If you’ve spent any time on the comedy side of YouTube lately, you know Bobby Lee as the chaotic, shirtless, and endlessly self-deprecating host of TigerBelly. He’s the "Slept King." But before he was a podcasting titan, he was a working actor taking whatever weird roles came his way. One of those roles just happened to be in one of the most infamous episodes of HBO's flagship comedy.
People often ask: was Bobby Lee actually in Curb Your Enthusiasm?
The answer is yes. He wasn't just a background extra, either. He played a pivotal—and highly controversial—character in Season 5.
The Episode: Season 5, Episode 9
The episode is titled "The Korean Bookie." It originally aired in 2005. At the time, Bobby Lee was still a fixture on MADtv, but he hadn't yet become the household name he is today.
In the world of Curb, Larry David is always looking for an edge. In this specific arc, Larry starts using a bookie. Enter Bobby Lee. He plays Sung, the titular Korean bookie. He’s not the typical polished, high-stakes gambler you see in movies. He’s dismissive, slightly agitated, and perfectly matched for Larry’s specific brand of social friction.
The plot kicks off when Larry borrows a jacket from a friend and accidentally leaves it at a flower shop. From there, things spiral. Larry eventually suspects that Sung has kidnapped Jeff Greene’s dog, Oscar.
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Why? Because Larry is Larry.
Why Bobby Lee Curb Your Enthusiasm is Such a Weird Moment in TV History
Honestly, this episode is a time capsule. It leans heavily into the "unwitting racism" trope that Curb Your Enthusiasm often explored in its middle seasons. Larry suspects Sung of eating the dog because of a series of cultural misunderstandings and, frankly, Larry's own prejudices.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
Bobby Lee plays it straight. While Larry is frantically trying to "rescue" the dog, Bobby’s character, Sung, is just trying to live his life and take bets. One of the most quoted lines from the episode involves Sung serving a meat dish at a dinner party. Larry, convinced he’s eating Jeff's dog, starts making "barking" sounds and shouting, "You're eating a doooooog!"
Sung’s reaction is pure gold. He doesn't go over the top. He just looks at Larry like he’s the craziest person on the planet. Which, in that moment, he is.
A Scene-Stealer in the Making
Even back in 2005, you could see Bobby's comedic timing. He didn't need ten minutes of screen time to make an impact. Most guest stars on Curb struggle because the show is heavily improvised based on an outline. You have to be quick. You have to be able to "play" with Larry David without breaking character.
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Bobby nailed it. He played Sung as a guy who was genuinely offended but also just tired of Larry’s nonsense.
The Legacy of Sung the Bookie
Interestingly, Bobby Lee has talked about this role on his podcasts, TigerBelly and Bad Friends. He’s mentioned that working with Larry David was both a career highlight and an intimidating experience.
It’s one of those "before they were famous" roles that fans love to rediscover. If you go back and watch the episode now, it hits differently. You see a young Bobby Lee—sporting a very 2005 haircut—holding his own against a comedy legend.
Was the Episode Too Much?
Looking back, "The Korean Bookie" is often cited as one of the more "cringe" episodes of the series. Not because of the acting, but because of the subject matter. Larry David has always poked at social taboos, but the "eating the dog" trope was a heavy lift even for him.
However, the episode works because the joke is always on Larry. He is the one who looks like a fool. He is the one who loses his bookie, his social standing, and eventually his dignity. Bobby Lee’s character remains the "sane" one in the room, which is a hilarious reversal for anyone who knows Bobby’s modern-day persona.
How to Watch Bobby Lee in Curb Your Enthusiasm
If you want to see the performance for yourself, it’s easy to find.
- Platform: Max (formerly HBO Max).
- Season: 5.
- Episode: 9 ("The Korean Bookie").
- Runtime: Approximately 30 minutes.
It’s worth the watch just to see the contrast between 2005 Bobby and the Bobby Lee we know now. He’s much more restrained here. There’s no yelling or chaotic energy—just a guy trying to collect on a parlay while a balding man screams about a missing dog.
What Bobby Lee Did Next
After his stint on Curb, Bobby’s career took a slow but steady climb. He stayed on MADtv until 2009, appeared in movies like Pineapple Express and The Dictator, and eventually found his true calling in the world of podcasting.
He recently appeared in the Borderlands movie and has a recurring role in the Sex and the City revival, And Just Like That.... But for a certain segment of comedy nerds, he will always be the guy who Larry David accused of dognapping.
Practical Takeaways for Fans:
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- Watch for the Improv: Pay attention to the dinner party scene. You can tell Bobby is reacting in real-time to Larry's "barking."
- Context Matters: Remember that this episode aired nearly 20 years ago. The humor is "edgy" by today's standards, but it’s a masterclass in how Curb constructs a disaster.
- Check out the Podcasts: If you like Bobby Lee in this, listen to the TigerBelly episode where he discusses his early career. He often gives behind-the-scenes tidbits about the "hustle" of being a guest star in the mid-2000s.
Bobby Lee in Curb Your Enthusiasm is a small but essential piece of the show's history. It proved that he could play in the "big leagues" of prestige comedy, even if he was just there to get yelled at by a man who couldn't find his jacket.