I wanted to make a living, but I really was not interested in money at all. I was interested in being a great comedian.

Larry David contrasts basic financial necessity (“make a living”) with a deeper artistic ambition: mastery of craft and recognition as a comedian. The line frames money as instrumental rather than motivational—something required to survive, not the measure of success. It also reflects a common creative ethos in which authenticity, excellence, and the pursuit of a distinctive comedic voice outweigh commercial calculation. Implicitly, David suggests that focusing on the work itself—becoming “great”—is what ultimately sustains a career, while chasing money can distort priorities and dilute originality.