John Mulaney, a stand-up comedian and former Saturday Night Live writer, performed at Radio City Music Hall this past weekend, with seven shows in just four days at the infamous venue. Few comedians can sell out large venues like this, but Mulaney’s “Kid Gorgeous” tour is a welcome exception.
Mulaney, who grew up in Chicago, is known for telling many tales from his childhood, growing up Catholic with two lawyers for parents. He is always somehow able to take classic childhood experiences and make them humorous as he points out the absurdity of daily life.
Mulaney’s comedic style has always been a combination of self-deprecating humor and observational comedy, both of which are endearing and relatable without being too far-fetched. “Kid Gorgeous” is no different, this time with Mulaney reflecting on entering his mid-thirties and still feeling like a kid.
Much of Mulaney’s humor comes from his own childhood stories that are more bizarre than relatable but are still wildly entertaining to hear. His very animated speaking voice keeps the audience intriguing, and Mulaney shows his superior writing skills with his vivid descriptions of various scenarios. The whole audience could gain a fairly accurate mental picture of Mr. Bittenbinder, who taught Mulaney about “stranger danger,” and always wore a cowboy hat and a handlebar mustache.
While many comedians automatically turn to today’s political climate for inspiration, Mulaney did so in a very subtle and sophisticated way. He compared President Trump to a “horse in a hospital,” who is just running around freely and making everyone nervous about what he will do next. Throughout the entire bit, he never said Trump’s name and made subtle allusions to current events.
The audience reception was very strong and positive. Whether a casual or a loyal fan of Mulaney’s, there was something in his one hour set for everyone to relate to. He took observational comedy to the next level through his terrific writing skills and ability to vocalize his jokes with a great level of professionalism.
If you have not heard John Mulaney’s jokes, he has two Netflix specials, “The Comeback Kid,” and “New in Town,” both of which portray his comedy style and modest persona. I would highly recommend seeing him live, as his show has something for everyone, and is sure to make you laugh!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!