![Susie Essman on a red carpet.](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis612-1.jpg?w=1024)
Susie Essman: Jeff Garlin is ‘working very hard’ after bipolar diagnosis
![Susie Essman on a red carpet.](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis612-1.jpg?w=1024)
Jeff Garlin is trying his best in the wake of his bipolar disorder diagnosis, according to his “Curb Your Enthusiasm” co-star Susie Essman.
“He’s working very hard. He’s on his meds, and he’s working in therapy, and he’s working hard to manage it,” the actress told Page Six exclusively on Friday night at a cocktail party celebrating the upcoming Broadway musical “Some Like It Hot.”
Garlin, 60, revealed on Instagram in September that he was diagnosed with the mental health disorder that causes extreme mood swings.
“Bipolar is a motherf–ker,” he wrote. “Sometimes it’s just too much to deal with. I’m doing the best I can. This the first time that I’ve opened up about this.”
![Jeff Garlin sitting on bench.](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis624.jpg)
The diagnosis has not stopped the comedian from filming Season 12 of “Curb,” however.
“I just came home for Thanksgiving, and this is the funniest season,” Essman, 67, teased to us. “I’ve already lost my voice screaming and yelling at Larry [David] and Jeff, so more to come. I mean, I literally got laryngitis from screaming at them, but they deserve it, don’t they?”
The “Broad City” star shared that fans are often disappointed she’s nothing like her acerbic character on “Curb,” Susie Greene, who seemingly can’t say a sentence without cursing and is forever bellowing at David, 75, and Garlin, her on-screen husband.
![Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman hugging on a red carpet.](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis610.jpg)
“I don’t love yelling and screaming,” she explained. “I love the character Susie Green. In my real life, I don’t behave that way. People stop me on the street and I’m gracious to them, and I can see in their faces they’re visibly disappointed and upset that I’m being nice.”
Essman has worked in the comedy world for more than three decades and forged close friendships with several of her peers over the years, including the late Gilbert Gottfried, whose funeral she spoke at in April.
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![Susie Essman in "Curb Your Enthusiasm."](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis615.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=878)
![Susie Essman and Jeff Garlin in "Curb Your Enthusiasm."](https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/susie-essman-jeff-garlin-bipolar-diagnosis608.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=878)
“I don’t know anyone in my entire life who was cheaper than Gilbert,” she quipped to Page Six. “It was a pathology, but everything about Gilbert was so endearing — like a child that you wanted to take care of, which I also think was manipulative. He did that to get you to take care of him, but he was the cheapest person alive.”
Other stars at the cocktail party included designers Zac Posen, David Lauren and Lauren Bush Lauren, actors Tony Danza and Gina Gershon, “Beverly Hills, 90210” creator Darren Star and journalist Rob Shuter. They were entertained by Marc Shaiman, who wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics for “Some Like It Hot” and sat down at a grand piano to sing the title song.