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John Mulaney Thinks Comics Should Take the Gloves Off John Mulaney Thinks Comics Should Take the Gloves Off
(3 months later)
Your new stand-up special is out on Netflix now, which you performed in a lot of big, beautiful theaters, including Radio City Music Hall. Are there any big venues you still dream about playing? I want to do “Oh, Hello” live at the Acropolis. Just because only Yanni has done that so far.Your new stand-up special is out on Netflix now, which you performed in a lot of big, beautiful theaters, including Radio City Music Hall. Are there any big venues you still dream about playing? I want to do “Oh, Hello” live at the Acropolis. Just because only Yanni has done that so far.
You have a habit of checking out local historic sites when you’re on tour. Is there any one in particular that you love? Have you ever been to the Teddy Roosevelt townhouse? He grew up in a townhouse in Chelsea that’s pretty well preserved, and this one woman is ecstatic if you want to take a tour.You have a habit of checking out local historic sites when you’re on tour. Is there any one in particular that you love? Have you ever been to the Teddy Roosevelt townhouse? He grew up in a townhouse in Chelsea that’s pretty well preserved, and this one woman is ecstatic if you want to take a tour.
Does it have a lot of hunting trophies? Yes, it had a lot of birds that he taxidermied. And I remember her saying that he often had trouble on dates because he always smelled like formaldehyde. They’d be like, “You smell like formaldehyde,” and he’d be like: “Ah, bully bully! I killed a bird and stuffed it.”Does it have a lot of hunting trophies? Yes, it had a lot of birds that he taxidermied. And I remember her saying that he often had trouble on dates because he always smelled like formaldehyde. They’d be like, “You smell like formaldehyde,” and he’d be like: “Ah, bully bully! I killed a bird and stuffed it.”
Do you consider yourself a presidential-history buff? I used to be a total Lisa Simpson about it; I used to be able to recite all the presidents, start to finish. I can’t do that anymore. Now I have all the dead spots other people have. You know, John Tyler, I couldn’t tell you much about him.Do you consider yourself a presidential-history buff? I used to be a total Lisa Simpson about it; I used to be able to recite all the presidents, start to finish. I can’t do that anymore. Now I have all the dead spots other people have. You know, John Tyler, I couldn’t tell you much about him.
If you were going to play a president, whom would you want to play, and why? William Henry Harrison. He was very funny because he was president for one month. He gave way too long of an inaugural address, where he caught pneumonia, and he died a month later.If you were going to play a president, whom would you want to play, and why? William Henry Harrison. He was very funny because he was president for one month. He gave way too long of an inaugural address, where he caught pneumonia, and he died a month later.
That would be great: A president planning his whole presidency and doesn’t know he’s going to die in a month. “All right, let’s focus on the first 100 days. Hand me that pen as I cough for 10 minutes. O.K., anyway. Let’s talk about roads.”That would be great: A president planning his whole presidency and doesn’t know he’s going to die in a month. “All right, let’s focus on the first 100 days. Hand me that pen as I cough for 10 minutes. O.K., anyway. Let’s talk about roads.”
How are you feeling about the current moment in politics? I’ve got to say, there are times I wish the election had gone the other way.How are you feeling about the current moment in politics? I’ve got to say, there are times I wish the election had gone the other way.
Where do you feel comedy fits in? Do you feel as if it’s an escape from reality, or do you feel responsibility to talk about things that are happening? I feel a responsibility to try to be as funny as possible. We’re talking about an hour of their night that’s a release — not pretending things aren’t happening. I love comedians that dive into politics. I personally don’t feel comfortable, with my background, weighing in unless I have a take that I think is funny enough that I would put it in front of an audience.Where do you feel comedy fits in? Do you feel as if it’s an escape from reality, or do you feel responsibility to talk about things that are happening? I feel a responsibility to try to be as funny as possible. We’re talking about an hour of their night that’s a release — not pretending things aren’t happening. I love comedians that dive into politics. I personally don’t feel comfortable, with my background, weighing in unless I have a take that I think is funny enough that I would put it in front of an audience.
Do you feel that it’s a weird environment for satire? No. I don’t mean to be glib, but I don’t think it’s a hard time for comics. Patton Oswalt has a bit about this that I will poorly paraphrase: There’s so much stuff that you can’t even make fun of the most current thing. Like, you write a joke about one thing Trump’s done and then 20 seconds later, he’s done something even worse. I don’t think it’s hard to make fun of the biggest laughingstocks in the world who are in the news all day long. I do think it’s hard to be original about it.Do you feel that it’s a weird environment for satire? No. I don’t mean to be glib, but I don’t think it’s a hard time for comics. Patton Oswalt has a bit about this that I will poorly paraphrase: There’s so much stuff that you can’t even make fun of the most current thing. Like, you write a joke about one thing Trump’s done and then 20 seconds later, he’s done something even worse. I don’t think it’s hard to make fun of the biggest laughingstocks in the world who are in the news all day long. I do think it’s hard to be original about it.
You used to write for “Saturday Night Live,” which the president sometimes seems to watch. Would it be tempting if you were still there to intentionally anger him? I mean, the standards have changed because he changed the standards of acceptability. Around 2012, when I was still there, we had a sketch with a sort of light, not too mean, cutaway to all of Mitt Romney’s sons — it was a B-minus joke. It was just, like, “Oh, they’re robotic, and they’re all named Tad or whatever.” And we really debated it because, well, what have these children of his done? What’s the point of making fun of them? And there was a general standard of not doing that. But now “S.N.L.” regularly mocks Eric and Donald Jr., as they should. You bring your stupid kids on TV and force them into your White House, then those particular kids are fair game. You used to write for “Saturday Night Live,” which the president sometimes seems to watch. Would it be tempting if you were still there to intentionally anger him? I mean, the standards have changed because he changed the standards of acceptability. Around 2012, when I was still there, we had a sketch with a sort of light, not too mean, cutaway to all of Mitt Romney’s sons — it was a B-minus joke. It was just, like, “Oh, they’re robotic, and they’re all named Tad or whatever.” And we really debated it because, well, what have these children of his done? What’s the point of making fun of them? And there was a general standard of not doing that. But now “S.N.L.” regularly mocks Eric and Donald Jr., as they should. You bring your stupid kids on TV and force them into your White House, then those particular kids are fair game. /•/
Age: 35
Occupation:
Comedian
Hometown:
Chicago
John Mulaney is a comedian and half of “Oh, Hello!” with Nick Kroll. His latest standup special, “Kid Gorgeous,” is available now on Netflix.
6,000: Size of the audience for Mulaney’s taping at Radio City Music Hall.