Paula's dating Larry's agent, but Larry fears he's just using her to book his clients on the show. The network objects to Larry's ethnic guest spots. Hank tries to stiff Phil on a $20 loan.
WAR
39.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Conflict of Interest” ranks #31 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 79.1 — Elite. The episode packs 48 scored jokes at 1.9 per minute, averaging 6.9 on craft and 6.8 on impact, with Larry landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
Get weekly comedy rankings
Join comedy fans getting new analyses, score drops, and the funniest moments each week. Free, no spam.
Top Jokes
Stevie: That's just the kind of Hollywood bullshit that makes me want to Chuck it all and join the peace corps. Yeah? Big bad Ron, you piece of shit! How's it going? Oh, fuck you, asshole.
Stevie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank: I sent Brian to the bank with my atm card, but I don't know what happened to him. He probably got sucked into some kind of parade.
Hank Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Artie: The weather's so unpredictable this time of year when there's no snow.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Stevie: I walk around in my Italian suit all day like I'm on top of the world, but I'm a fake! And if I stop pretending for a second, I fall apart 'cause I'm terrified! I don't know what the fuck I'm doing.
Stevie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Stevie: This whole disney thing has everybody shitting bricks, pins, and party favors.
Stevie Wordplay/Pun Escalation ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 48 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ is he making this up as he goes along?
He's telling an American story.
I thought he was gonna do his hit.
I think he's doing his bong hit.
Larry: So my agent's fucking my booker?
Artie: Yes.
Larry: Oh, good to know.
Larry Artie Deadpan/Understatement Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Larry: but not a hillbilly from outer space
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Paula: Granted, he's no John tesh
Paula Irony/Sarcasm Observational Larry: I love Sally, but I've seen miss struthers up here one more time this month.
Larry Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Paula: Well, you know, my hooker days are over.
Paula Wordplay/Pun Misdirection ★ Rewatch Stevie: Ha ha! You are the king! King Kong! Ha ha ha ha!
Stevie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Stevie: Which ones? The ones who can act.
Stevie Setup/Punchline Observational ★ Rewatch Stevie: The little guy, the hyper guy? Mm-hmm. I don't think so. He's more of a conan o'brien act. Conan won't put him on.
Peng Lee: About American soldier push big elephant out of plane. Very funny.
Peng Lee: I give it 3 fortune... 4 fortune cookie. Highest rating.
Beverly: What is it with the Chinese guy? He's on once a week and he's not funny.
Hank: I know.
Beverly: Why don't you tell Larry?
Hank: I'm not gonna tell him.
Peng Lee: Very bad for hemorrhoid.
Peng Lee Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Paula: I can't do this with Larry watching me. It gives me the creeps.
Stevie: Doing it in front of my clients turns me on. I feel my power.
Peng Lee: Yeah, but I, uh, suspect lately our pork chop dishes, they suffer. Nobody order pork chop dishes.
Larry: Oh, man, this is hilarious, don't you think? Artie? Don't you think this is hilarious? It's terrific. I'm enjoying it.
Larry: Tell her to clean around me.
Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Larry: Yes, sweetie, I do. I'm an addict.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Stevie: Fuck him, he doesn't know. He's the one who swore ovitz wasn't leaving.
Stevie Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Stevie: This whole disney thing has everybody shitting bricks, pins, and party favors.
Stevie Wordplay/Pun Escalation ★ Rewatch Stevie: Of course not. I already told you I'm doing this for 5 years and then I'm getting out.
Paula: You're so deluded.
Stevie: OK. 8 years.
Stevie: That's just the kind of Hollywood bullshit that makes me want to Chuck it all and join the peace corps. Yeah? Big bad Ron, you piece of shit! How's it going? Oh, fuck you, asshole.
Stevie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Larry: Letterman can send 2 guys from bangladesh around the world and we can't send one Chinese guy to the movies?
Larry Observational Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Dennis: That's a... a parody of an asian-American judge, prancing around with twinkle-toed dinner theater rejects.
Dennis Observational Escalation ★ Rewatch Oh, and by, Dennis, by twinkle-toed, I imply nothing about their sexuality.
Dennis Meta/Self-Referential Awkward Silence ★ Rewatch Larry: I had his sweet and sour chicken the other day, it was like hot pink. I think it's cough syrup. I swear to God.
Larry Observational Visual Gag Artie: José jimenez was the first hispanic in space. Kids looked up to him. Well, he didn't actually go into space. That was just an act. Well, I believed it.
Artie Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Dennis: Well, then, you'll have a lot of screaming Japs picketing outside the studio. Screaming asian-americans.
Dennis Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank: I sent Brian to the bank with my atm card, but I don't know what happened to him. He probably got sucked into some kind of parade.
Hank Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank Callback Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Phil: What, is he only taking 10% of your love?
Phil Wordplay/Pun Observational ★ Rewatch Stevie: I want it to continue the way that it is except with more fucking.
Stevie Deadpan/Understatement Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Stevie: Oh, my God, are you pregnant?
Paula: No, but it's nice to see what your reaction would be.
Paula: Oh, I'm sure he'd be so thrilled to hear about Ed begley Jr.'s fucking electric car.
Paula Observational Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Paula: she, uh, got a really bad cold and she can't make it.
Artie: I see, a cold.
Paula: Yeah, it's pretty serious.
Paula Artie Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Paula: She was skiing in Aspen and she, uh, got a really bad cold / and she can't make it.
Artie: I see, a cold.
Paula: Yeah, it's pretty serious.
Artie: The weather's so unpredictable this time of year when there's no snow.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Andy Kindler: Well, maybe you don't recognize me 'cause I'm a comic who never gets on TV. And why? Well, basically, thanks to people like you, that's why.
Hank: My advice? Pepper spray, and don't be afraid to use it.
Hank Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Stevie: Jennifer sprained her ankle.
Larry: Really? You know, according to Paula, she mentioned to Artie that Jennifer has a head cold.
Larry: OK, Hank, give him the money.
Hank: What money?
Larry: Hey, there it is.
Hank: What are you... all you had to do was ask.
Hank: Prick.
Stevie: I walk around in my Italian suit all day like I'm on top of the world, but I'm a fake! And if I stop pretending for a second, I fall apart 'cause I'm terrified! I don't know what the fuck I'm doing.
Stevie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Larry: Tell her about the suit.
Larry Callback Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Paula: He is lame. Everybody in town thinks so. He's not funny.
Paula Meta/Self-Referential Observational Callback Stevie: Larry is the gorilla. He's huge, talent-wise.
Stevie Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Hank: Larry's the king, man. King Kong!
Larry: Ha ha ha ha! What does that mean?
Hank: Where does an 800-pound gorilla sleep?
Hank: Anywhere he wants to.
Larry: I don't get it.
Jennifer Aniston: Um, I'm... gosh, but I can't really think of anything I'd like to ask you at the moment. If I come up with something, I'll ask you later.
Paula: Hey, you... you didn't get back together with me just so you could get Jennifer aniston back on the show, did you?
Stevie: Of course not.
Top Episodes — The Larry Sanders Show
