Back in the mid ’90s, “The Larry Sanders Show” was one of the most popular shows on tv, so well-known actors often popped up as guest stars. One of the most popular guest appearances was David Duchovny, who had gained mainstream popularity playing Fox Mulder on “The X-Files.” One of Duchovny’s most popular appearances occurs in the sitcom’s fifth season, where an enamored Duchovny invites Larry to his hotel room and shows off his goods in a loose, white robe à la Sharon Stone in “Basic Instinct.”
Some celebrities might shy away from mocking themselves on a popular show, but Duchovny seemed to thrive on it. When asked why he decided to parody himself on the sitcom, Duchovny explained:
“Sanders gave me the opportunity – it wasn’t like I had that idea, because Sanders was in the business of celebrities presenting themselves in a way that they would never want to present themselves in reality. It was pre-Internet. But it was the first kind of show that allowed celebrities to wink and say, ‘hey, we’re screwed up, we’re just people, we can make fun of ourselves,’ whatever it was.”
As opposed to hiding away from the expectations of celebrity, Duchovny has decided it’s best to embrace it, and make fun of the whole idea every chance he gets.
