The fifth episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" kicks off with a poignant tribute to Richard Lewis, who tragically passed away last week from a heart attack. Over the years, Lewis had become a staple character in the show's ensemble. Following this heartfelt tribute, the narrative seamlessly transitions into Larry's consultation with his newly acquired lawyer, Christopher Mantle. Amidst their discussion, Larry mentions Mantle's surname's similarity to that of Mickey Mantle, the renowned basketball player, sparking a brief digression.
Mantle has been entrusted with handling Larry's water-bottle interference case in Atlanta, reassuring Larry that a trial can be avoided and hinting at the possibility of dismissing the charges on constitutional grounds. During this pivotal meeting, Mantle reveals that he and his husband are expecting a child through surrogacy, prompting Larry to inquire about the child's surname. To Larry's astonishment, Mantle reveals that the child will bear his husband's surname, Zekelman, instead of the illustrious Mantle. Larry, ever the advocate for tradition, pushes Mantle to reconsider, revisiting the topic when he encounters Mantle and his husband at a temple function accompanied by Irma.
Later, at a bustling Chinese restaurant, Freddy Funkhauser regales Larry and Leon with tales of his new romance with a woman he believes is a Disney executive, given her intricate knowledge of upcoming films. As the trio enjoys their meal, Larry's gaze becomes glued to a nearby aquarium. He notices a fish seemingly trapped in the filter, but the waiter dismisses his concern, insisting, "The fish isn't stuck; it's sick."
Meanwhile, Cyrus, Irma's sponsor, approaches Larry with a request. He asks if Larry knows someone who could review his daughter's script. Larry, though hesitant, eventually agrees. When Larry arrives at the temple function with Irma, he seizes the opportunity to pitch Freddy's "Disney executive" girlfriend to take a look at Cyrus's daughter's script. The woman, though initially confused, graciously accepts the offer.
Meanwhile, within the serene confines of the temple, Larry's gaze falls upon a freshly laid brick on the donation wall, its surface etched with a poignant message from Hobie Turner, the Seinfeld writer from a prior episode. The brick boldly declares, "Larry David is disrespectful to women." Larry approaches the rabbi with a plea to remove this "defamatory brick," contending that it constitutes "hate speech." However, the rabbi, steadfast in his conviction, declines and suggests it is merely "a forceful expression of dislike."
Later, at the temple, Mantle's husband confronts Larry, but Larry, ever the comedian, begins suggesting names for the impending child—Ziggy Zekelman, Scooter Zekelman, Foots Zekelman, among others. This playful interjection ignites a heated altercation between Christopher Mantle and Zekelman.
Shortly thereafter, Sienna Miller approaches Larry, sharing her journey of converting to Judaism. She once again flirts with him and invites him to a dinner party. Yet, tied to Irma, Larry politely declines. He yearns to sever ties with Irma but finds himself at a loss for how to do so gracefully.
It transpires that Freddy's supposed "Disney exec" girlfriend is merely a greeter at the Disney Store. Larry counsels Freddy to end things with her.
Returning to the familiar confines of the Chinese restaurant, Larry is informed by the waiter that the fish is "sick and gone." Larry, skeptical, insists it's "stuck and dead."
Elsewhere, Larry entices Richard Lewis with the promise of including him in his will if he reveals what Irma shared in AA. Richard, swayed by the offer, confides that Irma left her first husband due to his infantile behavior. This revelation sparks the perfect idea in Larry's mind to finally bid farewell to Irma.
When Larry consults his lawyer, he learns that his heated exchange with Zekelman has led to strife between Mantle and his wife, resulting in Mantle being banished to the office couch. In his exhaustion, Mantle misses the deadline to file a motion to dismiss the case, forcing Larry to proceed to trial.
Larry and Freddy, bound together by their yearning for liberation, crafted a scheme to terminate their respective romantic entanglements by confessing to Irma and the Disney Princess that they had been stricken with Groat's Disease. Larry, after much perseverance, succeeded in persuading Irma to sever ties with him, albeit on conditions dictated by her AA sponsor.
However, destiny intervened when Irma found herself at the Disney Store, where serendipity led her to the Disney Princess. They exchanged stories of shattered relationships and, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, began to fit together the intricate narrative of deceit. To compound the drama, the AA sponsor's daughter also made an unexpected appearance, disclosing that she had been ostracized from her writers' circle due to the catastrophic counsel bestowed upon her by Larry's proxy.
The episode concludes with a stark revelation: the temple walls now bear several defamatory bricks—one by Cyrus, the sponsor, accusing Larry of being a "lying bastard"; another by Zekelman, branding him a "homewrecker"; Irma's brick labels him a "coward and a cheat"; and lastly, the rabbi's brick declares Larry a "shame for the gentiles."
