Larry promises to pay an acupuncturist $5,000 if he can cure his neck. Meanwhile, a struggling writer asks Larry for a $5,000 loan which he promises to pay back after his father dies.
WAR
44
Wins Above Replacement
“The Acupuncturist” ranks #102 of 120 Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 75.8 — Great. The episode packs 50 scored jokes at 1.7 per minute, averaging 7.0 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Larry landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Doug: You're a bounty hunter. You murdered my uncle for $5,000.
Doug Escalation Dark/Subversive Barry · Larry: Larry was the last person to see him alive. Technically, it was the waiter.
Barry Larry Deadpan/Understatement Observational ★ Rewatch Barry: Your little conspiracy with Cheryl worked. He cut me out of the will, Larry.
Barry Irony/Sarcasm Escalation ★ Rewatch Larry: Try and put that on the swiss if you can. I covered my mouth.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch C.D. Weiner: Listen, put a sock in it. I got to move fast. Do you know of an estate lawyer?
All Jokes — 50 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Larry: If you can fix my neck, I'll give you $5,000. And if you can't, then I don't pay for any of the treatments.
Larry Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Acupuncturist: Well, it would be like taking candy from a baby, but...
Larry: It's not in my family, but I'm trying to break the mold.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry: No, I mean, I'm just shocked to see you here working.
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Observational Larry: Try and put that on the swiss if you can. I covered my mouth.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry: Boy, he's got seven total bases there, yeah.
Larry Wordplay/Pun Observational Barry: It's amazing that you came in here today. It could really help me out. I need to borrow $5,000.
Barry Setup/Punchline Irony/Sarcasm Larry: Of course you do. Yeah, of course.
Larry Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Larry: He's not an asshole, he's just shy. No, he doesn't, he's just shy. It's just that you got shy-asshole confusion, my friend.
Larry Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jeff · Larry: You know why? 'Cause you're a pussy. I'm just being frank. Maybe I'm nice. You have nice-pussy confusion.
Jeff Larry Wordplay/Pun Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Cheryl · Larry: Are those from your mistress and you haven't told me? Yeah, I wish.
Cheryl: Did you give him a $5,000 tip?
Cheryl Observational Setup/Punchline Jeff: I think it's some sort of Japanese gay thing.
Jeff Observational Character Comedy Larry · Jeff: I knew you'd open up a can of worms just by starting to ask him. He's been weird all lunch. What the hell? I don't know what that was. That guy's a freak.
Larry: You're encroaching in my territory. I want you people to be uncomfortable all the time.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Barry: If you don't like this, you should come by on Naked Tuesdays.
Larry: I'm telling you, soon it's going to be Casual Monday. Five to 10 years. That's the direction we're heading. It's gonna be a sad state of affairs.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry: People like you walking around like people like me. It's no good.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry · Jeff: Oh, my God. Jesus!
Larry · Cheryl: They're not jeans, they're corduroy pants. That's the same thing.
Larry: Since when is blue and black no good?
Larry Character Comedy Observational Larry · Jeff: Maybe I have a lime-green T-shirt like yours to put on, asshole. What's wrong with a lime-green T-shirt?
Larry: That's why we got you a birthday gift. 'Cause he told me it was your birthday. So, I knew I would stop by for the sunglasses and I....
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Awkward Silence Carol: You are so selfish.
Carol Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort Cheryl: Larry had to change his outfit and it was just a tremendous amount of time. He had to eat, you know, have a big dinner for two hours.
Cheryl Escalation Character Comedy Barry: Sit down, have a big fucking meal in the hotel.
Barry Escalation Character Comedy Larry: I mean, 600,000 people. 600,000 people died in the Civil War. And for what, to save the Union? Why did we want to save the Union? Who cares?
Larry Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch C.D. Weiner: I mean, I wish my worthless son could get into something like that, but no, there's no chance of that.
Larry: Do you get that? Outfit approval? They got to approve your outfit. I listened to her. I actually went up to change.
Larry Observational Character Comedy Callback C.D. Weiner: Let's see. It might stand for 'certified deposit'. For the NRDC.
C.D. Weiner · Cheryl: I don't know how that schlep ever married you. Me neither.
C.D. Weiner: They might take it up the ass for all I know in Japan. What are you asking me for? It's a stupid question.
Larry: And I'll tell you something. I'm lucky that I had a father who was so supportive of me, because without him it never would have happened.
Larry Irony/Sarcasm Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Larry: Next thing I knew, he said to me, 'Listen, I got a lot of money. I'm gonna give you this money anyway, after I die. Let me give you some now.'
Larry Setup/Punchline Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch C.D. Weiner: Listen, put a sock in it. I got to move fast. Do you know of an estate lawyer?
Barry: Your little conspiracy with Cheryl worked. He cut me out of the will, Larry.
Barry Irony/Sarcasm Escalation ★ Rewatch C.D. Weiner · Joel Reynolds: What's this outfit? Is it a Halloween party, or what? I know, it's Casual Friday. Casual Friday? What does that mean?
C.D. Weiner: You look like a fucking cowboy. You're J.R., Joel Reynolds, right? Look, we-- You belong in Dallas, not LA.
C.D. Weiner: Why, you shit....
Barry · Larry: Larry was the last person to see him alive. Technically, it was the waiter.
Barry Larry Deadpan/Understatement Observational ★ Rewatch Larry: My best friend had a baby 15 years ago, and I was the godfather. I was in the delivery room, he asked me to cut the umbilical cord and I don't know, I kind of botched it somehow and mangled the whole bellybutton and now the kid won't even talk to me.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Barry: I told you you'd get it as soon as he died, and you made it happen. You kind of did.
Barry Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Doug: You're a bounty hunter. You murdered my uncle for $5,000.
Doug Escalation Dark/Subversive Doug: You took $5,000. You're a bounty hunter. You murdered my uncle for $5,000.
Larry · Cheryl: My neck. Let go of him!
Larry Cheryl Physical/Slapstick Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Larry: Yeah, she asked me how I was feeling. I said, 'Better.' Better than before, not 100% better, not all better, but better.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry: In English, 'better' doesn't mean better, completely better. I don't need a.... There's a confusion here, a language confusion.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Acupuncturist: Listen, Larry-San, this will cause me some great shame with my family. Everyone knows about this agreement. My employees, my business.
Larry: I have a check made out to me for $5,000. I can endorse it over to you. Don't cash it for a week.
Larry Irony/Sarcasm Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Acupuncturist: Ancient Japanese custom.
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