Larry David forced to apologise after attacking Elmo on live TV

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ creator and ‘Sesame Street’ star had a dramatic altercation live on air

Larry David has been forced to issue an apology after he dramatically attacked Sesame Street star Elmo live on air.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm creator and the Sesame Street icon were separate guests on NBC’s Today show, but the pair came to blows in a staged skit, in which David appeared to grab Elmo’s face, much to the horror of hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin.

As David went for the puppet’s mouth, Guthrie yelled “Oh my God” as Kotb and Melvin put their hands over their mouths.

“Larry, you’ve gone too far this time!” Guthrie added.

Elmo confronted David and said: “Let’s get back on the couch and talk about how you’re feeling.”

Later, during his interview with Guthrie and Kotb, David was asked to make an apology “from the heart” to the Sesame Street star.

The pair eventually reconciled after some intervention from the hosts, when David said through laughter: “Elmo, I just want to apologise. I’m really sorry.”

“Thank you, Larry,” the character responded, shaking from rage. “Elmo accepts your apology.”

‘Larry, you’ve gone too far this time!’ (NBC)

David appeared on the show ahead of the forthcoming 12th and final season of his HBO comedy series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

“It’s time,” he told Variety about ending the series. “Twelve seasons...that’s a lot for a television show over 24 years. It was time. Yeah, I said [the show was ending] before. But I wasn’t 76 when I said it.”

After the televised attack, rapper T-Pain, 39, weighed in and showed his support for the beloved puppet.

“I know I didn’t just see my mans @elmo assaulted on live TV,” the “Buy U a Drank” singer tweeted.

Meanwhile, Elmo has had quite a stressful week. The character unexpectedly went viral on X (formerly Twitter) after asking his followers a simple question: “How is everybody doing? and the result was an outpouring of grief, anxiety, and existential angst.

“Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” asked the scarlet-haired Muppet on Twitter/X, on Monday morning.

“Elmo, I’m gonna be real, I am at my f***ing limit,” responded Lebanon-based journalist Séamus Malekafzali.

“The world is burning around us, Elmo,” said football YouTuber Steven McInerney. “Elmo, we are tired,” replied another Twitter/X user.

After the outpouring of emotion on social media, Elmo tweeted: “Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you. #EmotionalWellBeing.”