Larry wants to be on People's Ten Sexiest Men list, even if it means bumping off guest Ben Stiller. Beverly gets stuck taking care of their ""One Wish"" Foundation child when he comes to meet Larry. Hank distributes his illegally obtained Cuban cigars.
WAR
86.1
Wins Above Replacement
“Make a Wish” ranks #54 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 86.1 — Elite. The episode packs 79 scored jokes at 2.9 per minute, averaging 7.1 on craft and 7.1 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
Larry · Hank: Hank is asked to say something to Charlie on air — says nothing. Larry: 'Hank's had a bad day.'
Larry Hank Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Hank: you don't have to come visit me because you've already fucked me in the ass.
Larry: That's incredible coming from a self-hating Jew like yourself.
Artie Larry Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Artie Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Beverly: Charlie's sick. We got to get him to the hospital.
Hank: Who's that kid?
All Jokes — 79 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Publicist: 'Cause I'm wetting myself.
Larry: You got us one that's not in a wheelchair this time, right?
Larry Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Publicist: You wouldn't even know he's sick. It's something... ahem... internal.
Norman Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Norman: Larry, as it turns out, you're number 11.
Larry Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Norman: Well, he's Batman, for Christ's sake.
Norman Setup/Punchline Deadpan/Understatement Norman: They could get elmer fucking fudd on that list.
Norman Setup/Punchline Absurdist Hank: Hank Kingsley, international cigar smuggler.
Hank Character Comedy Absurdist Hank: Yeah, like in nuña your goddamn business.
Artie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Hank: they put me between Dennis frantz and hector elizondo on the can you recognize these bald heads? Game.
Artie: You oughta keep that away from your crotch, or you'll end up on the dickless wonder list.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Callback Artie: You oughta keep that away from your crotch, or you'll end up on the dickless wonder list.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Beverly: Larry couldn't stop crying even when the fly girls were dancing.
Artie Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch He just kept blubbering about the fucking baby fawn's mother cooking in a brush fire.
Artie: Maybe you should take your pants off and blow yourself.
Artie: What, is that, like, a gay thing?
Beverly: No, this is a gay thing.
Norman: I see vulnerability! 'Ben Stiller.'
Larry: Just fucking bump him.
Artie: We don't have fucking time for this. 4, 5, 6... okay. Just fucking bump him.
Hank: And if I didn't have a biscuit on me, it would've taken my arm off.
Artie: Oh, get a dick, will you?
Hank Character Comedy Absurdist Charlie: Were you in ghost busters?
Hank: No. That was Bill Murray.
Charlie: Well, how about blues brothers?
Hank: No. That was my brother John.
Beverly: Beverly's reaction shot when she sees Charlie — 'Oh, my God.' — followed by a pause and 'I'm sorry'
Beverly Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Phil: Beverly, I didn't know you had a kid.
Phil: I wish I knew how to do that myself.
Phil Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement I just think it's weird someone's last wish is to meet Larry.
Hank: little felipe needs a full moon to make the swim.
This'll get me all the way to my car.
Hank Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Larry: Retooling?
Jimmy: Retooling.
Beverly: Uh, she has a lot of personal problems, sweetheart.
Charlie: I thought you said we were going on a yogurt run.
Beverly: Oh, no, baby, you got that all wrong.
Uncle Dennis rodman's can of semen, just in case she wants another kid.
Larry Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Larry: So, uh... you got the Larry Sanders hat.
Charlie: Uh-huh.
Larry: That's good.
Larry: What'd they charge you for that?
Larry: Why can't I get a Larry Sanders hat?
Larry Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive Artie: Boy, how did you survive? This looks like hunter Thompson's pad in the sixties.
Artie: Only you could make these goddamn sprinklers go off on some of the finest cigars in the world!
Hank: And until then, they expect me to do what, just to go fuck myself?
Artie: Why did you give young pipsqueak yonder a fine cojiba?
Artie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Norman: Look at you. You're so sexy, I'm getting a woody just looking at you.
Artie Observational Deadpan/Understatement Larry: how can you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning?
Norman: It's really difficult, Larry. Because I'm not as sexy as you are.
Artie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Larry: Hank. Hank gave them to me.
Hank Character Comedy Escalation Hank: Taffy.
Inspector: Taffy?
Hank: Yeah. Yeah, I chew taffy.
Artie Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Charlie: I can't believe Hank gave you a cojiba robusto.
These rock.
Norman Character Comedy Absurdist Hank: Yeah? Well, thanks for ratting me out to the feds, speaking of assholes.
Larry Norman Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch Callback Ben Stiller: Jesus, is everybody on this show an asshole?
Hank: Hey, everybody! Hey, look at Larry, the big fat asshole! Whoo! Asshole man!
Hank: I wish you could see how Jewish you look right now.
Larry: That's incredible coming from a self-hating Jew like yourself.
Artie Larry Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Hank: Oh, really? What time is the collar due back?
Hank Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Callback Hank: you don't have to come visit me because you've already fucked me in the ass.
Beverly: Charlie's sick. We got to get him to the hospital.
Hank: Who's that kid?
Hank: No.
Larry: Hank's had a bad day.
Hank Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Beverly: Apparently someone let him smoke one of Hank's cigars and he got sick.
Beverly: I cannot believe you could do that to a child, Mary Lou.
Mary Lou: He wanted to, and it was really just a couple of puffs.
Charlie has asked for a second wish.
Beverly · Charlie: 'I can't believe Hank gave you a cojiba robusto. These rock.' — Beverly, cigarette in hand, to the sick child
Beverly · Charlie: 'Oh, I never smoked a cigar before.' / 'How old are you?' / '14.' — pause — 'You know... I was 14 when I smoked my first cigar.'
Larry · Ben Stiller: Ben Stiller's on-air interview: he got back in touch with his first kiss from camp, she sent a photo, 'she looked pretty good' — 'I'm considering a plane trip' — Larry: 'So it's not easy for you to get dates, huh?'
Larry Sanders: Larry's question: 'So it's not easy for you to get dates, huh?' immediately followed by commercial break cut: 'Why don't we take a break?'
Larry · Ben Stiller: Larry (on air, during commercial break): 'Very funny. You look good... Have you been working out? Because, seriously, you really look like you're... pumped up. Chiseled. Really good.'
Ben Stiller · Larry: Ben Stiller: 'Shut up, all right? I know you had me bumped from the list.'
Larry · Hank · Ben Stiller: Larry: 'Where did you hear that?' — Hank walks in immediately: 'You're an asshole, Hank.' / 'Yeah? Well, thanks for ratting me out to the feds, speaking of assholes.' / 'Jesus, is everybody on this show an asshole?'
Hank: Hank is in the audience, drunkenly yelling 'Hey, look at Larry, the big fat asshole! Asshole man!' to the live studio audience
Hank Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank: Hank tells Larry: 'You know, I heard the car show is in town next week. Maybe if you suck off Lee Iacocca, he'll give you miss auto parts.'
Hank Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Larry · Hank: Larry: 'I wish you could see how Jewish you look right now.' / Hank: 'That's incredible coming from a self-hating Jew like yourself.'
Larry Hank Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Hank: Hank: 'Listen, I just want you to know that if I go to prison, you don't have to come visit me because you've already fucked me in the ass.'
Hank Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Callback Hank: 'Oh, really? What time is the collar due back?' — Hank to Larry, implying Larry is a dog on a leash
Hank Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Hank: Hank: 'Listen, I just want you to know that if I go to prison, you don't have to come visit me because you've already fucked me in the ass.'
Hank Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Callback Artie: Artie's interruption of the fight: 'What the hell is going on? Sounds like a fucking hockey game!'
Artie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Artie · Hank · Larry · Ben Stiller: Charlie collapsing/getting sick backstage — Artie: 'Who's that kid?' / Random staffer: 'That's the kid from the one wish foundation.' / Artie: 'OK, gentlemen, we've got to do this show for Charlie.'
Hank Kingsley · Beverly: Charlie being rushed to the hospital stops the fight: 'Charlie's sick. We got to get him to the hospital.' — then Hank asks: 'Who's that kid?'
Larry · Ben Stiller: Larry on air: 'I just want to say to a special friend of ours, Charlie, who should be watching the show tonight... we're with you, buddy.' / Ben Stiller: 'I don't know you and I never really talked to you, but I heard a lot about you... hang in there, buddy.'
Ben Stiller: Ben Stiller on air, addressing Charlie: 'I don't know you and I never really talked to you, but I heard a lot about you. I feel like I know you, so just... hang in there, buddy.'
Larry · Hank: Hank is asked to say something to Charlie on air — says nothing. Larry: 'Hank's had a bad day.'
Larry Hank Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Artie · Beverly · Mary Lou: Post-show: Artie learns Charlie got sick because 'someone let him smoke one of Hank's cigars' — and it was 'only a couple of puffs'
Artie: Artie lectures Beverly and Mary Lou for letting Charlie smoke — then: 'Ladies, please, you are ruining my post-show high!'
Artie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Beverly: 'The important thing is that Charlie had a good time. He's a great kid. At least we were able to make him happy for one day.'
Beverly Irony/Sarcasm Dark/Subversive Callback Unknown Staff Member: 'Charlie has asked for a second wish.' — final line of the episode
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