Comedian Showcase: John Mulaney

The best word to describe stand-up comedian and writer John Mulaney’s unique yet relatable brand of humor is “bemusement”. Mulaney’s ability to experience life with a sense of detached, and at times derisive, delight allows him to find humor in the banal and the ordinary.


You may never have heard of Mulaney, but if you’ve watched Saturday Night Live since 2008, you’re familiar with his work.


In fact, consistent fans of Weekend Update owe much to this fine gentleman. Not only has Mulaney himself featured in segments called “I Love It”, he is also the mastermind behind the infamous Bill Hader character, Stefon, the hilariously awkward gay club rat who is as hopeless at offering travel advice to normal American families as he is hopelessly in love with Update Anchor Seth Meyers. Mulaney based the character of Stefon on a bizarre acquaintance who was trying to open a club.

Mulaney is not only responsible for the Stefon’s outlandish lines (ex. “you’ll have your own Harry met Sally moment when you share a special kiss with GIZMO! The coked-up gremlin!”). Hader claims his at this point ritual outbursts of laughter (or “breaks” as it is referred to in the comedy community) are due to Mulaney’s tendency to change his lines directly before Hader is preparing to get on stage. Mulaney confirmed this, saying he loves putting new jokes on the cue cards, because he thinks it’s funny to see his friend lose control on the air.


Mulaney is not only a master of behind the scenes comedy, but is an extremely engaging performer in his own right. He has so far produced two full-length stand-up specials, The Top Part (2009) and New in Town (2012). Both specials contain a mix of personal anecdotes, cultural commentary, and a slew of somewhat off-beat cultural references. There is consistency between the two; for instance, in The Top Part, Mulaney discusses about his disconcerting habit of going out drinking, blacking out, and then waking up with more money than he started his night with (“This means that I made money, in the exchange of goods and/or services”). Three years later in New in Town, he provides a few more anecdotes to explain why he quit drinking (“I used to drink too much, and I would black out and I would ‘ruin parties’).


My personal favorite of Mulaney’s standup bits has got to be The Xanax Story. This bit represents the pinnacle of Mulaney’s ability to tell a story that pulls listeners into the absurdity of his world and leave them breathless with laughter. I won’t butcher the tale with paraphrasing, but the gist of it is a quest to get a Xanax prescription from a health clinic leads to some unwanted medical procedures accompanied by a male nurse named “Batman”.


To enjoy more John Mulaney and the fantastic projects he has been a part of, please visit his website, IMBD page, and twitter.