WHEN "The Larry Sanders Show" went off the air, many of its fans mourned above all the departure of Hank Kingsley, Larry's on-camera sidekick.

It's a craft he perfected as Larry Sanders's annoying talk show sidekick, Hank Kingsley.

There are the series regulars, including Jeffrey Tambor, who played Hank Kingsley ("hey now!")

He was eventually rescued by his sidekick, Hank Kingsley (Jeffrey Tambor), who had more experience in doing commercials.

Tambor is often remembered as Hank Kingsley, the narcissistic sidekick of fictional talk show host Larry Sanders on The Larry Sanders Show.

Nothing captures the chilling banality of Larry's world - of television itself - better than Jeffrey Tambor's superb portrayal of Hank Kingsley, Larry's sidekick.

Far more startling was an uncloseting that took place on "The Larry Sanders Show" Wednesday night (to be repeated on HBO early next week): Hank Kingsley came out as a Jew.

It mirrors the "Hi-yo" catchphrase used by Ed McMahon (sidekick on The Tonight Show), upon whom Hank Kingsley was based.

He suddenly realizes "how empty my life has become," and sets about nailing a mezuza to his office door and announcing to the staff that Hank Kingsley is, from now on, Hank Lipstein.