Barack Obama Pokes Fun at His 2014 Tan Suit Drama in Cameo on Larry David’s Show

The finale episode of HBO’s ‘Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness’ imagines David as responsible for Obama’s infamous 2014 fashion choice

NEED TO KNOW

• Larry David plays a fictional advisor to former President Barack Obama in a comedic sketch about the infamous tan suit controversy

• The finale episode of HBO’s Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness imagines David as responsible for Obama’s 2014 fashion choice that sparked widespread criticism
• The series is available to stream on HBO Max

Larry David is taking some credit for one of Barack Obama’s most infamous moments as president in his latest series.

In the series of finale of Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, the former president, 65, made an appearance as himself. The episode featured David, 79, as Obama’s fictitious advisor — who, among other mishaps, helps Obama to pick out the tan suit that was labeled “unpresidential” by his critics in 2014.

The sketch, which aired on HBO on Friday, Aug. 7, shows Obama preparing for the 2014 press conference at the White House about combating ISIS in Syria. A smoothie sits on the Resolute Desk, and when Larry asks the president for a sip, Obama declines, saying he doesn’t want “old lips” on his straw.

Obama then exits the room, leaving David to steal a sip of the drink — only to spill it all over a nearby navy blue suit, which the president planned to wear to the press conference. David tries to avoid admitting that he ruined the suit, and then suggests that Obama wear something else to the press conference.

“I think you should wear the tan suit to the press conference,” the Seinfeld creator says in the sketch, telling Obama it’s “casual Friday.”

After Obama tries on the suit, David tells him it looks “Prettay good… prettay… prettay… prettay… prettay good.”

“People are going to be talking about this for a long, long time,” he tells the president.

Speaking with Variety, executive producer Ethan Lewis — who works for Barack and Michelle Obama on their Higher Ground Productions — said that he wanted to revisit the suit controversy and cast David as the one responsible for the fashion blunder.

“From the very beginning, my dream was to close the book on the tan suit once and for all,” Lewis told the outlet.

Series co-creator Jeff Schaffer described directing the former president in a scene as “one of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten the chance to do.”

“It’s so cool being around him. You feel smarter and better, somehow, by just being in the area,” Schaffer told Variety. “He had some great improv stuff. His comic timing was impeccable. He was a good actor, not just as a former president, but, like, as an actor.”

“The funny thing was watching him go, ‘Larry, you’re coming in late!’” Schaffer continued. “He was the president, so he’s used to telling people what to do. Larry was in the odd position of being told what to do, which never happens on a Larry set.”

Obama sparked the unexpected debate after wearing the tan suit and a gray striped tie to the White House press conference on Aug. 28, 2014.

Following his press conference, several people criticized the president for his ensemble’s “lack of seriousness.” Although numerous past presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, have sported the outfit in the same hue, some critics said his suit resembled an outfit he would wear to a Hamptons party.

The former president has poked fun at the controversy in the past. In a 2024 Instagram post, Obama gave then- Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris a shout-out on his Instagram after she wore a similar look.

In Obama’s post, he shared a side-by-side photo of his notorious look alongside Harris’ flared-leg tan suit designed by Chloé creative director Chemena Kamali.

“How it started. How it’s going. Ten years later, and it’s still a good look! IWillVote.com,” Obama wrote in the Instagram caption.

The seven-episode limited series Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness features David and some Curb Your Enthusiasm regulars (as well as more guest stars, including Jerry Seinfeld) as they recreate different historic moments from throughout American history — with some comedic liberties — in honor of the U.S.’s 250th anniversary.

“Those who don’t know history… are doomed to watch Larry David repeat it,” a logline for the sketch show reads.

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is available to stream on HBO Max.