The Remarkable Kid Gorgeous

“You have the moral backbone of a chocolate éclair,” the iconic comedian said as he earned a big laugh and applause. Although still funny without context, this line is funnier with it, and you can find the context in his 2015 Netflix special The Comeback Kid. This and his other Netflix specials New in Town and Kid Gorgeous at Radio City are all beloved and critically acclaimed, with Kid Gorgeous winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. He’s a pig in a Spider-Man movie, an awkward teenager on Big Mouth, an old man from Oh, Hello - he is stand-up comedian John Mulaney.

John Mulaney is a household name now, but just a couple of years ago, he was the creator, writer, producer, and the main character of failed sitcom Mulaney. With negative reviews and comparisons to Seinfield, the show was cancelled after just one short season. Many assumed this would be the last they heard from the comedian, but they were very much mistaken.

Mulaney hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time on March 2, 2019, and it’s strangely fitting as he was a writer on the show from 2008-2013 albeit having little screen time. He showed off his amazing performance and delivery and it’s truly a testament to what he’s achieved.

His Netflix specials are all popular and well-received, but he also takes part in Netflix’s critically-acclaimed Big Mouth. Written and produced by his longtime friend Nick Kroll, Mulaney voices one of the main characters, Andrew, an awkward teenager struggling through puberty.

Mulaney made his film debut in 2018 with the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He played Peter Porker, a looney tunes styled pig who is the hero Spider-Ham in his universe. He’s perfectly cast as he takes the character that didn’t necessarily have much screen time and still gave him a unique and hilarious personality.

John Mulaney’s comedy itself is just so comedic, yet so inoffensive. He openly admits that he wants to be liked by everyone, and to quote what his wife said to him, “walking around with [John] is like walking around with someone who’s running for mayor of nothing”. Most of his humour is self-deprecating, yet he still displays a charming confidence that differentiates him as an entertainer.

Mulaney is mostly apolitical, yet ironically, one of the funniest bits of Kid Gorgeous is exclusively about politics. “It’s like there’s a horse loose in a hospital!” is how he explains the current president of the United States. However staying true to himself, the humour is still connected directly to its inoffensiveness; no names are mentioned at all, and it’s entirely done as an analogy using animals.

He’s a combination of amazing writing and performing that’s truly rare to see, and it is no wonder that he sold out seven nights at Radio City Music Hall and countless other tour dates. You can watch his specials and Big Mouth on Netflix, and look forward to his upcoming tour dates. Did I mention that he plays an old man in a Broadway show? You might want to check that out.

Kathy Yang

2019 Spring Issue