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In the pantheon of perfect casting, Larry David playing Bernie Sanders on Saturday Night Live is up there with the all-time greats. Like Jared Leto playing Hugh Hefner (well, the jury is still out on that one). Not only did David look the spitting image of Sanders, but his impression was pretty solid too. People were even linking the two men well before SNL cast David as the former presidential candidate. Most just chalked this up to both men growing up in Jewish families in Brooklyn, but the truth, it turns out, is that they’re related.
David revealed his family ties with the Vermont senator while promoting the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, saying: “He’s in the line, like a third cousin, or something.” Now, the full breadth of their relationship, and David’s surprising lineage that links back to family members fighting for the Confederacy, are outlined on the season premiere of PBS’ Finding Your Roots.
The initial friendship between Sanders and David is based in comedy, but it turns out that the premiere of Finding Your Roots was deep in ways few expected. It turns out much of David’s family was killed in the Holocaust, with his grandfather’s immigration to the United States saving his life. David knew about none of this. Nine of his grandfather’s brothers and sisters were presumed killed during World War 2, and he had no idea. He also contemplated the fact that his great-grandfather owned slaves and fought for the south. Another fact that he was completely unaware of. And in a touching moment, David finally learned his mother’s real name: Regina.
The dive into Bernie’s history isn’t quite as fascinating as David’s, but the kicker, when it’s confirmed that he shares DNA with the creator of Seinfeld, is something special.
