Larry David Blasted for 'Curb' Episode Where He Urinates on Jesus Painting

FOXNews.com

 - October 28, 2009

Larry David Blasted for 'Curb' Episode Where He Urinates on Jesus Painting

Comedian Larry David is under attack from critics who say he pushed the mocking of religion over the edge.

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Comedian Larry David is under attack from critics who say he pushed the mocking of religion and Christian belief in miracles over the edge in the latest episode of his HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." 

On the show’s most recent installment, which aired Sunday night, David's character urinates on a painting of Jesus Chris, causing a woman to believe the painting shows Jesus crying.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, responded to the episode, saying David should "quit while he's ahead," and that the show is proof that the comedian's best years are behind him.

"Was Larry David always this crude? Would he think it's comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother?" Donohue said in a statement. "This might be fun to watch, but since HBO only likes to dump on Catholics (it was just a couple of weeks ago that Sarah Silverman insulted Catholics on "Real Time with Bill Maher") and David is Jewish, we'll never know."

During Sunday's episode, David, who created, wrote and produced "Seinfeld," visits a bathroom in a stranger's home and splatters urine on a picture of Jesus. Instead of wiping it off, David leaves the restroom. Minutes later, a woman enters the bathroom and concludes that Jesus is crying. She then summons her mother to the bathroom, where both women kneel in prayer.

"When David and Jerry Seinfeld (playing himself) are asked if they ever experienced a miracle, David answers, ‘every erection is a miracle,’ Donohue's statement continued. "That’s what passes for creativity these days."

Calls to HBO seeking comment were not immediately returned.

The episode, "The Bare Midriff," primarily revolves around David's assistant and her belly-revealing attire. According to the show's Web site, a "new pill" increased David's urine flow, leading to the "misunderstanding about a miraculously weeping Jesus."

HBO promoted the controversial scene on the show's site, complete with a "squirm-o-meter"that ranked the urine incident, ahead of David's confronting his assistant about her exposed midriff.