A comedian’s first stand-up act after a controversy can be a difficult thing to navigate. Is it best for them to address their sometimes-very-recent tumult, or to blow past it and stick to the jokes? John Mulaney goes with the former strategy in his newest Netflix special, “Baby J,” released April 25, which shows the comedian being more candid about his December 2020 intervention and subsequent stay in rehab than many would have expected.
During his set, Mulaney doesn’t touch on his relationships with ex-wife Anna Marie Tendler and Olivia Munn, the mother of his child, and he also doesn’t spend too much time being serious about his history of drug and alcohol use. Instead, he sticks to his traditional comedic style and calls his intervention a “star-studded” affair, joking that he felt there were about four people too many in attendance.
But at one point, Mulaney does shift the vibe to a more serious tone. “I was truly an asshole that night. I recognize that. But listen, I was furious at them. I was so mad that night . . . They were trying to tell me what to do with my life, they were trying to control me, they were sending me away to rehab for months. I felt powerless. I felt very angry,” Mulaney says. “Now, standing here tonight . . . Getting to do this show and standing here – listen, I am grateful to everyone at my intervention. They intervened, they confronted me, and they totally saved my life.”
The earnest moment doesn’t last long though, as Mulaney interrupts the audience’s heartfelt applause to tell them that his friends bring up their good deed too often, and jokes that he’s “still pissed off at them” despite his gratitude.
He also mentions that after he checked into rehab, his friend Pete Davidson called to check in and ask whether he thought people would assume he was at fault, since it was rumored that the two had used drugs together. (Mulaney clarifies that they never did.)
Another meaningful moment comes at the end of the special, after spending much of the previous hour and 20 minutes outlining his substance-abuse issues, when he says he’s found freedom from caring so much about what others think about him. “What is someone going to do to me that’s worse than what I would do to myself?” he asks the audience. “What, are you going to cancel John Mulaney? I’ll kill him. I almost did.”
Watch “Baby J” on Netflix here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance-use disorder, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has resources available including a national 24/7 helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). You can also send your zip code via text to 435748 (HELP4U) for treatment referral and information services.
Read More POPSUGAR Fitness
- Your Question, Answered: Why Do I Bloat After Having Sex?
- Why Do I Get a Racing Heart When I Drink Alcohol? Here’s What It Could Mean
- 25 Instagram Captions That Are Perfect For Those Sweaty Gym Selfies
- Emilia Clarke on Surviving 2 Brain Aneurysms: “It’s Remarkable That I’m Able to Speak”
- Ozempic Is Touted on TikTok as a Weight-Loss Miracle. The Reality Is Not So Simple
