Larry celebrates his birthday and the gang all struggle to top each other with their birthday gifts to him. Meanwhile the celebration is darkened by the firing of one of the writers.
WAR
21.8
Wins Above Replacement
“Larry's Birthday” ranks #83 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 68.8 — Mixed. The episode packs 50 scored jokes at 1.9 per minute, averaging 6.5 on craft and 6.4 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
Artie: You have to be a genius to get away with that kind of stuff. You're not getting away with it, jer.
Artie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Hank: He said, 'Clint, do you know Hank?' And do you know what that simple gesture did? It just made my day.
Hank Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch Jerry: Larry, is this your little way of letting me know that I've been fired? Well, fuck you, ok? Because a, I know I've been fired. Artie told me. And b, if you think I wanna celebrate that fact with you fucks, you're out of your fucking mind, ok?
Jerry Escalation Character Comedy Larry: This is the best party I've ever had.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Larry: This conversation is not unlike what it must be to fight you, 'cause you feel like... You're surprising me, and I'm not that-- I'm doing the best I can.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 50 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Unknown singer: ♪ Happy birthday, Mr. President ♪
Unknown singer: Mr. President? Should I say 'Larry'?
Unknown singer: Has anyone else done this idea yet?
Larry: Only jojo in the commissary.
Larry Reaction Beat Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Uh, the insurance people wanted a visual inventory of the office property.
Nobody's even thinking about your birthday, Larry.
Hank: For a 55-year-old guy, you look a little heavy.
Ouch.
Hank Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Larry: You sounded almost sincere.
Hank: Well, you can't fake feelings like that.
Larry Hank Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch That wasn't bad. It sucked, man.
Jerry: He spent the whole time kissing Joel Grey's ass.
Jerry Observational Character Comedy What finally convinced him, the quality of our riots?
Phil Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Artie: As usual, I'd like to see more of that humor on the page.
Artie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Phil Absurdist Misdirection ★ Rewatch Hank: It looks like something Sammy Davis Jr. would have worn.
Phil Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jerry: I thought we were going to get him gag gifts this year.
Jerry Irony/Sarcasm Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jerry: I bought Larry plastic vomit.
Jerry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Mike: I'm pretty sure I parked in Nitro's space. He'll probably just pick the car up and move it.
Mike Observational Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Phil: I'm sure one will be opening up very soon.
Phil Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Phil: Larry could hardly even look at me. It wasn't my imagination?
Phil Jerry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Artie: Louis XIII is much more than cognac... After four sips, he fell asleep at the Christmas party. Exactly. That's what Larry likes to do.
Artie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Delivery guy: Including a $5.00 rush delivery, it's $32.12...
Artie: There's been a mistake. I ordered Louis XIII.
Artie: It's like hot piss.
Artie Character Comedy Observational They gave Julio Gallo a very nice funeral. The only problem was when it was time to close the casket, nobody could find the cork.
Artie: You have fucked at least three interns that I know about, one right out there behind the fucking desk.
Artie Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Artie: You have to be a genius to get away with that kind of stuff. You're not getting away with it, jer.
Artie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Artie: Don't sweat it, kiddo. It's a good deal. You're getting fired. They have to pay you for a month.
Artie Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank: I just fell in love with this beauty, so I treated myself because I deserve it.
Hank Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback The network owns the company that makes those. The cost to them is nothing.
Unknown Observational Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Hank: He said, 'Clint, do you know Hank?' And do you know what that simple gesture did? It just made my day.
Hank Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch Jerry: Some guy offered to blow me for three bucks. What'd you do? I gave the guy three bucks. He looked like he could use it.
Jerry Misdirection Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch But what did he do, jerry?
Unknown Awkward Silence Cringe/Discomfort Larry: Ok, so I'm a little slow, all right? But what I'm saying is, have you made the video yet?
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Sugar Ray Leonard: Don't get me angry.
Larry: This conversation is not unlike what it must be to fight you, 'cause you feel like... You're surprising me, and I'm not that-- I'm doing the best I can.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Artie: Knock that shit off, you guys.
Sorry, Artie.
Artie: Listen, I picked that fucking goddamn tie out myself.
Artie Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Party guests: Surprise!
Larry: Beverly, didn't I ask you--
Beverly: I know. But I surprised you, didn't I?
Hank: This is $1,100 a bottle. $75 a shot. And this is the last bottle in the western U.S.
Artie: You're goddamn right it is.
Hank Artie Irony/Sarcasm Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Darlene: Because I know that you love-- gadgets. Math.
Larry: I love math. And gadgets. Math and gadgets.
Larry: Oh, I feel like Levar Burton in Roots: The Next Generation.
Larry Observational Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Hank: Yeah, Artie and I both pitched in on the cognac.
Larry: No, uh-- So you both pitched in?
Hank Larry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Hank: Uh, yeah, Larry, I hope I made it clear that the cognac is from both Arthur and myself.
Larry: So you both pitched in?
Hank: No, uh--
Jerry: That's my gift to Larry.
Larry: Hey, thanks.
Jerry: Could you blow out the candles?
Larry: The cake is heavy.
Jerry Larry Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Francine: Oh, my god. Who threw up? What is that?
Hank: That's my gift to Larry.
Jerry: Well, fuck you, ok? Because a, I know I've been fired. And b, if you think I wanna celebrate that fact with you fucks, you're out of your fucking mind.
Jerry Escalation Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jerry: Larry, is this your little way of letting me know that I've been fired? Well, fuck you, ok? Because a, I know I've been fired. Artie told me. And b, if you think I wanna celebrate that fact with you fucks, you're out of your fucking mind, ok?
Jerry Escalation Character Comedy Larry: This is the best party I've ever had.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Phil: I was gonna give him a Mickey Mantle one! I got it in the car! I already got him a Mickey Mantle one!
Phil Escalation Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Phil: I was gonna give him a Mickey Mantle one! I got it in the car! I already got him a Mickey Mantle one!
Phil Escalation Cringe/Discomfort Callback Jerry: I remember right before I gave up stand-up, I was at Catch a Rising Star, and I was bombing horribly. And there was one guy in the back that was laughing, and it was you.
Jerry Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jerry: Happy birthday, asshole.
Jerry Escalation Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Top Episodes — The Larry Sanders Show
