Garry Shandling‘s guest turn on Jerry Seinfeld‘s “Comedian in Cars Getting Coffee” aired on Jan. 20. The title of that episode was “It’s Great That Garry Shandling Is Still Alive.” Two months and four days later, Shandling has died.
The title isn’t the only ominous connection to the episode.
During their drive, Shandling tells Seinfeld, “So it turns out I had a hyperparathyroid gland that was undiagnosed because the symptoms mirrored the exact same symptoms an older Jewish man would have.”
“You know, lethargic; you get puffy, you get heavy,” he said. “You kind of realize you want a divorce even though you’re not married.”
Later, they look at names in lights at the Los Angeles stand-up landmark Comedy Store, including Shandling’s, when he remarks, “It’s like every other person has passed away.”
The duo also discusses the deaths of fellow comics David Brenner and Robin Williams. Shandling was the same age as Williams, so that one hit him particularly hard. In hindsight, the recent topics of discussion are as spooky as they are sad.
Shandling even describes what he wants at his own funeral: “An actual boxing referee to do a count, and at 5 just wave it off and say, ‘He’s not getting up.’”
At the end of the episode, Shandling explains the title of the episode, which stems from an odd conversation he had recently while receiving a CT scan.
On the lighter side of the 20-minute, 40-second Season 7 episode, Shandling made fun of the Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercials, tanning salons and more.
The two legends share their love for Porsche 911s, and discuss early stand-up comedy days, when they became fast friends on the same scene. Plus, Seinfeld interviewed his old friend about the classic “Larry Sanders Show.”
Watch the video above.
Sanders died Thursday after suffering an apparent heart attack.