Larry David satirizes RFK Jr. over vaccine stance in HBO sketch
In a new episode of the HBO series produced by Barack Obama, Larry David portrays a character who mocks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine comments, reflecting a personal rift between the comedians.
Larry David, appearing in the HBO comedy series "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," performed a sketch that lampooned Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s opposition to vaccines. In the scene, David, dressed as Dora Salk, the mother of polio-vaccine developer Jonas Salk, confronts a neighbor who claims vaccines are dangerous. The dialogue escalates, with David’s character dismissing the neighbor’s assertions and warning of the consequences of anti-vaccine policies.
The sketch references Kennedy’s recent actions as U.S. health secretary, including changes to childhood-vaccine recommendations and alterations to the CDC advisory panel. Co-creator Jeff Schaffer said the show aims to address current vaccine misinformation by framing it within a historical context, noting that “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”
David and Kennedy were previously friends; Kennedy introduced David to actress Cheryl Hines, who played David’s on-screen wife on "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Their relationship reportedly soured after Kennedy endorsed President Donald Trump and later joined his administration, leading to a public split.
The episode also features exaggerated claims by the neighbor character about fluoride, the Spanish flu, and other conspiratorial ideas, culminating in the character’s removal by two men in white suits, implying institutional intervention.
"One of the things we attempted to do with the show was talk about things that are happening right now, but through a historical lens," Schaffer told Variety.
The sketch has drawn attention for its direct criticism of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance and for highlighting the broader debate over vaccine safety in the United States.