Larry David is an American comedian, actor, and television writer who appeared in FTX’s 2022 Super Bowl commercial. The ad used his familiar skeptical persona to reject inventions through history and ended by telling viewers, ‘Don’t be like Larry.’ After FTX collapsed later that year, the contrast became an online joke and a discussion about celebrity endorsements. David was a spokesperson in an advertisement, not an FTX executive.
The FTX Commercial
The commercial presented David as a skeptic who dismisses the wheel, the light bulb, and other innovations before rejecting FTX. The campaign described FTX as a safe and easy way to enter crypto. Those were advertising claims about the exchange, not evidence about its internal controls or customers’ ability to recover funds.
FTX filed for bankruptcy in November 2022. In the aftermath, David’s refusal in the ad was reinterpreted as ironic. That meme captures a later audience reaction; it does not show that David knew in advance how FTX was being run.
The Investor Lawsuit and David’s Comment
A proposed investor class action filed in 2022 named David and other celebrities, alleging that their FTX endorsements helped promote the exchange. A complaint records plaintiffs’ allegations, not a court finding that an endorser knew of misconduct or caused a particular investor’s losses. In a 2024 interview, David said he felt like an idiot for taking part in the commercial. That later comment is distinct from the claims in the lawsuit.
Social Media Sentiment
A November 2022 r/CryptoCurrency thread about the FTX celebrity lawsuit includes both dark humor about David’s ‘no’ in the ad and comments that the actors were paid spokespeople. It is one community discussion during the news cycle, not a representative measure of public opinion. Read the discussion.
Last updated: 2026-10
Related Terms
See Also
- What the Celsius Collapse Tells Us About Crypto Lending Risk
- Why Algorithmic Stablecoins Keep Failing
- Are Points Programs Just Airdrops With Better Marketing?
- Exchange crypto with ChangeNOW
Sources
- Associated Press: FTX ads and the celebrity lawsuit — reports on the Super Bowl campaign, FTX’s collapse, and the complaint naming David and other celebrities.
- CBS News: David reflects on the FTX commercial — reports his 2024 comment about accepting the commercial role.
- FTX investor class-action complaint — the primary filing that states the plaintiffs’ allegations about celebrity endorsements.