Streaming on Netflix
Metadata: 2018 | TV-MA | 1h 4m
Genre: Stand-Up Comedy
Why did I watch it: John Mulaney—Mulaney, if I may—hosted SNL back on April 14. During his opening monologue, he gave us the funniest thing ever said about captcha codes. That's just a teaser for Kid Gorgeous, the literal best new thing on Netflix this May.
You might also like: Mulaney has two other stand-up specials on Netflix—New in Town (2012) and The Comeback Kid (2015). You can also watch his Broadway show Oh, Hello (2017). And while you're at it, you might want to catch up on SNL on Hulu, because who can really stay up to watch it "Live" anymore?
I wouldn't call myself a connoisseur of stand-up comedy—usually, I like my humor buried in a long-running serial (e.g., The Office) or in a romance (see: Grace's pick last week, 13 Going On 30)—but it doesn't take an expert to know that John Mulaney's Kid Gorgeous delivers one of the best comedic performances of the year. Mulaney got his start writing for SNL in 2008, where he stayed for six seasons. (For you SNL fans, his greatest gift may be the character Stefan, who he co-created with Bill Hader.) Since then, he's had two other Netflix specials, written a Broadway show, and helmed a canceled sitcom. All these contributions to the humor pantheon considered, though, Kid Gorgeous is peak Mulaney.
From self-deprecating jabs at his body and age, to stories about his wife and their dog Petunia, the jokes feel incredibly genuine. They're equal parts quirky and relatable. We all had scared-straight-style school assemblies, but we didn't all have Detective J.J. Bittenbinder—a former Chicago cop with a handle-bar mustache and cowboy hat who used to visit Mulaney's school. We all get grouchy when our colleges ask us for donations while we're still paying off student loans, but Mulaney articulates the outrage with laughter. And his horse in the hospital bit?
Ok, I'll stop—I don't want to over explain this, people! Let me just reiterate: I think that this might be the best thing on Netflix right now. Please trust me. (Or trust them. Or them.)
Happy streaming! Liz
