Larry David’s HBO Sketch Targets Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In the latest episode of the Barack-Obama-produced series “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness”, Larry David appears in drag as Dora Salk, the mother of Jonas Salk, who created the first successful polio vaccine. While hanging laundry, Dora is interrupted by a tan, gravel-voiced neighbor named “Bobby” who warns that the vaccine will “kill people” and “give them heart attacks.” Dora retorts, “Drop dead, Bobby! You should die a dog’s death. You don’t know anything about science; you’re not a doctor,” and adds, “If you were in charge, God help us all! If some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge, that would be a dark day for humanity.” The exchange is widely interpreted as a parody of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and a longtime vaccine skeptic.

Larry David’s New Obama-Produced HBO Show Has a Character Who’s Obviously RFK Jr., and Larry Tells Him “You Should Die A Dog’s Death.”

Kennedy, confirmed as HHS secretary in February 2025, has a history of questioning vaccine safety that has drawn scrutiny from public-health experts. He married actress Cheryl Hines in August 2014; David, who created *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, introduced the couple. Their friendship soured after Kennedy’s 2024 presidential-campaign announcement and his subsequent role in former President Donald Trump’s administration. The sketch aired at the Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles on June 23, 2026, the series’ premiere.

Larry David says for ex-pal RFK. Jr to 'die a dog’s death' in new HBO sketch

• Larry David – comedian, creator of *Curb Your Enthusiasm* and star of the HBO series.

The Independent

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, former anti-vaccine activist.

HuffPost

• Cheryl Hines – actress, Kennedy’s wife, former *Curb* co-star.

Larry David says for ex-pal RFK. Jr to 'die a dog’s death' in new HBO sketch

• Jeff Schaffer – co-creator and director of the HBO series.

HuffPost

Kennedy told *The New York Times* he felt “a lot of support and love from most of [Hines’s] friends, including Larry,” about his candidacy. David replied via text, “Yes love and support, but I’m not ‘supporting’ him.” Jeff Schaffer explained to *Variety* that the series aims to comment on current events through a historical lens, noting, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We’re talking about vaccinations, and there’s incredible ignorance about vaccinations going on right now.” Schaffer added he “has no idea” whether Hines was aware of the sketch and confirmed she was not asked to appear. Hines, speaking to *NewsNation* in December 2025, said, “I think he’s mad because Bobby’s in the administration,” and later described her relationship with David as limited to occasional lunch meetings.

HuffPost

Public-health commentators have long criticized Kennedy’s anti-vaccine positions as unsupported by scientific evidence. The sketch’s explicit mockery of his scientific credibility has been noted as part of David’s broader criticism of the Trump-era administration, though no formal rebuttal from Kennedy’s office has been reported.

Larry David says for ex-pal RFK. Jr to 'die a dog’s death' in new HBO sketch

• “Drop dead, Bobby. You should die a dog’s death. You don’t know anything about science, you’re not a doctor.” — Dora Salk (Larry David)

Larry David’s New Obama-Produced HBO Show Has a Character Who’s Obviously RFK Jr., and Larry Tells Him “You Should Die A Dog’s Death.”

• “If you were in charge, God help us all! If some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge, that would be a dark day for humanity.” — Dora Salk (Larry David)

Larry David’s New Obama-Produced HBO Show Has a Character Who’s Obviously RFK Jr., and Larry Tells Him “You Should Die A Dog’s Death.”

• “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We’re talking about vaccinations, and there’s incredible ignorance about vaccinations going on right now,” — Jeff Schaffer, co-creator

HuffPost

• “I think he’s mad because Bobby’s in the administration.” — Cheryl Hines

The Independent

• “Yes love and support, but I’m not ‘supporting’ him.” — Larry David (text to Kennedy)

HuffPost

Sources differ on the precise series title, alternating between “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” and “Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America.” The sketch’s air date is consistently reported as June 23, 2026, but one outlet references an earlier “premiere for the final season of ‘Curb’” in April 2024, unrelated to the HBO episode. Additionally, some articles label Kennedy as “President Donald Trump’s health secretary,” while others correctly identify him as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. No official comment from the HHS office regarding the sketch has been documented.

Daily Beast