Opinion | John Mulaney’s new comedy show emphasizes recovery, vulnerability in hilarious fashion
John Mulaney opened up in his new comedy show, “From Scratch,” about his drug addiction and experience in rehab. WikiCommons
Over the past year, 39-year-old comedian John Mulaney has been in and out of rehab for his drug addiction, divorced his wife of six years and started dating actress Olivia Munn, who swiftly announced she was pregnant with Mulaney’s first child. But the drama of Mulaney’s current reality was the makings of comedy gold, which he integrated into his latest stand-up show.
Mulaney wrote for popular late-night show Saturday Night Live for four seasons, and since then, he’s voiced Andrew Glouberman on the animated show “Big Mouth” and Spider-Ham in the movie “Into the Spider-Verse.” He is widely known for his stand-up specials: “The Top Part,” “New in Town,” “The Comeback Kid” and “Kid Gorgeous” — for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. Most recently, Mulaney created a children's musical comedy special titled “John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.”
Angelina Hicks, News Editor.
When I saw the beloved stand-up performer’s new comedy show tour, “John Mulaney: From Scratch,” was coming to my hometown of San Diego for one night only, I had to go. I had to hear if Mulaney would address the rumors about his divorce and stunt back in rehab. Despite his life being the equivalent of an on-fire garbage can, I knew Mulaney would use the circumstances to his comedic advantage.
I’ve been a fan of Mulaney for a few years, but when all his drama started, I was immediately interested. A large percentage of his comedy specials contained many jokes about his drug and alcohol use, but each story ended with claims he was sober and doesn’t use these substances anymore. Mulaney even admitted in 2014 that he had been sober since 2005.
It was equally surprising and devastating when I saw the headlines Mulaney was back in rehab for abuse of drugs such as cocaine, Percocet and Xanax — which makes the comedian’s previous Xanax story, where he goes to a doctor and lies to try to get a Xanax prescription, a little darker.
Mulaney went into rehab in December 2020 for two months, and when he got out, he stayed pretty quiet. Tabloids were running countless stories of his divorce, new baby and new relationship, which recent stories suggest is rocky, but Mulaney laid pretty low on social media and in public.
All this intrigue is how I found myself at San Diego State University’s Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre — a name Mulaney immediately criticized for its length — the night before Halloween to see Mulaney in the flesh. I walked in and sat down in my seat, entirely unsure how the night would unfold. Would he address the drama? Would he talk about his experience at rehab? Or was he just going to ignore everything that happened and move on with his life?
These questions were circling my head as Mulaney walked out onto the stage and everyone went wild. It took a few minutes for the crowd to quiet down, so he could get a quick “hello” in. Mulaney started the show by talking about his unborn baby and how his life has been crazy over the past year. From then on, the stories just didn’t stop.
His entire show revolved around the drama. He spared no detail about his drug addiction, the spiral he faced before his inevitable intervention, his experience at rehab and how everyone hates his unborn baby. It was pure, out-of-pocket, hilarious fun, but at the same time, it was also incredibly vulnerable and open.
Between jokes about being the most attractive person at his intervention — due to being “coke-skinny” — and how nobody at rehab recognized who he was, Mulaney shared some serious sentiments with the audience.
He told the crowd he hated his intervention and rehab at the time, but he now credits the experience, as well as his friends who supported him through the process, for saving his life. When the show suddenly got serious, a hush fell over the crowd. After an hour of jokes about his insane drug use, Mulaney’s sudden serious demeanor took me by surprise; I wasn’t really expecting any serious sentiments outside of the humor.
The title “From Scratch” really does summarize his show perfectly. Mulaney described his fear going to rehab would ruin his reputation and the career he’s made for himself so far. But, he did it anyway, and he looked enthusiastic to be back on stage.
Mulaney didn’t talk at all about his divorce or his new relationship with Munn, but I’m glad he didn’t. He doesn’t need to exploit his romantic partners for laughs, and it’s no one’s business anyway. He’s got enough of his own drama to keep an audience entertained for an hour.
With Mulaney being almost radio silent in the press, his new comedy show has been one of the only places where he’s directly addressed the drama, his drug addiction and his experience at rehab. He’s taking his time and starting his life over from scratch.
Overall, the show was hilariously memorable. Mulaney’s comedic style is best embodied through his unique delivery, which makes almost everything hilarious — even when layered with dark themes. I was seriously dying the whole show. The girl sitting next to me even started wheezing at one point. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see him live.
Here are some of the comedy show’s comedic highlights:
Opening remarks: “Hello, my name is John Mulaney, I’m addicted to drugs and everyone hates my baby.”
Not getting recognized in rehab: Mulaney said he was fully prepared for everyone at rehab to recognize him as a celebrity, but not a single person did. He even went as far as to leave a newspaper article about him open on a table so people would notice him.
The Al Pacino bit: When he was first admitted to rehab, he had just done a large amount of cocaine and hadn’t slept for days. The center kept a nurse in his room to make sure he slept through the night. However, Mulaney’s good friend and fellow comedian Pete Davidson had heard Mulaney was admitted and called him five times to check in and make sure he was okay. Davidson’s contact was listed as “Al Pacino” in Mulaney’s phone as a joke, and the nurse saw this contact call Mulaney five times, after he had finally fallen asleep. The nurse was so worried she woke him up to take the call from who she perceived to be the Oscar-winning actor Pacino.
Some life advice: When Mulaney left rehab, his counselor gave him a few pieces of advice. “Stay sober, take it one day at a time and get someone pregnant as soon as possible; immediately, if you can.”
How to get prescribed drugs you don't need: Mulaney described the instructions to this “simple” process he had used countless times. Google the worst-rated doctors in your zip code and demand them to write you a prescription for drugs. Since they desperately need clients, “they’ll do anything you want.”
The interview: Mulaney ended his show by describing an interview he gave to GQ Magazine. The comedian recalls nothing from the conversation, as he was high off drugs the entire time. This interview is filled with wonderful lines, like, “If you heard that spoon, it's because I'm eating a bowl of Fruit Loops” and “But my major fear remains the same, which is the Russian mafia.”