The Saturday Night Live cast members are very used to doing sketch comedy in front of a live audience, but the same cannot be said for all of the hosts. Some of them would come in quite nervous, and if the monologue and first few sketches don’t go well, it could turn into a long and uncomfortable night. Fortunately, during his tenure on the show, longtime Not Ready For Primetime Player Pete Davidson got really good at lying. In fact, there was one lie he used over and over again.

Davidson recently appeared at Netflix Is A Joke alongside stand-up comedian and longtime SNL writer John Mulaney. The subject of host monologues came up, and they were very open about how most of them suck. Mulaney estimated that 8 out of 10 of them go poorly but said he’d reassure them afterwards that it went well.

If the audience didn’t laugh, he’d tell them not to worry because the viewers that matter are the ones at home. That's famously the exact opposite message showrunner Lorne Michaels gives the cast, but the host doesn't need to know that.

That's how Davidson feels too. He owned up to his version of the same lie. He said he repeatedly told hosts that the people in the audience are often tourists who don’t speak good English. Here’s a portion of his quote, per Deadline…

Fans like to think about SNL like each sketch exists in a vacuum, but it’s definitely more complicated than that. Good shows can build up a nice momentum and good vibes with the audience. When one sketch works, it puts everyone in a good mood heading into the next sketch. Laughter tends to beget more laughter, and a cast member or host who crushes it during one sketch, always appears to go into the next sketch looking looser and more comfortable.

Unfortunately, the opposite can also be true. If the monologue and then a few sketches in a row bomb, it can be harder to earn laughs from the audience from that point forward. It can also be hard to get a good performance from a host especially if they feel like they’re bombing out there. They can’t be worrying about the reception and whether it’s going well. They just need to commit.

That’s why Mulaney was always in favor of lying too. During the same conversation about not being honest, he admitted he told a major comedy star who once bombed his monologue that he shouldn’t worry because Studio 8H has “bad acoustics.” That’s an outrageous lie, given it was formerly the home of the NBC Orchestra and has a really intricate system of microphones that pick everything up, but once again, sometimes a little fib to keep everyone’s confidence up is the right call.

Davidson and Mulaney have both been off SNL for awhile now, but they remain extremely popular and well thought of former contributors. They each returned for SNL 50, a show that contained a famously bad audience that Davidson put on blast. They have also returned many other times for cameos and full-blown hosting stints. They’ll each almost certainly be back. Fingers crossed the next time they come, none of the current cast will have to lie to them about the crowd reaction.

It's easy to look back at box office hits like Back to the Future or Titanic and see the enduring love for the movie reflected in its opening ticket sales. Of course, there are quite a few classics that weren't hits (or were actually total flops) at the box office when they first came out. While that might come up as a bit of trivia about a film, what most fans really care about is how much they love the movie. John Mulaney made that exact point during the new Martin Short documentary, Marty, Life Is Short, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription.

I have a lot of feelings about the new Netflix movie about Martin Short, which I think showcases the actor and comedian's life and work beautifully, and one of the things that stuck with me most was what comedian John Mulaney had to say about one of Short's early films, Three Amigos, which was written by Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels and Randy Newman.

The 1986 comedy from John Landis wasn't universally beloved by critics, nor was it a huge box office hit. In fact, it came in second to Eddie Murphy's The Golden Child in its opening weekend. From what Mulaney says in the documentary, it seems like, until recently, Martin Short, Lorne Michaels and Steve Martin saw that box office failure as the film's legacy, rather than the love the movie has received in years since...

Mulaney, who worked with Martin Short on his short-lived 2014 Fox comedy, Mulaney, went on to add:

In Three Amigos, Short, Martin and Chevy Chase play three silent film stars who are invited to a small Mexican town where they're hired to protect the locals from a villainous gang of bandits. The problem is, they think they're there to put on a show, and the people who hired them think they're actual heroes who can help them defeat real criminals with real guns.

As an '80s kid, I'm pretty sure Three Amigos was my introduction to Martin Short, and I remember thinking he was hilarious. Of course, I didn't see it in theaters, and based on the box office numbers, neither did a lot of people. According to Box Office Mojo, Three Amigos made just under $6 million during its opening weekend (going on to earn a total worldwide gross of almost $40 million). The Golden Child, which also opened on December 12, 1986, earned $11.5 million in its opening weekend (going on to make nearly $80 million worldwide over its run).

By the numbers, between these two movies, The Golden Child is undoubtedly the winner, and it seems like that impression stuck in Short's mind (as well as Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels), based on what Mulaney said. To be fair, it's no secret that box office numbers matter. How much a movie makes not only determines if the movie was a financial gain or loss for the studio, but it can also inform decisions that are made in the industry going forward -- decisions that can have a big impact on an actor's career. So I can understand why any actor, particularly one who was just starting to expand their career into film at the time, as Short was when Three Amigos came out, might have written the movie off as a flop. Maybe branding it a failure from the start made it impossible to see the legacy it had in the years -- decades, really -- since, until it finally clicked.

However, as movie fans, the box office numbers don't determine whether or not we like or remember a movie in the years that follow its release, and I think Mulaney made that point so absolutely perfectly with his comments in the documentary. There can be a huge difference between how a movie performed when it first came out and how (or even if) people remember it over time. Take a look at the box office numbers for all of 1986's releases, and you'll see a mixture of truly great, memorable movies and plenty of forgettable ones.

I'm glad to hear that it sounds like Short, Lorne Michaels and Steve Martin are able to see how many people love the movie today (and that includes celebrities like Matt Damon, apparently!). Maybe people weren't flocking to the theaters to see the comedy when it came out, but it made an impression on a lot of people, and decades later, there are still plenty who quote it and remember it with a smile.

On a somewhat related note, because this other movie was referenced briefly in the documentary, I just want to say that I freaking love Innerspace. I loved the 1987 movie when I was a kid ("I'm possessed!"), and I still think it's a charming sci-fi rom-com that should be talked about more.

Will Forte is pretty well-known for crafting some of SNL’s most beloved sketches, as well as for bringing his madcap energy to those performances. Behind the scenes, however, he’s known for completely different reasons, such as being a prankster. Except wait, maybe the ways he was “getting” people weren’t actually pranks. I mean, is that what you’d call it if someone stuck his hand in your urine stream?

That pee-damming effort was first talked about years ago, though one can understand why it isn’t brought up at each and every Saturday Night Live-related interview. In any case, former non-acting staff writer John Mulaney appeared on the podcast Off Menu with hosts Ed Gamble and James Acaster, and was asked whether or not the urinal prank was legit, and if it happened to him. According to the esteemed stand-up comedian:

It seems to me that if you're really near and around Will Forte deflecting someone's pee stream, you might unwittingly be in a splash zone. Which is...non-ideal for anyone at work, to say the least.

Mulaney gave a physical representation of how Forte would do it, and I'm wondering how in the world this could have started.

Yikes to the nth degree. Amusingly, that kicked off the semi-discussion about whether that actually counts as a textbook definition of a prank being pulled on another person. As the comedian put it:

After talking about another reported-on instance where Forte smashed up a wall in Colin Jost's office with a baseball bat, John Mulaney laughingly took a more critical approach to describing these things that Forte did, questioning whether the casual "prank" nomenclature actually applies here.

Making someone stay hungry is the worst kind of prank. Okay, no, the urinal thing is worse.

Seth Meyers can speak to the idea that inviting Will Forte to your wedding will inevitably cause some hilarious grief, probably by way of an awkward speech. Also, not quite a prank, though it was predetermined and drawn out.

With that viewpoint, was it technically a prank for SNL's writers to switch up lines for Ryan Gosling and Ashley Padilla during an episode in March 2026? Sure, why not. I'm willing to now allow any jokey actions that don't involve peeing on a coworker's hands to join the club.

Might we see Will Forte (with presumably clean hands) showing up as one of the upcoming SNL guest hosts in an episode yet to hit the 2026 TV schedule? Maybe so if he’s on his P(ee)s and Qs. Fans can find past episodes streaming via Peacock subscription.

Just about anyone who has ever been on the Saturday Night Live cast has been a part of the writing staff. Yet, not everyone who has written a classic SNL sketch has been a part of the cast, but many of them would still go on to become comedy legends in their own right. Take a look at some of the most well-known names to ever work from behind the scenes at Studio 8H.

John Mulaney

During his SNL tenure from 2009 to 2012, John Mulaney created Stefon with Bill Hader and infrequently appeared on "Weekend Update" for a segment called "I Love It." The Chicago native went on to become one of the most acclaimed comedians of his time and returned to host enough times to join SNL's Five-Timers Club.

Paula Pell

Paula Pell boasts one of the longest runs as an SNL writer, sticking around from 1995 to 2013 and winning an Emmy in the process. The Girls5eva and Mapleworth Murders star would later share the screen with many SNL veterans in Netflix's Wine Country and voiced Mom's Anger in the Inside Out movies, to name a few notable examples of her acting career.

Bob Odenkirk

After writing at SNL from 1987 to 1991, during which he created Chris Farley's iconic Matt Foley character (as he revealed on Hot Ones), Bob Odenkirk went on to create and star in his own acclaimed sketch comedy series with David Cross called Mr. Show with Bob and David. The comedian's career would take an unexpected and exciting turn when he joined the Breaking Bad cast as Saul Goodman, which spawned the spin-off Better Call Saul and led to Odenkirk becoming an action star with Nobody.

Stephen Colbert

While he did not make the cut to join the cast, in 1996, Stephen Colbert landed a brief stint in the writers' room at Studio 8H, where he also starred in several pre-recorded SNL sketches as the voice of Ace from The Ambiguously Gay Duo. He also served as a writer and performer for the short-lived The Dana Carvey Show before becoming better known as a Daily Show correspondent, hosting his own political satire program, The Colbert Report, and succeeding David Letterman as host of CBS' The Late Show.

Hannibal Buress

Only one of Hannibal Buress' sketches made it to air during his brief stint as an SNL writer in the late 2010s. He would certainly make up for the lack of exposure at Studio 8H, however, when he became a top name in stand-up, served as the sidekick on Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show, and joined the MCU as Peter Parker's gym teacher.

Larry David

As Larry David revealed to Vanity Fair, one of the best Seinfeld episodes was inspired by a time he angrily quit his brief tenure as an SNL writer in the mid-1980s and attempted to return to Studio 8H the following Monday like it never happened. The Curb Your Enthusiasm star would later return to the show as its resident Bernie Sanders and for multiple hilarious hosting gigs.

Adam McKay

If Adam McKay, who served as head writer for three of his six years at Studio 8H in the late '90s and early 2000s, had become a cast member, he would be among the few SNL stars to win an Academy Award. While also known for co-writing and directing some of Will Ferrell's best movies, his peak achievement is his Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for 2015's The Big Short, which he followed with the acclaimed satirical Dick Cheney biopic, Vice.

Steve Higgins

Steve Higgins started writing at SNL in 1995 and would maintain the position for decades, during which he would occasionally make appearances, such as in the monologue for Justin Timberlake's hosting debut. The father of Please Don't Destroy's John Higgins, even stayed on as a producer and writer after signing on as Jimmy Fallon's talk show sidekick on Late Night and The Tonight Show.

J.B. Smoove

Audiences may recognize the boisterous and irresistibly animated comic J.B. Smoove best as Leon on Curb Your Enthusiasm or from two of the MCU's Spider-Man movies as Peter Parker's teacher, Mr. Dell. Earlier on, he served as a writer on SNL for three years, during which he would sometimes appear on camera, such as when he impersonated Jimmy "JJ" Walker in a Good Times parody.

Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien would have never become one of the all-time most beloved late-night TV hosts if not for his three-year stint as an SNL writer, as it was producer Lorne Michaels who recommended he take over Late Night for David Letterman. The 2025 Mark Twain Prize recipient is also known as a writer for The Simpsons and, following his retirement from late-night TV in 2021, expanded his purview by hosting a hit podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, and a travel docuseries, Conan O'Brien Must Go.

Harper Steele

Harper Steele wrote for SNL from 1995 to 2008 and was promoted to head writer for her final four seasons. She experienced an uptick in notoriety later in life when she came out as transgender, which was detailed in Netflix's award-winning documentary, Will & Harper, in which she travels cross-country with longtime friend Will Ferrell.

Tim Herlihy

Tim Herlihy, the father of Please Don't Destroy's Martin Herlihy, very rarely appeared on SNL during his five years as a writer, but does have a well-known character named after him: The Herlihy Boy, played by Adam Sandler. He and Sandler would also collaborate on movies like The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy, to name a few, in which he also appears in funny cameos.

Greg Daniels

Greg Daniels became Conan O'Brien's writing partner when they met at Harvard, years before being hired at SNL in 1988. He later achieved fame and acclaim as a creator and developer of various hit comedy series, most notably the American adaptation of The Office.

Jorma Taccone

Jorma Taccone has appeared in many of the best SNL Digital Shorts, which he and his partners from The Lonely Island, Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer, were in charge of creating during his writers' room tenure from 2005-2010. The comedian, musician, and filmmaker is also the mastermind behind the recurring sketch, "MacGruber," and directed the 2010 movie based on the SNL character as well.

Herb Sargent

Herb Sargent, who passed away in 2005, was hired as an SNL writer at the very beginning when the show was still called NBC's Saturday Night, and is even credited as the creator of "Weekend Update." Of course, his writing career predates the sketch comedy series, having also written for The Tonight Show in the 1950s, most notably. Sargent was also the Writers Guild of America, East, which named an award honoring comedic excellence after him.

Jack Handey

Despite never showing his face on the show, Jack Handey is a well-known name in SNL's history thanks to his recurring one-liner bits known as "Deep Thoughts" and "Fuzzy Memories." His decades-long tenure at Studio 8H began when frequent collaborator Steve Martin introduced him to Lorne Michaels.

Michael Schur

Michael Schur might be recognized best as Dwight Schrute's cousin, Mose, from The Office, which he wrote for and produced before. He would also team with Office developer Greg Daniels to create Parks and Recreation; he co-created Brooklyn Nine-Nine with Dan Goor, and he created The Good Place himself. However, his career began when he joined SNL's writing staff from 1998 to 2004.

Carol Leifer

Carol Leifer only wrote for one season of SNL: its eleventh, which is widely considered its weakest year. Nonetheless, she is recognized as a comedy legend for her stellar stand-up career and contribution to acclaimed TV sitcoms like Seinfeld, additional sketch comedy shows like MADtv, and awards ceremonies like the Oscars.

Dave Attell

Dave Atell is a relatively well-known name in the comedy world, having hosted a popular show on Comedy Central called Insomniac and appeared in hit movies like Pootie Tang, Funny People, and Trainwreck. One of the stand-up comedian's earliest gigs in show business was writing for SNL during the 1993-1994 season.

Akiva Schaffer

After he and his partners in The Lonely Island made a name for themselves by making short films for Channel 101, Akiva Schaffer would specialize in making shorts for SNL with them. In addition to making funny appearances in movies like Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, he has since become successful on his own as the director of films like 2022's Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun.

Max Brooks

In addition to being the son of Mel Brooks (creator of many hilarious parody movies), Max Brooks is famous for writing one of the most acclaimed works of zombie fiction, The Zombie Survival Guide, and World War Z. Before then, he wrote for SNL from 2001 to 2003.

Chris Kelly

Chris Kelly found great success from co-creating the Comedy Central original series, The Other Two, with Sarah Schneider. Prior to that, both of them served as writers at SNL, and both became the head of the staff during their last season between 2016 and 2017.

Emily Spivey

Former MADtv writer Emily Spivey's Emmy-winning tenure in the Studio 8H writer's room lasted from 2001 to 2010. She would reunite with other female SNL alumnae from that era in the Netflix movie, Wine Country, and also wrote for shows like The Last Man on Earth and How I Met Your Father.

Tom Gammill

Tom Gammill and his longtime writing partner got their start at SNL in the late 1970s. They would go on to join the staff for Late Night with David Letterman, Seinfeld, and The Simpsons, most notably.

Matt Graham

Talented stand-up comedian Matt Graham was a writer for the likes of Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and even for game shows like Chain Reaction. Yet, his bigger claim to fame may be his title as the World Scrabble Championship runner-up when he represented the United States in an international competition in 1997, according to The New York Times.

Bruce McCulloch

Multi-talented Canadian comedian Bruce McCulloch was part of the SNL writing staff from 1985 to 1986. Just a few years later, he became a part of the comedy troupe, The Kids in the Hall, who started their own popular, self-titled sketch comedy series that ran from 1989 to 1995.

J. J. Philbin

You can probably tell from her last name that J.J. Philbin has a famous father named Regis. On top of that, she has a famous husband, Michael Schur, whom she met while she was writing for SNL in the late 1990s. However, she would later make a name for herself by writing for shows like Dead Like Me and The O.C., co-creating ABC's Single Parents, and executive producing Only Murders in the Building.

Sam Jay

Sam Jay is the star of some great stand-up comedy specials on Netflix (as well as part of the platform's Roast of Tom Brady), a talk/variety show on HBO called Pause with Sam Jay, and a Peacock original comedy series called Bust Down. Prior to those achievements, she became the first Black, lesbian SNL writer in 2017.

Charlie Grandy

Charlie Grandy is best known for his many collaborations with Mindy Kaling, including The Office, The Mindy Project, and Velma. One of his earliest gigs, however, was writing for SNL from 2001 to 2008, during which he earned one of his two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Streeter Seidell

Comedian Streeter Seidell first made a name for himself on the popular website CollegeHumor.com, on which he released his web series, Prank Wars, which was picked up by MTV as Pranked. In 2014, he found himself on the SNL staff, for which he co-created the character of David S. Pumpkins, and was promoted to head writer status eight years later.

Simon Rich

Simon Rich is one of the youngest SNL hires in the show's history, having joined the writing staff right out of college from 2007 to 2011. He would leave Studio 8H to work for Pixar and later created the surreal romantic-comedy series, Man Seeking Woman (based on his short story collection, The Last Girlfriend on Earth), on FXX in 2015.

Andy Breckman

Andy Breckman is the writer and director of, arguably, Eddie Murphy's single greatest SNL sketch, "White Like Me." He also wrote for Late Night with David Letterman, but is best known as the creator of the Emmy-winning, long-running detective dramedy, Monk.

Lorne Michaels is arguably one of the most powerful individuals working in the entertainment industry today. With more than 50 years of professional experience under his belt, the Saturday Night Live producer commands a considerable amount of respect. That can sometimes manifest in some interesting ways, though. Apparently, there was a situation on the set of John Mulaney’s Netflix show, which became somewhat awkward. It would seem Michaels was standing somewhere he shouldn’t have, and no one would tell him.

Available for Netflix subscription holders, Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney has become something of a weekly comfort show for some viewers. The moment that the eponymous host recalled during a Q&A for the FYSEE LA screening series, though, sounds anything but comforting. The Lorne Michaels snafu was prompted by a question Mulaney received from fellow SNL alum Fred Armisen, and Mulaney described his former boss’ visit with one word:

Fred Armisen: Do you ever, when you’re doing the show, think, ‘Oh, what if Lorne is watching this?’

John Mulaney: Oh, yeah. He came once [to my show]. That was so scary.

Had I been in the Baby J performer’s shoes, I probably would’ve been somewhat uneasy as well. The notion of my former boss watching my show is one thing, but the idea of him actually being in the building amid production is just daunting. John Mulaney’s further comments are sure to make fans chagrin as, before showtime, the seasoned producer stood on Mulaney’s mark, and he was forced to have a weird chat with his ex-employer:

On the surface, Lorne Michaels might seem relatively mild-mannered, but he can also be intimidating (whether he means to be or not) based on stories that have been told. Ex-SNL writer Rob Klein, for instance, recalled learning how Michaels hated the “Lamps” sketch he wrote years ago. Former series cast member Taran Killam also revealed that after he kept bringing up his 12 Years a Slave role as a part of a comedy bit, Michaels put his foot down in order to have him stop.

Those anecdotes don’t represent the totality of who Lorne Michaels actually is, as he apparently has a softer side as well. Former Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson has been candid about how Michaels has been in his corner for some time now. Tina Fey, who was on SNL for nearly a decade, also holds Michaels in high regard, especially considering that she sought out his opinion on Jon Hamm when she mulled over hiring the actor for 30 Rock.

So there certainly seem to be layers to the legendary producer. In all honesty, it’s somewhat ironic and sweet that when John Mulaney approached Michaels, he was cordially asking if he wanted to speak with Tina Fey. It’s wise not to judge a book by its cover, though I’d be lying if I said I would’ve been the first one eager to tell Michaels to move from Mulaney’s spot.

New episodes of Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney stream on Netflix at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesdays amid the 2025 TV schedule.

Spoilers for Episode 3 of Poker Face Season 2 are ahead! Catch up with a Peacock subscription.

As Natasha Lyonne's Charlie Cale roams around the United States in Poker Face, unintentionally running into murder after murder, she’s introduced to an incredible cast of characters played by equally incredible actors. So far, Season 2 has shown us Cynthia Erivo playing five sisters, Giancarlo Esposito portraying a funeral home owner, and so many more. However, the performance I want to highlight didn’t come from someone you’d likely think of as an actor first; it came from comedian John Mulaney.

That’s right, John Mulaney gave the standout performance in Poker Face’s first three episodes of the season that is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule, and it made me realize he really should act a lot more.

John Mulaney Showed Off A Whole New Side Of Himself In Poker Face

First of all, everything I love about John Mulaney’s comedy is on display in his episode of Poker Face. His timing is impeccable, and some of his lines in “Whack-a-Mole” had me doubling over with laughter. Those lip-reading sequences? The bit where he tries to make a deal with Charlie after he lost? Hilarious! Overall, he was able to play into a bunch of his comedic strengths as FBI agent Daniel Clyde-Otis.

However, his performance was so much more than that. Daniel Clyde-Otis is a rat, mole and snake, as Charlie put it, who is working as a double agent. Watching Mulaney play both sides of this agent as he tried to hide his work for Rhea Perlman’s crime boss Beatrix Hasp from his colleagues and friends, like Simon Helberg’s Luca Clark, was fascinating and nuanced.

Daniel was an interesting character because he both seemingly cared for people like Luca while also being heartless and ruthless at times. That’s no easy part to play. And Mulaney did it in a way that both highlighted his signature sense of humor while also developing a three-dimensional and complex character who ultimately ended up being the biggest bad of the episode.

Now, I Need John Mulaney To Act More

I fully realize John Mulaney has acted quite a bit before this. He guest-starred on The Bear in a very memorable episode, and he’s a five-timer on Saturday Night Live. Plus, he has a fairly extensive catalog of voice work that includes Big Mouth, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, I (and I’d assume many others) think of Mulaney as a stand-up comedian first. So, his acting roles feel like fun little pop-ups here and there.

However, Poker Face showed me that this man should act way more than he currently does.

As much as I love seeing Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney thrive, and I will re-watch his stand-up with my Netflix subscription at least once a year, I really want to see him play someone else more often.

This Peacock mystery show let him play on a totally new playground, and I absolutely loved it. As I mentioned earlier, he brought that A+ timing and intelligent humor we know and love. However, he also mixed in some dramatic flair and nuance that made Daniel Clyde-Otis a fascinating character to watch.

So, Rian Johnson, let’s get Mulaney in the next Knives Out Mystery if there is one. Or, really, any director who is reading this, please cast this comedian in more roles that allow him to show off his range as a performer. He absolutely killed it (pun intended) in Poker Face, and I want to see him on our screens as new characters just as often as we see him as himself, the wildly talented comedian.

When it comes to using my Netflix subscription on a weekly basis, I never had watching an original and current late-night show regularly on my bingo card, but here we are. If you haven’t been keeping up to date with 2025 Netflix release dates, you may not be aware that John Mulaney hosts a late-night-style show now called Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, and I myself didn’t get on the train right away. But since tuning in, the show has become my current obsession.

For some context here, I’m not of the generation that really grew up on late-night television. Sure, on the odd occasion that I’ve been at my grandma’s house or something and need to put something on, I’ll tune into one of the current late night shows, but for the most part all I’ve consumed of the genre has been through YouTube videos over the years… yes out of entertainment, but of the quick pick-me-up kind. So, I’m surprised with myself regarding my habits with Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, but he’s also one of my favorite comedians, so of course I’m going to tune in. I want to talk about what has kept me marking my calendar week-to-week.

I Think The Weekly Topic Format Really Sets It Apart From Other Shows Like It

When it comes to finding a comfort show, usually it falls in the category of sitcom, but considering comedy series are few and far between these days, I tend to fall back on shows I’ve seen before… which can get pretty stale. So, I’m pleasantly surprised that I’ve currently got Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney to watch every week. While I might have watched a typical late night show from the comedian, I think the reason why I’m really hooked on it is because it actually goes about the format in a new and different way, and it's just so quirky and odd I always know something out of left field is going to happen.

If you haven’t tuned in yet, basically John Mulaney, who of course wears suits as usual, chooses a topic for every episode, and spends the hour discussing it both through a standup monologue, segments and while he has his celebrity guests on the couch. Some examples of the topics are “Should I Lend People Money?”, “Are Cruises Worth It?”, or “Can Major Surgery Be Fun?” I think my favorite was when he questioned if dinosaurs really existed while chaotically deeming it a Christmas episode in the month of April. The topics allow Mulaney to use his humor to get me thinking and flip the late-night genre on its head.

A Fresh Monologue From John Mulaney Always Brightens My Week

I used to have to wait years to catch another John Mulaney special on Netflix, and one time I even bought tickets to see the comedian in person for the tour he was on post-rehab (which was awesome), but another thing I really love about Everybody’s Live is how it allows me see John Mulaney be funny under less special circumstances.

Like the late night format it’s based on, Mulaney always opens the show with a monologue of sorts, but they always operate as fresh standup bits that reflect the topics of the show, and the current events in the world (like a Gene Hackman joke I can’t believe he said) and his own life. I like how he takes the time in these monologues to get personal and talk about his life as a father and such, rather than discuss current headlines. I think this is a big reason this is my current comfort show right now. It feels like I can just sit back and listen to the comedian talk to me through the screen in a more casual fashion.

It’s Fun To See The Celebrity Guests Get Out Of The Late Night Show Format, Too

Much of the time, the reason I actually click on a late night segment on YouTube is because of the celebrity who is involved, but when it comes to Everybody’s Live, I’ve noticed it doesn’t really matter who his guests are, because I’m going to have a good time regardless. But, one reason I really like seeing the celebrity guests on this show is because they are treated completely differently than usual late night shows.

Rather than them being clearly on the show to rope in their new project they have going on, they seem to be there simply to hang out and be part of the conversation. There’s never a moment where they shoehorn in a story out of nowhere or it throws to a clip of what they have coming out that week. John Mulaney brings them on, and they add to whatever topic he is talking about, and just kind of hang out. It’s really refreshing to see, and allows everyone on camera to feel more natural. Also, there's always an expert on the topic being discussed, and it's always fun to see the celebrities interact with them and ask questions, and makes the whole song and dance feel more pedestrian in a fun way.

I Can’t Believe How Funny I Find The Call-In Section Is To Me… Every Single Time

But, my favorite segment of the entire show to tune in to is something I’ve never seen in late night before. The comedian tapes the show live every week and takes calls from fans on a landline phone to further discuss the topic he’s chosen each week. The part I love the most about it, without fail, is how he handles the calls. He asks a follow-up question or two, but out of nowhere, he’ll just hang up on them before we’ve had the chance to really understand what they are talking about, and it gets me every single time.

I’ve started to realize he doesn’t hang up before asking them what car they drive, but I really enjoy how John Mulaney messily handles the whole thing on purpose to keep the bit, because it just always seems to entertain me, or the guests next to him.

And, Saymo Is Always A Star Of The Show

And of course, I can’t end this article without mentioning Saymo, a delivery robot who has an ongoing role on the show. As a resident of Los Angeles, where the show is filmed, I’ve seen these robots (mostly around Beverly Hills), and they are always just so random and confusing to experience. In Everybody’s Live, Mulaney uses the delivery robot to offer guests refreshments and such, and it’s one of those weird, offbeat details that really adds to the show being entertaining for me on a weekly basis.

Anyway, the show airs with new episodes on Wednesday (and is available to stream on demand right after) until the end of May, and I’ll be tuning in to every one of them.

One never knows what they’re going to hear or see during a live television event, as the 2025 TV schedule has proven through several huge stories. However, this latest case of an interesting humor choice came from the Netflix subscription driver Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney. In a monologue that somehow went from questioning the existence of dinosaurs to Gene Hackman’s untimely death, a slight tangent turned into a rather odd joke.

Right out of the gate, our host was hitting the subject of death. Joking that this week’s Everybody’s Live topic “was supposed to be ‘The Pope is Still Alive,’” the veteran SNL writer riffed on the holy father’s passing in an actually lighthearted way. But when it came to the matter of science, Mulaney switched topics through this conversational pathway:

Admittedly, the first gasp of audience shock led to more of a laugh on the “mummy hands” bit. But even with that in mind, I was with Mr. Mulaney through his Everybody’s Live monologue, up until that point. Considering the timing of Hackman's death, the news surrounding it, as well as the joke, it was a shocking bit to witness.

I could be wrong, and I could be missing something from John Mulaney’s monologue here. He certainly knows how to stand out, even through something as simple as Mulaney's habit of wearing suits to a gig. So just in case, I have that very segment provided here:

For the most part, the rest of Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney’s opening salvo was about criticizing scientific analysis, and even the personality/outward appearance of professionals in that field. And as for the joke at the expense of Mr. Hackman and his late wife, Betsy Arakawa, it was, again, shocking to hear. In the day since this happened, the joke has been debated online and met with quite a bit of backlash, as the New York Post reported.

Of course, humor is a very subjective thing, and once again, I could be missing some of the steps that landed John Mulaney’s punchline. Now, as this discourse surrounding this joke continues to play out, we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney broadcasts on Netflix every Wednesday at 10 PM ET.

The massive SNL50 anniversary special has been in the rearview mirror of the 2025 TV schedule for some time now. However, there have still been bevy of stories surfacing, which double down on just how great it was. As we move towards the end of SNL50’s lineup of hosts and musical guests, those memories will be added to the hypothetical scrapbook this year has yielded. Among the best elements, however, was arguably Eddie Murphy's appearance in the "Scared Straight" sketch.

Frequent Saturday Night Live host and veteran writer John Mulaney seems to have enjoyed Eddie Murphy’s performances during that February primetime event. When Mulaney recently returned to the Conan O’ Brien Needs A Friend podcast, where he offered a piece of comedy geek analysis on the "Scared Straight." I was also pleasantly surprised when Mulaney mentioned when detail I never considered:

I can't believe I didn't realize that! The irony of Murphy's "All the Way Ray" not having his hair fully braided, despite his name is obvious. On the other hand, it's so subtle, and it's an incredibly cheeky piece of work.

The bedrock of Saturday Night Live, right from that first show on October 11, 1975, has always included room for a “dumb joke” told with panache. On that note, when it comes to Eddie Murphy’s funniest SNL lines, he certainly knows how to nail his delivery. That's one of the reasons why he was such a popular cast member between 1980 and 1984.

Obviously, those with a Peacock subscription can watch this “Scared Straight” sketch from the SNL50 special with no problem. Since we’re all here anyway, though, and there’s never a bad time for a good laugh, here’s the sketch John Mulaney was talking about:

“Scared Straight” is pretty much the textbook example of a Saturday Night Live sketch that’s built on a “dumb joke,” but gets so much mileage if the right performer is in the driver’s seat. Given that, seeing Eddie Murphy teamed with Kenan Thompson as a fellow prisoner, and then later adding Will Ferrell to the mix, really cranks up the laughs.

I totally believe Conan O’Brien’s recollection of watching Eddie Murphy with that 50th anniversary shindig being "mesmerizing," because watching a legendary cast member of this stature at work must be like watching magic. Then again, that whole weekend seemed to be imbued with something special, as suggested by that viral Jon Hamm SNL concert story where a lucky seatfiller had the night of their life.

That’s just part of the magic that comes with Saturday Night Live’s chaotic late-night history. Since John Mulaney and others continue to hold it in such high regard, I’d like to think we’ll continue to see that happen for some time. With both clever sketch writing, or in the case of Ego Nwodim’s recent brush with profane SNL crowd participation, that’s an assumption you could put some money on.

For now, though, you can enjoy this American comedic institution at 11:35 PM ET, either on NBC or Peacock’s live stream, on the same night it’s always inhabited for 50 years.

When thinking of the iconic filmTitanic, Bill Hader doesn’t immediately rank in association with the James Cameron masterpiece. Funnily enough, though, the Saturday Night Live alum has a pretty hilarious connection to it because it's the reason he got canned from his ticket-taking duties at his local cinema. And recently, he recalled the full story behind why the Titanic's (and Jack's) fate led to his firing.

Now, this story was told on the latest episode of Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription). If you’ve seen the show that's airing on Netflix's 2025 schedule, you know there’s a nice surprise of layers of personal touches throughout, including the conversations had. The specific topic for Episode 5 had to do with getting fired from a job, and while Hader admitted he’d been canned from a few, the one he elaborated on involved him working at his local cinema.

His story began with a group of sorority girls showing up to see Titanic at said cinema, as he explained:

Now, since Titanic has been out for well over 25 years and it's available with a Prime subscription, it's hard to imagine spoiling it. However, when it first came out, giving up the ending must have been an absolutely massive deal, because while we all know the ship sinks, Jack and Rose's fates were unknown.

OK, keep that in mind, that information will be important later.

Hader continued his story, and noted that the members of the sorority weren’t being cooperative and even started poking fun at his appearance, likening him to a cult leader (which he agreed with, a little). The funnyman shared:

The whole scene is so ‘90s, and weirdly, Bill Hader to me. It’s an incredibly niche happening, fit for an SNL skit, and I can only imagine young him processing it all in real time (and in a cummerbund, no less).

As he continued the saga, he shared that spoiling Titanic, in his mind, would be how he got them back. When it was time for their showing, he tore their tickets, like normal, and told them to have a good time. But he also shared some major spoilers, saying:

Now, don’t get me wrong, him ruining the ending for the girls isn’t anything I usually advocate for. The fact that the Skeleton Twins actor slickly stymied their viewing experience after the whole interaction is what I’m mostly here for. Although, the thought of someone spoiling any 2025 movie schedule title like that would make me pretty upset.

But, don’t worry, if you’re on the fence about the whole morality of it, that’s when the firing happened. Hader said it happened almost immediately after the group left his area, and while the manager was amused by it all, he still kicked him to the curb all the same:

Again, the story of Hader revealing one of the most heartbreaking movie deaths to a group of bully-esque sorority sisters is comedy gold. My mind goes to a few places. First, it makes me even sadder that Hader didn't appear at SNL 50 (understandably, though). Second, I wonder if any of those women turned into viewers who only watch the first half of Titanic because of their run-in while seeing it for the first time.

Either way, the Titanic and Bill Hader may now be synonymous in my head, and I can't say I'm mad about that.

When John Mulaney came out with Everybody’s in L.A. in May 2024, I wrote about why the former Saturday Night Live writer’s Netflix original series was a game-changer for late night TV. And now that the continuation/follow-up/whatever you want to call it – Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney – is out, I am once again here to preach the gospel to anyone with a Netflix subscription. And while we’re only one episode into the 12-week run, the suit-wearing stand-up comedian is once again blowing me away with his spin on the tried-and-true format.

Mulaney, who has long been an open book about everything ranging from his sobriety journey to wife Olivia Munn’s cancer fight to him becoming a father of two, was once again incredibly open, sincere, and hilarious when it came to the more uncomfortable parts of life. And I have to admit, this is remarkably refreshing to see. Hear me out…

Everybody's Live With John Mulaney Started With Cancer And Sobriety Jokes, And They Weren't Tasteless

A lot has happened in the comedian’s life between his first and second late night TV show runs, and he started off the premiere episode of Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney by tackling two of the biggest stories surrounding him: sobriety and cancer. And though Mulaney was quick to joke about Olivia Munn’s breast cancer treatment making “her, at times, so dumb,” he said it such a loving, caring, and hilarious way that it never felt cheap, crude, or tasteless.

At one point, he talked about Munn having “cancer brain, not brain cancer,” and how the various treatments she’s undergone during her challenging, multi-year fight have made her a bit ditzy at times. At another part in his opening monologue (with clipboard in hand), Mulaney addressed his previous drug issues by describing the show as a “live jazz-like unpredictable talk show” and that he couldn’t do cocaine or adderall anymore, so he’s making it the world’s problem. Will the show get his heart rate up to the level where he feels alive? “We shall see,” as he put it.

Hell, The Main Theme Of The First Episode Was 'Lending People Money'

As was the case with Everybody’s in L.A., Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney will have a different theme for each episode. But unlike the first go-around with its more Los Angeles-centric topics, the first episode in his new show was about someone everyone loves talking about: lending people money.

I love how, instead of starting off with something that doesn’t make everyone cringe, Mulaney came out swinging to make us feel as uncomfortable as humanly possible. But this doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny, because watching folk singer Joan Baez, and best Batman actor Michael Keaton answer strangers’ calls about lending or borrowing money from friends and family was honestly one of the funniest experiences I’ve had on the 2025 TV schedule so far.

I Think The Cute, Fluffier Humor Of Other Late Night Shows Is Great, But This Is Honestly So Refreshing

Don’t get me wrong, I totally see why shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert typically have lighter and fluffier segments on their respective shows. People don’t want to be getting all worked up and excitable right before bed, and so games, celebrity interviews, and happy-go-lucky moments involving the best talk show hosts go a long way. But let me tell you, Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney is so refreshing with its more personal and uncomfortable touches.

I mean, where else are you going to see a focus group featuring different people playing Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman, Richard Kind talk about loaning people money, or Saymo the robot making things awkward? That all happened in the first episode, by the way.

If the remaining 11 episodes of Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney are as wild and personal as the premiere, then we’re in for one hell of a ride.

John Mulaney is arguably one of the most popular comedians working today as well as one of the most identifiable. He's surely known for his signature, observational style of comedy, but he's also become famous for wearing suits whenever he gets on stage. Anyone who's ever wondered why the actor-comedian goes with that kind of attire should know he officially revealed why he's stuck with that get-up. And it has to do with the facade of the industry in which he works.

The 42-year-old comedian was a guest on CBS Sunday Morning, where he promoted his 2025 Netflix movie and TV schedule entry, Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney. During the chat, he also revealed some of the finer details of his life and career. Mulaney has also shared great takes on fame, but what strikes me most here is just how he gravitated towards his now-unmistakable wardrobe. He revealed that it all began when he played a gig years ago:

If anything John Mulaney has proven that he's one of the most astute comics in the business. So it's not surprising that he was fully cognizant of what his fellow comics and show attendees were wearing at the time. It's also understandable as to why he'd subsequently become somewhat self-conscious about what he was sporting.

With that, the Chicago native eventually had an epiphany. And that realization would ultimately shape the way he would approach the specials (which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription) that he would ultimately headline down the road:

And the rest, as they say, is history. The Baby J comic admitted that his decision could be viewed as "silly" to some. However, it was made with the intention of elevating his game and showcasing to the audience, regardless of who they are, that they’ll be in for a good time. There's apparently also another reason for the funnyman's decision to dress so professionally. While he certainly gives off an "entertainer" vibe due to a suit, the clothes also speak to his mission for any given performance:

At this point, it's honestly hard to imagine the Bear alum performing in anything but a suit. Even when he's not on stage, he also remains dapper, like when he was one of the many celebs to hit up SNL50, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t wearing one during a star-studded show at the Comedy Store that same weekend.

John Mulaney also joked that his desire to wear suits may also stem from some "psychological thing" involving his father. On the other hand, he also admitted that he also simply liked "dressing up." It goes without saying that Mulaney can certainly pull off a three-piece ensemble. However, what I really want to know now is just how much money he spends on suits.

Entertainers frequently talk about how specific experiences shape them, and it's intriguing to learn the origins of John Mulaney's on-stage attire. I wouldn't be surprised if he continues to dress accordingly for years to come. For now, you can look forward to seeing Everybody's Live when it debuts on Wednesday, March 12, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Many star-studded folks attended Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary, reinforcing the notion that this was one of the biggest events on the 2025 TV schedule so far. With more details about the historic weekend surfacing daily, comedian Nate Bargatze added to the revelatory pile. He shared that he and other major stand-ups–including, but not limited to, Steve Martin and John Mulaney–performed at an NYC comedy club before Sunday’s show. Now, that alone is a crazy detail, however, what's even wilder is the fact that tickets for this show were less than $20.

As we saw, many comedian giants flocked to the Big Apple to honor one of the best sketch comedy shows. However, with a set and somewhat minimal itinerary for the big weekend, what do a bunch of comedians do in their downtime? According a TikTok Bargatze posted, they headed to one of the most well-regarded and iconic comedy clubs in NYC, The Comedy Cellar (it’s known for big hitters dropping in unexpectedly to tryout material).

That's right, theYour Friend, Nate Bargatze comedian revealed that SNL royalty filled out the evening’s lineup and each was as good as the last, as he said:

The roster the 45-year-old listed, included himself, David Spade, Chris Rock, Steve Martin, Martin Short, John Mulaney, and Leslie Jones. It is undoubtedly an unforgettable and A+ lineup. Big hitter after big hitter was likely a dream come true for its audience, especially if they are SNL lovers. I know I would’ve been on another level to see them all in one evening, and I bet many would have paid a pretty penny to be in the audience too.

To that last point, if you’re wondering what it cost to see these comedy heavy-hitters all in one show, the Hello World stand-up covered that detail, too. He shared that he believed the tickets that evening were less than 20 bucks, saying:

According to The Comedy Cellar's website, tickets for Thursday and Sunday shows are $18 while Friday and Saturday tickets are $25. So, no matter what day you are at this iconic club, it's cheap to see comedy. However, this audience really got a bang for their buck.

What an absolutely amazing show and evening that must have been for those in attendance. An A-Lister show for less than the cost of an NYC dinner that's not a slice of pizza? Talk about a dream come true.

I’m sure it was a great evening for the performers too, and a nice way to break up the weekend, between attending the SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert and the three-hour-long Anniversary special.

Now, as we move on from this historic SNL weekend, it’ll be exciting to see who gets added to the upcoming hosts and musical guests, post-Shane Gillis, Tate McRae and Lady Gaga. Hopefully, it continues to give the same energy as this comedy club evening, the reunion and the first half of Season 50.

Overall, if there's a moral to this story, I think it’s safe to say, thanks to Nate Bargatze, that if you’re in New York City for any reason, go to a comedy show. You never know if you’ll catch someone like John Mulaney or Steve Martin for a mere $18. However, if the Big Apple isn't for you, you can relieve SNL's historic events with a Peacock subscription.

50 years: that’s how long Saturday Night Live has been on the air, with the night of that first episode being recently chronicled in the biopic Saturday Night. It goes without saying that such a milestone needs to be commemorated in a huge way, and that’ll happen on the 2025 TV schedule when the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special airs this Sunday. But that’s not enough to celebrate SNL being around for half a century, as Season 50 has also brought in major names like Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney and Chris Rock to make special appearances or host. Evidently Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, has spared no expense with recruiting this lineup of talent.

In a Vulture piece discussing Michaels’ work on SNL and what will happen to the series when he retires, it’s mentioned that he poured so much money into inviting back SNL “family members,” which also includes Andy Samberg, Dana Carvey, David Spade, Alec Baldwin and Martin Short, that an unnamed NBC executive called up an old colleague to complain about these “exorbitant expenses. This former executive responded:

Logic would dictate that the person who’s running Saturday Night Live ranks below these NBC executives, but this is Lorne Michaels we’re talking about.With the exception of the first half of the 1980s, he’s been leading the charge on SNL and made it into a comedy institution, not to mention been around much longer than most, if not all of these executives. So if Michaels wants to spend a lot of money to bring in so many familiar faces back to SNL Season 50, apparently it’s going to happen, even if he has to make a few of these special calls to get his way.

Along with the aforementioned names, SNL Season 50 also brought in Jim Gaffigan to play Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz during the election season. Also, the episode Martin Short hosted saw him and John Mulaney being joined by Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone and Jimmy Fallon for Short’s induction into the Five Timers Club. Lucy Liu, Adam Sandler, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson and Lin-Manuel Miranda have also all popped by this season. So yeah, it’s no wonder so much money has been spent lately, and I imagine this will continue happening for the remainder of Season 50.

As for the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special, I could spent a whole other article going over who will appear there, with Sabrina Carpenter being one of the more recent additions. Suffice it to say it will be quite the event, and you can watch it unfold Sunday at 8 pm ET on NBC. You’re also welcome to break out your Peacock subscription to stream any and all of the hilarious sketches that SNL has delivered over the decades to your heart’s content.

By this point, it would be pretty unlikely that someone who pays attention to pop culture doesn’t know who John Mulaney is. Even if you didn’t happen to know any cool facts about his time with Saturday Night Live (and have never watched any of his great musical skits on the series), you will probably, if nothing else, know that he’s an amazing comedian who can seemingly be funny anywhere and anytime. Now we’ve been made aware of him managing to roast himself, Netflix, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with just two sentences.

How Did John Mulaney Roast Himself, Netflix And Meghan Markle And Prince Harry?

Anyone who’s been one of SNL’s head writers will likely be known for a number of hilarious jokes, and John Mulaney is no different. In fact, his time as a professional laugh-maker has now led to his own talk show, which you’ll be able to watch with your Netflix subscription, titled Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney. He was promoting the 2025 TV schedule debut at the Next on Netflix event recently (via The Hollywood Reporter), and was able to take a huge dig at not just himself, his new show and its streaming home, but threw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in for good measure, and noted about Everybody’s Live:

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH. Slam! So, the Kid Gorgeous comedian’s new show is basically a continuation of his game-changing 2024 talk show, John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A, which aired six episodes for the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. His new series is currently set to run for 12 weeks, and will host not just the traditional celebrity talk show guests, but those from wide-ranging fields, live calls from viewers, actor Richard Kind and the food service robot, Saymo, with the latter two having appeared on the previous version of his show.

If you’re wondering how this “really fun experiment” is anything like the deal that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle struck with Netflix, well, get ready. It was shortly after the former working royals left the family to pursue life in the United States that they signed a deal with the streaming giant to produce programming that eventually led to their popular but reviled docu-series Harry & Meghan, and other documentaries like Polo and Heart of Invictus (which appears to have had a longer-than-expected road to the screen).

However, the multi-year deal (which was rumored to be worth about $100 million) has seen few clear winners, only four series have aired at this point, with one, an animated children’s show named Pearl, canceled well before viewers got a chance to see any of it. Along with that, neither of the Sussexes had any proven experience with creating series or movies, so Mulaney seems to be saying that the experimentation involved was handing a lot of money to people who possibly didn’t know enough about how to use it as promised with their deal.

And, that’s not all. Mulaney’s show is set to hit the 2025 Netflix schedule on March 12…which just happens to be a week ahead of the date that Markle’s new lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan (which has already been slammed by one royal expert), is now set to premiere after being delayed because of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

Honestly, if John Mulaney and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to have so much in common, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t talk about their surprising similarities in his next comedy special.

Pete Davidson has had a complicated ten years. He was cast on SNL in 2014 at the age of 20, making him one of the youngest cast members ever on the legendary sketch show. His raunchy, blunt style of humor separated him from the rest of the cast, making him a stand-out and a fan favorite. However, intense media attention and high-profile relationships have led to a spotlight being shown on his rocky mental health journey. The comedian has since received help, and he is entering a new phase of his life. Now, he's gotten candid about his struggles, and opened up about the people he admires and how they've helped him along the way.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the comedian chatted about his career and some of his influences. While Davidson has collaborated and interacted with some of the greatest minds and talents Hollywood has to offer, there's a few he has formed personal relationships and friendships with. John Mulaney, Lorne Michaels, and Machine Gun Kelly seem to be the stand-outs, and people he sees as role models for him. He said:

Davidson is referring to Mulaney’s drug addiction relapse and rehab stint in 2020. The comedian has been open about his addiction struggles in the wake of his highly publicized journey to recovery and it was the main subject of his 2023 special, Baby J. Mulaney has since dedicated himself to sobriety, and he started a family with actress Olivia Munn. His candid approach to hardship has been refreshing, and clearly set a precedent for Davidson on his own journey to rehabilitate his life.

Additionally, Mulaney has been a defender of Davidson and an unwavering friend, despite public scrutiny, which truly shows the strength of their friendship.

As for Lorne Michaels and Machine Gun Kelly, it’s understandable why they would also be important relationships for Davidson.

Michaels plucked the comedian from obscurity, made him a star, and supported him throughout his mental health struggles. Davidson had a job at SNL as long as he wanted it, and the show gave him community. Additionally, Michaels has acted as a producer on other endeavors he has explored outside of SNL, showing support beyond just the show.

As for Machine Gun Kelly, the musician has been a friend of Davidson’s for years, and they seemingly have stuck by each other as they’ve both navigated the ups and downs of fame.

Becoming famous at such a young age is a difficult thing, especially because both ups and downs happen in the public eye. It can be hard to know who your true friends are and who will remain loyal as public perception ebbs and flows. It seems like Davidson has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of all of this, and has truly learned who the best people are to have in his corner. I’m glad he has found a support system in Michaels, Mulaney, and MGK, as he seemingly gets a lot out of these relationships, personally and professionally.

After stepping away from Hollywood for a while, Pete Davidson is making his return as the leading voice in Dog Man, which is an animated film set to release later this month as part of the 2025 movie schedule. Fans can also revisit the King of Staten Island star’s stint on Saturday Night Live with a Peacock subscription.

It’s been years since SNL writers John Mulaney and Simon Rich met and became collaborators, though they remain in snyc. The veteran comics recently reunited to talk about the Broadway play Rich wrote that stars Mulaney, and they reminisced about their time writing some of the funniest sketches in Saturday Night Live's history. Apparently, it was love at first sight for the duo, and they immediately started working on material upon meeting. Unfortunately, it seems their first go at things was a flop within their first hour meeting each other.

The scribes sat down on Late Night with Seth Meyers, where they chatted about meeting for the first time, and what it was like working on SNL. Apparently, they both had strong first impressions of each other. Rich saw a DVD of some of Mulaney’s stand-up jokes, and was instantly struck by how clever and funny he is. The feeling was mutual, as the comic read Rich’s book, Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, and became an admirer of his.

However, when they wrote their first sketch together upon their first encounter, it wasn’t the perfect marriage they anticipated. John Mulaney described the failed sketch they ultimately concocted:

Of course, like many SNL sketches, the premise had a twist. Simon Rich divulged the reason for Bill Hader’s character demanding silver, and it was very ridiculous. He said:

They also both explained that the reason the character was so frantic was because they needed to make enough bullets by the full moon to get off the island. There was also a lot of plot involved, with Kenan Thompson asking a lot of questions, and characters making deals with werewolves and boat captains. Rich explained that they were very concerned about making sure everything made sense narativelly:

The sketch actually sounds hilarious, and the twist is absolutely bonkers and so out there, Also, I can totally imagine Bill Hader and Kenan Thompson selling this with their iconic comedic sensibilities, and the writing duo had a great SNL cast to work with during their tenure. Hearing them describe the insane segment is certainly enough to make me laugh, and it's impressive, considering that the writers thought of this idea immediately after being introduced.

Failed sketches have been brought back before, with “Lobster Diner” becoming an instant hit and spawning musical sketch sequels, despite not making it past the table read when John Mulaney first pitched it as a writer. Maybe it’s time for “Cash For Silver” to see the light of day.

However, even with the initial description of the sketch, it’s pretty easy to see why it failed. It includes a lot of details, it's wordy and somewhat convoluted for what should be an easy-to-follow SNL segment. This seems like the kind of sketch that writers love and seems perfect on paper but doesn’t translate on stage to everyday viewers. Even if it didn’t work, “Cash For Silver” still serves as the origin story for Rich and Mulaney’s long collaboration, which later led to successful sketches like “What’s That Name?” and “Kissing Family.” So, in the end, failing together led to them succeeding together.

Fans can see John Mulaney starring in Simon Rich’s play, All In, at the Hudson Theater in New York City from now until January 12th, 2025. You can also revisit some of their iconic sketches they wrote together by checking out old Saturday Night Live episodes, which are now streamable with a Peacock subscription.

One of the most exclusive clubs in show business just got a new member. SNL’s much-hyped 5-Timers Club opened its arms to funnyman and former cast member Martin Short last night, and there was no shortage of star power there to honor his big moment. Nearly a dozen Hollywood A-listers, in fact, made an appearance in the official 5-Timers Club sketch, and they were each welcomed by a pumped-up crowd stoked to see them back in Studio 8H.

Clocking in at more than nine minutes, the 5-Timers Club took the cold open slot last night, and it rolled out its cameos slowly, giving each of the mega-celebrities a little time to pick up some laughs and really make their presence felt. My favorite segment was definitely the group reveal where everyone went around and dropped a secret about themselves, with the best being Paul Rudd admitting Ant-Man’s powers aren’t good and Tom Hanks hilariously admitting, despite all the hoopla around his early diagnosis, he never actually had Covid. You can watch all of it in full below…

It’s only fitting Saturday Night Live gave us a 5-Timers Club sketch this season because the show is leaning a lot harder into nostalgia because of the milestone. The beloved sketch comedy show is celebrating its 50th Season this year, and while it always works in nostalgia and fun cameos now and again, it’s been especially aggressive about it this season. Former cast members like Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey and Andy Samberg have contributed to multiple episodes this season, and quite a few others like Adam Sandler and David Spade have shown up for one-offs.

This 5-Timers Club sketch also includes a fun cameo from former cast member Jimmy Fallon. In the sketch, he has a great little moment with Martin Short about laughing at their own jokes, and it struck me as a great example of what has allowed SNL to connect with so many people over the years. When you look down all the 5-Timers Club members in this sketch, it’s clear there’s no specific brand of comedy. How John Mulaney is trying to make people laugh is in no way the same as how Jimmy Fallon is trying to make people laugh or Tina Fey or Alec Baldwin or Kristen Wiig. Melissa McCarthy literally falls through a wall during the sketch. The show is a big tent, and it has always been good about being funny in different ways.

SNL is scheduled for a little holiday hiatus after this week, but it’ll return sometime in the new year with a fresh crop of hosts that haven’t been announced yet. In keeping with the theme of this season, I’d expect to see a good balance of new stars of the moment and some folks who have been around the show plenty in the past.

Across the past decade, John Mulaney has certainly made a name for himself as a hilarious standup comedian. The standup recently joined a small group of SNL hosts who have hosted the sketch show six times, along with being in the conversation for Oscars host. While Conan O’Brien recently earned the latter, Mulaney recently contemplated why he wishes he used a stage name rather than his real name.

Tons of celebrities have created entirely new names for themselves rather than their given name. From Cardi B (who is really Belcalis Almanzar) to Michael Caine (a.k.a. Maurice Joseph Micklewhite), it’s a popular decision. Here’s what Mulaney said on the subject:

As usual, John Mulaney provides some hilarious food for thought with these comments. During a cover story for GQ, the comedian spoke to his regret, continuing later with these words as well:

OK, so it’s distinguished and kind of fun, but it doesn’t have the same ring to it as John Mulaney. Even though the standup isn’t sure he made the right decision with using his actual name, it’s of course too late to turn back now. He’s going to be known for some time, but I’d say for some very positive reasons, as a hilarious talent of our time.

John Mulaney has had a steady incline in popularity since he was asked to audition for Saturday Night Live in 2008 after deciding to pursue a career in comedy. But his name really took off when his 2012 New In Town special became popular. Since then, he’s toured all over and made a number of specials for those with a Netflix subscription, led a Broadway show with Nick Kroll, and even voiced the role of Spider-Ham in the Spider-Verse movies.

Later, he was checked into rehab by his friends for alcoholism, cocaine addiction, and prescription drug abuse. Following the 60-day program, it wasn’t long before he bounced back, touring his show From Scratch before it became the special Baby J and happily becoming a father of two with Olivia Munn, who also recently spoke about helping him with his recovery. He also hosted the amazing Everybody’s In LA, which is coming back to Netflix in February 2025.

We can’t wait to see what John Mulaney does next, but if he does somehow decide to change his name for the public, I guess we’ll have to look out if some mysterious name pops up with his exact face!

One of my favorite types of Hollywood anecdotes is the “what-if casting” story. And recently, comedian John Mulaney shared a glimpse of a what-if for one of the best Christmas movies of all time. According to the Big Mouth star, he was offered the chance to audition for Home Alone as a kid, which has me looking at the film's lead character in a new light. What if the Baby J performer had taken on the role of precocious 8-year-old Kevin McCallister? This certainly would have changed one of the best movies of the 1990s.

The comedian recently recounted in a GQ interview for the outlet's Actually Me series that back in 1989, at seven-year-old, he was part of a local children’s improv group called The Rugrats, and he caught the eye of someone involved in casting Home Alone. This led to an invitation for him and his parents to consider auditioning. As the stand-up comic hilariously remembered:

It is indeed intriguing to think about what the Mulaney star's version of Kevin would've been like. Even though the former Saturday Night Live writer missed his chance at Hollywood glory as a kid, he’s the first to admit the role of Kevin McCallister went to the right person. In classic fashion, the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers star gave credit where credit is due with a mix of genuine admiration and his signature comedic flair:

It’s peak Mulaney—a heartfelt acknowledgment of Culkin’s legendary turn as Kevin, wrapped in just enough humor to keep things lighthearted. And, let's be honest: I cannot imagine anyone else in the part of Kevin. I mean, just look at all the straight-to-DVD sequels no one asked for, reboots and remakes of Home Alone and how hard it is to find a young star as charismatic as Culkin or Kevin.

As much as I love the Spider-Ham performer, I don’t think he would have brought the same kind of gravitas to one of the best comedies of the 90s. You can check out his GQ segment below:

This Home Alone casting story is one of those delightful “what-could-have-been” tales that remind us how delicate the casting process can be—and how pivotal it is to get a movie just right. While imagining whether or not an eight-year-old Mulaney would have brought the dry humor and razor-sharp delivery he’s known for, it’s hard to argue with his own assessment: Macaulay Culkin had so much personality at such a young age. That spark made him perfect for the part, and his performance has stood the test of time as one of the most memorable of the decade–which is probably why the child star is still acting today.

The next time you queue up Home Alone (which is available with a Disney+ subscription) for your annual Christmas watch, take a moment to appreciate the “what-ifs” and “what-could-have-beens” that helped shape this classic. As for John Mulaney, you can watch him do what he does best, telling jokes, in his most recent special, Baby J, with a Netflix subscription.

The later innings of the 2024 TV schedule are bound to be a bit chaotic, as the end of the year tends to see a lot of shows go on a brief holiday hiatus. However, as we come up on the tail end of the announced Season 50 hosts for SNL, there’s a particularly exciting rumor that’s starting to crop up about Pete Davidson possibly returning to host after he appeared in John Mulaney’s episode.

This all stems from Pete Davidson’s guest appearance during his friend and fellow stand-up's episode, and how it potentially conflicts with an alleged feud cited between the Bupkis star and former cast mate Colin Jost. Though certain angles seem to be pushed by various outlets in play, the story behind these allegations could be the answer to this new and burning Saturday Night Live question.

The Rumors Behind Pete Davidson And Colin Jost’s Alleged SNL Feud Explained

Let’s start with the alleged feud between Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, who were co-workers during the former’s SNL tenure between 2014 and 2022. Despite sharing common threads like their purchase of a Staten Island Ferry, complete with Scarlett Johansson’s inspired reaction, there are still some outlets reporting tensions and awkwardness between the two men.

Turning back to the hotly anticipated John Mulaney/Chappell Roan episode from November 2nd, The Sun ran a story from that night that alleged an “icy exchange” was had when Pete Davidson returned. More specifically, he and Colin Jost reportedly had an awkward moment of shaking hands in the halls of Studio 8H.

Bundle that allegation with the supposed distance between the men on stage during the traditional “goodnights” at the end of an episode, as well as a history of following this supposed narrative over several months, and you’ve got a potential feud in the making. At least, that’s what it looks like from one angle of coverage.

How Pete Davidson's Alleged SNL Hosting Return Push Has Been Received

In terms of what we know about Pete Davidson, the King of Staten Island star has been focusing on not only keeping his career moving but his own wellness journey as well. With recent voluntary rehab stays on his schedule, as well as roles in projects such as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the upcoming animated film Dog Man, those twin motivations are quite strongly presented.

Circling back to how Pete Davidson has been reportedly lobbying to return as a guest host on SNL, those Colin Jost rumors were brought home to roost yet again. To that end, here’s what Deux Moi has heard about Mr. Davidson’s hosting play, and the reaction it has inspired:

From the sound of the story told above, it appears Pete Davidson’s Saturday Night Live stint was a test run offered to assess his show-worthiness for future hosting opportunities. And while there’s still a hint of Colin Jost not totally being on board, the theory mentioned in the IG post also highlights even more awkwardness between the current roster of Not Ready For Prime Time Players and their predecessor.

It does appear that Davidson is angling to host SNL again, and it has led to an undetermined amount of friction. It’s undeniable that the man’s hunger is still there, and with a bunch of Season 50 episodes to go, one could see why it’d be such an opportune window to have him back in the fold.

And as for the alleged Colin Jost drama, it's very hard to tell if there is anything rocky about their relationship.

While we wait to see how the rest of this story plays out, you can check out our guide for what Pete Davidson fans should watch as he continues down his chosen path. It also helps to have a Peacock subscription handy, as a couple of the titles suggested -- including SNL and Bupkis -- are available through that very platform.

Meanwhile, as always, Saturday Night Live will be back at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock! For those wondering, this weekend is Charli XCX's turn to be the next host/musical act to send us into a pleasant tomorrow. It may not get the Staten Island Ferry on the water any quicker, but it should be a fun time!

John Mulaney is highly regarded amongst fans and fellow comedians, and one of the reasons for that is arguably that he doesn’t mind inserting himself into his material. Several years ago, the 42-year-old stand-up comedian went to rehab for addiction struggles and subsequently joked about it on SNL and in other venues. He’s continued to be candid about such topics and, more recently, his wife – actress Olivia Munn – also did. Munn specifically recalled the intense way she helped Mulaney with his drug recovery post-rehab.

In December 2020, the Mulaney star – who’s dealt with drug and alcohol addiction for years – entered rehab to participate in a 60-day program and checked out by February 2021. He and Olivia Munn went public with their relationship around May 2021 around the time that Mulaney filed for divorce from his wife of six years, Annamarie Tendler. The comedian was the subject of a cover story for GQ and, as part of the spread, Munn also recalled their relationship dynamics being rough around the time they got together:

The X-Men: Apocalypse star also mentioned that her partner believed he might relapse at some point. While the knowledge that the two were expecting a child (their eventual son, Malcolm) kept the Saturday Night Live alum upbeat, he was still concerned that he’d relapse. So, when the actress was around six months pregnant, she staged a mini-intervention for her beau and began initiating random drug tests, which they still do today. John Mulaney went on to explain just why he appreciates how he and his partner operate now:

Many of the Bear guest star’s recent drug struggles were chronicled in his acclaimed comedy special, Baby J, which debuted for Netflix subscription holders in 2023. The star didn’t hold back when musing about his “cocaine stories,” his intervention and more. One could certainly argue that the special features some all-time Mulaney jokes. As of right now, he seems to be thriving from a professional perspective and seems to be content with his personal life – amid some big changes – as well.

Earlier this year, Olivia Munn and John Mulaney sparked marriage rumors and, by July 2024, the two exchanged vows in New York. By September, they also welcomed their second child (a daughter named Méi June Mulaney) via surrogate. Munn and Mulaney have reportedly continued to support each other, with the latter being by his wife’s side amid her breast cancer diagnosis. It’s lovely to see that these two are standing by each other’s sides amid health challenges and more, and one can only wish them the best.

Fans can check out many of John Mulaney’s specials by streaming them.

John Mulaney is well known for his quirky sense of humor, and he channels that in a number of ways. Those sensibilities also extended to his appearances on Saturday Night Live, likely to the delight of his fans. Amid the 2024 TV schedule, Mulaney hosted SNL Season 50 and, in between his sketches, some may have noticed that he threw back to one of Brooke Shields’ famous cover shoots through one of his bumper photos. I certainly didn’t have that on my bingo card and the same is true of the delightful exchange Shields and Mulaney later had.

During the latest episode of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series, John Mulaney appeared in a number of interesting bumper photos. One particular shot, though, sees the comedian donning a red button-up shirt, blue jeans and black shoes while against a white backdrop. Mulaney also struck a kick-like pose for the cameras. Altogether, this humorous sight was actually a recreation of Brooke Shields’ famous Calvin Klein ad from 1980. The Big Mouth alum totally pulled off the look and pose as well!

Upon seeing the photo for herself, the Blue Lagoon star took to Instagram to share a side-by-side comparison of the OG pic and SNL’s homage. The former child model also shared a cheeky quip that made me chuckle upon seeing it:

Long before Jeremy Allen White’s Calvin Klein underwear ad took the internet by storm (or SNL zinged Justin Bieber with a faux CK ad), Brooke Shields made headlines for her own promotional campaign for the clothing brand. The marketing push, which included a shoot and commercials, is now considered seminal, though it also received backlash at the time, especially since Shields’ pose was perceived as being a sexual innuendo. Speaking of that pose, John Mulaney’s humorous reply featured a joke about that:

Seriously, all power to the Mulaney creator for getting into that position because, for some, getting out of it could be easier said than done. But, that aside, I love that the comic opted to honor the Suddenly Susan star in such a way. And, of course, that was only one aspect of what was an eventful episode of Saturday Night Live. Mulaney dished out a humorous monologue, in which he discussed the reality of being a parent to two young children and also discussed the pitfalls of getting older. In regard to sketches, he appeared in an election edition of What’s That Name and New York Assemblyman Harvey Epstein. On top of all that, Chappell Roan served as musical guest.

It may have been a small detail in the grand scheme of the episode, but I truly appreciate John Mulaney’s nod to Brooke Shields and love that she had a good sense of humor about it. They say that imitation is the more sincere form of flattery, and I think that rings true. (Let’s just hope that stars who are referenced or mimicked on SNL moving forward feel the same way.)

Saturday Night Live returns on November 9, with Bill Burr as host and Mk.gee as musical guest. In the meantime, you can stream past episodes by using a Peacock subscription.

When a performer says goodbye to the Saturday Night Live cast, it does not necessarily mean forever. Often, the sketch comedy TV show will invite an esteemed alum to appear in an episode either as a special guest or as a headliner, sometimes resulting in a hall-of-fame hosting gig. The following are some of our favorite times a former SNL star made a grand impression when they came back to Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy

After leaving SNL in 1984, Eddie Murphy came back to host (actually his second time, having hosted while still on the cast in 1982) for an episode later that year, on which he debuted, arguably, his best SNL sketch, "White Like Me." After being honored at the 40th anniversary special, the Academy Award nominee came back to host a third time, resulting in one of the most acclaimed episodes of Season 45.

Ben Stiller

You might have forgotten that Ben Stiller was a cast member since he only lasted four episodes in 1989, which he acknowledged when he first came back to host in 1998 after becoming a bigger name in comedy. He would return to host again 2011 in, followed by a series of recurring appearances as Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, in 2018.

Norm Macdonald

Famously, Norm Macdonald was fired from the SNL cast in 1998 for, as the NBC executives at the time claimed, not being funny. Just a year and a half later, he came back to host an episode, during which he joked in his monologue that he had not gotten any funnier but the show had gotten "really bad" since his exit.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before becoming one of the most beloved A-list actors in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. was one of the most heavily criticized cast members from one of the most heavily criticized seasons of SNL from 1985 to 1986. He only came back to host once in 1996, during which he proved was the supremely talented performer we know and love and, eventually, became the first former SNL cast member to win an Oscar for Oppenheimer in 2024.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus would not become a comedy icon until after her three-year stint at Studio 8H from 1982 to 1985 when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes. In 2006, fresh off her Emmy win for The New Adventures of Old Christine, she became the first female former SNL cast member to return as a host, which she would follow with two more gigs.

Jimmy Fallon

After a successful six years at SNL from 1998 to 2004, Jimmy Fallon would return for three hosting gigs and countless cameos. Each time the late-night TV host comes back to Studio 8H tends to be a celebrated affair, especially because there is a good chance that his friend, Justin Timberlake, will show up to participate in a new edition of "The Barry Gibb Talk Show" or some other sketch.

John Mulaney

While he was never part of the SNL cast, John Mulaney would perform a few funny segments on "Weekend Update" during his five years on the writing staff. He would later become one of the biggest names in stand-up comedy and such a beloved host that he joined the Five-Timers Club within only four years.

Dan Aykroyd

Sometimes, for a cast veteran, the key to a memorable hosting gig is to wait an exceptionally long time to come back as an SNL host, much like Dan Aykroyd did. The legendary, Canadian-American comedy star, known for sketches like “The Coneheads” and “Super Bass-o-Matic ‘76” from his tenure as a Not Ready for Primetime Player, headlined an episode in 2003, more than two decades after leaving the show.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is actually one of several SNL cast members who only lasted one season but still ended up becoming a huge success in the end. Two decades after she was let go from the series, the acclaimed comedian hosted a funny episode from Season 40.

Martin Short

It is hard to believe that a performer like Martin Short was only an SNL cast member for one season but he has, luckily, continued to demonstrate his dynamic comedic talents through memorable hosting gigs. His first hosting gig from 1986 was shared with his Three Amigos co-stars, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin – the latter of which he would co-host with again in 2022.

Adam Sandler

Surprisingly, despite making a couple of cameos over the years, Adam Sandler would not host SNL until 2019, which resulted in an instant favorite episode in which he sang two memorable songs. The former "SNL Bad Boy's" first tune (including a Chris Rock appearance) was during his monologue and discussed how he was fired after four seasons in 1995 and the other was a tribute to Chris Farley.

Kate McKinnon

After 10 wonderful years at SNL, the great Kate McKinnon would return a year and a half later to host the last episode of 2023, which proved to be a very successful episode, and not just because it featured cameos by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and her Barbie director, Greta Gerwig. Also, in Season 49, she would also come back for one more appearance as alien abduction victim Colleen Rafferty to make host Ryan Gosling laugh uncontrollably once again.

Chevy Chase

Only two weeks after his final episode as an SNL cast member, Chevy Chase made a hilarious, self-mocking cameo in the cold open as himself, performing music for tips outside of 30 Rock. He would continue to return for more cameos and eventually became the first host to join the Five-Timers Club before the idea of it had been suggested by Tom Hanks.

Billy Crystal

In a unique twist on this topic, Billy Crystal was actually meant to appear on the very first episode of SNL in 1975 but was ultimately cut for time, as depicted in the 2024 movie Saturday Night. As his notoriety increased, the comedian was asked to host twice in 1984 before being hired later that year as a cast member, during which he lit up the screen with his impersonation of Fernando Lamas and other notable characters.

Tina Fey

Having served as both "Weekend Update" host and head writer near the end of her nine-year tenure, Tina Fey was a true SNL MVP but some of her most memorable moments on the show occurred after her 2006 exit. Prior to her Five-Timers Club induction, the 30 Rock creator and star made numerous appearances as Sarah Palin that earned rave reviews.

Dana Carvey

A key element to SNL's new golden era from 1986 to 1993 was Dana Carvey and his wonderful talent for impressions, which he would continue to lend to Studio 8H in the years since his exit. The Wayne's World star is one of the most frequent returning cast members, especially in Season 50 as President Joe Biden.

David Spade

Many of David Spade's funniest quotes originate from his six years on SNL in the early-to-mid-1990s. His blunt, sarcastic, and sometimes unapologetically brutal delivery of mockery at other celebrities' expense would serve him well in his hosting gigs – the first of which included a cold open featuring Brad Pitt as his therapist.

Kristen Wiig

The final episode of SNL's 37th Season was the final episode for a few notable cast members but it ended with a grand send-off purely dedicated to Kristen Wiig's esteemed seven years, which included some hilarious quotes. It was not long before the Oscar nominee was asked to bring back her famous characters as a host and her Season 49 episode saw her induction into the Five-Timers Club.

Chris Farley

After becoming one of SNL's most esteemed icons during his five-season run and proving to be a box office draw with movies like Tommy Boy, Chris Farley was at the height of his fame when he came back to host two years after leaving. However, his October 1997 episode is now remembered more somberly because, only two months later, he would pass away from a drug overdose at the age of 33.

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph proved herself as an all-time great during her seven years on SNL in the 2000s. She would return for multiple hosting gigs and an innumerable amount of special guest appearances, most notably as her Emmy-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris.

Pete Davidson

For his clever "Weekend Update" commentaries, fascinating personal life, and title as the youngest SNL cast member on record, Pete Davidson was one of the series' most talked about performers when he left at the end of Season 47. He was initially meant to return as a host for the following season but, due to the Writers' Strike, he instead returned for the Season 49 premiere, which featured a viral pre-filmed bit poking fun at his post-SNL career inspired by Barbie's "I'm Just Ken."

Tracy Morgan

Impersonations of the likes of Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey and hilarious original characters like Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones made Tracy Morgan a force to be reckoned with during his seven years on SNL. As a result, each of the 30 Rock cast member's returns to the Studio 8H stage as a host or guest have been warm celebrations of his best moments as a cast member.

Paul Shaffer

Starting off as a member of Studio 8H's house band, Paul Shaffer later made history as the first person to drop the F-bomb on SNL during his 1979-1980 stint on the cast. Of course, he bounced back from the incident without issue and would make cameos on the show and host an episode from 1987 after being David Letterman's bandleader greatly increased his notoriety.

Damon Wayans

One of the most infamous SNL cast firings is that of Damon Wayans, who changed the nature of a character on the fly in the middle of a broadcast in 1986. The comedian would find even greater success as a member of the In Living Color cast and, in 1995, was asked to come back as a host.

Phil Hartman

It is easy to understand why some argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest SNL cast member of all time and why, just two years after his exit, he was asked to host twice in 1996. We have no doubt we would have seen more of the Emmy winner gracing the Studio 8H stage again if not for his untimely murder in 1998 at the age of 49.

Chris Rock

The first "Bad Boy of SNL" to return as a host was Chris Rock in 1996, which was three years after his departure. At that point, the comedian had found decent subsequent success by making appearances on the show's biggest competitor at the time, In Living Color.

Jason Sudeikis

While he would make several post-exit guest appearances, Jason Sudeikis' first time hosting in 2021 was eight years after he left the show, which was actually a year later than he had intended. The gig was a big moment, given his Emmy-winning success on Ted Lasso at the time and his heartfelt opening monologue celebrating his time as a writer-turned-cast member.

Will Ferrell

Despite a hiccup or two in his early days on the cast, Will Ferrell became one of the most beloved SNL cast members of the 90s and early 2000s. His many appearances since, including five hosting gigs, have resulted in some of the show's most celebrated moments in recent years.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler's impeccable skills of impersonation and arsenal of uproarious characters made her seven years on SNL a one-of-a-kind era. Her many notable appearances since include co-hosting with her friend and one-time "Weekend Update" co-anchor Tina Fey in 2015 and making cameoing as Leslie Knope alongside her fellow former Parks and Recreation cast member, Aubrey Plaza, in 2023.

Darrell Hammond

One of the all-time longest-standing SNL cast members is Darrell Hammond with 14 seasons but his time at Studio 8H would not stop there after all. In addition to making special appearances – most notably in "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketches as Sean Connery – the actor would succeed Don Pardo as the show's announcer when Pardo passed away in 2014.

Molly Shannon

Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon is the driving force behind one of the most iconic SNL characters to earn their own movie, Mary Katherine Gallagher. The misfit Catholic high school student is just one character she has brought back for her numerous appearances on the show since leaving in 2001, including two hosting gigs.

Bill Murray

After Chevy Chase left in 1976, stepping in to join the Not Ready for Primetime Players was Bill Murray, who hilariously acknowledged his struggle to make an impression on SNL early on in a famous sketch. Of course, the Oscar nominee would quickly achieve wild notoriety in the 1980s, which made his subsequent five hosting gigs and additional cameos much-celebrated occasions.

Since the dawn of television, comedians have been around to bring the funny, but comedy greats don’t always have broad appeal. If you’re looking for some of the more divisive or perhaps cutting edge comedy programs out there, this isn’t the list for you. Instead I wanted to put together a list of programs both the critics and audiences can agree on, which means some names like Ricky Gervais – whom critics notably hate but audiences still love – did not make the final roundup. Nor did some who received audience love but not much notice from critics on an aggregator, given critics roundups are still a relatively new concept. (My apologies to Patrice O'Neal and George Carlin!)

I know it doesn’t happen totally often, but here’s a list of comedy specials in the modern era which both critics and audiences can agree are worth throwing on. There’s some greats that came around long before the Rotten Tomatoes era, and plenty more that comedy lovers enjoy but critics often ignore. Regardless, when there’s overlap amidst both groups, you can find some names with broad appeal.

Bo Burnham: Inside

Bo Burnham’s 2021 musical comedy special was filmed and taped during the COVID pandemic, and as such it has a very different feel than most other comedy specials. That’s a good thing, as both audiences and critics are bullish on the Netflix original. It also has one of the most similar audience and critics scores, with critics weighing in at 93% and 95% respectively.

Ramy Youssef: More Feelings

Ramy Youssef may not have brought in the biggest SNL ratings during his stint as host, but Youssef has really started making a name for himself in the industry. A lot of people tuning into his stand-up like what he brings to the table. His 2024 special More Feelings dives into a divided world and other topics that lots of people latched onto, including 100% of critics who reviewed, and a fairly similar 91% of audiences.

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special

Norm Macdonald churned out conceptually hilarious comedy for years before the 2022 release of Nothing Special, taped just before his death at 61 (and originally planned to be recreated in front of a live audience). The run-through was released posthumously, and both critics and audiences latched onto it, with 100% of critics giving a thumbs up and 86% of audience members enjoying the unorthodox platform for joke-telling, too. Norm has plenty of other great content, but this is the standout in the review aggregator era.

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra

A personal favorite of all the recent comedy specials (at least on Netflix), Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra was taped while she was pregnant (and still married to then-partner Justin Hakuta). The comedy special really speaks to women in a particular time in their lives, but it’s also just great enough to be broadly appealing, landing a 100% rating with critics and a still positive 74% from the crowd.

Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel

You really can’t go wrong with Jerrod Carmichael specials. Both critics and audiences really like his bent, and he has multiple specials in this aggregator era that were liked by both. The HBO 2022 original Rothaniel edges out the others with a 100% critics and 84% positive Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time

Jim Gaffigan’s funny in almost any context, and he’s been rolling out comedy specials for more than a decade, many of which have landed him Grammy nominations. His 2019 special Quality Time has hit in the review aggregator era, and landed him 100% from critics and a solid 88% from the fans who watched. Not bad for his seventh at bat.

Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping

We have a tie here, ladies and gentleman. While Talking For Clapping didn’t quite push over the coveted 90% mark, both 86% of critics and 86% of audiences who tuned in enjoyed the actor and comedian’s 2016 Netflix special. Still a strong and notable score.

Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

Wanda Sykes’ 2019 comedy special hit the spot for many. While subsequent standup specials have lower audience scores than critics scores, Not Normal stands out with a high critics score of 100% and a relatively high audience score of 84%. Though I'd still recommend checking out older pre-aggregate era stuff, like I'ma Be Me.

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City

John Mulaney has a lot of must-watch comedy specials, including the outstanding New In Town special, but his later 2018 special Kid Gorgeous At Radio City came late enough that both critics and audience members weighed in on aggregates, and very positively (at 100% and 91% respectively). It's a great follow-up and much better reviewed than his most recent special Baby J.

Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here

Tig Notaro's pace and tone is pretty unique, and her stand-up has not always been for everyone (critics love her but audiences are sometimes less enamored). But her 2018 special Happy To Be Here earned high marks from critics and audiences alike. Though, if you want to get away from just her TV specials, many fans would recommend Live, the viral performance she recorded after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Richard Pryor: Live In Concert

The first full movie to hit theaters that featured a stand-up special, Live in Concert is a notable show from an all-time great comedian. Coming in at a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 92% from audiences, the movie has continued to draw eyeballs since its 1979 release.

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American

Nate Bargatze's first TV special The Tennessee Kid was largely ignored by critics, but they'd caught on by the time The Greatest Average American came out on Netflix in 2021. With a 100% critics score and a 90%, there's no doubt there's a broad audience from the comedian, who often jokes about relatable topics like buying clothing and learning from his kids' homework.

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend

There are very few standup specials that came out more than 10 years ago that have an aggregation score, but Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend has such an interesting theme -- about falling for women dating two men and finding the right priorities in life -- and format that it's been popular for years. With a perfect review from a small pool of critics and an 86% from a large swathe of audiences, it's one to watch.

Chris Rock: Kill The Messenger

Chris Rock's been around long enough that even some of his older specials were heavily watched and have been reviewed by critics and audiences alike. The most popular of these is Kill The Messenger, with a 100% critics score and an 89% audience score. This was Rock's fifth special and it was taped over the course of a few nights in a few different cities. The end result is nothing short of spectacular.

Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts And Prayers

Given Jeselnik's often dark jokes, I actually wasn't sure if the audience and critics would be on the same page, but both seem to have gone in for Thoughts and Prayers, his 2015 standup on Netflix. It was his second special after coming to prominence on Last Comic Standing, and critics and 88% of audiences who watched gave it a thumbs up.

The Original Kings Of Comedy

An all-time comedy classic, Spike Lee's stand-up movie (that also features BTS footage) has an all-time murderers' row of comedy talent. Steve Harvey. D.L. Hughley. Cedric The Entertainer. Bernie Mac. While some of the jokes haven't aged as well, it's still an all-time classic, and it's no wonder 83% of critics and 79% of audiences enjoy it today.

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

While Sandler's amusingly titled 100% Fresh doesn't quite get that perfect aggregation score, it's pretty dang close. Coming in at a very similar 90% critics and 91% audience score, the Netflix special landed the longtime comedian an Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special nomination at the Emmys in 2018. And Dan Bull and his longtime comedy buddy Rob Schneider pop in to boot!

Eddie Murphy Delirious

Oft found on greatest standup comedy show lists of all time, Eddie Murphy's hour-long+ 1983 standup yet features some great jokes and a memorable fashion moment from the comedian. Intriguingly the audience score is a little higher on this one at 90%, but critics come pretty close, with 83% reviewing the special highly.

Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up For The First Time

Many people know Rory Scovel as an actor in shows like Robbie (Comedy Central) and Physical (Apple TV Plus). The funnyman is a good writer, too, and he's put together a slew of standup specials between 2015 and 2024. One of those is Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up for the First Time, a bit of a misnomer given his 2015 comedy special The Charleston Special is also standup. This 2017 one is a little zanier and keeps the audience guessing, ranking in at 89% of critics, and a less stellar but still solid 75% of audiences.

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas

Their first special Nannette won them a Peabody Award and a Primetime Emmy. But Hannah Gadsby's second special Douglas is one they toured extensively for after it blew up, selling out early in many cases. Douglas has a 93% rating from critics, and a 66% rating from audiences.

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger

Bill Burr's been on the standup beat a long time, but it's his pre-Covid comedy special that's drawn recent attention on Netflix. The 2019 special cracks jokes about anger management (and even jokes it's going to be his last comedy special), but he's still going strong. This one's a little higher with audiences, with 96% loving it and only 86% of critics getting down. Still strong scores either way.

Sincerely, Louis C.K.

You may have heard Louis C.K. got canceled, but he's been churning out his own content regardless. His two comeback standup specials Sorry and Sincerely have been well reviewed by both critics and audiences alike and are doubtless not the end for the comedian.

Jerry Before Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld's been doing standup for years, but even his more recent comedy sketches haven't been slouches, either. His 2017 special --and his first with Netflix -- Jerry Before Seinfeld landed him a whopping 95% with critics and a solid 75% with audiences too. It's cool, too, as he takes us back through his childhood and teen years before becoming the Seinfeld, and standup star fans know and love. It even landed him a Grammy nom.

Chris Rock: Bigger And Blacker

Chris Rock's Bigger and Blacker is an all-time classic in the realm of standup. I was actually a little surprised to see it at a similar 86% of critics and 89% of audiences still giving it a thumbs up. It's also worth noting it makes a lot of classic standup lists.

Iliza: Elder Millennial

Known for other Netflix projects like Spenser Confidential, Iliza Shlesinger also has some notable standup routines to her name. Elder Millennial is one with a great name and funny materials, landing both a positive review from critics and audiences.

Hasan Minhaj: The King's Jester

The Daily Show correspondent is known for a lot of TV work, but his stand-up is notable too. The King's Jester is his second Netflix special, memorable for jokes at Starbucks' expense and also just how active Minhaj is onstage. It's no wonder it has an 86% from critics and an 80% from audiences.

Kevin Hart: Laugh At My Pain

Many of Kevin Hart's standup specials seem to be liked by critics more than by audiences, but one exception is Laugh at my Pain, the comedian's 2011 standup film, with special appearances from Taraji P. Henson and RuPaul. Critics were at a reasonable 71%, but more than 5,000 audiences ratings mark this special highly at 84%.

Chris Gethard: Career Suicide

Chris Gethard's Career Suicide is part funny and part sad, exploring themes like depression, alcohol abuse and suicide attempts. HBO filmed a special after he debuted the material at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and critics were all over the material. In fact, it has 100% from them. The audience is at 74%.

Mae Martin: SAP

Mae Martin's comedy special SAP was their first. Hitting in 2023, the title comes from a reference in the special that involves a story about a man facing two beasts, finding an upside in tasting sap from a tree instead. The special nabbed them an 80% from critics, with a still-positive 62% from audiences.

Dave Chappelle: 8:46

Dave Chappelle famously has a no-phone policy at shows, but some of them still get recorded for audiences later. His special in 2020 is notable for being filmed outdoors during the Covid pandemic, and also for featuring a mix of comedy with social comedy, making it a hybrid of sorts. Reviews for both aspects were positive, with the special landing 90% from critics reviews and 85% from audiences.

Katt Williams: Great America

Katt Williams has created a lot of standup specials over the years, but his 2018 switched him from HBO to Netflix and attracted some new notice and fans. A solid 80% with critics, Great America was also 62% with audiences, and if you like what you see here, I totally recommend you go back in his specials list, as he's been churning them out since 2006.

Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning

SNL writer Sam Jay keeps very busy with gigs both writing and producing, but in 2020 she took time to film 3 In The Morning, a comedy special for Netflix. The special earned an 86% from critics and 62% from audiences. The shirt she wore is giving me early aughts vibes too.

As we arrive at the final phase of the 2024 TV schedule, iconic sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is going to hit a major milestone. SNL’s 50th anniversary (with its potential legacy guest stars) is bound to be a big deal. So, what could possibly make this historic moment any more exciting? That would be the now-hotly anticipated pairing of host John Mulaney and musical guest Chappell Roan, set to rock Studio 8H on November 2nd.

That’s right, this apparent pairing from heaven has gotten X (formerly known as Twitter) hyped for the 50th season’s first batch of hosts and musical guests. Let’s not waste any time, and get to the first example of social media behaving exactly as you’d expect, complete with the full lineup of SNl’s first guest host/musical guest combos:

Between John Mulaney’s unique brand of comedy and Chappell Roan’s medieval VMAs look, these two personalities overlapping does seem to laser focus on a certain type of kid. And I can already tell you, if Ms. Roan isn’t at least offered the opportunity to bring The Muppet Show meme about her trying to steal Miss Piggy’s affections to life, I’m going to be severely disappointed.

However, if the reason for passing on that hypothetical sketch is because the “Hot to Go!” singer isn’t comfortable with acting on stage instead of her usual music, I can understand that. Chappell Roan’s been putting in the work for celebrities to enforce boundaries. Anyhow, if you're a fan of the singer and/or the comedian, then you’re going to love this further handful of responses to the news:

• “I can already tell you there's going to be 5 fights and an act of arson at the John Mulaney/Chappell Roan standby line.” - @ellycelly
• “i actually think the timeline will be really normal when john mulaney hosts the pre election episode of snl with musical guest chappell roan.” - @kettlevinyl
• “Huge day for 20 year old art majors who inevitably become John mulaney fans because their mom listened to him in the car 24/7 after her divorce” - @dancemydarling
• “john mulaney and chappell roan your most annoying friend just fell to their knees.” - @fullmoonyelena

Speaking of The Muppet Show, John Mulaney’s return to SNL alone is still a good opportunity to do a sketch with NBC’s off-brand imitations of the real deal. I mean, if there was any human you’d expect to be a perfect fit to be the only flesh and blood character in a Muppet project, the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse voice actor would be that guy. At the very least, can we get him to riff on the subject of why Muppet Babies isn’t on streaming?

Whatever happens on the night, I trust the Saturday Night Live writers to pull some magic out of the air, especially with John Mulaney being paired with Chappell Roan. They're bound to be compared to some of the other host/musical guest duos on the way this fall, as talents like Jean Smart and Michael Keaton are both on the lineup for this early inning of SNL Season 50. But to send us off with a nice dose of hype, take a look at one last reaction, complete with a fitting GIF:

New York City bars, you’re officially on notice! You have between now and SNL’s 50th season premiere on September 28th to set up a recurring event that involves drink specials and a communal watch party. As for you diehard fans who want to revisit sketch collections of the past, you can catch previous seasons of Saturday Night Live on streaming, thanks to the power of a Peacock Premium subscription.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of ABC's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

Another season of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? kicked off on ABC in the 2024 TV schedule with two sets of celebrities hoping to win the top prize for the charities of their choices. First off against host Jimmy Kimmel were comedians, friends, and Big Mouth collaborators John Mulaney and Nick Kroll. They played a fairly standard game up until they hit the $64,000 mark, at which point a question about Easter Island stumped them so much that they spent three lifelines and nearly ten minutes on it. By the end, they didn't win a million dollars for their charities, but they did earn some money and definitely reminded me why certain celebrity game shows are so much fun.

Nick Kroll And John Mulaney On Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

The two contestants – both of whom participated in this year's Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival – paired up to try and win the grand prize for their charities, with Mulaney playing for The Innocence Project to help overturn wrongful convictions and Kroll playing for Comedy Vs Cancer in support of blood cancer research. Unsurprisingly, they were cracking jokes and bantering with Kimmel right off the bat, and it was a sign of how the night would go that they were cracking up about Bradley Cooper spending six years learning how to conduct an orchestra for Maestro just minutes in.

They managed to get all the way to the $64,000 question without using any of their four lifelines – which were the options to phone a friend, poll the audience, narrow down the choices to 50/50, and ask Kimmel – but they would burn through three of the four over the next ten minutes, and it made for great TV. This is the question that had them stumped:

As always, there were four possible answers presented to the contestants, but past the $32,000 mark, Millionaire doesn't conveniently provide three answers that are very clearly wrong. These were the Easter Island options:

• A. Originally they were homes
• B. Only five are still intact
• C. They all face due west
• D. They also have bodies

Now, thanks to my decision to spend the early months of the COVID-19 shutdowns binging documentaries, I actually knew that the correct answer was D. right away, but that understandably wasn't the case for Mulaney and Kroll. Over the next nine minutes or so, they'd burn through lifeline after lifeline, starting with the 50/50 hilariously eliminating the only two answers that they were seriously considering. Calling up Jon Stewart as their "phone a friend" didn't help either, and they were about ready to make A. their final answer until they asked the audience, who set them straight on D.

And it was a pretty great segment, up to and including when Nick Kroll joked that they should have called Trevor Noah instead of Jon Stewart when Stewart didn't have an answer for them. Three lifelines and ten minutes after first being asked about Easter Island, they advanced to the $125,000 question, which was about the infamous Burberry bag from Succession. Unfortunately, neither they nor Jimmy Kimmel knew that it was described as "ludicrously capacious," so they got the question wrong and ultimately won $32,000 for their charities instead of $1 million.

How John Mulaney And Nick Kroll Reminded Me Of My Love Of Celebrity Game Show Episodes

I've always enjoyed when celebrities are playing for charity on game shows, and I remember watching Celebrity Jeopardy as a kid whenever I could, even before the epic SNL sketches. But there have been so many celebrity game shows in primetime in recent years that some of the excitement wore off. Watching the Season 3 premiere of Millionaire with Mulaney and Kroll – followed by the dynamic duo of Good Burger stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell – reminded me that stars playing games in primetime is most fun when they play the normal version, but the rules don't really apply because the end goal is to give money to charity.

Normally, people don't get to compete on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in pairs with their pals, and unless I'm mistaken, there's a lot less swearing requiring bleeps in a typical episode than courtesy of some of Mulaney's language choices. Seeing Mulaney and Kroll play along with the game while bringing the banter was just fun, and there was no reason to be annoyed that the usual rules didn't entirely apply to them just because they're celebrities. The whole purpose was money for charity, so it was fun to sit back and enjoy their struggle to get to the right answers.

Plus, the fact that they burned three lifelines on the Easter Island question that the audience nailed and went out on a Succession question is just funny. What's not to love? If you missed the episode or just want to rewatch, Season 3 of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? will be available streaming with a Hulu subscription.

The Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival has been a massive hit for years now, bringing the biggest names in stand-up comedy together for new performances, specials, and behind-the-scenes moments. The streamer is known for producing some of the best stand up specials currently streaming from fan-favorite comedians such as John Mulaney, who has become one of the most successful comedians in the game. Mulaney can already sell out arenas, but still finds himself taking part in the comedy festival every year, and recently revealed why he likes attending, and what it means for Netflix Is A Joke to be a Los Angeles staple.

Speaking with Deadline about , Mulaney opened up about his wacky game-changing chat series Everybody’s in L.A., and why he decided to experiment with the age-old talk show format for the comedy endeavor. He revealed that he was mostly drawn to L.A.’s weirdness as inspiration, and was able to have a lot of A List guests for the series because so many comics were in L.A. for the Netflix festival. He explained his love for the event, saying:

A strange and fascinating place, Los Angeles makes sense as the perfect location for a massive comedy festival. It is home to some of the most famous comedy clubs in the country like The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory, and many comedians like Mulaney are based in the California city. Additionally, there are more than enough venues for all the comedians to have their spotlight moment, and some of the bigger headliners consider performing at the Hollywood Bowl a huge career benchmark.

Plus, based on Mulaney’s recount of the event, it also seems like a great opportunity for comedians to get together and talk out their craft and/or just enjoy a tasty brunch with hilarious company.

Los Angeles is also clearly important to Mulaney, who centered his latest project around the city. For the talk series, Mulaney used each episode to focus on the strangest, most unique aspects of living in L.A., like earthquakes, coyotes, and the La Brea Tar Pits. His fascination with everyday life is a signature of Mulaney’s comedy, and his observational humor shines in the mini-series. During the live show, he invited fellow comedians like frequent collaborator Bill Hader, Jerry Seinfeld, and Pete Davidson to talk about living in L.A., and experience the strangeness of what the live show had to offer. It often went off the rails, which is the beauty of the show, and Mulaney seemed to be enjoying every bit of the chaos.

Check out this location-specific clip from one of the Netflix episodes.

Even if Mulaney could rank amongst the best late night hosts in the future, Everybody’s in L.A. likely won’t be replicated or renewed. Mulaney has stated that the experiment was a one off thing, and doesn’t seem to have much interest in making more episodes. Additionally, it’s not every day that hundreds of famous comedians are in the same place at the same time and have the availability to participate in a strange live talk show. The convenience of having Netflix Is A Joke happening in tandem with the show was integral to the success of Everybody’s in L.A., and is one of the big reasons Mulaney, and other comedians love the event so much.

You can check out John Mulaney’s recent comedy endeavor, Everybody’s in L.A. now with a Netflix subscription. Fans of the comedian should also check out our feature on where to watch Mulaney’s best stand-up specials that are streaming now.

Father’s Day is a big day for posting on the Internet, and celebrities are no exception. Amidst posts like Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone’s daughters paying tribute to the famous actors, John Mulaney shared his own post hanging out with his son Malcolm, then promptly deleted it. A ring on his finger led Internet sleuths to come to one conclusion: He’s already married Olivia Munn. While that may be true, there could be a separate culprit to the deleted photograph. 

The first image that John Mulaney posted with son Malcolm was of the two of them at the breakfast table, hanging out. Eagle-eyed fans spotted John Mulaney with what looked to be wedding band on the relevant ring finger, while his little boy wore a shirt that read, ‘Yes, I know I look like my daddy.’ The photo was up for a short while before it was deleted and replaced with the following post of the two playing with bubble wrap on the floor.   

Having said this, the image is still wafting around the Internet, leading many fans to speculate that he and Olivia Munn quietly tied the knot. The couple announced they were having a baby together shortly after he exited rehab and divorced his then-wife AnneMarie Tindler. He and Munn welcomed their son late in 2021, but have kept a fairly low-profile when it comes to their relationship.

The ring on the left finger is always interesting, and it’s entirely possible the couple didn’t want to share big news in a random Instagram post. However, I’d also like to point out the first image Mulaney shared of he and Malcolm was a front-facing photo. While both were looking down at food on the table, the couple have also taken some pains to keep their kid’s face off of social media. 

In fact, Olivia Munn’s been careful about sharing footage with their little one in more recent months too. Malcolm’s on camera a lot, but he’s often not facing the camera, or is seen in sunglasses or in a side profile. Sometimes, his head is mostly cut off. While there are photos of him front-facing as a baby on Instagram, more often than not, his back is to the camera now. 

It's a move that some celebrity parents have taken in order to give their children choice about what they want to share and when they want to share it, down the line while still being able to share some aspects of their private lives. The couple that comes to mind that does this most notably is probably Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzengger, who often hide their children’s faces in photos and other content. Schwarzenegger’s brand in particular is so focused around being a mom that it makes sense she’d want them to be involved in her posts, but this way they get privacy too. 

Listen, it’s entirely possible John Mulaney may have just revealed he and Olivia Munn tied the knot on accident and deleted the photo because of it. If that’s true they’ll probably confirm in their own way one day, but right now they have a little one to raise and the actress is in the middle of a cancer battle and just had a hysterectomy this spring. We'll keep you updated. 

When you look back on the best Oscar hosts from past shows, some of our favorites over the years were standup comedians. So, when it comes time for the Academy to decide its 2025 host, one top-tier fan favorite name that has been suggested a lot lately is John Mulaney. He’d crush it, I just know it, but what does the man himself think about hosting Hollywood’s biggest night? 

After John Mulaney recently took on late night with Netflix’s Everybody’s In L.A. (with impressive results), the standup and Spider-Verse voice actor was recently asked by Variety how he’d respond if the Academy asked him to host the next Oscars ceremony. In his words: 

In the recent conversation with the trade, John Mulaney initially avoided the question by sharing that he loves watching Jimmy Kimmel host the show – giving him major props for how he has handled himself on stage for past shows. He also said he’s “never seen anyone that good at producing a show at that level.” So it sounds like Mulaney doesn’t see a need for him to step in. 

Kimmel has hosted the show four times successfully, but we don’t know if he’ll be up to the task for sure in 2025. When the outlet prodded Mulaney further about how he’d react to being offered the gig, he gave a hilarious response that only makes me want to see him do the show more. Asked about his availability in March, the comedian said,

The more straightforward answer obviously came earlier when he said he likes “doing things,” and it sounds like (cleverly so) he doesn’t want to tie himself to one answer without knowing the details of an offer that might come to him. And he certainly doesn’t want to take away the job from Jimmy Kimmel. 

John Mulaney has delivered countless hilarious jokes for Saturday Night Live and in his standup specials over the years, and he notably brought his humor to the 96th Oscars by performing a funny Field of Dreams bit that was so good that even Kevin Costner went back to revisit it after the show. Just think of all the ways Mulaney could spice up the Academy Awards if given the chance! 

As Mulaney pencils in more dates in for 2025, you can plan your watch schedule with our 2024 TV Premiere date guide and our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.

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:

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:

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.

While Field of Dreams obviously wasn’t even eligible to be a 2024 Oscar winner, John Mulaney wanted it to be, and he made that hilariously clear during this year’s Academy Awards. The comedian’s joke about one of the best sports movies went over very well, with many saying he'd be a great host for the ceremony, and now Kevin Costner has reacted after watching it for “a second time.” 

With Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga slated on the 2024 movie schedule, he’s been out and about promoting the movie. Considering that and the fact it’s Field of Dreams’ 35th anniversary, the Oscar winner was asked about John Mulaney’s joke about it. Speaking with People, he explained that he adored the comedian's bit:

It really was hilarious. I know I was laughing hysterically throughout Mulaney’s little heartfelt tangent about the sports movie, and it sounds like Kevin Costner was too, as he continued:

I love that he was “impressed” and “touched” by it. John Mulaney seems to have an affinity for Field of Dreams, and as he said, he wished it could win Best Picture. His quick delivery of the plot caught me off guard, and then hearing him hilariously explain the story and the silliness of Costner’s character watching ghosts play baseball had me wiping tears of laughter away from my face. 

The film’s star was touched by this funny and loving tribute to his movie too, and he finished off his comments about it by saying:

Many loved what he did too, and it’s not the first time Mulaney has poked adoring fun at a classic ‘80s movie before. If you’ve watched John Mulaney’s stand-up specials you are likely aware of his jokes about Back to the Future and The Fugitive. The stand-up comedian is incredibly good at explaining plots of movies many love that put the plot holes and silly concepts on display, however, it’s also obvious through his delivery that he’s a big fan of these films too. 

The Field of Dreams joke is structurally similar to one of Mulaney’s best bits that involves The Fugitive, a ballroom and Bill Clinton. In the joke from The Comeback Kid, the stand-up is telling a story about meeting the former President, and it spirals into him explaining the entire climax of The Fugitive because said meeting happened in the same ballroom where this film moment took place. He did a similar thing at the Oscars, talking about this year’s sound nominees before diving into a small and hilarious tangent about the baseball movie.

Much like Mulaney’s other jokes about old movies, this Oscars moment went off without a hitch, and folks loved it! It’s even better now because Kevin Costner adores it too!

To go back and see just how on-point John Mulaney’s synopsis of Field of Dreams is, you can stream it with an Amazon Prime subscription. If you want a little more of Mulaney’s comedy in your life, you can stream his stand-up specials with a Netflix subscription and rewatch his Oscars bit multiple times just like the Yellowstone star did. 

John Mulaney has written sketches, hosted and appeared in musical skits for SNL from seasons 34-39 (which are available to stream with a Peacock subscription). Mulaney's comedy specials and body of work aside, he's also been candid about his personal life, which became a major topic of conversation in 2021. At that time, he and his then-wife, Anna Marie Tendler, split and the star subsequently moved on with actress Olivia Munn. Now, Tendler has written a memoir, and she's getting open about different facets of her life, and that could even include her marriage to Mulaney.

If you're familiar with Anna Marie Tendler’s Instagram account, you'll know that the visual artist floods her social media space with artistic photos of flowers, interior decor, cityscapes and more. This time around, Tendler posted something a little different, as she announced the summer release of her new memoir, Men Have Called Her Crazy. While sharing the news, she also cheekily posed a question to her followers, “You didn’t think I was just taking photos of sunsets and seashores this whole time, did you?” Take a look at her post:

Based on the description she shared and Simon & Schuster’s book synopsis, the multimedia artist will touch on the subjects of mental health, womanhood and family. It's suggested that many of the moments that caused her mental health to decline came from the failed relationships in her life. Despite the seemingly dark subject matter, it seems the book will convey a strong message of hope for those who choose to check out the text.

Anna Marie Tendler’s name came up in John Mulaney’s jokes from SNL and his stand-up shows frequently while they were together. Mulaney and Tendler were married on July 5, 2014. Three months after the actor/writer completed his 60-rehab stay following his addiction battle, the two announced their separation in May 2021. Tender told People that she was “heartbroken” that the Emmy Award winner decided to end their marriage. In September 2021, he announced that new girlfriend Olivia Munn was pregnant, and Mulaney and Munn welcomed their baby, a boy named Malcolm, that November.

In an essay for Elle, Anna Marie Tendler wrote that while her divorce from her former hubby was pending, she spiraled into a depression. For the first two weeks of 2021, she was hospitalized for depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. She credited her French bulldog, Petunia, for helping her get through the end of her marriage and, sadly, the dog passed away that April. Through Men Have Called Her Crazy, I’m sure we’ll get a more in-depth look at what she went through during her times of struggle and what ultimately helped her heal.

All in all, the upcoming book should make for a fairly interesting read. And, after seeing this announcement, I'm getting the impression that the 38-year-old visual artist found closure in regard to moving on to the next chapter in her life.

Men Have Called Her Crazy is available to pre-order now on Amazon, and its expected release date is August 13. As for John Mulaney, keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule in case he has any projects that crop up there.

The Bear cast is made up of colorful and unique characters, from the loud-mouthed Richie and the more cool-headed Sydney, to the eager-to-learn Marcus and the veteran chef Tina. At the center of this kitchen-based craziness is Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy Berzatto, the award-winning chef who returned to Chicago to take over his brother’s restaurant, and as of the Season 2 finale is now running a new dining establishment.

As Hulu subscribers know all too well, Carmy keeps a wide circle of people in his life, between the members of his family, which are comprised of both blood relatives and longtime friends, as well as the staff he works with on a daily basis and various other individuals with whom he has special ties. We’re here to talk about these most prominent of The Bear characters while we wait for news on The Bear Season 3 and continue relishing how the show netted six wins at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Spoilers from the first two seasons of The Bear are included in this article...

The Berzatto Siblings

Every primary character in The Bear is tied to the Berzatto siblings in one form or another, and in the main cast, Carmy is joined by his sister, Abby Elliot’s Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto. Then there’s their brother, Jon Bernthal’s Michael “Mikey” Berzatto, who died by suicide four months before the events of the series premiere episode. We’ve gotten to spend some time with Mikey thanks to some flashbacks in Season 1 and the tense “Fishes” episode from Season 2, and in the present day, Carmy and Sugar are co-owners of The Bear restaurant, which finally opened in the same-named Season 2 finale.

“Cousin” Richie And His Ex-Wife Tiffany

Although not tied to the Berzattos by blood, Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richard “Richie” Jerimovich has been tight with this family for many years thanks to having been Mikey’s best friend. He even admits in “Forks” that Donna Berzatto was more like a mother to him than his own mother, so he’s more than earned the right to be called “Cousin” throughout the show. Then there’s Tiffany, Richie’s wife played by Gillian Jacobs. The two were still married in “Fishes” and had their daughter Eva shortly thereafter, but they’re divorced in the present days, and in “Forks,” Tiffany told Richie that she was engaged to a man named Frank.

Sydney, Marcus and Tina - The Bear’s Core Kitchen Staff

They’re not members of the Berzatto family, but these characters certainly aren’t important to The Bear’s narrative. Chief among this particular trio is Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney Adabu, who joined The Beef as a sous-chef at the start of the show after her catering business failed. After The Beef fell under, she stuck around to help develop The Bear restaurant, becoming its chef de cuisine. Lionel Bryce’s Marcus and Liza Colón-Zayas’s Tina Marrero worked at The Beef back when Mikey was still alive, meaning they go way back with Carmy too. At The Beef, Marcus is in charge of deserts and Tina works as the sous-chef.

Ebraheim And Sweeps - Other Important Kitchen Staff Members

Although Edwin Lee Gibson and Corey Hendrix’s characters aren’t series regulars like the other kitchen staff, they’re nonetheless important members of The Bear, with both Ebraheim and Gary “Sweeps” Woods also having been around at The Beef when Mikey was running it. Granted, Ebraheim did disappear when he and Tina were tasked to go to culinary school in Season 2, but he eventually resurfaced and has resumed his duties. Hopefully these two will have more prominent roles in Season 3.

“Uncle” Jimmy And His Wife Carol

Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski was the best friend of Carmy, Sugar and Mikey’s dad when he was still alive, hence why he’s referred to them, as well as Richie, as “Uncle.” He loaned Mikey $300,000 for The Beef, and even after that unspent money was finally found, he lent an additional $500,000 to Carmy, Sugar and Sydney for The Bear, though the restaurant has to pay off the $800,000 debt within 18 months time. Jimmy is married to Maura Kidwell’s Carol, who can briefly be seen in a few episodes.

Pete - Sugar’s Husband

If The Bear has a consistent punching bag, it’s Pete, Sugar’s husband who’s played by Chris Witaske. He means well and is consistently trying to impress, but he’s nonetheless the target of many jabs, insults and teases from his wife’s family members and friends. Pete did get a chance to shine in the Season 2 finale when he noticed Donna (who we’ll talk about next) outside the restaurant and tried to get her to come in. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, and to make matters worse, Pete accidentally revealed to his mother-in-law that he and Sugar were having a baby, something he assumed Donna already knew about, but wasn’t the case.

Donna - Carmy, Sugar And Mikey’s Mother

In “Fishes,” we met Jamie Lee Curtis’ Donna, Carmy, Sugar and Mikey’s mother who was preparing the Christmas dinner that year for her extended family (there’s a wild story behind the actress getting the role). It soon became clear that Donna was in trouble between her erratic mood shifts and alcoholism, and by the end of the episode, she crashed her car into the house. In the Season 2 finale, Donna showed up at the opening of The Bear restaurant, but only interacted with Pete, as she decided at the last minute that she didn’t deserve to witness her children’s success, plus was taken aback by the news about the baby.

Brothers Neil And Theodore Fak

Like Richie, Neil Fak, played by Matty Matheson (a real-life chef), is a childhood friend of Mikey Berzatto, but he and Richie were constantly at odds with one another, and that hasn’t changed in adulthood. As a mechanic, Neil was often around The Beef to fix things up, and he played an integral role in the construction of The Bear. We spent some time with Neil’s brother Theodore, played by Ricky Staffieri, in the episodes “Fishes,” “Omelette” and “The Bear.”

Michelle - The Berzatto Siblings’ Cousin

Sarah Paulson guest-starred in “Fishes” as Michelle Berzatto, cousin to the Berzatto siblings. In addition to being one of the many witnesses to that night’s craziness, she approached Carmy about staying with her in New York in order to get some distance from his nuclear family. While we know Carmy did move to The Big Apple and became a sous chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant, it’s unclear if he took Michelle up on her offer.

Stevie - Michelle’s Boyfriend

Michelle brought her boyfriend Stevie along for the family dinner in “Fishes,” and you could tell John Mulaney’s character was easily entertained by everyone around him up until the actual meal started. This included Neil and Theodore hitting him up for money with their investment in baseball cards. It’s unclear if Stevie and Michelle are still together during the show’s present day events.

“Uncle” Lee

Although Bob Odenkirk’s “Uncle” Lee Lane is Jimmy’s business partner and Donna’s on-and-off again boyfriend, he’s a far cry from being the most beloved member of the family. He and Mikey got into an ugly spat in “Fishes,” which was prompted by Lee giving him grief about sharing the same story over and over again. This escalated later when Mikey started throwing forks at Lee during the meal, prompting Odenkirk’s character to start insulting Mikey’s life choices, addiction problem and more. In the present day, Carmy doesn’t think highly enough of Lee to consider him an “uncle.”

Claire, A.K.A. Claire-Bear

Molly Gordon’s Claire, a.k.a. Claire-Bear, was pretty close with the Berzattos, Faks and Richie when she was growing up, enough to the point that she referred to Richie as “cousin” during Season 2. However, she started to drift apart from them as they all got older, and she eventually became a resident in emergency medicine. She and Carmy were particularly close in their youth, and while Mikey and Richie tried to set them back up together in “Fishes,” they didn’t reconnect until Season 2. Unfortunately, the two appear to now be broken up due to what happened in the Season 2 finale, though that’s not to say we’ll never see Claire again.

As The Bear continues, we’ll surely meet more members of this family, and maybe there will be opportunities from for guest stars to return too. Keep visiting CinemaBlend for news about The Bear Season 3 and the other best Hulu TV shows.

John Mulaney is the star of some of the best stand-up specials on Netflix and is also known for creating some beloved SNL sketches and characters, such as Stefon alongside Bill Hader. The comedian has provided the world with years of gut-busting laughs with his innumerable amount of silly, sometimes dark, and even thought-provoking bits. The following is a decent handful of our favorite John Mulaney jokes from his specials, his SNL appearances, and more.

His Analysis Of Back To The Future

In John Mulaney’s first Netflix special, 2015’s The Comeback Kid, he — essentially — proceeds to ruin, arguably, the greatest time travel movie of all time, 1985’s Back to the Future. One thing he finds particularly strange about the classic ‘80s flick is how Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is best friends with “disgraced nuclear physicist” Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) without much explanation.

The Time He Played What's New, Pussycat? On Repeat At A Diner

In John Mulaney’s episode of Comedy Central Presents — available with a Paramount+ subscription — he recalls when he, at 11 years old, and his friend played Tom Jones’ “What’s New Pussycat?” on a diner jukebox over and over again. The prank’s peak moment came when the friend recommended a round of “It’s Not Unusual,” which eased the fellow patrons' sanity before circling back into another seven plays of the preceding track.

On Feeling Like A "Gross Adult"

The topic of aging is frequently addressed in John Mulaney’s most acclaimed special available with a Netflix subscription, the Emmy-winning Kid Gorgeous at Radio City, which the comic filmed when he was 35 years old. He describes how facets of being this age include always being damp, talking through burps, and one specific time his then-wife, Annamarie Tendler, subconsciously sang about a “monkey man” while rubbing his back.

On Animals Unaware They Are In Movies

When John Mulaney wrote for SNL, he would sometimes show up on “Weekend Update” for a segment called, “I Love It,” where he highlights things that excite him, such as 2010’s racehorse biopic, Secretariat. The reason being: he loves watching movies starring animals who do not realize they are on a film set and, in the bit, imagines the sort of things that must have been going through the horse actor’s head.

The Time Mick Jagger Told Him He Wasn't Funny

Mick Jagger is a non-actor who nailed his SNL hosting gig, but was not the friendliest backstage at Studio 8H, according to John Mulaney. As he recalls in Kid Gorgeous at Radio City, the Rolling Stones frontman did not hold back when telling him a joke he pitched was “NOT FUNNY!” He also witnessed Jagger writing a song one word at a time, which has Mulaney questioning if that’s how “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” came to be.

On How Kids Always Want To Do Something, But Adults Love Doing Nothing

In his first full-length special, 2012’s New in Town — one of the best stand-up specials on Paramount+ — John Mulaney discusses the big differences between his childhood and adult life. For instance, children hate it when they have nothing to do, but a grown-up “lights up” when they realize they spent their weekend doing “nothing at all.”

He Pitches A Rom-Com About Jerry Orbach's Eye Donor Recipients

John Mulaney performed one of his funniest bits related to his love for Law & Order — involving late, long-running Law & Order cast member, Jerry Orbach — at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival in 2008. Orbach’s posthumous eye donation to two anonymous New Yorkers inspired Mulaney to conceive a rom-com called Love at First Sight, in which the recipients find romance with each other.

On How Websites Snuff Out Bots

Kid Gorgeous is one of Mulaney’s more broadly satirical specials, as evidenced by a bit poking fun at modern cybersecurity. He finds it strange that, in order to prove you are not a robot, you are asked — by a robot, mind you — to decipher between a “3” or an “E” in a group of “curvy letters” or selecting images with stop signs.

When His Nurse Thought Al Pacino Was Calling His Phone

In his 2022 Netflix special, Baby J, John Mulaney mentions how his friend and fellow Bupkis cast member, Pete Davidson, changes his number often, which eventually inspired the comedian to save the latest numbers as other famous people, like Al Pacino, for fun. This serves as an exposition for a story in which he was woken up by a nurse under the impression that the Academy Award winner tried to call Mulaney five times.

The Phantom Of LaGuardia Was One Of The Geese Sully Hit

We could talk forever about all the reasons John Mulaney’s musical SNL sketches are so iconic, but figured we would stick with some of the smaller jokes within those grand productions for this list. For instance, in Season 45’s “Airport Sushi,” Mulaney’s character explains the Phantom of LaGuardia (Kenan Thompson) is the spirit of a goose killed in the “Miracle on the Hudson” incident involving Captain Chelsea “Sully” Sullenberger. 

On What Adults Really Mean By "What Do You Think You're Doing?"

In The Comeback Kid, John Mulaney points out how – especially when you are a child – the phrase, “What do you think you’re doing?” actually means, “Stop what you are doing.” However, he can not help but wonder what might happen if an adult was genuinely curious about the origins of a child’s troublesome behavior.

Comparing Old And New Police Sirens

The second time John Mulaney returned to host SNL in 2019, he dished on a very important topic in his monologue: the sound of a police siren. To him, new police sirens are a fun, funky beat that almost sounds like a conversation, while sirens of the past call to mind the image of a dying cat.

On New Songs Being About "Tonight Is The Night"

In Kid Gorgeous, John Mulaney points out that, as he gets older, the less he enjoys modern pop songs, feeling they have the same message about “only having tonight.” To him, it would only be fair to release songs for people in their 30s about how “tonight is no good, how about Wednesday?”

On The Ease Of Getting Away With Murder In The Past

In New in Town, John Mulaney mentions how he loves watching Cold Case Files — one of the best true crime TV shows on Hulu — which taught him that getting away with murder was much simpler before the discovery of DNA. He imagines this is why drawing chalk around the victim would have been considered more useful than swabbing blood samples in 1935.

The Time He Was A Girl's Make-A-Wish Choice

John Mulaney ended his third SNL monologue with a story about a young woman who chose to spend the day with him for her Make-A-Wish request. He decided to take her on a tour of Studio 8H, where he introduced her to that week’s host, Lin-Manuel Miranda. She later revealed that the Tony-winning Hamilton creator was her first choice for Make-A-Wish.

When His Old College Contacted Him About Giving A Donation

Anyone who has ever been asked to donate to their university long after paying tuition probably reacted the same way John Mulaney did. In Kid Gorgeous, he compares his alma mater to an unreliable relative with a bad habit of asking for more of his money after already giving them thousands.

On Girl Scout Cookies

In an appearance on “Weekend Update” during SNL’s 35th season, John Mulaney asks why Girl Scout Cookies, especially the ever-popular Thin Mints, have to be a once-a-year tradition and cannot be bought and sold in a store. The comedian spoke for all of America during this segment.

When His Then Wife Assumed The Last Supper Was Thanksgiving

John Mulaney used to comment on how he and his former wife’s differing religious upbringings — he was raised Catholic and she is Jewish — affected their marriage and one of the funniest examples comes from Kid Gorgeous. She recommended taking a photo in the style of the biblical Last Supper with their French bulldog, Petunia, in the place of Jesus “in front of the turkey.” This led Mulaney to discover she thought the famous Da Vinci painting was depicting a Nazarene Thanksgiving. 

When He And Two Friends Also Named John Were Questioned By A Cop

In Baby J, John Mulaney shares a funny story from his teens when he and two friends, John O’Brien and John McNulty, got in trouble with a cop, who proceeded to pat them down and ask for each of their names. The officer was already very frustrated by the fact that he had two boys calling themselves “John” before he got to Mulaney, who introduced himself by a nickname the special is named after.

Bodega Owner Asks If Patron Wants A Warm Or Frozen Solid Water Bottle

In a Season 44 edition of John Mulaney’s musical SNL sketches called “Bodega Bathroom,” Chris Redd’s customer asks the bodega owner (played by Mulaney) for a bottle of water. He then gives the patron two options — “super hot or solid block of ice” — which leads him to retract the request.

He Describes The Worst Air Travel Experience Imaginable

To explain his subservient attitude toward most situations, John Mulaney envisions a nightmarish airport scenario in New in Town. This “made-up” airline has hour-long flight delays, lets planes take off while customers are in the bathroom, frames travelers for murder, and more terrible things just for the heck of it.

On His Then-Wife's Crush On Timothée Chalamet

In 2018, John Mulaney performed at Hilarity for Charity, an event to raise Alzheimer’s awareness hosted by his fellow Chip ’N Dale Rescue Rangers cast member, Seth Rogen, that was filmed as a Netflix special. The comedian’s set mentions how he had a beef with Academy Award nominee Timothée Chalamet, because Mulaney's wife at the time was “in love with” the Call Me by Your Name star.

Recalling His School's Stranger Danger Training Assembly

In Kid Gorgeous, Mulaney recalls his somewhat traumatic experience learning about stranger danger from Child Homicide expert, Det. J.J. Bittenbinder’s, “Street Smarts” program. Tips included carrying a money clip that could easily be chucked, falling on your back and kicking upwards to fight the perpetrator, and other methods only effective after or in the event of a kidnapping, but useless for preventing one.

The Time Woody Allen Spotted His Then-Wife Walking Her Dog In A Stroller

In John Mulaney’s second SNL monologue, he mentions how he and his former spouse carried their French Bulldog, Petunia, around New York in a stroller, which once led to an interesting celebrity encounter. A car pulled up in front of where Annamarie Tendler and Petunia happened to be strolling and out came Woody Allen with his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. This initiated an intense stare-down between the four of them regarding which pairing was more bewildering.

The Time He Found A Knocked Over Wheelchair By His Apartment Building 

New in Town is a special not without its dark humor, but the darkest bit might be John Mulaney’s recollection of finding an empty wheelchair lying on its side right outside his apartment building. He figured that one of two things could have happened: something miraculous or something very bad, with the latter being far more likely.

Subway Newsstand Attendant Imagines Mole People Have It Easy 

In “Subway Churro” — the musical SNL sketch from the episode that made John Mulaney a Five-Timers Club member — Chris Redd and Andrew Dismukes’ characters learn Mole People exist and Mulaney’s character envies their lives. To the tune of Fiddler on the Roof’s “Rich Man,” the newsstand vendor sings about living off the grid, being free of work responsibilities, and drinking from a shoe.

On How Charlie Bucket's Other Grandpa Got The Shaft 

One of the most heartwarming aspects of one of the best movies of the 1970s, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, is Charlie Bucket’s (Peter Ostrum) relationship with Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson). However, as John Mulaney points out during his set in Hilarity for Charity, Charlie has another grandfather who lives in the same house and sleeps in the same bed, but gets completely overlooked.

His Commentary On Law & Order: SVU 

In New in Town, John Mulaney cites one of his favorite TV shows, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as a program that gets quite a lot past the censors with some truly jaw-dropping dialogue, especially from Ice-T. He is especially fascinated by the rapper-turned-actor’s performance as a veteran detective who, for some reason, treats every case like it’s his first.

On The Constitution's Strange Order Of Amendments

John Mulaney does not get too political very often, but, during his third SNL monologue, he says he couldn’t help but notice that the amendments in the United States Constitution are grouped in a “weird” order. The First Amendment, detailing individual freedoms, makes sense, but following it with the right to bear arms and preventing civilians from housing the military seems a little premature.

How Getting Cheated On Gave Him A New Perspective on Murder

At one point during The Comeback Kid, John Mulaney reveals how he could never understand why someone would be compelled to take a life until an old girlfriend two-timed him. It’s not that he was driven mad enough to kill, but believes anyone who has seen him without clothes on and has met his parents “shouldn’t be around anymore," but swears he would not do it.

Why He Doesn't Think His Nana Should Vote

John Mulaney’s fourth SNL gig was on Halloween 2020, three days before the presidential election. During his monologue, the comedian mentions that his 94-year-old nana wanted to vote that year, but disagrees with letting her be a part of the decision. To him, that would be like ordering food as “you’re about to leave the restaurant.”

George St. Geegland Mentions O.J. Simpson Ruining The Ford Bronco

John Mulaney and fellow Big Mouth star Nick Kroll play their elderly alter egos, George St. Geegland and Gil Faizon, in their Netflix special, Oh, Hello on Broadway — a performance of their two-person show at New York’s Lyceum Theatre. At one point, Geegland reminisces about the biggest topics of the ‘90s — including O.J. Simpson’s low-speed chase, and how it might have had something to do with the Ford Bronco's discontinuation.

John Mulaney is the kind of comedian whose material we could watch over and over again.

Leading characters draw us into the movies. But every once in a while, a strong supporting player can leave us talking about their scene-stealing performances, or the untapped potential they left on the table because they didn’t get as much screen time as we thought they deserved. The following characters all stood out in their respective films. And the main thing they all have in common is that we all wish they got more time on screen, because they were so much fun.

Les Grossman

The Hollywood satire Tropic Thunder took huge swings at the entertainment industry, with a group of spoiled actors tasked with making a war picture getting mistaken for actual soldiers and getting captured behind enemy lines. But it was an unrecognizable Tom Cruise, playing tough-talking studio executive Les Grossman, who danced away with the picture. There was talk of a Les Grossman movie coming out one day. I hope that’s still on the table. 

Lester Bangs

There’s nothing better than when a young up-and-comer finds the perfect mentor. Philip Seymour Hoffman played that role to perfection in Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. Rock journalist Lester Bangs showed William Miller (Patrick Fugit) what his future could hold, and it wasn’t always bright. But in Hoffman’s hands, it was raw, honest, real, and very uncool.

Blake

Always be closing. It’s a mantra we can all recite because Alec Baldwin was so convincing in the movie adaptation of the brilliant stage play Glengarry Glenn Ross. His character, Blake, is supposed to be motivating a team of salesmen, played by a murderer’s row of character actors (Al Pacino, Ed Harris, and Jack Lemmon). So for any actor to come in and dominate that room is impressive. Plus, the moment Blake’s gone from the screen, you immediately want him back. Leave them wanting more.   

Megan Price

It takes a lot to emerge from the pack of gifted comedians assembled for Bridesmaids and be the one that people are talking about. Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph were at their peak, while Rose Byrne and Ellie Kemper were making noise leading into it. But Melissa McCarthy ripped Bridesmaids away from those ladies, partially by doing something nasty in a sink, but also by creating an unforgettable character who had quirks, compassion, and a formidable funny bone.

Floyd

We didn’t realize at the time of True Romance that we were watching an actor who would go on to become one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. But in his scant few scenes as couch surfer Floyd, Brad Pitt demonstrated his ability to completely lose himself in a character, sell a vibe, and hang with fellow heavy hitters like James Gandolfini and Christian Slater. A star was born. 

Spider-Ham

When the multiverse opened up in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) met all sorts of strange versions of his spider hero. The strangest, and most interesting, had to be the heroic Spider-Ham, a pig in costume who… ate hot dogs? Spider-Verse remains one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made, and it’s because of unexpected inclusions in the cast like this. 

Rod Tidwell

Show him the money, Jerry. At its heart, Jerry Maguire is a love story. It’s also a human journey, where a self-centered sports agent learns how to love himself again. But Jerry Maguire takes flight every time Cuba Gooding Jr. lights up the screen. His football star Rod Tidwell gives Jerry purpose, and Gooding gave Cruise the ideal foil on screen. Like so many people on this list, the role was so good, it earned him an Oscar win. Well deserved.

The Wolf

His name is Winston. He solves problems. He shows up in Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, at a time when Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) have a very big one. Harvey Keitel owns the role, but there are so many questions we have regarding The Wolf (including the party he’s throwing, his tuxedo, and how he got to be known for this task), you could easily do a Pulp Fiction spinoff all about him, and I’d watch it a thousand times.

Spike

We have a few people on this list who are bummy roommates stealing scenes by loafing around. That’s how Rhys Ifans steals Notting Hill away from Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. The film is as romantic as they come, but Ifans makes sure all of his scenes as Spike are equally hilarious.

Ken

There are so many Kens to choose from. Barbie Land has its fair share of male dolls. But I have to go with Simu Liu’s competitive Ken, who holds a grudge against Ryan Gosling’s Ken, seems to have the upperhand on him at every turn, and practically demands more screen time so we can figure out what makes this Ken tick.    

Mark Hanna

I don't exactly know what Matthew McConaughey is channeling in his The Wolf of Wall Street scene. I know it's primal. I know it's unpredictable. I know it's unlike anything I have ever seen before. And I know that the movie needed more of it... whatever it is. Now, start beating your chest. 

Captain Dickson

Ice Cube might be a teddy bear in real life, but he portrays “angry” so easily that if he were to yell at me, I’d turn into a puddle. So there’s something special about the way that he yells at Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street and its sequel. He makes it funny. Still scary. But also pretty hysterical.

Paloma

The most recent James Bond thriller, No Time to Die, was structured as a sendoff for Daniel Craig. But throughout it, we met a new 007 in Lashana Lynch, and watched Bond fight alongside a feisty agent, Paloma (Ana de Armas), who we’d love to see on screen again.

The Critic

Pixar’s classic, Ratatouille, focuses on a fledgling cook and the rat who helps him create vivid dishes. But they mostly want to please a discerning critic, who picks and chooses his moments, then excels with a return to his childhood courtesy of a bite of food that brings him back. I loved every scene with the Critic in Ratatouille, and wanted more of him. 

Nigel

The three women at the head of The Devil Wears Prada dominate the scene, Meryl Streep is flawless as a fashion editor, while Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt excel as worker bees earning her favor. But the character I wish we had more time with is Nigel, played to crisp perfection by the wonderful Stanley Tucci. He has history with Miranda Priestly, and more story to be told there. 

Rudy Reyes

In a superhero movie, all eyes are on the hero (and also usually the villain). And DC’s most recent Blue Beetle delivered plenty of exciting new twists to the story of Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena), including leaning on his family. And in that tight-knit group we found Rudy Reyes (George Lopez), the paranoid uncle with one eye on the government who also ended up being one of the funniest characters in the DCU. More Rudy, whenever Blue Beetle shows up again in James Gunn’s comic universe. 

Grace

Edie McClurg is a legend. She created so many memorable characters in classic 1980s comedies. For the purpose of this feature, I’m going to single out the clueless receptionist Grace that she played in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. She made a pencil funny. But there has to be an extra shout out for her turn opposite Steve Martin in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The lady knew how to make the absolute most of her screen time, and it was never enough. 

Chet

The late Bill Paxton made every movie better. Be it Aliens, Apollo 13, Twister, or the hilariously bizarre Weird Science, Paxton committed fully, and demonstrated immense range. Chet might be one of the worst characters created for the screen… but he’s so deliciously evil to his brother in the teen comedy that we relished every moment Paxton was on the screen. Even when he was a blob of garbage. 

Emma Watson

This is a fun aspect of this list. Some people are able to steal scenes by playing themselves. The armageddon spoof This is the End allowed several celebrities to play enhanced versions of their Hollywood personas, and Harry Potter icon Emma Watson seemed to really enjoy lampooning her image during her too-brief cameo. 

Gin Slagel

Bernie Mac left us too soon. The man was a powerhouse comedian, a larger than life personality that owned the screen every moment he occupied it for a comedy, or even a comedic thriller (like as part of the ensembles of the Ocean’s movies). Some might forget that he was a part of Bad Santa, a holiday staple marked by Billy Bob Thornton’s memorably dark performance. But Mac’s role as mall security makes him the ideal foil for Thornton, and he needed plenty more time on the screen. 

Pizza Poppa

If there’s one thing we know about Pizza Poppa (Bruce Campbell), it’s that he gets paid. Sam Raimi loves Campbell. And we love Campbell in Raimi movies, including  when he showed up for an all-too-brief and strange (no pun intended) cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The appearance makes good use of Campbell’s physical comedy, and also leads to a spot-on end credits scene.  

The Bus Driver

There’s a trend on this list. Comedic performers who left us too soon. Chris Farley belongs on that list. And while he will always have his standalone hit in Tommy Boy, but it’s his cameos that hit me the most. I loved him in Adam Sandler’s Billy Madison as the disgruntled bus driver, who amuses himself by stealing kids’ lunches. 

Boris Podgorny

Another one of the classic mentor roles, this one appearing in Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical winner, The Fabelmans. Young Sammy Fabelman needed a voice of reason at an important point in his maturation. It came in the form of his visiting uncle (Judd Hirsch), who shared tales of the circus, and a life spent entertaining. Hirsch was a spark that ignited the story, and his absence was felt during the remainder of the film. 

T.D.K.

Mind you, almost everyone in the opening scene of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad could be on this list. They all exit the screen in spectacular fashion, and much earlier than anticipated. But I’m going with Nathan Fillion’s T.D.K., mainly because of what his power is. And if you don’t know yet, go put this movie on now and enjoy.

Large Marge

Alice Elizabeth Nunn doesn’t have a long list of acting credits. If you, like me, grew up on Tim Burton’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, though, you will remember her as Large Marge. Her legend grows by the day. So when you get to the rest stop, tell them Large Marge sent you.

Steven

John Cena has mastered the art of scene stealing. The all-star wrestler seamlessly transitioned over to the silver screen, thanks to hilarious and go-for-broke performances like the one he gives opposite Amy Schumer in Trainwreck. Part of me wishes that Cena got the girl in this movie. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. 

Gloria Cleary

I miss the days when Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were good for an annual comedy. Wedding Crashers probably ranks as the duo’s best, and while many single out Will Ferrell’s bathrobe-wearing bachelor as the standout character, I wanted more screen time with the irascible Isla Fisher, who goes toe-to-toe with Vaughn and emerges as the most memorable comedian in this wild ensemble. 

Trudi Frazer

Quentin Tarantino is a master at creating unforgettable characters. Even one of the smaller roles will still grab you, and not let go. Young Julia Butters owns the screen opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She’s a savvy kid actor with more confidence than DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton will ever have. I want to know the type of career that Trudi went on to have, because she’s a fascinating slice of a complicated pie that only Tarantino can cook up.

Whiskey

On the surface, it seems like Whiskey (Madelyn Cline) doesn’t belong with the group that has gathered on the island in Glass Onion. But the more that you learn about her, the more you realize she has as many games to play as the rest of them. Cline leaves us wondering how Whiskey earned her seat at the table, but that’s the point of this list. Lingering questions surround almost all of these interesting characters.

Peter

Sugar Bear. Peter (Rob Delaney) is Deadpool’s favorite member of his new super-powered team, X-Force. Peter has no powers. He’s just positive, and willing to play along. He’s the best part of Deadpool 2, and the movie definitely needed more of him.

Gary

"How can that be profitable for Frito Lay?" All that Gary (Jesse Plemons) wants to do is participate in Game Night. Sure, he’s socially awkward. But given the problems that surface in the group as the movie unfurls, Gary would be an ideal player. Just, keep the blood off of his dog, please. 

Chirrut Imwe

Listen, I want more Donnie Yen in everything. He blew us away in John Wick: Chapter 4, and has a rich history of dominating Asian cinema. But it’s his blind hero in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that I think demands more time. And given the existence of Disney+ shows like Andor, I think more Donnie Yen in that Galaxy far far away is a distinct possibility. 

We could talk forever about our favorite SNL actors and their funniest sketches, but when was the last time we showed our appreciation for the people who were the real brains behind the operation? That is what we intend to do here as we look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s most celebrated bits and characters as we share the stories behind those who wrote them into reality.

NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls (Ana Gasteyer)

The glorious piece of suggestive comedy that is “Schweddy Balls” is just one — let alone, arguably, the funniest — edition of a recurring sketch called “NPR’s Delicious Dish,” which was the brainchild of one of its stars, Ana Gasteyer. The Happiest Season cast member recalled to NPR — of all places — that she was still part of the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, when gastronomic radio shows from LA called “The Splendid Table” and “Good Food” inspired her to write the bit. 

Close Encounter (Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell)

We have SNL actor Mikey Day and writing partner Streeter Seidell to thank for what is widely considered one of Kate McKinnon’s best SNL sketches, “Close Encounter.” According to Day and Seidell’s talk with Vulture, they knew that host Ryan Gosling would not be able to stop laughing at Colleen Rafferty’s horrendous experience with an alien abduction because he wasn’t able to hold it together during any of the rehearsals.

The Olympia Cafe (Don Novello)

Comedian Don Novello is best known for playing Father Guido Scarducci on SNL, but he is also the unsung hero of “The Olympia Cafe,” which some may recognize better as the “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger” sketch. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the bit was inspired by an actual Chicago restaurant called the Billy Goat Tavern, which Novello and the sketch’s star, John Belushi, would frequent.

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River (Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, And Robert Smigel)

After seeing Chris Farley perform at Second City as his character, Matt Foley, Bob Odenkirk was inspired to write the sketch that introduced the motivational speaker to SNL in 1993. However, as the former Breaking Bad cast member revealed on Hot Ones, it was Robert Smigel’s last-minute idea for Farley to fall down onto the table.

More Cowbell (Will Ferrell) 

According to Rolling Stone, the faint sound of the cowbell on Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” inspired Will Ferrell to write a now-classic sketch — that Christopher Walken believes ruined his life — revolving around the one playing the obscure instrument on the 1976 hit. He later discovered from an SNL art department employee whose father worked on the Agents of Fortune album that he had unwittingly captured the characteristics of the song’s real cowbell player… save the low-cut sweater and overzealous gyration.

Church Chat (Dana Carvey And Rosie Shuster)

On an SNL 40th Anniversary retrospective by People, Dana Carvey recalls performing as the Church Lady in his pre-SNL days at clubs, where he spontaneously improvised her famous catchphrase, “Isn’t that special?” He teamed up with writer Rosie Shuster to develop the character’s SNL debut, leading to the creation of “Church Chat” — which Carvey would revive as a host in later years.

Wayne's World (Mike Myers)

According to Primetimer, when Mike Myers showed then-SNL writers Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels his idea for “Wayne’s World,” they politely advised him against pitching it in the writer’s room. Well, the joke is on those nobodies because the sketch — a cable access program filmed in Wayne’s (Myers) basement and co-hosted by Dana Carvey’s Garth — was a huge hit that inspired one of the best SNL movies ever.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell)

Wanting to break free from the political-heavy humor of SNL’s 42nd season, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell — after much trial and error — crafted a sketch for the Halloween show featuring a strange man who would become one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters: David S. Pumpkins. According to Vulture’s oral history, the trio was astonished by the success of “this dumb, dumb thing” that even inspired an animated special on NBC the following year.

Mom Jeans (Tina Fey)

In an interview with Jess Cage for Sirius XM, Tina Fey recalls purchasing a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” at J. Crew, and she decided to use that as fuel on writing night at Studio 8H. The result was one of SNL’s funniest commercial parodies, for which the future 30 Rock cast member and creator wore a prosthetic stomach and rear end.

MacGruber (Jorma Taccone)

Played by Will Forte, easily distracted special forces agent MacGruber was first envisioned by Jorma Taccone — one-third of the Lonely Island — according to Vanity Fair’s oral history. Having later spawned a feature film and a Peacock original series, you could argue that the recurring sketch hit a level of attention that resembled the love for the TV show that inspired it, MacGyver (whose star, Richard Dean Anderson, cameoed in one edition).

Two Wild And Crazy Guys (Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Marilyn Suzanne Miller)

In collaboration with writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller (according to Ultimate Classic Rock), Dan Aykroyd partnered with SNL host hall-of-famer Steve Martin to create the Festrunk Brothers, who are better known as the “wild and crazy guys!” The Czechoslovakian swingers became a staple of the show, and they would return in more recent years alongside another famous duo: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s highly inappropriate R&B singers.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation (Seth Meyers)

One of SNL’s sharpest pieces of political satire sees Sen. Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) struggling to remain civil during a non-partisan appearance alongside Gov. Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) in response to the latter’s Vice Presidential nomination. According to Vulture, then-head writer Seth Meyers penned that legendary SNL cold open, which also featured a few jokes by Poehler and Fey and Palin’s iconic line “I can see Russia from my house,” courtesy of Late Night producer Mike Shoemaker.

Stefon (Bill Hader And John Mulaney)

At The New Yorker Festival in 2014, Bill Hader recalled how a flamboyant barista he frequently bumped into and a strange email John Mulaney received about an aspiring club owner’s bizarre ideas — including “a room full of broken glass” — were the catalysts for Stefon. Hader also mentions that he tested the character in a particularly forgettable sketch opposite host Ben Affleck before making him Weekend Update’s city correspondent. The former Barry cast lead has never been able to play the role without laughing and covering his face, thanks to Mulaney’s last-minute cue card additions and Seth Meyers’ immaculate patience.

Lazy Sunday (The Lonely Island, Chris Parnell)

Chris Parnell was SNL’s resident rap star before the emergence of The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), which is why they asked him to collaborate on a music video about him and Samberg seeing The Chronicles of Narnia. As they recall in Variety’s oral history, “Lazy Sunday” made SNL Digital Shorts a celebrated event, skyrocketed The Lonely Island’s stardom, and, most importantly, dawned a new era of viral comedy.

The Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd)

In the book Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd recalls how he was watching TV in a heightened state of mind, and he noticed that people’s heads rarely hit the top of the screen. This gave him the idea for a sketch about characters with noggins that are several inches taller than the average humans, who eventually became the out-of-this-world family known as The Coneheads. 

Celebrity Jeopardy! (Norm Macdonald)

As the late Norm Macdonald revealed to Howard Stern (via SoundCloud), we have SCTV to thank for "Celebrity Jeopardy!” The comedian — who also played Burt “Turd Ferguson” Reynolds — took inspiration from the Canadian sketch comedy series’ game show parody “Half Wits” when crafting this recurring bit featuring Will Ferrell as an Alex Trebek driven mad by absent-minded famous people and taunting from Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond).

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch And Paula Pell)

Rachel Dratch recalled to Salon that while vacationing she told someone at a communal dining table that she was from New York, to which the stranger replied, “Were you there for 9/11?” That ultimately inspired her to team up with Paula Pell — with whom she later reunited for Wine Country — to create the character Debbie Downer, whose debut SNL sketch did not go as planned, but was all the more memorable for it.

Spelling Bee (Will Forte)

On a Reddit AMA hosted by Will Forte (via AMATranscripts.com), one user asked if the actor’s insanely long misspelling of the word “business” in Season 31’s “Spelling Bee” was recited as written or all spontaneous. The MacGruber cast lead revealed that the bit originated from his days on the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, and that he would have listed off even more random letters in the SNL sketch if he wasn’t being directly followed by musical guest Neil Young.

The Ladies Man (Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, and Andrew Steele)

A character as lewd and crude as Leon Phelps might not be so successful these days, but, then again, it’s hard not to be charmed by any role portrayed by Tim Meadows. While promoting the 2000 movie, The Ladies Man, the Mean Girls cast member revealed to The Crimson that the lispy voice was his biggest contribution to the character, who was initially conceived by Dennis McNicholas and Andrew Steele.

The Californians (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, And James Anderson)

While speaking to Seth Meyers on Late Night, Bill Hader shared how he and Fred Armisen would kill time before table reads by mockingly describing how they would get around in LA while donning over-the-top West Coast accents. Sometime later, Hader learned that Armisen and writer James Anderson took that gag, made it into a soap opera, and, thus, “The Californians” was born.

Girl Watchers (Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, And Greg Daniels) 

Retired late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien actually came up with a few of Tom Hanks’ best SNL sketches, such as “Girl Watchers,” in which the Oscar winner and Jon Lovitz comment on their losing streak with the ladies with contrarian confidence. O’Brien shared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, how he jokingly demonstrated this characteristic on a whim while hanging out with fellow SNL writers Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels, who all worked together to turn into the classic sketch.

Hans And Franz (Kevin Nealon And Dana Carvey)

While Arnold Schwarzenegger has never hosted SNL, he would make a cameo alongside fellow Austrian bodybuilders, Hans and Franz. It probably comes as no surprise that the Terminator star — who was even interested in doing the scrapped Hans and Franz movie — is also the inspiration for the characters. Kevin Nealon told Juice that it all started when he and Dana Carvey caught an interview with the actor on TV that compelled them to talk like him for days.

Diner Lobster (John Mulaney And Colin Jost)

Season 43’s “Diner Lobster” was an instant classic that started a tradition of Broadway-inspired sketches anytime John Mulaney hosts SNL, but its road to success was longer than you may think. The comedian and Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost revealed in a featurette that they actually wrote the sketch eight years earlier, but no one wanted to touch it at the time.

Lunch Lady Land (Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy, And Allen Covert)

One of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s funniest collaborations was a musical sketch set to a song called “Lunch Lady Land,” which the Uncut Gems star did not write himself. According to Uproxx, his co-composers were Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy (father of Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), and Allen Covert.

Weekend Update: The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang And Anna Drezen)

The bit that made Bowen Yang one of SNL’s biggest stars was his viral “Weekend Update” appearance as the Iceberg that sank Titanic, who believes he is the real victim of the tragedy. He spoke to former SNL star-turned-Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon about how writer Anna Drezen texted him about the concept months before they decided to give it a try, despite not having much faith in it at the time.

Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon)

Apparently, an unnamed SNL writer did not believe that Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a chance of making it onto the show, as she told People in 2015. Luckily, the nervous schoolgirl did make it onto air and the White Lotus cast member’s energy and commitment to the role made her a hit. Even Whitney Houston would agree to appear alongside this superstar.

What Up With That? (Kenan Thompson, Bryan Tucker, And Rob Klein)

According to Rolling Stone, Kenan Thompson — the longest-running SNL cast member — came up with an idea in 2009 for a talk show host who becomes obsessively unable to stop singing his own theme song. After bringing the idea to fellow writers Bryan Tucker and Rob Klein and teaming up with musical director Katrees Barnes for the song, the idea eventually made it onto the show as “What Up With That?” which became a recurring hit.

Target Lady (Kristen Wiig)

Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig could be the show’s greatest female cast member, judging purely on the amount of diverse characters she has brought to the table, such as “Target Lady.” She told James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio that the role — originally conceived for The Groundlings — was inspired by an actual Target cashier she met with an “eggy” voice.

Papyrus (Julio Torres)

Ryan Gosling gives one of his funniest performances ever in a pre-taped SNL bit as a man driven insane by the fact that the logo for one of the most popular movies of all time, Avatar, is just a modified version of the common font “Papyrus.” Julio Torres told EW that this was initially a joke he used in stand-up until the Oscar-nominated actor suggested turning it into the hilarious viral hit that even James Cameron responded to.

Super Bass-O-Matic ’76 (Dan Aykroyd)

A 12-year-old Dan Aykroyd once witnessed his aunt — a Canadian cooking show personality — dump a whole fish, bones and all, in a blender for a bouillabaisse. That story, which he revealed to The Food Channel, was his inspiration for one of his funniest faux infomercials, “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.”

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Jimmy Fallon, Steve Higgins, Ken Scarborough)

Out of Jimmy Fallon’s many great collaborations with Justin Timberlake, one of the funniest is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” While having the actual surviving Bee Gees as guests on Late Night, Fallon recalled how he and his future sidekick, Steve Higgins, actually crafted the sketch together with fellow writer Ken Scarborough, who went on to become the head writer of Sesame Street.

Foreign Man: Mighty Mouse (Andy Kaufman)

On the very first episode of SNL, Andy Kaufman appeared, nervously starring at the audience while playing the theme song to Mighty Mouse and only exhibiting a more confidant demeanor to lip-sync the lyric, “Here I come to save the day!” According to Fandom’s SNL wiki page, the very bizarre bit — something totally on brand for the legendary comedian — was a branch of his character known as “Foreign Man,” which was one of his earlier and most iconic acts.

If you have ever found yourself watching one of these classic SNL sketches and wondered who came up with these ideas and how, now you know.

John Mulaney has had quite the comedy career. From writing on Saturday Night Live and coming up with the iconic recurring Stefon character, to having five comedy specials on Netflix, the Oh Hello star is still at the top of his game. Now, he is reflecting on his SNL days and some of his jokes that didn’t work. In particular, he talked about a specific joke that The Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger, was not a fan of. 

Mulaney was a guest on Hot Ones, a talk show where he ate increasingly spicy wings while answering questions about his career. During the interview, the stand-up comedian was asked what jokes he had that were shut down by the celebrity guests when he was an SNL writer. In true Mulaney fashion, he was quick to recall a specific instance with Mick Jagger, who did not like one of his monologue ideas. He detailed:

It’s actually a pretty funny joke, but I’m not surprised the rock star didn’t go for it. It certainly pokes fun at the frontman’s sex symbol persona and reputation, and not everyone is always game for that. Clearly, Mulaney was apprehensive about the joke as well, as he wanted the former SNL head writer to take any potential grief the comedians might get for the crass comment.

This isn’t the first time the 40-year-old comic has talked about working with Jagger during the hosting stint. The stand-up does an entire set of jokes about the rock legend in his 2018 Netflix special Kid Gorgeous, where he talks about famous people being able to get things immediately. He does an entire bit around Jagger shutting down jokes by just saying “No” and “Not Funny.” It has become a well-known piece of Mulaney’s stand-up, sparking screencaps from the moment being used as memes. This interaction must’ve stuck with the comedian, as he can still recall the jokes Jagger hated many years later. 

While The Rolling Stones singer wasn’t a fan of Mulaney’s sense of humor, many are. He has risen to prominence from his many stand-up specials, attracting a large range of audiences. He has become such a notable 21st-century comic, that he has hosted SNL five times in a five-year span, joining the exclusive Five-Timers Club, which is almost unheard of in the modern era of the show. The attention has also attracted intense media scrutiny over his personal life and public battle with addiction, which is one of the main subjects of his latest special, Baby J. Despite controversies, Mulaney remains immensely popular, and his failed SNL pitching days are long over.

You can catch John Mulaney’s Baby J now, as it’s available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Fans of the comedian should also check out our feature on how to watch his other must-see comedy specials. On top of that, make sure to consult our guide to other great Netflix stand-up specials for subscribers who love to laugh. 

Saturday Night Live is famously known for having one of the most high-pressure environments of any show on TV. The storied NBC variety show produces an hour-and-a-half-long telecast weekly, and there are plenty of moving parts. The various costumes, sets, and digital sketches are only a few of the elements to be considered. While many have talked about the "stressful" nature of the job, SNL alum John Mulaney revealed that he sees it differently, as he found a bright spot within in.

John Mulaney recently participated in a roundtable discussion with his comedy peers for The Hollywood Reporter. The comedian talked about his latest stand-up special, Baby J, and his short-lived sitcom, Mulaney, which aired on Fox for one season. While reflecting, he talked about being a writer on SNL, specifically how the environment was as protective as it was grueling, That made him ill-prepared when he worked on a regular network series. He explained:

This is an interesting way to look at the SNL experience. While the long hours and the high-pressure nature of the show is certainly a part of the equation, it also allows creatives the ability to work in a vacuum as well as the freedom not always offered in network TV. Being a showrunner on a network sitcom is very different and comes with more responsibilities and more bigwigs to answer to. This transition must’ve been difficult for the star to navigate. 

While John Mulaney sees the positives of the SNL work style, the crazy hours and intensity put a real strain on the experience for some former cast members. Bill Hader famously had a really hard time during his tenure, as he suffered from severe anxiety. Chris Redd also opened up about worrying about his pieces being cut, and how it led to him leaving the show. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it's nice to hear how positive it was for Mulaney. And he's since gone back to host the comedy mainstay five times, which would seem to indicate that he holds a soft spot for the series.

While producing a sitcom wasn’t in the stand-up’s wheelhouse, his projects post Mulaney have proven himself as a great comedian and creative. He has had four extremely popular Netflix comedy specials and an after-school special. He has also worked on the IFC show Documentary Now! and has been a guest star on streaming shows like Crashing and Bupkis. In addition, he is an accomplished voice actor for projects like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Big Mouth. The Emmy winner is kinda killing it right now, with that network sitcom far in the rear-view. Of course, he also wasn't the first and certainly won't be the last writer to work at SNL, and one can only wonder as to whether any current staffers share his take on the working evironment.

You can check out John Mulaney’s Baby J by streaming it now with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other great comedy fare that's available on the platform, make sure to read up on funniest comedy stand-up specials that are on there.

In a few weeks, audiences will be following Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) Across the Spider-Verse for the animated sequel to the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The sequel has some big shoes to fill, as we rank Into the Spider-Verse very high on our list of the all-time great Spider-Man movies. And one of the reasons why we love the original film is because of its unique humor. Co-producers and writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller understand the rich canon of Spider-Man characters, and pulled several of them into the initial film, including Spider-Ham, as voiced by comedian John Mulaney. 

But in speaking with Lord and Miller ahead of the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, we mentioned a rumor about a gag reel from Into the Spider-Verse that contains all sorts of R-rated improvisations. The way the story goes, John Mulaney was trying all sorts of material for the character that consists of a talking pig in a Spider-Man costume. He even has his own theme song! And at some point, he was informed that this was a PG film. Even still, Lord and Miller told our ReelBlend podcast that there was a joke that was “safe” for audiences, but they still had to cut it after test-screening feedback.

As they told it:

Yes, we can understand how what basically amounts to a cannibalism joke in a Spider-Man movie might be too much for parents to explain to their children. This isn’t Yellowjackets, after all. While Chris Miller still was pushing to keep the bacon line in the movie’s final cut, it was feedback from the test screenings that convinced the duo to alter the line from something funny to something inspirational. As they explained:

At the time of the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, John Mulaney shared ideas that he had for a Spider-Ham spinoff, and while they haven’t happened yet, we do know that we will be more Multiversal action as the third part of this trilogy, Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse, will be in theaters in March 2024. Stay up to date on that movie, and other films on the horizon, with our guide to Upcoming 2023 movies, which we refresh often.

Even before he left the Saturday Night Live cast in 2022, Pete Davidson had already become one of the sketch comedy series’ biggest stars — not just because of his other acting projects, but also his personal life, including his dating history, especially. The actor and comedian’s personal life actually serves as the basis for Bupkis — a new Peacock original TV show that he created with Judah Miller and David Sirus. In addition to Davidson, there are many other celebrities playing themselves in guest roles in the Bupkis cast, but let’s begin our breakdown of the star-studded ensemble with its three series regulars. 

Pete Davidson (Pete Davidson)

Leading the Bupkis cast as Pete Davidson is...Pete Davidson, who acquired stardom on SNL before starring in movies and TV shows of an eclectic sort — such as his comic book movie debut in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, his voice acting parts in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and Marmaduke as the titular Great Dane, and his recurring role on The Rookie. 

The last time he played a fictionalized version of himself was in 2020’s The King of Staten Island (which he also co-wrote with director Judd Apatow), his last Peacock original project was the sci-fi rom-com Meet Cute, and one of his biggest upcoming titles is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, in which he voices a robot named Mirage.

Edie Falco (Amy Davidson)

Starring as Pete’s mother, Amy, is Edie Falco, who is best known for her Emmy-winning performances in HBO’s The Sopranos cast as Carmela and in the title role of Showtime’s darkly comic medical drama, Nurse Jackie. The actor is also known for writer and director James Mangold’s acclaimed 1997 crime thriller, Cop Land, her role in the Oz cast as Officer Diane Whittlesey, playing Hilary Clinton on the third season of FX’s American Crime Story, and her role in the Avatar: The Way of Water cast, most recently.

Joe Pesci (Joe Larocca)

Surprisingly interrupting his retirement for the first time since he starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2019 true crime drama, The Irishman (which earned him an Academy Award nomination), is Joe Pesci, starring as Pete’s grandfather, Joe — also his first TV role since the short-lived NBC series, Half Nelson, in 1985, according to Variety. 

Before The Irishman, the 80-year-old actor starred in three Scorsese movies: Raging Bull, Casino, and Goodfellas — the last of which did earn him an Oscar. Some of Pesci’s other most iconic roles include Leo Getz in the Lethal Weapon movies, Harry from Home Alone (which turned out to be a truly painful experience for him), and the title role of, arguably, the funniest courtroom movie ever, My Cousin Vinny.

La La Anthony

Among the vast rotation of guest stars in the Bupkis cast, we have La La Anthony, who rose to fame as an MTV VJ before starring in movies like Think Like a Man and its sequel, and TV shows like the hit Starz original TV show, Power.

Colson "Machine Gun Kelly" Baker

Davidson’s real-life friend, Colson Baker (a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly), also stars, marking their fifth on-screen collaboration following the rapper’s music video for “Loco,” Netflix’s Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt, Hulu’s coming-of-age dramedy, Big Time Adolescence, and the 2022 stoner comedy, Good Mourning, which Baker also co-wrote and co-directed. 

Steve Buscemi

Also starring in Bupkis is Emmy winner Steve Buscemi — star of Quentin Tarantino movies like Reservoir Dogs, Coen Brothers classics like Fargo and The Big Lebowski, and several Adam Sandler movies, too — who last acted opposite Davidson in The King of Staten Island.

Bobby Cannavale

Also on the guest list is Buscemi’s Boardwalk Empire co-star and Falco’s Nurse Jackie co-star, two-time Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale, whose impressive, lengthy resume also includes Marvel’s Ant-Man movies, Netflix’s The Watcher cast, and John Turturro’s The Big Lebowski spin-off, The Jesus Rolls, which also starred Davidson.

Charlamagne Tha God

While better known for hosting iHeartRadio’s The Breakfast Club and Comedy Central’s Tha God’s Honest Truth, as well as talking about his friend Pete Davidson’s penis on air, Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey has also delved into acting a few times (mostly as himself), such as on Empire, Dave, and Queens.

Charlie Day

Appearing as Pete’s therapist (according to the Bupkis trailer) is Charlie Day, whose career has taken some interesting turns since breaking out in FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast, such as starring in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim movies and playing Luigi in the Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast more recently.

Philip Ettinger

Some of Phillip Ettinger’s most notable credits prior to Bupkis including the shocking 2012 psychological thriller, Compliance, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and First Reformed from 2017, and two other Peacock original TV shows: Angelyne and Friend of the Family.

Ray Romano

Also appearing is Joe Pesci’s The Irishman co-star and Bobby Cannavale’s Vinyl co-star, Ray Romano — an acclaimed stand-up comedian known best for his Emmy-winning sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, his role as Manny in the Ice Age movies, and the Oscar-nominated dramedy, The Big Sick.

Brad Garrett

Best known for playing Romano’s brother on Everybody Loves Raymond is three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett, who has leant his distinct baritone voice to popular animated movies like the Pixar classic, Ratatouille, and recently played Eeyore in Disney’s live-action Winnie the Pooh reboot, Christopher Robin.

Al Gore

Former United States Vice President Al Gore — whose 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, won two Oscars — previously collaborated with Pete Davidson on a Climate Reality training presentation in 2019.

Paul Walter Hauser

While best known for dramas like I, Tonya, Cruella, or BlacKkKlansman, Paul Walter Hauser has shown his comedic side before in numerous titles, such as Reno 911! and Apple TV+’s inventive whodunnit, The Afterparty.

Sunita Mani

Audiences should recognize Sunita Mani from Netflix’s GLOW cast, her many notable supporting roles in movies like Apple TV+’s holiday musical, Spirited, her brief appearance in the Best Picture Oscar Winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, and her lead role in the sci-fi rom-com thriller, Save Yourselves!

John Mulaney

Another real-life buddy of Davidson’s with a role in Bupkis is former SNL writer John Mulaney — known for lending his voice to shows like Netflix’s Big Mouth and movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and performing great stand-up specials like his most recent one, Baby J, in which he actually tells a funny anecdote about Davidson.

Simon Rex

Simon Rex was best known for starring in spoof movies like a couple of the Scary Movie installments and the Amanda Bynes-led sitcom, What I Like About You, before his acclaimed leading role in the A24-produced 2021 comedy, Red Rocket.

Oona Roche

Playing Pete’s sister (based on her line about the embarrassment her “brother” causes her) is Oona Roche, who previously appeared in a recurring role on Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and recently starred opposite Jude Law and Carrie Coon in the tense 2020 family drama, The Nest.

Cliff “Method Man” Smith

Another hip-hop artist appearing on Bupkis is Pete Davidson’s Trainwreck co-star and Wu-Tang Clan member, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, whose previous, most notable acting credits include HBO’s The Wire cast, the Key & Peele-led action-comedy, Keanu, and Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost.

Jon Stewart

Davidson paid tribute to former The Daily Show host, Jon Stewart — also known for acting in movies like The Faculty and, more recently, returning to political satire for Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart — when he received the Mark Twain Prize in 2022, and I assume his Bupkis appearance is a way of thanking him.

Kenan Thompson

In addition to Davidson’s return to SNL as the Season 48 finale host, Bupkis will serve as a reunion for him and Kenan Thompson, who is also known for movies like the latter two Mighty Ducks installments and Good Burger, which was inspired by a sketch from his All That tenure and is getting a sequel on Paramount+.

Marissa Jaret Winokur

Bupkis co-creator Judah Miller’s wife, Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Wionkur, has starred in movies like the Drew Barrymore-led rom-com, Never Been Kissed, and appeared on TV shows like FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, to name a few.

Chase Sui Wonders

Since working together in the 2022 horror movie, Bodies Bodies Bodies, rumors have swirled about Davidson’s relationship with Chase Sui Wonders, who is now collaborating with him again on Bupkis.

If you have a Peacock subscription, go ahead and stream Bupkis on Peacock now to see Davidson and the rest of this large, star-studded ensemble on this exciting new comedy.

Over the course of the past decade and change, John Mulaney has gone from being a Saturday Night Live writer to one of the brightest and most recognizable voices in the world of standup comedy, to a voice-actor bringing characters to life in some of the most inventive animated movies and TV shows in recent memory. His unforgettable performances in the incredible Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse may have overshadowed the great comedy specials to his name.

With the comedian’s most recent stand-up special, John Mulaney: Baby J, having just arrived on Netflix, now seems like the perfect time to go back and talk about some of his must-watch specials and how to watch them. And, one in particular is an especially good option for those who love Mulaney’s SNL musical numbers.

John Mulaney: New In Town (2012)

After years of cutting his teeth as a standup comedian performing in clubs and headlining gigs around the country, and as a writer on Saturday Night Live as mentioned earlier, Mulaney was given his Comedy Central special in 2012. Titled, John Mulaney: New In Town, this manic, hyper, hilarious, and honest one-hour special touches on a number of topics ranging from crime procedurals to 1920s bank robbers to random encounters with homeless people.

One of the highlights from New to Town is the bit where Mulaney dives into everything shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit can get away with, despite certain four-letter words being off the table. But, the spot that steals the show comes when Mulaney describes a meeting with a homeless man who spits out a crazy sequence of facts, an interaction that gives the special its name.

Stream John Mulaney: New In Town on Netflix.
Stream John Mulaney: New In Town on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy John Mulaney: New In Town on Amazon.

John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid (2015) 

Three years after the release of New In Town, he came back with his first Netflix comedy special, John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid. Recorded at the Chicago Theatre in Mulaney’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois, his second standup special is far more personal than the first and is just as funny, if not more hilarious.

The name is drawn from an extended bit about former United States President Bill Clinton, who Mulaney met when the then-Governor of Arkansas was running for the presidency in 1992. Over the course of this long journey, Mulaney reveals that his parents attended college with the “Comeback Kid,” but had differing opinions on the man his father said “could get away with anything.” That is just part of the one-hour special, however, as Mulaney dives into everything from the absurdity of the Back to the Future plot to awkward interactions with kids and how he was thrown for a loop when attending Catholic mass for the first time in years. And, that’s just part of this whirlwind of a standup routine.

Stream John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid on Netflix. 

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City (2018) 

In 2018, Netflix released John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City, a one-hour comedy special that would go on to win a Primetime Emmy Award following its release. Much like The Comeback Kid, Mulaney’s third special was an incredibly personal experience, where the comedian opened up about his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood with stories about being incredibly hungover at his college graduation, later receiving letters in the mail from said college asking for cash “gifts” as a donation, and his experience writing for Mick Jagger when the Rolling Stones frontman hosted Saturday Night Live in 2012.

The most memorable part, though, is the extended bit in which Mulaney compares former United States President Donald Trump to a “horse loose in a hospital.” Over the course of the bit, Mulaney says he thinks everything will eventually be okay, it’s just that he has no idea what’s going to happen next. Little did Mulaney know, but two years later, he would be under investigation by the Secret Service for another joke he made about Trump.

Stream John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City on Netflix.

John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch (2019) 

Mulaney’s next Netflix release wouldn’t be a standard comedy show, but instead a children’s musical special much in the vein of Sesame Street and The Electric Company. Titled John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, the 70-minute special included a combination of skits and musical numbers that had no business being so catchy, or good, for that matter. This included earworms like “Grandma’s Boyfriend Paul,” “Plain Plate of Noodles,” and “I Saw a White Lady Standing on the Street Just Sobbing (and I Think About It Once a Week),” to name a few.

It also featured an incredible and incredibly random assortment of celebrity guests like André De Shields, Natasha Lyonne, Richard Kind, David Byrne, and Jake Gyllenhaal in the special’s off-the-walls finale.

Stream John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch on Netflix.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023) 

The past few years have been a physical, mental, and emotional rollercoaster for the star, as the Saturday Night Live five-timer has sat through an intervention, attended multiple stints in rehab, gotten a divorce, and had a kid with girlfriend Oliva Munn. A lot of that comes up in his latest special, John Mulaney: Baby J, which debuted on Netflix in April 2023.

The special, which features his unique blend of wit and honesty, is a little more subdued than his previous efforts, though that doesn’t mean it’s not as funny as everything that’s come before, because it is. Similar to Mulaney’s touching SNL monologue in February 2022, Baby J serves as a way for the comedian to address everything that’s transpired the past few years. He doesn’t hold back or let himself off easy. 

Stream John Mulaney: Baby J on Netflix.

If you want to watch these John Mulaney comedy specials, remember that you’ll need a Netflix subscription to do so (or a Paramount+ subscription for New In Town). More specials are being added all the time, so make sure to check out the 2023 Netflix TV schedule and upcoming Netflix movies guide for more information.

A long time ago, a new popular animated movie franchise came to life about a far off land, and that franchise started with Shrek. Spanning four movies, it was one of DreamWorks most popular film series and spawned plenty of TV specials, merchandise and so much more. But, in that series came a cat that everyone seemed to fall in love with that was introduced in Shrek 2 – Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas. 

The character became so popular with audiences that he got his own, titular spinoff film in 2011, and it even scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film. And now, more than ten years later, the sequel is finally out and fans of the famous cat are hankering to see him again in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

But, where might you have seen or heard the Puss in Boots: The Last Wish cast before? Be prepared, because this list is full of stars.  

Antonio Banderas (Puss In Boots)

First up on the list, we have the main star himself, Antonio Banderas, who voices the lead in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. As someone who has been around for a long time, Banderas has starred in many movies. Most recently in 2022, he was a part of the movie adaptation of Uncharted, based on the very popular game series, but has done so much more. 

Besides that, he obviously voiced Puss in the original Shrek series as well as the spinoff, but his other films include Desperado, The Mask of Zorro, Philadelphia, The Enforcer, Interview With The Vampire, the Spy Kids series, Pain and Glory, and more. He has also been a part of television shows, with a main role in the series, Genius, but movies is where Banderas really shines. 

Banderas is also set to appear in the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, so be sure to keep an eye out for him.

Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws)

Moving on, we take a look at a legendary actress, Salma Hayek, who voices Kitty Softpaws in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Reprising her role from the last film, Hayek has done so much in both movies and television. In terms of film, she has appeared in so many amazing ones. 

In 2021, she was a part of the Eternals cast, but has starred in other movies such as Desperado (where she co-starred with Banderas), Frida (which got her an Academy Award nomination), Bandidas, From Dusk ‘Till Dawn, Dogma, Wild Wild West, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, House of Gucci, and more. She also voiced one of the main characters in Sausage Party, an adult animated film. 

In terms of television, Hayek has also appeared in many shows. She started off her career in the telenovela, Teresa, but has since been in shows such as 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, and more.  

Olivia Colman (Mama Bear)

A true queen, Olivia Colman voices Mama Bear in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Colman has done so much in television and movies that it’s almost hard to keep track of what she’s done, but we’ll go over the highlights here. 

In movies, most recently in 2022, she starred with the Empire of Light cast, but she’s also appeared in films such as The Favourite, The Father, The Lost Daughter, The Iron Lady, Murder on the Orient Express, and so many more. She also had a voice role in the popular 2021 film, The Mitchell’s vs. The Machines. 

With television, Colman might be primarily known for her role as Queen Elizabeth in the third and fourth season of The Crown, but has appeared in many other parts in shows like Heartstopper, Peep Show, Flowers, Fleabag, The Night Manager, and Broadchurch, among others. 

Harvey Guillen (Perrito)

Next up is Harvey Guillen, who voices Perrito in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Some movies that you might have seen him in before this one are General Education, the horror film Truth or Dare, Status Update, and The Internship, but Guillen has done so much more in television. 

He’s primarily known for his role on the FX show What We Do In The Shadows, but has appeared in and voiced characters for many other TV series, including The Magicians, the underrated animated show, The Owl House, and The Thundermans, and has a recurring role in Human Resources. 

Samson Kayo (Baby Bear)

Moving on, we take a look at Samson Kayo, who voices Baby Bear in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Kayo has appeared in a few films, including 2022’s The Bubble, as well as Dolittle and Grandpa’s Great Escape, but he’s been in a few more television shows. Most recently in 2022, he appeared in the HBO Max original series, Our Flag Means Death. 

Other than that, he’s appeared in shows such as Murder in Successville, Truth Seekers, Bloods, Famalam, and Timewaster. 

Wagner Moura (Big Bad Wolf)

You remember those pigs in the Shrek series? Well, now it’s time to look out for the Big Bad Wolf, because he’s going to be making an appearance in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Voiced by Wagner Moura, the actor is primarily known for his role as Pablo Escobar in the popular Netflix series, Narcos, but has appeared in several other movies and television shows. 

Some of his biggest films this far have been Behind the Sun, The Man of the Year, The Middle of the World, Wasp Network, Sergio, and 2022’s The Gray Man, among many Spanish-language films. With television, besides Narcos, Moura also has a main role on the TV series, Shining Girls. 

Anthony Mendez (Doctor)

Moving on, we have Anthony Mendez, who plays the Doctor in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Mendez hasn’t done any major movies yet, so his role in here will be his first. However, he’s done plenty on television. 

You might recognize his voice the most, because he was known as the narrator for the popular CW show, Jane the Virgin, but he’s had roles in other TV shows such as Foodtastic, The Unexplained Files and Elena of Avalor. 

John Mulaney (Jack Horner)

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know who John Mulaney is, and now, he’s transferring his voice talents over to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish as Jack Horner. Mulaney is primarily known for his hilarious comedy specials and his time on Saturday Night Live, which he has hosted several times since he left, but he’s done plenty of other television work. 

He’s been in shows such as Documentary Now!, Kroll Show, his own series called The Mulaney Show, and more. Mulaney hasn’t appeared in any live-action films yet, but he’s done voice work for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (one of my personal favorite Spider-Man movies) and was one of the leads of the Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers cast. 

Florence Pugh (Goldi)

Next up on this Puss in Boots: The Last Wish cast list is Florence Pugh, who voices Goldi in the film (a version of Goldilocks). Pugh has been making a name for herself these past several years, appearing in many movies that have taken her to star status. 

Some of her biggest hits have been starring as Yelena Belova Black Widow, the A24 horror film, Midsommar, Little Women, Malevolent, Outlaw King, Fighting With My Family, The Commuter, The Falling, and so many more. She also starred in the 2022 psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling, and is set to appear in several new movies, including Dune 2, and the upcoming film, Oppenheimer. 

With television, Pugh reprised her role from Black Widow in the Disney+ original series, Hawkeye, but has also appeared in other shows such as Marvella, The Little Drummer Girl, and more. She is also going to be reprising Yelena Belova again in the Marvel film, Thunderbolts. 

Ray Winstone (Papa Bear)

Next up, we have Ray Winstone, who voices Papa Bear in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The actor has been around for a long time, and has appeared in many, many movies, so we’re just going to go over some of his most known. 

Winstone has had roles in films such as Quadrophenia, Scum, Nil by Mouth, Sexy Beast, The Proposition, The Departed, Beowulf, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Black Widow (alongside Pugh), Snow White and the Huntsman, Point Break, and more. 

With television, he’s had main roles in many TV shows, including Robin of Sherwood, Get Back, Vincent, Of Kings and Prophets, and Ice, among many guest roles, as well. 

Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Mama Luna)

Last but not least, we have Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who voices Mama Luna in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Randolph had been in several movies that you might have heard of, including Dolemite Is My Name, Office Christmas Party, Kajillionaire, The Last Shift, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and 2022’s The Lost City. 

She’s also appeared in many TV shows in recurring roles, including the Hulu original series, Only Murders in the Building, The Last O.G., This Is Us, Birdgirl, and more. She also had a main role in the show, High Fidelity, as well as a main part in Selfie and People of Earth. 

With such a stellar cast, it’s no wonder that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is shaping up to be an amazing movie. And now, you just might find something new that they’re a part of. Time to re-watch Shrek 2 again.   

Those in need of a good laugh can usually find exactly what they are looking for with a Netflix subscription. One of the reasons why the platform is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to is its nearly countless number of stand-up comedy specials that have sparked the on-stage revival of various beloved legends or helped skyrocket the careers of comedy’s most promising voices. 

As you might imagine, however, there are almost too many stand-up comedy specials to choose from, so what are the funniest available to stream now? Let us see if we can help you narrow down your choices for your next night of laughs with our picks for the funniest stand-up comedy specials available on Netflix.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023)

In his first special since his stint in rehab, John Mulaney details his struggles with that life-changing occasion, shares other revealing personal anecdotes, and tells some of his best jokes ever, making Baby J some of the comic’s finest work yet.

Stream John Mulaney: Baby J on Netflix

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)

While several months pregnant with her first child, Ali Wong – future Emmy-winning star of one of the best A24 TV shows, Beef – performs what is widely considered to be some of her best and most insightful work in Baby Cobra.

Stream Ali Wong: Baby Cobra on Netflix

Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (2019)

Black-ish star and former Conan writer Deon Cole’s debut Netflix special, Cole Hearted, sees him riff on the true meaning behind the name “Arby’s,” explaining when and why to give thanks to Jesus, and demonstrate why comedy is the last raw form of expression.

Stream Deon Cole: Cole Hearted on Netflix

Little Big Boy may boast the most mature material we have seen yet from Nick Kroll, but don’t be surprised when the Big Mouth co-creator throws in a fart joke.

Stream Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy on Netflix

Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer (2024)

Not to be confused with a certain Oliver Stone film, Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer sees the British comedian continue to deliver his signature, shamelessly crass, but undeniably clever, one-liners, which cover everything from veganism, anti-vaxxers, and how to practice proper consent.

Stream Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer on Netflix

Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life (2018)

Steve Martin and Martin Short are at their best when they are together and the Only Murders in the Building cast members deliver something truly unforgettable in An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life, which consists of witty banter, uproarious sketches, and a few moments of great music.

Stream Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life on Netflix

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Netflix’s very first live special, Selective Outrage, saw Chris Rock reveal his thoughts on Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars, among other topics, in front of a Baltimore audience.

Stream Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Netflix

Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You (2022)

While still in her 20s, Taylor Tomlinson proved herself to be one of the sharpest and boldest comedians working today with her brilliant debut special, Quarter-Life Crisis, in 2020. However, the gold standard of her career might be her second Netflix original, Look at You, for how she cleverly turns her own struggles with family, friends, and romance after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, into one hour of laugh-a-minute delight.

Stream Taylor Tomlinson: Look at You on Netflix

Mike Birbiglia: Thank God For Jokes (2017)

The state of comedy as we know it is a hotly debated topic these days and Mike Birbiglia believes it really all comes down to one thing: it has been ruined by people who are bad at telling them or try to hide behind their own mistakes by vocally claiming they are “just joking.” Well, the recurring Orange is the New Black cast member and three-time interim Jimmy Kimmel Live host is on a mission to preserve the art with his first Netflix special (out of four currently available on the platform), Thank God for Jokes.

Stream Mike Birbigila: Thank God for Jokes on Netflix

Demetri Martin: Live (At The Time) (2015)

I have always thought of Demetri Martin as the Bob Dylan of comedy – mostly because he often wears a harmonica around his neck while playing guitar during musical interludes, but also for his inventive, obscure approach to the art, involving illustrated sight gags or edits to his special that add a wonderfully meta commentary. The former Daily Show correspondent presents what may be the funniest display of his irreverent style with his first Netflix special, Live (At the Time) – a title that is totally on-brand for the comic.  

Stream Demetri Martin: Live (At the Time) on Netflix

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh (2018)

A stand-up icon who always loves to incorporate music into his act is Adam Sandler, the SNL cast member-turned-cinematic comedy superstar-turned-acclaimed dramatic thespian (i.e. his acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems). Before taking that award-winning role, the “Sandman” reignited his stand-up presence with this Netflix special, in which he raps about our over-reliance on technology, pays tribute to the late Chris Farley, and gives us more material that is truly 100% Fresh.

Stream Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh on Netflix

Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill (2020)

Netflix is the ultimate hub for content related to Jerry Seinfeld, as it’s the one place you can stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, his groundbreaking self-titled series from the ‘90s (and one of the all-time best sitcoms), and other titles, including this original special. The comedy icon certainly kills in 23 Hours to Kill by bringing his signature observational style to topics like how similar the words “sucks” and “great” truly are, how different talking and texting are, and more.

Stream Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill on Netflix

Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)

Former The King of Queens cast member and Ratatouille star Patton Oswalt has always had a bold and boisterous on-stage presence, whether he is poking fun at politics or at himself. However, the actor and comedian (who also lends his voice to Netflix’s The Sandman cast) has never been more candid about either topic than in his second special for the platform, Annihilation – half of which is devoted to honoring his late wife, true crime author Michelle McNamara.

Stream Patton Oswalt: Annihilation on Netflix

Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017)

In 2021, we lost beloved comedian and former SNL star Norm Macdonald to a private, nine-year battle with cancer. Remember the joy he brought to the world of comedy with his first Netflix original special, Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery – one of his finest career efforts for brilliant takes on mundane topics like the abbreviation for “identification” and his analysis of Germany’s volatile place in history.

Stream Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery on Netflix

Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)

After taking a hiatus from stand-up, Bo Burham was planning on returning to the stage right as Covid-19 put most public appearances on hold, as he reveals in this bizarre and bitingly funny project he wrote, performed, and shot entirely on his own and in one single room during the pandemic. While this special barely counts as “stand-up” and sometimes veers far from comedy when the Promising Young Woman star makes devastating confessions about his own mental health, no matter what you prefer to call it, Inside is one of the best Netflix movies of 2021 and nothing short of a masterpiece.

Stream Bo Burnham: Inside on Netflix

Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial (2018)

In her third Netflix original stand-up special and one of the best credits of her career, Iliza Shlesinger explains just what it means to be an Elder Millennial and how it informs her opinions of society. She reenacts the typical night of a single thirty-something, explains “landlines,” and shares the not-so-surprising story of how she met her fiancé on a dating app.

Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial on Netflix

Trevor Noah: Afraid Of The Dark (2017)

As a former host of The Daily Show, it is clear Trevor Noah has an eye for politics, but he lightens his commentary on the state of America (a little) to cover a wide range of topics with his signature energy. He talks about his South African upbringing, apologizes to the women in his audience on behalf of male “creeps,” and reveals why he is, as the title of his comedy special teases, afraid of the dark. 

Stream Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark on Netflix

Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018)

While he does not, particularly, exhibit signs of being what the title of this Netflix stand-up special suggests, “disgraceful” would certainly be a proper way of defining the many topics Tom Segura explores – such as a visit to an adult entertainment store, finding humor in mental disabilities, and the satisfaction of letting an elevator door close on a stranger. The 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast host’s brand of observational humor is refreshing in how it trades brutal honesty for off-beat absurdity that often veers on the edge of uncomfortable relatability. 

Stream Tom Segura: Disgraceful on Netflix

Marc Maron: Too Real (2017)

He has found success from starring in the Netflix series GLOW, a brief appearance in the box office smash Joker, and, especially, interviewing Hollywood’s finest as host of the highly rated podcast, WTF. However, Marc Maron got his start as a comic and you can see him at his best in his 2017 Netflix stand-up comedy special, Too Real.

Stream Marc Maron: Too Real on Netflix

Neal Brennan: 3 Mics (2017)

In 2017, Neal Brennan – the secret weapon to Dave Chappelle’s career, from co-creating Chappelle’s Show to co-writing Half Baked – came out of hiding in his remarkably unique Netflix comedy special, 3 Mics, which refers to the three different microphones set up on the stage. Each one is reserved for a different purpose: clever one-liners, traditional stand-up bits, and deeply personal stories, which is where Brennan truly shines in this astounding achievement mixing comedy with tragedy to rewarding effect.

Stream Neal Brennan: 3 Mics on Netflix

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City (2018)

As one of the most exciting names in comedy today, it makes sense that John Mulaney would eventually find himself performing at a prestigious venue like New York’s Radio City Music Hall, but that does not stop him from commenting on the very absurdity of that concept in his Emmy-winning Netflix stand-up comedy special, Kid Gorgeous. The former SNL writer’s classically-trained stand-up style, complemented by his formal wardrobe and choice to carry a wire-attached mic, adds a refreshing, old-fashioned energy to the topics he dares to dissect with his razor-sharp wit in a special that demands repeat viewings. 

Stream John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City on Netflix

Dave Chappelle: The Age Of Spin (2017)

Regardless of how you may feel about his more recent Netflix specials, you have to admit that Dave Chappelle’s intelligent observation, fearless expression, and effortless delivery is unlike anyone or anything seen in the world of comedy – now or before his time – and no better proof of that is in the first of his Netflix stand-up comedy specials, The Age of Spin. Filmed live at the Hollywood Palladium, this Grammy-winning special saw the A Star is Born actor’s triumphant return to the mainstream following his controversial decision to leave his groundbreaking Comedy Central series, which is easily the lightest of topics he touches on before riffing on everything from racism to sexuality and recalling his multiple encounters with O.J. Simpson.

Stream Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin on Netflix

No one’s brand of comedy is the same, so hopefully we have covered everything that fans of stand-up specials might be interested in streaming on Netflix in the list above.

In the world of comedy, it seems like laughs are often attached to drama. The dynamic tends to come up whenever a comedian dies. Oftentimes, depression is linked with tragic deaths in the medium, most notably with the late actor Robin Williams. It seemed the correlation didn’t sit well with comedian John Mulaney. The Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers actor got honest about the idea people have related to comedians and depression, and Williams’ name getting thrown around.

Robin Williams’ passing in 2014 shocked his devoted fans. His cause of death was tied to suicide related to depression. But his death was just one of many deaths in comedy involving mental health. Mulaney was tired of the public belief surrounding Williams and other late comics. The comedian spoke about the late Mrs. Doubtfire actor while honoring him on the Netflix special The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up.

That’s one way to tell fans and haters to stop speaking on the dead if you don’t know what happened. The act of performing isn’t always about drawing from one’s pain or tragedy. As Mulaney stated, the late actor was “just more talented” than the rest of us. While the Big Mouth star fought against this theory, Mulaney jokingly admitted many stand-up comics (including himself) deal with trauma and mental health conditions.

There’s nothing like making viewers laugh for a living. He did cop up to a few comics coming from messed-up backgrounds. Of course, Mulaney has dealt with his battles as seen with his touching and fun SNL monologue after becoming a father. But sometimes, that makes for the best comedy. The comedian got the chance to jokingly call those who might be great comedians in the making.

Despite the sadness surrounding his passing, Williams’ legacy has continued to live on years after his unexpected death. Fans still have iconic performances and stories from the likes of Hollywood writer Dan Hernandez and Good Will Hunting co-star Ben Affleck to continue the late Mork and Mindy actor’s memory.

Of course, The Hall: honoring the Greats of Stand-Up is just one of multiple Netflix comedy specials premiering this Summer. If you want to find out the premiere dates for these specials, you can check out our 2022 Netflix TV schedule.

At long last, Chip ’n Dale, the fearless co-founders and leaders of the Rescue Rangers are back together, and in action, together again for another set of adventures in the new Disney+ movie bearing their name. The fun-filled and reference-heavy animated/live-action hybrid in the vein of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Tom and Jerry is finally streaming on the popular platform, meaning everyone with a Disney+ subscription can give the new film a spin. 

But, after doing so, you may be wondering exactly where you have seen and heard the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast before. Worry not, because we are about to break down all the stars of the highly-anticipated project, starting with the two leads, former Saturday Night Live greats John Mulaney and Andy Sandberg.

John Mulaney (Chip)

Starting off, we have John Mulaney who appears in the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast as the voice of Chip, the fearless leader and co-founder of the Rescue Rangers, and the member who didn’t elect to be converted to CGI.

Mulaney, who long served as a writer on Saturday Night Live before becoming one of the best guest hosts of all-time with his hilarious and catchy musical skits, has etched out a place for himself as one of the greatest modern stand-up comedians with specials like The Comeback Kid and John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. 

On top of that, Mulaney has appeared on shows like Documentary Now!, Kroll Show, Big Mouth, and even had his own short-lived sitcom simply titled, Mulaney. And let’s not forget his hilarious portrayal of Peter Porker, a.k.a. Spider-Ham, in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and various short films in the franchise.

Andy Samberg (Dale)

Next up is Andy Samberg, who provides the voice of Dale, the more happy-go-lucky and free-flowing co-founder of the Rescue Rangers who has undergone a procedure to transform himself from traditional animation to CGI prior to the events of Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

Just like his co-star, Samberg first made a name for himself as one of the funniest members of the Saturday Night Live cast of all time, with memorable skits like “Lazy Sunday,” “I’m on a Boat,” and various others, including an iconic digital short featuring Justin Timberlake. Since then, Samberg has found success on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Never Have I Ever.

Over the course of his career, Samberg has also found success in cinema, with a major role in the Hotel Transylvania animated franchise, the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies, and the 2020 time-loop romantic comedy, Palm Springs. And let’s not forget his work with his comedy music group The Lonely Island (who were responsible for some of those great SNL shorts).

KiKi Layne (Ellie)

Stepping in as one of the human roles in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is KiKi Layne, who portrays a rookie police detective (and Rescue Rangers superfan) named Ellie in the new Disney+ streaming exclusive.

Ever since giving her outstanding portrayal of Tish Rivers in Barry Jenkins’ 2018 drama, If Beale Street Could Talk, Layne has been one of young Hollywood’s brightest stars. In the years following her breakout role, Layne has given incredible performances in movies like Native Son, Captive State, The Old Guard, and Coming 2 America.

Will Arnett (Sweet Pete)

Taking on the role of Sweet Pete, a down-on-his-luck former Disney star who has turned to a life of crime in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, is Will Arnett, whose character makes a vow to bring his former employer down to Earth.

Arnett, who has appeared in live-action movies like Let’s Go to Prison, Semi-Pro, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and shows like Arrested Development, 30 Rock, and Murderville, is perhaps best known for his long list of voice-over credits on the silver screen and small screen alike. Over the years, Arnett has voiced characters in The Lego Movie (and its various sequels and spinoffs), The Nut Job franchise, Despicable Me, and most recently, Rumble, as well as shows like King of the Hill, The Simpsons, and most importantly Bo-Jack Horseman, which saw him portray the titular character in the decorated Netflix animated series.

Eric Bana (Monterey Jack)

Stepping in to voice Chip ’n Dale’s former partner-in-crime, Monterey Jack, in the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast is Eric Bana, who brings new life to the iconic cheese-obsessed Australian mouse once voiced by Peter Cullen.

Although he has spent most of his career in live-action roles, Bana has provided his voice for a few animated film projects over the years, including Finding Nemo, Mary and Max, and Back to the Outback. However, Bana is best remembered for performances in movies like Munich, Hanna, Star Trek, The Other Boleyn Girl, Troy, and Ang Lee’s 2003 Marvel movie, Hulk, which saw him portray Bruce Banner and his supersized alter-ego. Bana has also appeared on a number of shows in his native Australia like Full Frontal, Something in the Air, and The Eric Bana Show Live.

Dennis Haysbert (Zipper)

Providing the voice for Zipper, the housefly and trusty member of the original Rescue Rangers in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is Dennis Haysbert.

Although younger members of the audience will recognize Haysbert’s voice from his portrayal of King Grayskull on Masters of the Universe: Revelation or from those Allstate insurance commercials, others will remember the actor from his roles in movies like Major League, Waiting to Exhale, and Heat, or his various shows that include Now and Again, The Unit, or 24, a performance that earned the actor a number of nominations for his portrayal of President Donald Palmer throughout the show’s run.

Keegan-Michael Key (Bjornson The Cheesemonger)

Providing the voice for the puppet character Bjornson the Cheesemonger on the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast is Keegan-Michael Key.

One of the most recognizable voices featured in the new Disney+ movie, Key is perhaps best known for his longtime sketch comedy program, Key & Peele, alongside Jordan Peele. In the years following the Comedy Central show’s conclusion, Key has found success with an assortment of animated series including BoJack Horseman, SuperMansion, Archer, and Green Eggs and Ham. He has also shown up in movies like the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Toy Story 4, The Prom, and most recently, as a member of The Bubble cast.

Tress MacNeille (Gadget)

Taking on the role of Gadget in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is Tress MacNeille, who originally voiced the character during its original run, as well as voicing Chip during that same stretch.

Over the years, MacNeille has consistently been one of the hardest-working voice actors in the entertainment industry, working on shows like The Simpsons, Rugrats, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and Futurama. If you are a fan of an animated series released anywhere between 1980 and now, chances are you’ve heard MacNeille’s voice more than a few times. And, it’s not just TV, as MacNeille has provided her voice for some of the most iconic Studio Ghibli films, like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and My Neighbor Totoro.

Seth Rogen (Bob The Warrior Viking)

Seth Rogen appears in Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers as Bob the Warrior Viking, the awkwardly-animated CGI character featured in the wacky trailer.

Since breaking out as a multi-talented star in the early part of the 21st century, Rogen has become one of the most entertaining names in Hollywood with a variety of great roles in movies like Knocked Up, Superbad (which he co-wrote), Steve Jobs, 50/50, and other unforgettable movies. He is also no stranger to voice roles, as he appeared in animated movies like The Lion King and the Kung Fu Panda franchise. He is set to provide the voice of Donkey Kong in the upcoming Mario movie.

J.K. Simmons (Captain Putty)

Taking on the role of the claymation police officer named Captain Putty in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is J.K. Simmons, who knows a thing or two about playing iconic cops.

Over the years, Simmons has been in movies like the Spider-Man franchise, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Palm Springs, Juno, and Whiplash, which earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and numerous other accolades. His TV work includes roles on shows like Oz, Law and Order, The Closer, and BoJack Horseman.

Da’Vone McDonald (Jimmy The Polar Bear)

Taking on the role of Jimmy the Polar Bear in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is Da’Vone McDonald.

Throughout his career, McDonald has appeared in movies like Funny People, Drillbit Taylor, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, as well as shows like Drunk History, The PET Squad Files, and Dads.

Flula Borg (DJ Herzogenaurach)

And, rounding out the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast is Flula Borg, who shows up as DJ Herzogenaurach.

An accomplished actor, comedian, and musician, Borg has appeared on shows like Mr. Mayor, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, and Tangled: The Series throughout his career, as well as in movies like Ferdinand, Pitch Perfect 2, and a little movie called The Suicide Squad.

This is just a portion of the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers cast as there are all sorts of cameos and other surprises in the new Disney+ streaming movie.

Your favorite animated chipmunks are back, with the Disney+ reboot of the popular ‘90s series Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. This time, however, it’s not a series, but instead it's a movie that will reunite the titular rodents with their old gang to save a friend. Critics have had the opportunity to screen the live action/animated film ahead of its May 20 release to Disney+ subscribers. The trailer makes it look like viewers are in for some wacky, meta weirdness, but what are the reviews saying?

John Mulaney and Andy Samberg star as the titular duo, with The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer directing. Along with as the Saturday Night Live vets in the leading roles, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers boasts an impressive cast, with names including Will Arnett, Keegan-Michael Key, Tim Robinson, Seth Rogan and J.K. Simmons, just to name a few. Let’s take a look at what the reviews are saying about the Disney+ reboot, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers. 

Our own Mike Reyes rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, saying it pushes its PG rating to the limit and gives a nod to the nostalgic ‘90s vibe while still remaining firmly in the present day. It’s a reboot that mocks reboots, and it gets it right:

Petrana Radulovic of Polygon says in a reboot-weary world, this movie is a refreshing antidote. The jokes are witty, the nostalgia is fun, and the movie finds a good balance in being sweet but not saccharine and sharp but not mean-spirited:

While many critics seem to think the Disney+ original will appeal to both children and their parents, the AV Club’s Courtney Howard thinks it misses the mark on both ends and grades it a C-, predicting that this movie will fade from our memories like the series of 30-plus years ago did:

Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge agrees with the above review, saying the movie feels like it isn’t sure what it wants to be. The meta humor falls flat for this critic, and instead of coming off as self-deprecating humor, it just serves as a reminder of Disney’s behemoth power, likely looking for crossover opportunities: 

Kate Erbland of IndieWire grades Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers a B, saying it’s more clever than outright funny, but a welcome reminder that reboot culture can still bring fresh ideas to the table. This review warns that adults may be more into this than the little ones, though: 

The critics presented a couple of different angles that audiences might see this movie from, and if it sounds like something you and your family might enjoy – and you don’t have to wait long or go far to give it a watch. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers premieres Friday, May 20, on Disney+. While you can enjoy this and other Disney+ movies from your own living room, be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to start planning your next trip to the theater.

Whenever John Mulaney hosts an episode of Saturday Night Live (which has happened every season going back to 2018), you are guaranteed to see three things: a hilarious and sometimes touching opening monologue, a large number of celebrity guests, and some of the best musical skits the show has ever produced.

These fan-favorite skits, which range from small musical numbers parodying the likes of The Sound of Music, to over-the-top full-scale productions set in airports, diners, bodegas, and other locations throughout the Greater New York City metropolitan area, are all special in their own way, but some are better than the rest. Below is a breakdown of each of those sketches as well as a video for each in case you want to relive some of the best modern-day SNL moments featuring the five-timer and former long-time writer.

6. The Sound Of Music: Rolfe And Liesel 

The duet “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” by Liesl von Trapp (Charmian Carr) and Rolfe (Daniel Truhitte) is one of the most beloved songs from The Sound of Music, thanks to its upbeat tempo, lovely melody, and lyrics about a young woman trying to show she’s no longer a little kid. Well, John Mulaney and Cecily Strong’s take on the song during a March 2020 episode of Saturday Night Live, takes the catchy track and adds another layer to it, a much creepier layer that only gets the worse the more you dig in.

This hilarious back-and-forth between a “geriatric telegram boy” who is 33 (or 46) years old and a girl who is “rich and good with puppets” has fun with everything from the premise of The Sound of Music to world history during the World War II era. 

5. New York Musical

Set in a Times Square souvenir shop in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the November 2020 skit, “New York Musical,” starts off with Chris Redd and Pete Davidson (who appear together in all but one of the following musicals) looking for some “I Love New York” merchandise from John Mulaney, only for Davidson to buy a pair of underwear with the iconic logo. And, that’s where things really take off. Over the course of the next eight minutes, characters like a Minion mascot (Kenan Thompson), Shrimp Louie (Kate McKinnon), and the Statue of Liberty (Maya Rudolph) sing a cautionary tale with parodies of songs from Fiddler on the Roof, Follies, and Guys and Dolls.

The topical nature of the skit (it came out the weekend before the 2020 Presidential election) makes it a fun reminder of how insane things were at the time, but this also dates the skit unlike the more timeless musical numbers that were part of the previous episodes. But still, there are some bangers throughout.

4. Subway Churro

The February 2022 Saturday Night Live musical skit “Subway Churro” starts at the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station, but the decrepit location is soon turned into a dark and fantastical world when Andrew Dismukes’ character (taking over for an absent Pete Davidson) buys an unwrapped churro from a vendor holding it with a Starbucks napkin. Over the course of this expansive and unhinged skit, characters like John Mulaney’s newsstand attendant, Kenan Thompson’s Mole Man, Cecily Strong’s wandering Broadway singer, and Alex Moffat’s flasher paint a picture of New York’s seedier side below the surface. But, the cherry on the top of this otherworldly pie is Aidy Bryant’s Jesus Christ from a Subway Car with her ability to bring everyone together.

“Subway Churro” takes what John Mulaney started with “New York Musical” and makes it even more wacky (and catchy), creating one of the best skits of the night.

3. Diner Lobster

Ah, the famous “Diner Lobster” musical skit that was featured on John Mulaney’s first time hosting Saturday Night Live back in April 2018. Perhaps the simplest of Mulaney’s numbers, but also one of his most effective, this nearly five-minute sketch shows what happens when someone (in this case, Pete Davidson’s character) orders a lobster from a run-down New York City eatery. Whether it’s Kenan Thompson’s lobster singing about his fate or a group of peasants building a barricade to protect him like a short-order Les Miserables, there’s just so much going on here, and I’m all aboard the crazy train.

If the next two skits didn’t exist, “Diner Lobster” would be at the top of the list. Basically, it feels like a really good, low-budget EP from a band that would blow-up and have high production values with subsequent releases, which gives it this unique raw quality in comparison to the others. And, it’s also a great sign of things to come from John Mulaney in the years following.

2. Bodega Bathroom

It feels like “Diner Lobster” crawled so “Bodega Bathroom” could walk, because this hilariously epic skit from a May 2019 episode of Saturday Night Live takes the basic concept and turns it up like five notches. What starts out as Peter Davidson making the mistake of asking to use the restroom at a run-down bodega quickly devolves into utter madness with a singing cat (Kenan Thompson), a talking toilet (Beck Bennett), and references to Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and so much more.

Once again, John Mulaney shows how much he loves musical theatre in this six-minute skit, exposing an entire ecosystem of forgotten animals, products, and expired candy. After this it’s no wonder Mulaney was given his own family-friendly Netflix special,  John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, a few months later.

1. Airport Sushi

The “Airport Sushi” musical skit, which aired on Saturday Night Live in March 2020, offers a little cautionary tale about what happens when you make a questionable purchase just minutes before boarding a pressurized airplane traveling 33,000 feet in the sky. 

Like other sketches on this list, John Mulaney’s best musical number starts with Pete Davidson making a poor choice, though it feels so right considering the madness that awaits. With characters like the Phantom Of LaGuardia (Kenan Thompson), a sushi chef (Cecily Strong), and Auntie Orphan Annie (Kate McKinnon) singing about the culinary disaster that awaits, the skit plays tribute to West Side Story, Annie, and other classic musicals.

And, just when you thought the eight-minute production couldn’t get crazier, Jake Gyllenhaal (on a wire harness) and David Byrne pop in and provide even more great moments that put this one on top. It feels like this is the point in John Mulaney’s Saturday Night Live musical journey where all the pieces felt like the fit in the proper places, as it was over-the-top while not being too crazy at the same time. 

Even though our journey has ended, it doesn't mean we can't go back and relive all these classic moments until John Mulaney appears on Saturday Night Live again. But, if you want to know which celebrities and musical guests are coming to the show in the meantime, check out our list of all the upcoming SNL hosts. 

Longtime Saturday Night Live writer and popular stand-up comedian John Mulaney returned to the Studio 8H stage last night to host SNL for the fifth time. The show, of course, gave him a well-deserved five timers club sketch, but it was his hilarious and heartfelt monologue that really has fans talking. The new father who went to rehab during the pandemic talked very openly about his addiction battles and where he’s at in his life right now.

For roughly seven minutes, the comedian discussed his personal struggles. He talked about knowing he probably had a problem when he recognized he was getting an intervention as soon as he walked into his intervention. He talked about finding out his drug dealer only dealt drugs to him, and he talked about the connection he feels with his son after his favorite pacifier was recalled. You can watch John Mulaney open up and make the Saturday Night Live audience laugh below…

John Mulaney has gone through a lot since he first left SNL. He worked on the show’s writing staff for four seasons and made occasional appearances on Weekend Update. In the time since, he’s had his own sitcom, written for numerous other projects and churned out stand-up specials. He also went through a very public divorce, had a child with actress Olivia Munn and as referred to in his monologue, dealt with substance abuse issues for which he went to rehab in December of 2020.

The rest of Mulaney’s episode was good too. The show, in a really thoughtful gesture, brought on a Ukrainian choir. Mulaney also got his five timers club sketch, which included appearances from Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Candice Bergen, Elliott Gould and Conan O’Brien. He also, of course, went to some weird places. He had a family reunion sketch where he talked and did the Cupid Shuffle the entire time. He did a musical about buying churros on the Subway, and he featured prominently in a Covid sketch about how complicated it is to talk about anything Covid-related with other people. You can check out that last one below...

SNL was off for awhile prior to John Mulaney’s episode last night, but it’ll be back on for a few consecutive weeks moving forward with some exciting upcoming hosts. Next week on March 5th, Oscar Isaac will host with musical guest Charli XCX. Then the following week, Zoe Kravitz will take the reins with musical guest Rosalîa. And then by that point, we’ll be smack dab in speculation season trying to figure out which stars are going to stay and which stars are going to go. 

In the past decade or so, Disney has had a great deal of success with live-action remakes of some of the studio’s most iconic properties. During that same time, we’ve begun to see more and more live-action/CGI hybrid movies from other studios, with the most recent examples being Tom & Jerry and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Well, Disney is keeping those trends going for the forthcoming Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie, a star-studded and meta comedy that looks to be taking inspiration from the original series of the same name and some of the show’s contemporaries.

If this is the first you are hearing about the new Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie, worry not, because we’re about to break down when you can watch the Disney+ movie, who’s in it, and what you can expect from its story. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s get up to speed with those adorable and wise-cracking chipmunks.

Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers Premieres May 20 On Disney+

Starting Friday, May 20, anyone with a Disney+ subscription will be able to watch Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers on the popular streaming service. Even though it would have been nice to see Chip and Dale return to the big screen after not having a theatrical release for nearly 40 years, seeing the pint-sized adventurers from the comfort of your own home isn’t all that bad.

John Mulaney and Andy Samberg Lead Chip ‘N Dale’s All-Star Cast

The Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie has one hell of a cast with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but before we get into all the supporting players, we have to talk about the two leads, who just so happen to be responsible for some of the best Saturday Night Live moments of the 21st Century (and perhaps of all time).

Providing the voice of Chip is former SNL writer and one of the best hosts each year, John Mulaney, who previously voiced Peter Porker, a.k.a. Spider-Ham, in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Taking on the role of Dale in the upcoming Disney+ movie is Andy Samberg, who has appeared in animated movies like the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and several others on top of his run on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Disney has also announced that KiKi Layne (The Old Guard), Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Eric Bana (Munich), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Seth Rogen (Pam & Tommy), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), David Tennant (Doctor Who), and numerous others will appear in the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie in some capacity.

Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers Follows The Titular Pair As They Team Up For The First Time In 30 Years

When Disney unveiled the cast and trailer (more on that next) in February 2022, the studio also provided key details about Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers and what audiences can expect from its story later in the year. Set 30 years after their show was cancelled and they went their separate ways, the upcoming Disney+ movie follows Chip and Dale (who has since undergone CGI surgery) as they get back together to rescue a former castmate who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

But, before former best friends can save their old colleague, they must first repair their own relationship, which has been broken and neglected over the course of the past few decades.

The Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers Trailer Is Full Of Meta-Humor, Classic Characters, And Wacky Situations

Disney could have very well taken a safer route with Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers and treated it like the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies or Tom & Jerry, but thankfully, the studio took a different direction and instead created something that is wackier, full of meta-humor, and features all kinds of cameos and callbacks to the property and studio’s past. And, all of this is on full display in the first trailer that came out in February 2022.

This two-minute trailer touches on everything from stars falling from the heights of fame and settling in on the convention meet-and-greet circuit, to the ways in which intellectual properties have become commodities, and how CGI technology has vastly improved over the years (as seen with Seth Rogen’s hilarious and poorly-animated character), and so much more. There are even cameos by Roger Rabbit, MC Skat Cat, the Three Little Pigs, and Scrooge McDuck (swimming in a sea of gold coins).

Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers Is Directed By The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer

If the Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers trailer felt a lot like something you would see in Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping, there’s a good reason for that: both were directed by Andy Samberg’s longtime creative partner, Akiva Schaffer, who won a Primetime Emmy Award for perhaps the most iconic Saturday Night Live song, “Dick in a Box.” This means we can expect a lot of that humor that has made The Lonely Island one of the most notable comedy music groups of the 21st Century.

The Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers script was written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, who wrote Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and was based on a story by Barry Schwartz.

The Chip ‘N Dale Live Action Movie Was In The Works As Of 2014

The Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie is just now being prepared for release, but work on the project, or a version of the live-action/CGI hybrid adaptation, has been been in the works for nearly a decade at this point. Back in January 2014, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Robert Rugen was in the process of adapting the animated franchise, though no concrete details were made available at the time. 

That version of the Chip ’n Dale adaptation never came to fruition, and in 2019, THR reported that the film that will soon land on Disney+ had been given the go-ahead with Akiva Schaffer sitting in the director’s chair. How much, if any, of the original version made it into the upcoming streaming exclusive remains to be seen.

Expect to hear more about Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers as we get closer to its May 20 release date. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend's 2022 movie releases schedule so you don't miss a thing in theaters and on all the major streaming platforms.