Credit transcendent guests, luck, or underlying chemistry between guest and host, but sometimes late-night interviews can move from being inoffensive content to being a lot of fun and a great example of the form. This is exactly what happened on the latest Late Night with Seth Meyers when John Mulaney stopped by (for the first time since November 2020) to share the intimate details of his most eventful year. Really, it’s quite remarkable. Look down. See all these remarks?
I’m sure you know this, but for context’s sake: Meyers and Mulaney are long-time friends and colleagues, working together as writers on Saturday Night Live. Mulaney also had a brief stint writing for Meyers’ late-night show prior to going into rehab last year for substance abuse.
As the internet’s comedy boyfriend, the ups and downs of Mulaney’s life have drawn a lot of focus over the last 10 months. Well wishes and high anxiety over his struggles colored the moment when it was announced that he was going to rehab — a rare example of unified human empathy. But then we found out that he was getting divorced and rumors popped up — first that he was dating Olivia Munn and then that they were having a kid together — causing the internet to lose its sh*t because that’s not the narrative we picked out for him and his dog, Petunia.
Mulaney was all smiles on Late Night las… early this morning (I know days end at midnight but doesn’t it feel like it should be conversationally 5AM?), lavishing praise for Munn’s ability to weather his post-rehab self before confirming that he’s about to be a dad. Which is great. Mazel Tov! But that’s not the big takeaway from his appearance on Late Night.
No one owes anyone access into the sh*ttiest moments of their life, but it’s nevertheless interesting to see Mulaney casually converse on the timeline of his relapse and the apparently star-studded intervention that helped spur him to get help. He and Meyers are funny throughout — this isn’t a “very special episode” of Late Night — but the interview’s also unyielding in talking about the jeopardy Mulaney was in. And while it primarily stands as an example of A) the bond and trust between Mulaney and Meyers and B) Mulaney’s intent to keep diving into this part of his life as he gets out on the road as a part of a stand-up tour, it also incidentally helps to destigmatize conversations about falling down and reaching out for help. Which is a nice thing. Way to go, Kid Gorgeous.
