Late filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner appeared posthumously in this week’s episode of HBO‘s Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, where he portrayed George Washington and took a veiled swipe at President Trump.
Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death at their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. Their son, Nick Reiner, was soon arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder; he is currently being held without bail while awaiting trial in Los Angeles. He has pleaded not guilty.
On the new sketch comedy series from Larry David, executive produced in part by Barack and Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground production company, which aired its second episode on Friday, July 3, Reiner appeared as Washington before a crowd of colonists and announced he would not be running for a third term.
“I believe that no man should serve more than two terms as president,” Reiner, as Washington, said. “And I hope that future presidents will follow my lead.”
David, portraying a colonist, replied: “What if some future president doesn’t follow your lead and runs for a third term?” Reiner’s Washington character said that this should be prohibited.
Clearly speaking of Trump, but never saying his name, David’s character continued.
“Well, what if there’s some asshole in office, some narcissistic prick, who doesn’t follow the Constitution? He could use the presidency to enrich himself and his family. He could send troops into American cities to terrorize and even kill American citizens, all to distract from the fact that he’s friends with a pedophile,” he said.
Jimmy Kimmel, who has been a foil to President Trump for years and had his late-night show pulled off the air temporarily last fall over comments on the Republican reaction to the killing of Charlie Kirk, appeared in the skit as well. Kimmel also portrayed a colonist and took a satirical swipe at the situation.
“Are you suggesting that the president would taketh the time to challenge anyone who dared make fun of him? As if he were a big baby?” he said.
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S.A.
Shock rang around Hollywood in December when news broke of the Reiners’ murders and the arrest of Nick Reiner, who has reportedly been diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. His next court date is in September for a preliminary hearing. He has filed a legal complaint claiming that a trust fund set up by his parents is being withheld from him as he attempts to pay for a criminal defense lawyer.
