Larry David Reprises Iconic ‘Seinfeld’ Character For a Topps Ad

Larry David, one of the masterminds behind Seinfeld — and one of the best comedians on modern television — is not usually seen outside reruns of NBC’s iconic comedy behemoth or his own show, Curb Your Enthusiasm. However, he recently decided to play one of his best characters from the show about nothing that ran from 1989 to 1998 one last time.

Although “play” might be an overstatement, as David only provides voice work for the character in this new ad for the trading card and collectible company, Topps. David used to provide the voice for George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees owner, while George Constanza (Jason Alexander) worked for the baseball team. In the new video published by Topps on their YouTube channel, baseball player John Elway recalls how he was drafted by the Yankees in 1981. Then, the video jumps to a team pitching Tony Gwynn to Seinfeld’s iteration of Steinbrenner.

Larry David Brings Back His George Steinbrenner One Last Time For Topps

In the reenactment, Gwynn is pushed as the favorite, draft-wise, but Steinbrenner is adamant about choosing Elway instead. Steinbrenner says, “it’s got to Elway” and he sticks with it to the point of making everyone else uncomfortable. Even when they say Gwynn is the next Keith Hernandez — a Yankees player who was featured as a star in one of the show’s best episodes — David’s Steinbrenner simply says that he doesn’t like his mustache.

Steinbrenner decides to end the meeting early as he’s already made his decision. As everyone leaves, he announces that, “it’s calzone time.” Those familiar with the show will instantly recognize the line as a callback, the memory of which will probably leave a smile on your face for a while after watching.

Alongside Jerry Seinfeld, it was Larry David who created the show that would change comedy television forever. And it was all the result of Seinfeld asking his friend if he could help him come up with an idea for a show for NBC. After seven seasons as producer and writer, David left the show to participate in other endeavors.

The show’s legacy speaks for itself: Seinfeld won Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and more. TV Guide named it the greatest TV show of all time, and its syndication level means there’s almost always an episode of Seinfeld on at least one television channel out there.

In Seinfeld’s cartoonish version of real-life person George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees figure always finds a way to botch George’s plans. They were not exactly mastermind plans, but the underdog who somehow found a way into the Yankees roster didn’t mean ill will. Without showing his face, Steinbrenner still had a presence, and it always meant making George’s career with the Yankees a bit more miserable.

David provided the voice of the iconic character with cameo-like appearances that were funny enough to make the public think that Steinbrenner was like that in real life. He was certainly erratic, but after seven World Series wins, his nickname “The Boss” was nothing but precise.