Larry David: $400M Net Worth, Politics & Seinfeld Friendship

Larry David turned life’s awkward moments into a comedy empire, amassing an estimated $400 million as co-creator of Seinfeld and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm. This article breaks down the numbers, the friendships, and the political leanings behind the man.

Larry David net worth: $400 million (estimated) ·
Jerry Seinfeld net worth: $1.1 billion (estimated) ·
Larry David age: 77 (born July 2, 1947) ·
Seinfeld co-creator: Yes ·
Curb Your Enthusiasm creator: Yes ·
Political affiliation: Liberal / Democrat

Here are the key verified details about Larry David.

Why is Larry David so rich?

Three revenue streams explain most of David’s fortune – and each one taps into a different part of his career.

Larry David’s Seinfeld earnings

• Syndication of Seinfeld has earned David an estimated $250 million as of 1998, according to Parade (celebrity/lifestyle), and he continues to receive royalties.
• In 2008, David grossed $55 million, mostly from Seinfeld syndication and Curb Your Enthusiasm (MarketWatch (financial news)).
• Parade notes that David has dismissed higher net-worth estimates as “ridiculous” and “absurd” (Parade (celebrity/lifestyle)).

Curb Your Enthusiasm revenue and syndication

• As creator, writer, and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm, David earns both upfront fees and backend syndication income from HBO (Forbes (financial news)).
• The show ran for 12 seasons (2000–2024) and remains a streaming staple.

Real estate and investments

• David owns properties in Los Angeles and New York, though exact portfolio details are private (MarketWatch (financial news)).
• His wealth is almost entirely entertainment-derived; he is not known for large outside investments.

Are Larry David and Seinfeld still friends?

Fifteen years after Seinfeld ended, the two comedians remain in regular contact.

How their relationship evolved after Seinfeld

• Parade reports that David and Seinfeld “remain close friends” (Parade (celebrity/lifestyle)).
• In a 2017 interview, David said: “We’re friends. We talk. It’s fine.”
• Their long relationship reflects “mutual respect for one another’s talents” (Parade (celebrity/lifestyle)).

Collaborations and public appearances

• David appeared on Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee in 2012 (Parade (celebrity/lifestyle)).
• Both have been photographed together at award shows and industry events.

The implication: their creative bond has outlasted the show itself, a rarity in Hollywood partnerships.

Who is richer, Seinfeld or Larry David?

Two television legends, two very different bank accounts. The gap comes down to ownership structure and earning streams.

Four comparisons, one clear pattern: Jerry Seinfeld’s net worth is roughly 2.75 times larger than Larry David’s.

Seinfeld’s wealth also benefits from his massive stand-up touring income – he regularly tops Forbes highest-paid comedians lists – while David rarely performs live.

Is Larry David a Republican or Democrat?

Despite playing a character prone to libertarian rants, the real Larry David votes consistently Democratic.

Larry David’s public political statements

• Wikipedia (biography) identifies David as a supporter of the Democratic Party.
• In 2010, David wrote a New York Times op-ed criticizing the extension of Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, ending with a sarcastic “thank you” to President Barack Obama for approving them (Wikipedia (biography)).
• He has donated to Democratic candidates and causes over the years.

Political themes in Curb Your Enthusiasm

• The show often satirizes political correctness, social norms, and both left- and right-wing excesses.
• David himself has said he enjoys “offending everybody equally” rather than pushing a single agenda.

What this means: David’s personal politics lean left, but his comedy deliberately skewers everyone – a balance that keeps his work unpredictable and widely quoted.

Is Larry David a nice person in real life?

The on-screen curmudgeon hides a different personality off-camera, according to those who work with him.

Stories from co-workers and cast members

• Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on Seinfeld, said: “He is one of the kindest people I know. He has this curmudgeonly front, but he’s incredibly generous.”
• Cheryl Hines and Susie Essman, long-time Curb cast members, have echoed that assessment in interviews.
• Forbes described David’s comedy as “grumbling about life’s trivialities” and “opposing polite society conventions” (Forbes (financial news)), but that’s a character – not the man.

Larry David’s public persona vs. real-life behavior

• David has done extensive philanthropy, though he does not publicize it.
• He is known for loyalty to friends and longtime collaborators (e.g., keeping Jeff Garlin and Cheryl Hines on Curb for 12 seasons).

The trade-off: David deliberately cultivates a grumpy image because it’s funny and marketable. The real person appears to be far more agreeable than the character he plays.

He made so much money because he was the engine behind Seinfeld. He deserves every penny.

— Jerry Seinfeld, on Larry David’s wealth

We’re friends. We talk. It’s fine.

— Larry David, on his relationship with Jerry Seinfeld (2017 interview)

He is one of the kindest people I know. He has this curmudgeonly front, but he’s incredibly generous.

— Jason Alexander, actor and longtime friend

One pattern emerges from all the data: Larry David turned a singular talent for finding comedy in social discomfort into both critical acclaim and serious wealth. For the Seinfeld and Curb fan, the key takeaway is that his wealth is well-earned, his friendships are real, and his political views lean left even as his comedy lampoons everyone. For anyone considering a career in television writing, the lesson is unmistakable: create something that people watch repeatedly, negotiate backend rights, and never confuse the on-screen character with the person behind it.

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