The death of comedian Garry Shandling on Thursday was so shocking that his fans immediately started posting and sharing a poignant episode he filmed of “Comedians in Cars With Coffee” with his longtime friend Jerry Seinfeld that premiered in January.
Cruising around LA in a snazzy 1979 Porsche 930, the two comics recall their early days at the Comedy Store, visit the permanent New York street set built for “Seinfeld” at CBS Studios and even riff on those laughable Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercials.
“Who the hell goes from an Oscar to a car commercial?” Seinfeld asks rhetorically, cracking up Shandling.
The two friends are so easy in each other’s company that everything they say makes them giggle. But some of the humor has eerie overtones of what was about to transpire in Shandling’s own life. Standing in the empty Comedy Store, Shandling looks at the wall of names of comics who performed there. “It’s like every other person has passed away,” he says.
“Either personally or professionally,” Seinfeld adds.
Back in the cashmere beige Porsche (with the cork-colored interior), Shandling and Seinfeld discuss Robin Williams’ suicide. “Sixty-three is so young,” Shandling says. (The “Larry Sanders Show” star was 66 when he died.)
Other gallows humor from Shandling, shared as he and Seinfeld make a pit stop at Du-Par’s, the legendary Third Street restaurant and bakery: “What I want at my funeral is a boxing referee who can count to five and say, ‘He’s not getting up.’ ”
Shandling is not getting up again — his cause of death has not been formally announced — but this tenderhearted valentine from Seinfeld is something his fans can treasure forever.