John Mulaney is a Chicago
born comic who joined Saturday Night Live in 2009 as a writer. Best
known for co-writing the character of Stefon with performer Bill Hader, Mulaney
quickly became a popular name around the New York City stand-up circuit. He
released his first comedy special, New in Town, in 2012 produced by
Comedy Central.
Opener: In a couple
of days I'm turning 29, and I'm very excited about that. I was hoping by now I
was going to look older, but it didn't happen.
The best way of explaining
John Mulaney’s comedic style is to describe him as a young Jerry Seinfeld.
Mulaney is an experienced
writer whose act is primarily observational. He jokes about his own experiences
and mixes in quick bits of Seinfeld-ian perception. His delivery is more
natural than Seinfeld’s iconic “What’s the deal with…?” but it seems clear that
he was an influence.
Visually there is a
resemblance too; Mulaney is dressed in a fitted suit, something that was
common among comics in the comedy boom of the 1980s but has fallen increasingly
out of style with the rise of alternative comedy.
Mulaney is a precise
storyteller. His set feels airtight, as if not a single word was not used
intentionally, but still avoids the pitfall of sounding like he was reading
jokes off of cue cards.
His strength is the boyish
self-deprecation that flows between each bit, making himself the punchline in
most of his jokes. He knows when a funny voice, a well-timed smile or nod, or
the right inflection on something makes or breaks a joke.
He is a “writers comedian”,
structuring each bit with a beginning, middle, and end. Often, “writers” write
high-minded and conceptual comedy, but Mulaney toes the line expertly, giving
you the feeling that you are in on a joke that perhaps others are missing.
His topics range from his
relationship with his Jewish girlfriend (“I used to date Gentile women”), to
movies from his past (“I wish I had been a Def-Jam comedian when Home Alone 2:
Lost in New York came out”), to his hard-drinking youth (“I would black out and
‘ruin parties’. Or so I was told”).
My favourite bit was
Mulaney being shocked at how young his babysitter was when he was a kid. (The
link contains another fantastic bit about Home Alone 2: Lost in New York).
I wouldn't put this at the top of my recommendation list for anyone who doesn't already love stand-up, and there are certainly comedians who I would consider more accessible.
That being said, John Mulaney is one of my favourite stand-up comedians. He doesn't feel the need to bring down other people for comedy's sake; he is smart, quick, and clever.
For anyone who wants to laugh at something a little more than the tired stereotypes or wacky absurdist humour that is so popular these days, I would highly recommend John Mulaney's New in Town.
