Area native Jeff Garlin back in town for stand-up show

• Reprints

Jeff Garlin

Updated: July 20, 2011 11:04AM

Jeff Garlin is best known as Larry David’s manager in the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which begins its eighth season Sunday on HBO. The Morton Grove native returns to the area next week to perform “No Sugar Tonight: An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy” at Steppenwolf Theatre.

Garlin, 49, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, started out doing stand-up as a young man and has added the titles of actor, author, director, producer and writer to his credits over the years. He studied at Second City and has appeared in several movies and television shows, including the film he wrote, directed and starred in, “I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With,” in 2006.

His most recent film credits include the voice of Otis in the recently released “Cars 2,” Buttercup, the unicorn, in “Toy Story 3” (2010) and the Captain in “Wall-E” (2008), all Pixar animated features. Some of his earliest TV credits include roles in “Roseanne” (1989) and “Baywatch” (1994), followed later by “The Michael Richards Show” in 2000.

Q.

In “No Sugar Tonight,” you talk about your addiction to sugar. How addicted are you?

A. I’m addicted, but I don’t eat it anymore. I haven’t had it for 21/2 years. It’s like an alcoholic. I still know if I took one cookie, I’d be off to the races and it would be over.

Q.

A. My addiction, yes, began in Morton Grove. I was a very young fella. I remember not being able to get enough Ho Hos.

Q.

You’re a Cubs fan. Which is the more difficult struggle: Addiction to sugar or watching the Cubs this year?

A. Right now, it’s the Cubs. For me, after the first two or three weeks without sugar, I was fine. But the Cubs are more difficult. It is a misery this year. It’s truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I mean, I don’t even really know what to say. I mean, yeah ... my God.

Q.

In “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” how close is your character to real life?

A. I talk like the character, I look like the character, but that’s about it. The character is pretty horrible, if you ask me.

Q.

You’ve been in three Pixar animated features. Which one of those characters is most like you? Which was your favorite to do?

Q.

What do you remember from your appearances on “The Michael Richards Show,” “Roseanne” and “Baywatch”?

A. As far as “Michael Richards,” it was kind of a dark time for that show. It didn’t quite work. It wasn’t that fun. “Roseanne” was fun. I was very eager to have a bigger part. I had a small part and I wasn’t comfortable with that. As far as “Baywatch,” it was the worst acting I’ve ever done and the best acting I’ve ever done. You watch it, you’d think I’m terrible, but if you consider the fact I’m doing scenes with David Hasselhoff yelling at me and I didn’t laugh, I think my acting is remarkable.