформили чувството му за хумор, формиращите му години, целия му мироглед. Харис имаше прозрение — щеше да пише за човека зад тях, Лари Дейвид. Харис беше написал дълга статия за ESPN по повод финала на The League през 2015 г., ситком, написан и режисиран от Джеф Шафър. Шафър беше сценарист на Сайнфелд, който щеше да стане главен сътрудник на Дейвид, докато Задръж си ентусиазма продължаваше. Шафър хареса предложението на Харис, защото смяташе, че трябва да има биография на неговия ментор, вероятно най-значимият комедиен сценарист в историята на американската телевизия. Той също така осъзнаваше, че шефът му ще бъде неохотен, като се има предвид, че Дейвид беше човекът, когото комедийният сценарист Алън Цвайбел веднъж описа като „единственият човек, когото познавам, който има купувачко разкаяние, преди да купи нещо.“ През август 2020 г. летяха имейли напред-назад, като потенциалният субект казваше на потенциалния автор, че това е лоша идея. В един от тях, възпроизведен в пролога на Император на нищото, подтекстът е ясен — задуши ентусиазма си: „Има много по-добри начини да прекараш времето си. Няма нищо интересно в мен и няма интерес към мен. Това не е скромност. Това е истината. Така че защо книгата? Родителите ми са мъртви, така че сега ни остават само децата ми и жена ми да я прочетат. Не мисля, че три книги стигат до списъка с бестселъри. Със сигурност има по-добри субекти, които биха приветствали биография.“ Харис не се отказа. Той привлече приятелите на Дейвид и обясни на своя герой, че това няма да бъде конвенционална биография, а по-скоро Дейвид като „протагонист в ансамблова история“. В крайна сметка, за да успокои приятелите си по начин, по който неговото алтер его от Задръж си ентусиазма рядко би направило, Дейвид изпрати на Харис имейл от пет думи: „О, Исусе. Ако трябва.“ Когато Харис в крайна сметка беше представен на своя идол, той имаше това, което смята за една от най-великите идеи в живота си: хитрост, с която Джордж Костанца ( scheming герой от Сайнфелд, моделиран по Дейвид) би могъл да се гордее. Той реши да се съсредоточи върху споделен интерес: „Наистина исках да направя добро впечатление на Лари и да му покажа, че съм някой, с когото може просто да си побъбри… Не съм типичен скован журналист, който ще направи живота му труден… Така че предложих за този първи разговор… единствената тема, за която искам да говоря, е Ню Йорк Янкис.“ (Дейвид е фен през целия си живот.) Избягването на работата в този първоначален разговор се оказаIt was an inspired move, even if six years later David told Harris, "I agreed to do the book, but I immediately regretted it." Those regrets are his alone: what began as a conversation about baseball became a 576-page book that captures the spirit of the comedy great in ways that suggest Harris understands David's shtick so well that this is the closest we will get to a Larry David memoir. Take the story of David's birth, which reads as a glorious tribute to the late Richard Lewis, his best friend and collaborator: "On 29 June 1947, at Brooklyn Jewish hospital, a remarkable little boy was brought into the world. This boy – who'd prove to be special in so many ways – would by the age of thirty become one of the most influential comedians of his era. Three days later, at that same hospital, another little boy was born. That boy's name was Larry David." The author spoke to friends, family, colleagues and neighbours as he attempted to forensically trace a journey that began in Brooklyn, encompassed years of struggle on the standup circuit and would ultimately produce two of the greatest television comedies in the history of the medium. Few people manage to produce a work of such quality once; to do it twice is almost unprecedented. The book is especially compelling when covering David's lean years (a period that stretched into his early 40s). It explains how he found himself picking out potential spots in the street for when he would inevitably become homeless, despite being viewed as the "comedian's comedian" by his peers. His talent was never in doubt, only his temperament. Harris is skilled at drawing parallels between the art and the life, just as Seinfeld and Curb were at their best when blending fact and fiction. We learn about our hero giggling uncontrollably at a piano recital when confronted with a Pez dispenser, quitting his job at Saturday Night Live in a fit of pique on a Friday only to walk back in the following Monday as though nothing had happened, and taking part in a masturbation contest. All this would become material during the Seinfeld years: Jerry ruins George's girlfriend's recital by making Elaine laugh with Pez; George screams at his boss and storms out, then acts as though nothing has happened when he realises the financial implications; and The Contest, in which the four main actors have a wager to determine who can go the longest without indulging in onanism, won David an Emmy. In 2009, The Contest was No 1 in TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes of All Time. Indeed, every funny life experience in those early years would invariably find its way into a David sitcom. The urgency of the writing and our awareness of the greatness to come ensures Harris's biography rattles along like a thriller, but one which, rather than heading inexorably towards a crime scene, instead leads to some of the greatest art of the past century. Harris reassured David, who was afraid of looking egotistical, that he "could hide in his own biography", due to it including interviews with people other than himself. When he heard Harris was talking to friends and collaborators, David urged him not to "bother them". Sarah Silverman allayed the biographer's fears: "That's so Larry. What he doesn't realise is what a joy it is for us to speak to you about him." Harris describes his subject as the "idealised version of the artist we all wish we were", a man far more concerned with artistic integrity than financial gain. In the 1980s, long before the fame and fortune, Larry wrote a screenplay entitled Prognosis: Negative. His manager sold the script and was thrilled when she secured a hefty payday for a rewrite. In an unprecedented move, the struggling comic asked for the fee to be negotiated down fromHe dropped his price from $35,000 to $5,000 because he thought the material was good and didn't want to make major changes. Through Harris's biography, we learn that this strange mix of unwavering belief in his own ability and low self-esteem has shaped the career of the comic genius. During his standup days, he would routinely open with this obscure bit: "You seem like a very good audience tonight. I'm wondering, may I use the tu form with you people? Because I feel very close to you. Do you mind if I jump into the tu form?" By David's own admission, it got nothing "60 to 70% of the time." When Seinfeld asked his future collaborator why he kept opening with a routine that rarely worked, the answer was clear: "I think that's funny! And if that's not funny, why am I even doing standup? What's the point?" Typically defiant, he added: "You know, Caesar used the tu form even after Brutus stabbed him." So Seinfeld got an early glimpse of a man who would not be intimidated by outside interference. Harris was grateful that David largely chose not to interfere with his manuscript. His only real notes were asking for sections to be toned down where he appeared "too nice," especially in relation to his daughters ("What father doesn't love his daughters?"). He did, however, witness one trademark David rant when he was invited to appear as a background actor in the Curb finale, a story he is delighted to relay over the phone. View image in fullscreen Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm season nine. Photograph: HBO Harris and Ken David, Larry's older brother, were sitting at a table in the background while Larry and Richard Lewis improvised an argument. The two extras were told to mouth their words but not speak audibly. Larry's brother, however, seemed not to have gotten the memo and audibly started trying to talk sports with Harris. Harris tells me: "In the middle of the take, Larry seamlessly turned from yelling at Richard Lewis to yelling at his brother and telling him he was supposed to be quiet and that he was ruining the take." As an early Curb tagline made clear: "Just because he's made it, doesn't mean he's got it made." David, it seems, will never stop shouting. Emperor of Nothing perfectly captures the evolution of an artist—even as the man steadfastly refuses to change. Emperor of Nothing: The Making of Larry David by Blake J Harris is published by HarperCollins (£22). To support the Guardian, buy a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Theres nothing interesting about me and no interest in me How Larry Davids New Biography Almost Didnt Happen

1 What is this biography about
Its a book about Larry David the comedian behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm The title comes from Davids own selfdeprecating view of himself

2 Who wrote it
It was written by journalist and author Alan Light based on extensive interviews with David and people around him

3 Why did the book almost not happen
Larry David was reluctant to cooperate He didnt think his life was interesting enough for a biography and doubted anyone would want to read it

4 What does the title mean
Its a quote reflecting Davids selfimage he claims theres nothing interesting about him and no public interest in himwhich the books existence proves wrong

5 Did Larry David eventually cooperate
Yes After initial hesitation he agreed to sit for interviews though he remained skeptical about the project throughout

6 Why would a famous comedian think nobody cares about him
Davids humor and public persona are built on selfdeprecation and awkwardness His claim fits his comic character even if it isnt literally true

7 What can readers learn from the book
How David developed his comedic voice the origins of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm and how his real life fed into his shows

8 Is the book authorized
Yesits an authorized biography meaning David participated even if reluctantly

9 Who would enjoy this book
Fans of Seinfeld Curb Your Enthusiasm comedy writing and behindthescenes stories about how hit shows get made

10 Whats the biggest takeaway
Even people who dismiss their own lives as uninteresting can have stories worth tellingand selfdoubt doesnt prevent success

11 What practical tip does this story offer
Dont assume your life or work isnt worth sharing Other people often see value in what you take for granted

12 Whats a common misconception about the book
That its a tellall exposé Its more a portrait of a comedians creative process and personality than a scandalfilled memoir

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