The comedian mocked the Democratic Socialists of America, its political platform and its stance on Israel in a satirical essay that has drawn criticism from some readers online.
American comedian Larry David has sparked debate with a satirical essay targeting the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), mocking the organisation’s political proposals and its opposition to Israel.
In an essay published by Air Mail, the 79-year-old comedian presents a series of deliberately provocative “modest proposals”, borrowing the satirical style of 18th-century writer Jonathan Swift. His targets include the DSA’s positions on prisons, immigration, reparations and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
David imagines a future socialist America in which police forces are dramatically reduced, employers provide space for two daily naps and workers receive paid leave following the death of a pet. Other suggestions include allowing people who identify as animals to relieve themselves wherever they choose and requiring white people to serve as slaves for Black families as a form of reparations.
The essay also takes aim at debates within the Democratic Party over Israel and antisemitism. In one passage, David proposes that Jewish people should no longer call themselves “the Chosen people”, instead referring to them as “the Bagel People”.
He also satirises proposals for a two-state solution by suggesting that Palestinians receive all the land currently occupied by Israel, while Israelis relocate to Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific.
Online backlash over the essay
The piece has drawn criticism from some readers who identify with democratic socialist ideas, with several questioning its humour and accusing David of being out of touch.
Matthew Gauna, a 29-year-old student in San Antonio who supports democratic socialist policies but is not a DSA member, said he was unsure whether the comedian was performing at his usual level.
Zack Wall, a 35-year-old democratic socialist from Columbus, Ohio, described the essay as a disappointment, arguing that its jokes were crude and unfunny. Other social media users focused on David’s age while criticising his views.
The DSA declined to comment on the essay, according to the report.
David, best known for creating Seinfeld with Jerry Seinfeld and for starring in Curb Your Enthusiasm, has long been associated with political satire and has been a prominent Democratic donor in Hollywood.
His previous political essay, published in The New York Times in April 2025, mocked comedian Bill Maher for dining with US President Donald Trump at the White House. In that piece, David imagined having dinner with Adolf Hitler in 1939.
The latest essay does not directly target the DSA’s economic policies, including universal healthcare, higher minimum wages and expanded public housing and childcare. These proposals have helped attract voters concerned about rising living costs and economic inequality.
David appears to anticipate criticism in his closing passages, proposing that comedians whose jokes cause “emotional discomfort” should undergo re-education to become more sensitive. Those who fail to change, he suggests, should be sent to Pitcairn Island to live with the “Bagel People”.
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