John Mulaney had quite the year in 2020. The comedian was checked into rehab after his friends staged an intervention. Shortly after he got sober, he met and started dating Olivia Munn who soon became pregnant. The whirlwind ended up being a positive experience for Mulaney, who since then has toured the country with his new family by his side, and released a stand-up special last year called Baby J. He first spoke about his addiction in an SNL monologue which later became the basis for the incredibly vulnerable (and funny) special. Since then, he’s had people come up to him to share their own stories, and it even led to a hilarious conversation with his neighbor.
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the stand-up comedian talked to the titular host about some of the reactions he’s gotten from his Baby J special, as well as how he’s doing as he enters his fourth year of recovery. The comedian revealed he has been wonderful since he’s gotten sober, enjoying his time with Munn and son, Malcolm.
He also expressed his happiness that the special connected with so many. He even shared some hilarious anecdotes of strange conversations he’s had as a result of some of the stories he’s told. For example, he said his neighbor had a bizarre reaction to it, explaining:
I think what really was very poignant to me was… actually, this was recently. I was leaving my house here in LA and my neighbor Luis came and knocked on the window of my car. I got out and I said, ‘Hey Luis, how you doing?’ He said, ‘I finally watched your special,’ and I said, ‘Oh thank you for watching.’ He goes,’ It’s OK.’
Clearly, this neighbor is a difficult man to impress. Baby J has gone on to win a number of awards and includes some of Mulaney’s best jokes ever. However, this definitely did not blow Luis out of the water. This neighbor did connect with the special in some way, though, and apparently, it made him want to share stories of his own with Mulaney. The former SNL writer continued:
Then he said, ‘But man I’ve got cocaine stories that are better than yours.’ And then he gave me a big bag of lemons. You have a lemon guy on your street?
Like a lemon, Luis had a very sweet and sour reaction. At first, he told Mulaney that he thought the special was only okay, and was nothing on some of the drug stories from his own experience. Then, he gifted the comedian some lemons, a generous offering following a less-than-enthusiastic reception.
It honestly sounds like a hilarious dynamic, and maybe Mulaney will end up including some of these interactions with Luis in his next special. I can’t say I’m not intrigued.
It’s been over a year since the release of Baby J, but the comedian has still been quite busy. He has continued touring and working on material for his next special, which likely won’t materialize for another year. He also has been airing a wacky Netflix live talk show called Everybody’s In LA on the 2024 TV schedule, which has featured guests like Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Hader, and Jon Stewart. The show is only lasting a week, and it has been a unique take on the classic talk format.
The comedian continues to reinvent himself and find ways to express himself in hilarious ways, however, he still may have to work even harder if he wants to impress Luis. Sounds like a great goal.
You can check out John Mulaney’s latest stand-up special Baby J with a Netflix subscription. Fans of the comedian should also check out our feature on Mulaney’s other stand-up specials, and where you can watch them.