Jimmy Kimmel was left in stitches when his old mate Larry David refused to sing along to 'Hey Jude' at Paul McCartney's intimate gig at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles back in March. It's not often you see a Hollywood legend like David – known for his curmudgeonly persona from Curb Your Enthusiasm – rebuffing a crowd of A-listers, including Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, who were all joining in with the classic 'na, na, na' chorus. But when Kimmel quizzed him on his reluctance to participate, David let rip with some choice words about the whole spectacle.
'Lame,' he scoffed, describing the audience participation as 'distasteful'. When pushed further, he questioned why anyone would feel compelled to sing along like a bunch of lemmings – after all, didn't they pay their hard-earned cash for tickets? David seemed to think that just being there was enough. But Kimmel wasn't having it, arguing that joining in with the crowd is what makes live music truly special – especially when it's an icon like McCartney on stage.
The exchange laid bare the contrasting approaches to live music enjoyment, and we can't help but wonder which camp we're all in. For the die-hard fans, singing along is a fundamental part of the concert experience; for others, like David, it's just a bit too much. Either way, this lighthearted public spat has got everyone talking – especially with Paul McCartney's reputation as the People's Hero still going strong.
As it happens, Larry David is about to take centre stage once more in his new seven-episode HBO show Life, Larry And The Pursuit Of Unhappiness. This time around, he's teaming up with some big-name talent, including Bill Hader and Jerry Seinfeld, to take on significant American historical events in a comedic twist. With Barack Obama even making an appearance as himself, it looks like this one is going to be a real treat – but will David bring his anti-singing streak to the small screen? We can't wait to find out.