Larry David has spoken out about the collapse of his friendship with Alan Dershowitz, calling him "disgusting" after becoming Donald Trump's lawyer. According to reports, the two were friends and neighbors on Martha's Vineyard for years before their public argument in 2021. Larry David said he was "starting to feel a little sorry" for Dershowitz over his son's death but ultimately stated that Dershowitz "made a deal with the devil" by becoming involved with Trump, implying that he has suffered negative consequences as a result. The incident has been reported on in a new profile of Dershowitz published in the Atlantic this week.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Larry David has spoken out about his friendship with Alan Dershowitz, saying that Dershowitz made a deal with the devil by becoming Donald Trump's lawyer. The two were friends and neighbors on Martha's Vineyard for years, but reportedly had a public argument in 2021 during which Larry David called Dershowitz "disgusting". Dershowitz confirmed this account, saying that David walked away from him after being greeted, and later said he could never talk to him again. This was a surprising move for Dershowitz, given his long history of taking on high-profile clients including Jeffrey Epstein, OJ Simpson, and Harvey Weinstein, as well as serving on Trump's defense team during the president's first impeachment trial in 2020. The incident reportedly ended their friendship, which had been a close one - Dershowitz said that David would often come to his house for dinner two or three times a summer.
Written for “Larry David vs Alan Dershowitz” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.85 for article 1571 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-21
Larry David has opened up about the collapse of his friendship with Alan Dershowitz, saying that Dershowitz “made a deal with the devil” when he became Donald Trump’s lawyer.
asserted
he → open → devil
Dershowitz, a former Harvard University law professor, has been a member of legal teams for Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, OJ Simpson and Harvey Weinstein at various points in his career, and served on Trump’s defense team during the president’s first impeachment trial in 2020.
asserted
Dershowitz → serve → 2020
Reports emerged in 2021 that David and Dershowitz, who were friends and neighbours for years on Martha’s Vineyard, had a public argument during which the Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld creator was heard to call Dershowitz “disgusting”.
asserted
creator → emerge → Dershowitz
Dershowitz later confirmed the account was accurate, telling the New Yorker in 2022: “Suddenly, Larry David walks in to buy some groceries.
asserted
David → confirm → groceries
I say, ‘Hey.
asserted
I → say → ?
Hi, Larry,’ and he turns away, and he just walks away.
asserted
he → turn → ?
I say, ‘Larry, can’t we at least talk?’
asserted
we → say → ?
He said, ‘No.
asserted
He → say → ?
You’re disgusting.’
asserted
You → ’re → ?
“He called me disgusting, and he said he could never talk to me,” he added.
uncertain
he → call → me
“Here’s a guy who used to come to our house to work out in the gym.
asserted
who → ’ → gym
He would come to our house for dinner two or three times a summer.”
asserted
He → come → dinner
In a new profile of Dershowitz published by the Atlantic this week, David spoke about the incident for the first time.
asserted
David → publish → time
“I have lots of confrontations on my show but rarely in life.
asserted
I → have → life
And then only if I think I can take them in a fight.
asserted
I → think → fight
Hence the Dershowitz dust-up,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
In the Atlantic, Dershowitz spoke of feeling hurt that David had not contacted him when his son Elon died from a stroke last year aged 64.
asserted
son → speak → stroke
In response, David said he was “starting to feel a little sorry” for Dershowitz, “certainly because of his son.
asserted
he → say → son
“I certainly regret not [reaching out],” David told the Atlantic.
asserted
David → regret → Atlantic
“As I said on Curb once, ‘I think of nice things.
asserted
I → say → things
I just don’t act on them.’
asserted
I → act → them
But the next day David contacted the Atlantic again to add: “I’m loath to say anything mean because he’s been so ostracised.
asserted
he → contact → anything
But he only has himself to blame.
asserted
he → have → himself
He made a deal with the devil.
asserted
He → make → devil
And I’d bet the devil hasn’t said a word to him since the impeachment.
asserted
devil → bet → impeachment
In April, Dershowitz announced he was swapping to the Republican party after decades of supporting the Democratic party, which he labelled the “most anti-Israel party in US history”.
asserted
he → announce → history
In June the US supreme court turned down a request by Dershowitz to revive a $300m defamation lawsuit he filed against CNN over the network’s coverage of remarks he made while defending Trump, which he claimed had been edited to make it falsely appear that he “had lost his mind”.
asserted
he → turn → mind
