• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, November 7, 2017

A story that purports to report on “criticism” leveled at Larry David in the wake of his monologue on “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend is a prime example of what is wrong with much of journalism today.

If you were to come across the headline on the story, you would assume that the criticism was widespread. But the story itself reports on a total of three tweets -- only one of which seemed to have a real name attached to it.

It's the “journalism” of manufacturing controversy where none exists or making imaginary mountains out of invisible molehills.

Maybe David's monologue -- whose topics included the current sexual harassment headlines and Larry musing on dating etiquette in a concentration camp -- was offensive to many.

But this story, posted on The Hollywood Reporter Web site, THR.com, provides scant evidence to back up its headline.

The headline on this story was “Larry David Criticized for ‘SNL’ Monologue on Jewish Sexual Predators and Holocaust.” Technically, the headline is accurate. Some people on Twitter did criticize him. But by its very nature, a headline such as this makes it seem as if the criticism was voluminous, if not unanimous.

Yes, these are highly charged subjects for a comedian, to say the least. And opinions will certainly vary on their appropriateness.

However, varying points of view were apparently not sought by the anonymous writer or writers of this Hollywood Reporter story. The byline says only “by THR Staff.”

One thing not seen anywhere in the story: The fact that a look at this monologue, seen on NBC this past Saturday, indicates that while there were some rough patches during Larry's performance in this opening segment on “SNL,” the audience inside Studio 8H laughed heartily throughout much of it.

In this monologue that lasted about seven minutes, David covered a variety of topics, including the ones mentioned above, but also the advantages of having a boss who is blind and the dating preferences of Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The fact is, I sensed a distinct lack of appreciation for portions of the Quasimodo material during which the laughter inside the “SNL” studio amounted to a smattering at best.

Then it was on to the topics that made headlines. On the subject of sexual harassment by Hollywood bigwigs, Larry lamented that so many of them seem to be Jewish.

“A lot of sexual harassment stuff in the news of late and I couldn’t help but notice a very disturbing pattern emerging, which is that a lot of the predators -- not all, but many of them -- are Jews,” Larry said. “And I have three words to say to that: Oy vey iz mir!” Ha ha.

“I don't like it when Jews are in the headlines for notorious reasons,” he continued. “I want ‘Einstein Discovers the Theory of Relativity,’ ‘Salk Cures Polio.’ What I don't want? ‘Weinstein Took It Out’!” he said.

“I know I strive consistently to be a good Jewish representative,” David said. “When people see me, I want them to say, ‘There goes a fine Jew for ya!’ …”

Then came the concentration camp material. It went like this: “You know, I've always been obsessed with women, and I've often wondered if I'd grown up in Poland when Hitler came to power and was sent to a concentration camp would I still be checking out women in the camp? I think I would!

“ ‘Hey, Shlomo’,” Larry said, imagining a conversation with a fellow inmate. “ ‘Look at that one over there by Barracks 8! Oh, my God, is she gorgeous! I've had my eye on her for weeks. I'd like to go up and say something to her!

“Of course, the problem is, there are no good opening lines in a concentration camp,” he mused. “ ‘How's it goin?'; ‘They treatin’ ya OK?’ ‘You know, if we ever get out of here, I'd love to take you out for some latkes. You like latkes?’

Then, imagining that she might be offended and reject his advances, he said, ‘What? What'd I say? Is it me or is it the whole thing? It's because I'm bald, isn't it!”

My own opinion is that this monologue was not exactly Larry David’s finest hour. One of the tweets THR cited for its story put it this way: “Larry David is making jokes about hitler [stet] and harassment of women! God this is awful and awkward! #snl #SNL2017.” Oh my.

The author of this tweet was someone named Cassidy who has 165 followers. Cassidy, of course, is welcome to his opinion. He hardly speaks for many, however. Neither do I. And neither do The Hollywood Reporter’s anonymous staff writers.

What is the truth about how this monologue was received last Saturday night? Who knows?