No love lost for his character aside, Garlin says his character helped him recover from a medical emergency in real life. Garlin suffered a stroke in February 2000, before season 1 shooting was set to begin. Garlin has also suffered from compulsive eating, a heart defect, diabetes, epilepsy, and attention deficit disorder.
"If you watch the first season, I am so strokey," Garlin said (via The Guardian). "It's funnier to walk with a golf club. But Curb was the best rehab I could have had... the [improvisation] alone did wonders."
Although Garlin isn't fond of his onscreen persona, shooting Curb might have been the best thing for his health, which is a blessing considering he didn't want the job in the first place. Lesson: Never underestimate the value of structure — and, well, improv. As for his career, it appears joining Curb was also a smart decision given the longevity and (for the most part) stability of the show.
