Why “Curb Your Enthusiasm”’s Susie Essman and Cheryl Hines didn’t address Richard Lewis’ death on “Watch What Happens Live”

The actor died at 76 on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.

Bravo is clarifying why Curb Your Enthusiasm stars Susie Essman and Cheryl Hines did not address the passing of their castmate Richard Lewis during last night’s episode of Watch What Happens Live.

The series’ confirmed in a social media statement that the episode “was recorded earlier this week” prior to Lewis’ death at age 76 on Tuesday. It added, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of comedian Richard Lewis and send our heartfelt condolences to his friends, family and the cast of Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

While visiting the show, Essman and Hines were asked by host Andy Cohen about their favorite Curb episodes. “I have a lot of ‘em, but I’m gonna say ‘The Doll,'” Essman said, referring to the season 2 episode where Larry David’s character angers an ABC executive by cutting off the hair of her daughter’s antique doll and resorts to some very inventive measures in order to find her a new one.  

“I would say the car wash,'” Hines added, a nod to the season 3 episode “The Grand Opening” in which her character, on a colon cleanse, ends up pooping herself after getting trapped in a car wash with Larry. 

Lewis, who starred in a recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on the HBO series, died of a heart attack on Tuesday, his publicist Jeff Abraham said. Last year, the comedian announced his retirement from stand-up and revealed that he had been living with Parkinson's disease, but noted that he would continue to write and act. He currently stars on the final season of Curb.

Hines, who played David's wife on the series, later paid tribute to him in a lengthy social media post on Wednesday. "When I was young I had the biggest crush on Richard Lewis," she wrote on Instagram. "He was the funniest person on stage and the most handsome comedian. Then when I was cast on Curb Your Enthusiasm, I got to work with him and it was a dream come true. Through the years I learned who Richard really was and the gifts he gave. Yes, he was the comedian I fell in love with, but he was also one of the most loving people I know. He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him - especially in recent years."

"In between takes on Curb, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me," she concluded. "To be loved by Richard Lewis. A true gift. I love you Richard. You will be missed. Sending my love to Joyce and to all of Richard's family. Larry, Richard adored you. But you know that."

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