Larry David’s Unproduced 1983 Script “Prognosis: Negative” Leaked Online

In early 2026 a Reddit user from Rochester, New York, Jeremy Smith, uploaded a PDF of “Prognosis: Negative,” a 1983 Larry David screenplay. Smith bought the manuscript on eBay from a seller of unpublished scripts; its provenance remains unclear. The upload provides the first public access to a work known as a Seinfeld joke.

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Robert B. Weide, head of development at a comedy-focused Hollywood agency, championed the script. He presented it to partners Jack Rollins, Larry Brezner, Buddy Morra and Charles Joffe. The partners judged the script unready for studios. Their notes flagged two issues: Leo Black was “not at all likable” and “too ethnic—too Jewish/neurotic.” Brezner asked if Leo could be softened; David declined.

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Larry David, the script’s author; Robert B. Weide, producer/director who advocated the work; agency partners Jack Rollins, Larry Brezner, Buddy Morra and Charles Joffe; and Reddit user Jeremy Smith, who posted the script online.

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Agency notes labeled Leo Black “not at all likable,” reflecting reluctance to back such leads. The script was also called “too ethnic—too Jewish/neurotic,” indicating perceived market sensitivities. David’s refusal to change Leo led to the project’s abandonment.

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Weide called the script “probably the funniest script” he read, noting its merit despite agency concerns. He warned that forcing a writer to accept unwanted notes would erode creative integrity. When asked later, David told Weide he had “outgrown that script,” indicating a shift.

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• “Prognosis: Negative” was “probably the funniest script that I read during my tenure there.” — Robert B. Weide, Producer/Director

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• “And then he looked at Brezner and said, ‘No, I don’t think so.’ And that was it.” — Larry David, as recounted by Weide

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• “Leo Black is Larry David,” — Robert B. Weide

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• “I think I’ve outgrown that script.” — Larry David, quoted by Weide

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The script’s release gives scholars a rare view of Larry David’s early voice, predating the unlikable protagonists that later defined “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” The 1983 agency notes reveal bias toward likability and ethnic representation, showing how David’s later success challenged those norms.

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The eBay seller’s identity and the manuscript’s chain of custody remain undocumented. Neither David nor the agency has issued a formal comment on the leak.

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With the PDF now searchable online, the screenplay is poised for academic analysis and fan discussion. No studio has indicated interest in reviving the project, and David’s own statement suggests he does not intend to revisit the material.

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