Comedian sets stage for other specials

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor

There are three particular comedy specials on Netflix that are my go-to when I want a quick one-hour laugh and a break from all the stress that comes with high school: “John Mulaney: New in Town”, “John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid” and “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous”.

John Mulaney has been a comedian for about 15 years now and has gained popularity in the past few years. My first glimpse of Mulaney was when I saw a clip on YouTube of Mulaney’s comedy skit on Comedy Central about a year ago. As soon as I saw it, I was instantly hooked to his humor and went to straight to Netflix to watch the entire special.

One of the many reasons I enjoy Mulaney’s comedy is his ability to make his specials so clever. Mulaney does an excellent job incorporating jokes within other jokes and making the entire special feel like one single story. Also, some of his jokes are so subtle that not everyone catches them, but when they do, it makes their day.

Mulaney’s personality also adds a lot to his skits. He is a little awkward, which works in his favor. All his jokes somewhat surround the fact that he makes some questionable decisions or just happens to be a interesting situation all the time. His lanky demeanor and mannerisms, in my opinion, make his comedy specials just a little bit better than most.

My favorite comedy special of his three is his most recent one, “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous.” I think what makes this one a little better than the others is that you can tell he has matured as a comedian from his first special. He is more composed on stage, but still in the awkward Mulaney way we all love. The jokes are also a little more sophisticated and relatable. A skit that always gets me is the one about college money. That one hits close to home as I am also, like Mulaney, going into an English based major.

If you are interested in spending your Saturday night having a good laugh, sit down and watch his specials in order, starting with “New in Town”. The good thing about these specials is that they are timeless, and you can rewatch them as many times as you want and still find yourself doubling over in laughter. Overall, I recommend these three comedy skits to everyone who wants a laugh when taking a break from homework or a laugh at a small get together with friends.