Why Josh Peck Told Larry David Not to Talk to Him

They say never meet your heroes, and Josh Peck took that advice seriously when he encountered comedy legend Larry David. On Good Guys, Josh revealed to co-host Ben Soffer why he literally asked the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator to just ignore him during their first meeting. 

Peck explains to his co-host that back when Pete Davidson was dating David’s daughter, Cazzie David, Pete “was nice enough to invite me to a memorial for his father, a hero who sadly passed away during 9/11.”

The Drake and Josh star was more than happy to attend the memorial, which he called a “star-studded occasion.” 

“I’m there with my wife, we’re recently married,” he explained. “I see Larry there with his daughter and Pete.”

During the memorial, an unnamed social media influencer approached him. “The only way to describe her, as my wife would say, is ‘Thotiana,’” Josh says. “I’ve never seen someone with such shark eyes in my life. Now, a stunning person. Very, very well known on ‘the social medias.’ Sort of a professional attractive person.” 

Despite the fact that he was attending the event with his wife, Paige Peck, Josh says that the woman was acting “extremely flirtatious.” He and Paige were “getting a kick” out of the over-the-top flirting, but when Larry David entered the picture, things changed.

“I see out of the corner of my eye, Larry’s leaving the party. He’s kind of making his way out with a few other people, and I see Thotiana clock Larry,” he explained. “Now, she’s upgraded, and her shark eyes are on Larry. And she sees me, sees Larry, needs something to say, and goes, ‘Hi Larry, do you know Josh?’ And I go, ‘F***!’” 

Josh and Ben both consider the Seinfeld and Curb star a “genius,” and Josh didn’t want to meet him via a social climber.

“This isn’t how I wanted it to happen. Not like this,” he remembers thinking. “I see him look over at me, and I literally looked at him and I said, ‘No need to say hello. Nice to meet you.’ Like please keep going. Mr. David. Do not let this Thotiana like take up any more of your time. He made his way outta the party. She followed him to the elevator. I’m pretty sure that’s where it ended. And that was sadly how I got to meet a hero,” he explains to Ben.

Josh theorizes that Larry “would’ve given me the 15 seconds if I really was like, ‘Hi, nice to meet you, sir,’” but he wanted to meet him in a better context. 

As Ben says, “You want to meet people in a situation where it can leave a lasting impression. Otherwise, you don’t want to meet them at all.”

For more Hollywood anecdotes, fun advice, and general good vibes, check out Good Guys.