Lovestruck David Duchovny Stars in Season Premiere of The Larry Sanders Show

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Mr. Showbiz, November 1996

 

The HBO comedy The Larry Sanders Show is entering its fifth season, and it remains one of the sharpest shows on television, with its constant skewering of Hollywood culture and the stars who inhabit it.

 Wednesday night's premiere episode is no different, except it's sure to get tongues on the Internet wagging. Why? Well, X-Files hunk and Internet poster boy David Duchovny, who appeared on the series last season as an arrogant and spoiled version of himself, returns, only this time he's playing himself as a nicer guy with one small problem — he has a crush on talk-show host Larry (Garry Shandling). Shandling, the show's creator and one of its writers, tells USA Today that the idea for the premiere came from Duchovny while the two buddies were playing basketball. 

"Most of my talking on the court is about myself and the show, so if others want to participate, they're forced to talk about me and my show," says Shandling in his usual deadpan. "I was guarding David as he was dribbling and he said, 'Wouldn't it be fun if I came on the show and had a crush on Larry?' I stole the ball, drove to the hoop, and scored. And stole his idea."