Here’s what we know about John Mulaney’s new late night show: We know it’s called “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney.” We know it premieres Wednesday, March 12 on Netflix. We know that, for 12 weeks at 10 p.m., the comedian behind stand-up specials like “Baby J” and “The Comeback Kid” will chat and joke around with guests including Joan Baez, Michael Keaton, and fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum Fred Armisen. Finally, as per the title, we know that it will indeed be airing live.
For Netflix, live programming is still a work in progress, and largely limited to sporting events like Christmas NFL games and that infamously messy boxing match between Mike Tyson and YouTuber menace Jake Paul. But the streamer has also tried live programming with comedians like Chris Rock and Mulaney, who last year used the excuse of Netflix’s annual comedy fest to create six live specials, which he structured like a traditional late night television show. Clearly, the concept worked well enough to earn him another run at live shows that might prove less esoteric than the last.
Cheekily titled “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.,” Mulaney’s previous stab at late night featured him, a Chicago native and longtime New Yorker, trying to better understand the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles. The living room-style set, replete in olive- and amber-toned furniture and a shaggy rug, channeled a breezy mid-century modern vibe (picture Don Draper, but on vacation). And while there were some pre-taped sketches, and the conversations focused on Californian topics such as “palm trees” and “earthquakes,” the show could otherwise easily be mistaken for a broadcast network late night show rather than a Netflix experiment.
After Mulaney opened each episode with a snappy monologue, he chatted with guests ranging from comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Shrewsbury native Mike Birbiglia to seismologists and wildlife advocates. He riffed with his announcer and friend, the character actor Richard Kind. He even had viewers call in to share their own thoughts and bring an older school radio show sensibility to the program. Finally, as per late night tradition, each episode finished with a musical act.
So, yes, the series was very much about Los Angeles in just about every way. But it also proved something that Mulaney fans have suspected all along: This guy is really good at hosting a talk show.
As a stand-up comedian, Mulaney has always been quick and self-deprecating. He clearly knows the entertainment industry and its history well, but rarely gets stuck in the weeds of inside jokes that could alienate audiences that might be less in the know. As is no secret, he also wrestled with addiction to cocaine and opioid pills for decades; after relapsing in 2020, he committed to sobriety and moved to Los Angeles, where he now lives with his wife, actor Olivia Munn, and their two young children.
In that respect, it’s hard not to look at Mulaney’s career in terms of a “before” and “after.” But even as the subject matter of his comedy has inevitably changed, and his boyish mania has shifted into a slightly more relaxed dad vibe, the core of his comedy approach is the same.
He remains a sharp observer and a curious conversationalist. He’s generous with his laughter, whether for seasoned comedians like Jon Stewart or the random caller who chose to tell him about the coyote she found in her bedroom. If anything’s materially changed about Mulaney’s comedic approach, it might be that his openness to new people and experiences comes with more of a palpable earnestness than the people-pleasing anxiety that once permeated throughout his specials. That evolution should perfectly position him to once again slide into the host armchair for “Everybody’s Live,” even if only for the next few months.
