John Mulaney

John Mulaney
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Name	John Mulaney
Birth name	John Edmund Mulaney
Birth date	26 August 1982
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up comedy, television, film
Education	Georgetown University (BA)
Spouse	Annamarie Tendler, 2014, 2022, Olivia Munn, 2021

John Mulaney is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He first gained significant recognition as a writer for Saturday Night Live and later achieved widespread fame for his acclaimed stand-up specials and voice work in animation. His career encompasses successful Netflix specials, a Broadway show, and various film and television projects, establishing him as a prominent figure in contemporary comedy.

Early life and education

John Edmund Mulaney was born on August 26, 1982, in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He is the son of Ellen "Honey" and Charles "Chip" Mulaney, an attorney and partner at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He attended St. Clement School and later Saint Ignatius College Prep, where he developed an early interest in performance. He graduated from Georgetown University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, having also performed with the on-campus improv and sketch group, the Georgetown Chimes.

Career

After moving to New York City, he began performing stand-up comedy at venues like the Comic Strip Live. His big break came in 2008 when he was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live, where he worked for six seasons and co-created the popular recurring character Stefon with Bill Hader. During this period, he released his first comedy album, The Top Part, in 2009. He left SNL in 2014 and created the Fox sitcom Mulaney, which was short-lived. His career surged with a series of highly successful Netflix stand-up specials, beginning with The Comeback Kid in 2015, followed by Kid Gorgeous in 2018, which won a Primetime Emmy Award. He also wrote and starred in the 2019 Broadway show John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. His voice acting work includes portraying Andrew Glouberman in the Netflix animated series Big Mouth and co-creating the spin-off Human Resources.

Personal life

He married makeup artist Annamarie Tendler in 2014; the couple divorced in 2022. In 2021, he began a relationship with actress Olivia Munn, and they married later that year. Their son, Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney, was born in November 2021. In late 2020, he publicly entered rehab for cocaine and alcohol addiction, an experience he has since addressed in his stand-up material. He is a longtime resident of New York City and has been open about his Catholic upbringing and its influence on his life.

Comedy style and influences

His comedic style is often described as observational, self-deprecating, and meticulously crafted, delivered with a sharp, almost professorial cadence. He frequently draws material from his personal life, childhood, and awkward social interactions, employing clever wordplay and long-form storytelling. Major influences include classic comedians like Bob Newhart, Steve Martin, and George Carlin, as well as the sketch comedy of Saturday Night Live. His work is noted for its clean language relative to many contemporaries and its focus on narrative structure, earning comparisons to David Sedaris.

Filmography and discography

His notable stand-up specials include New in Town (2012), The Comeback Kid (2015), and Kid Gorgeous (2018), all released on Netflix. His television writing and acting credits span Saturday Night Live, Mulaney, and Documentary Now!. Film appearances include roles in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (as the Scorpion), The Lego Batman Movie, and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. His audio releases include the comedy albums The Top Part (2009) and the soundtrack for John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch (2019).

Awards and nominations

He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards: one for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for Kid Gorgeous in 2018 and another for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for his work on Big Mouth in 2021. Kid Gorgeous also won a Peabody Award in 2019. He has received multiple nominations from the Writers Guild of America Award and the Critics' Choice Television Award. In 2019, his Broadway show John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award.

Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American television writers Category:21st-century American comedians