Paula's new assistant, Marylou, manages to upset everyone, even the affable Tim Conway, with her ineffective pre-interview techniques and celebrity research. Hank's effort to cheer up a despondent Brian with a night on the town at several gay bars earns him a prominent mention in Army Archerd's column.
WAR
43.3
Wins Above Replacement
“The Matchmaker” ranks #44 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 76.8 — Great. The episode packs 51 scored jokes at 1.9 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Hank landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Harvey Fierstein: I know rayneene, well, except when I knew rayneene, she was a man.
Hank: Well, that's a lie. We never went to mother lode.
Hank Deadpan/Understatement Misdirection ★ Rewatch Tim Conway: But, guys who had never walked before came running out of that hospital. That's the truth.
Marylou: 'Cause this is Tori Amos' bio. Tori Amos is a singer, not an actor.
Marylou Escalation Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Hank: You get back on the horse. You get back on the horse and you go.
Brian: Go where?
Hank: Wherever the fucking horse goes.
All Jokes — 51 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Marylou: Oh, my God! You sound just like you do in the movies. Stupid is as stupid does.
Marylou Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Marylou: Remember when you were in bosom buddies and you had that wig on?
Paula: This is not the cat counter at petco, OK?
Paula Setup/Punchline Observational Hank: Are you crying?
Hank: Please, don't do that.
Beverly: His boyfriend, Hank. They've been together for over a year and a half.
Hank: Oh, my God. I didn't know that.
Larry: Well, that makes one of us.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Paula: God! Kiss ass much?
Paula Reaction Beat Irony/Sarcasm Paula: Did you ask if she'd sleep with you? 'Cause then you nailed it.
Paula Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Beverly: Mmm, missed a spot. No, on your face.
Nicolette Sheridan: Um, Larry, I wasn't in that movie.
Larry: Well, why don't we take a break, and we'll come right back, and we'll figure out which movie I'm thinking of.
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Nicolette Sheridan: I've been off for 3 years. You've gotta remember that.
Larry: Did I do something wrong?
Artie: Yes.
Larry Artie Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Artie: Oh, yes. Yes, I watch everything on this magic box.
Artie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Larry: I just told Nicolette Sheridan that she was great in a movie, it turned out I was talking about Tori Spelling.
Larry Setup/Punchline Cringe/Discomfort Hank: Was it my bad breath? Because, um, I ate an avocado today... but avocado's don't give you bad breath.
Hank Character Comedy Absurdist Hank: If people only knew.
Hank Reaction Beat Character Comedy Nicolette: Paris.
Paula: Paula... I know. I heard.
Marylou: 'Cause this is Tori Amos' bio. Tori Amos is a singer, not an actor.
Marylou Escalation Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Hank: You get back on the horse. You get back on the horse and you go.
Brian: Go where?
Hank: Wherever the fucking horse goes.
Gordon: Oh, my go... do you know who you are?
Hank: Yes I do.
Gordon: Do you know who you are?
Gordon: You are very popular in the gay community, Hank.
Hank: See, I told ya.
Gordon Cringe/Discomfort Reaction Beat Sidekick by day, gay caballero by night.
Hank: Well, that's a lie. We never went to mother lode.
Hank Deadpan/Understatement Misdirection ★ Rewatch Hank: Yes! Yes! Rayneene, perfect.
Hank Character Comedy Escalation Brian Deadpan/Understatement Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Hank: Tell her to wear something very short and very tight.
Hank Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Tim Conway: Well, I'd like my car detailed.
Tim Conway: I, uh, got the trainee, right?
Paula: What is wrong with you? Nicolette sheridan was on the show last night.
Marylou: I know, but she's on my calendar for tonight, too.
Marylou: Tied up. And, uh, harriet? Tied up.
Marylou Running Gag Deadpan/Understatement Tim Conway: He'll ask me about speed 2! I'll fill in! I'll have some funny stories about sandra, OK?!
Larry: That's what my friends used to do, too.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Larry: Now my underpants are gonna smell like starbucks.
Larry Physical/Slapstick Observational Larry: Um, he's fanning my penis right now.
Larry Cringe/Discomfort Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Larry: It's a good thing you don't work at a hardware store, because then it'd be a bad date, as opposed to this where you've dragged me into it.
Larry Setup/Punchline Observational Tim Conway: But at this weight horses ask you to get off.
Tim Conway: I found that if you rode to the outside fence, then it was much safer, 'cause, you know, sometimes they run into each other on the inside there. It's longer. But it's safer, and I think safety, in this particular instance, is pretty good.
Tim Conway Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tim Conway: I have him in a little tin hut up here in beverly hills, little monkey strapped to his leg and everything, you know, just to kind of keep him active.
Paula: Cock suck, I don't understand it.
Paula Cringe/Discomfort Escalation Larry: No, well, it used to be, it's up to 4 bits.
Paula: Letterman already does that.
Paula Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement Tim Conway: And I said, 'it's a light bulb, and if you come any closer I'll turn it on.'
Tim Conway: But, guys who had never walked before came running out of that hospital. That's the truth.
Tim Conway: I haven't had any sex since the apple dumpling gang, so this is quite a treat.
Harvey Fierstein: I know rayneene, well, except when I knew rayneene, she was a man.
Larry: Hank, are you OK?
Hank: Oh, no, I'm not. I'm not OK.
Artie: One of the great moments in television. Talk show, here we come.
Artie Meta/Self-Referential Dark/Subversive Larry: I don't smell anything, do you?
Nicolette: Mmm, no. Vanilla latte.
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