"The Larry Sanders Show" is a satire on show business that mixes fact with fiction. It featured real-life celebrity guests as they performed on the talk show and as they appeared behind the scenes. For example, in the final episode Larry interviews Sean Penn who, once they cut to a commercial break, gossips freely about Shandling's acting, insecurity, and behavior towards Penn's wife (Robin Wright) on the set of "Hurlyburly", in which all three appear. The scripts often shocked by appearing to show the guest's malice, or the difference between their public and private personas.