Not many people could go toe-to-toe with legendary curmudgeon Larry David, but that’s just what Susie Essman has done over the course of eight seasons on David’s HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. As the wife of David’s best friend (played by Jeff Garlin), Essman frequently faces off against the grumpy, socially awkward star, matching him insult for insult as they disagree on pretty much every aspect of human behavior. The brash, in-your-face style that Essman brings to Curb Your Enthusiasm carries over into her stand-up comedy, which she’s been performing for more than 20 years.
Essman appears as part of The Venetian’s ongoing Lipshtick series. “You guys know Susie. She’s what you think all of your wives sound like all the time,” said Lipshtick mastermind Whitney Cummings. Although her Curb character is more extreme than her stage persona, Essman is known for not pulling punches when it comes to talking about her personal life. She titled her 2009 book What Would Susie Say?: Bullsh*t Wisdom About Love, Life and Comedy, and she offers plenty of that wisdom (no bullsh*t) onstage every night.
