J.B. Smoove Reflects on the End of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( a long talk [J.B. Smoove on Being Curb’s Biggest Fan Turned Star]( ‘My wife always told me, “You’re going to be on that show one day.”’ Photo: John Johnson/HBO J.B. Smoove is the breakout star of [Curb Your Enthusiasm](. That might be hard to forget since he first appeared on the show in its sixth season back in 2007. But it’s not like he hadn’t been busting his ass in the comedy world for over a decade before Larry David had invited him to audition for the show that Smoove was already a fan of. Some people might have recognized him from [Def Comedy Jam](, while others may not have realized he was a writer during the Tina Fey–Amy Poehler–Maya Rudolph early aughts era of Saturday Night Live. There’s even a handful of folks (ahem) who maybe saw him a little earlier as Trucky in the cult 2001 comedy hit [Pootie Tang](. He’d been around for years, but when he debuted as Leon Black, moved into Larry’s house, and never left, Smoove finally earned the wider audience he deserved. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Summer House: [Pitching Their Tents]( • 3 Body Problem: [Know Your Enemy]( • Tokyo Vice: [Houses Burning Fast]( • Grey’s Anatomy: [Surgical Bingo]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Bleh In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the jokes are witless, the emotions artless, and the film joyless.]( By Bilge Ebiri [Princess Peach Has Put in the Work A brief history of her 39-year journey into the spotlight.]( By Ashley Bardhan [Why Is the Wicked Movie Hiding Dr. Dillamond From Us? The biggest missing persons conspiracy theory this side of the Atlantic.]( By Rebecca Alter [This Is Judd The director’s recent DGA Awards monologue was a window into current industry trends. He has some thoughts.]( By Jesse David Fox [Girls5Eva Let Catherine Cohen Revert to Her Tween-age Self “I had been a little depressed, and then when I got to the shoot I was like, Oh my God, this is medicine.”]( [Kendrick Lamar Comes Out of Hibernation Swinging Victims include Drake, J. Cole, and somehow Big Sean.]( By Zoe Guy [First a Cop, Then a Bodybuilder, Now a Movie Star Love Lies Bleeding star Katy O’Brian on the long journey of self-discovery that brought her to an A24 romance opposite Kristen Stewart.]( By Chris Lee [The Odes of Tammy Faye Will Play the Palace With Andrew Rannells and Katie Brayben making their way across the pond.]( By Jason P. Frank [Is Kraven Our Next Bond? Aaron Taylor-Johnson does love a fight scene.]( By Zoe Guy [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Vulture Games [Today’s Crossword]( 25-Down, Four Letters: Norse god voiced by Richard Schiff Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty [Today’s Cinematrix]( Can you name an Oscar-nominated Bill Murray movie? Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images A newsletter about the perpetual Hollywood awards race, for subscribers only. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved