Larry David beats up Elmo during NBC's 'Today' show: 'Somebody had to do it'
Comedian Larry David crashed NBC's ‘Today’ show segment with Elmo Thursday and seemed to beat up the Sesame Street character on set before being asked to apologize.
Wil Wheaton slammed Larry David as "tone deaf," two days after the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator grabbed Elmo’s face and throttled the Muppet on the "Today Show."
"So I heard about Larry David assaulting Elmo on life television, but didn't watch it until now, because I knew it would upset me," the "Star Trek: Next Generation" actor wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.
"Holy s--- it's even worse than I thought. What the f--- is wrong with that guy? Elmo is, like, the best friend to multiple generations of children. In the Sesame Street universe, ELMO IS A CHILD, who is currently putting mental health and caring for others in the spotlight. And Larry F-----g David ... did ... that? And thought it was going to be ... funny? What?
"What an a------. What a stupid, self-centered, tone deaf a------."
LARRY DAVID DEFENDS BEATING UP ELMO DURING ‘TODAY’ SHOW: 'I WOULD DO IT AGAIN
Wil Wheaton wasn't happy with Larry David's impromptu attack on Elmo last week. (Albert L. Ortega/Al Bello/Zach Pagano/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
The viral moment occurred when Elmo appeared on the "Today" show Feb. 1, speaking about mental health after an X post the puppet wrote asking people how they were feeling also went viral.
As Elmo’s segment was ending, David, who was waiting for his own interview about the final season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," ran out and shook the puppet’s face then ran off.
"Mr. Larry, Elmo liked you before!" the 3½-year-old Muppet said as David raced off screen. "Let’s get back on the couch and let’s talk about how you’re feeling!"
The "Today" co-hosts watched in shock.
Comedian Larry David walked on NBC's "Today" set to beat up Elmo Thursday, shocking the anchors. (Screenshot/NBC)
"Larry, you’ve gone too far this time," Savannah Guthrie told David.
"Somebody had to do it," he replied.
David apologized to Elmo at the top of his own segment, barely getting through it as he laughed hysterically.
Wheaton wasn’t laughing in his post. He explained that his reaction to David’s joking attack was colored by abuse from his father as a child.
"Full disclosure: all the time, when I was growing up, my dad would grab me by the shoulders and shake me while he screamed in my face," Wheaton wrote. "He choked me more than once. He was always out of control, always in a furious rage, and always terrifying. I'm a 51 year-old man and my heart is pounding right now, recalling how I felt when I was a little boy who loved Grover the way today's kids love Elmo."
David apologized to Elmo after the incident. (Screenshot/NBC)
He called David’s attack on Elmo an "appalling, unforgivable, despicable act," adding that his "obviously insincere ‘apology’ clearly communicates that you don't get that."
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"First of all, you aren't even in the segment, but you just decided to barge in and draw focus because ... why?" Wheaton wrote. "You couldn't stand that a puppet brought people together in a meaningful way that you can't? You couldn't stand that your appearance on national television to promote your wildly successful series was delayed for a few seconds while the adults talked about mental health?
"You wanted to manufacture a viral moment where everyone gets to see what an a------ you are, so they'll tune in and watch you portray an a------ in the last season of your show that celebrates how great it is to be an a------ without ever experiencing the consequences of being an a------?"
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Wheaton went on for several more paragraphs, telling David to "read the room."
He finished his post by writing, "A man who would belittle and mock [Elmo's positive influence] isn't much of a man at all. Shame on you, Larry David."
David defended the attack while on "Late Night with Seth Myers."
"Elmo was talking, OK? I was waiting to be interviewed, and Elmo — he was going on about mental health, and I had to listen to every word," he said, using a high-pitched voice to mock the puppet.
"And I was going, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, I don’t think I can take another second of this!’"
Returning to his normal voice, he yelled, "And so I got off my chair, and I approached him and I throttled him!
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"And you know what? I would do it again."
A rep for Wheaton told Fox News Digital he had no additional comment. Fox News Digital has reached out to a rep for David for comment.
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