The entire nation is taking Larry David’s lead and staying home, even the cast of Saturday Night Live. But that doesn’t mean he was able to avoid making an appearance on the show following Bernie Sanders’ exit from the Democratic presidential pool earlier in the week.
David, who had played the senator from Vermont while the primary campaign stretched through the last few months, took part in an address from Sanders to the American people as the sketch comedy show’s quarantine edition aired on Saturday night. Sitting in his home, David-as-Sanders addressed Joe Biden’s presumptive nomination for president, the coronavirus pandemic and what he plans to do now that he has a bit more time on his hands.
But first, he said he’s doing just fine. The real-life Sanders had stopped campaigning and fundraising and turned to battling the spread of COVID-19 and raising funds for first responders and legislation in congress. David’s version of the senator is his usual cranky self.
“People have been very nice, asking how I’m doing. If I have enough toilet paper,” he said. “Please, I’m a 78-year-old man living in Vermont. I have a whole room full of toilet paper.”
David also said he will “finally have the time to relax and finish that heart attack for October,” which is a medical issue the candidate had that feels like it happened years ago at this point. And for David, the appearance may be a bit bittersweet. With him out of the race he no longer has to appear on the show as often, which certainly seems like a relief.
“Imagine if he had become president, what would have happened to my life?” he told the New York Times’ Maureen Dowd in an interview last week.
Ending the sketch, David delivered a message that’s likely appropriate for both himself as a person and the character he’s played on the show for so long.
“Stay safe, stay healthy and please, whatever you do, stay the hell away from me,” David said.