The Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival has been a massive hit for years now, bringing the biggest names in stand-up comedy together for new performances, specials, and behind-the-scenes moments. The streamer is known for producing some of the best stand up specials currently streaming from fan-favorite comedians such as John Mulaney, who has become one of the most successful comedians in the game. Mulaney can already sell out arenas, but still finds himself taking part in the comedy festival every year, and recently revealed why he likes attending, and what it means for Netflix Is A Joke to be a Los Angeles staple.
Speaking with Deadline about , Mulaney opened up about his wacky game-changing chat series Everybody’s in L.A., and why he decided to experiment with the age-old talk show format for the comedy endeavor. He revealed that he was mostly drawn to L.A.’s weirdness as inspiration, and was able to have a lot of A List guests for the series because so many comics were in L.A. for the Netflix festival. He explained his love for the event, saying:
What’s great about the Netflix festival is everyone’s in town at the same time, and we get to see each other and we get to go to each other’s shows. There’s that brunch where we all eat salty waffles. That doesn’t happen a lot, we’re not in the same place at the same time. I thought what’s cool is that the place we’re in is the weirdest, most interesting city in the world, just the strangest place I’ve ever been. I’ve always wanted to do something about L.A.
A strange and fascinating place, Los Angeles makes sense as the perfect location for a massive comedy festival. It is home to some of the most famous comedy clubs in the country like The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory, and many comedians like Mulaney are based in the California city. Additionally, there are more than enough venues for all the comedians to have their spotlight moment, and some of the bigger headliners consider performing at the Hollywood Bowl a huge career benchmark.
Plus, based on Mulaney’s recount of the event, it also seems like a great opportunity for comedians to get together and talk out their craft and/or just enjoy a tasty brunch with hilarious company.
Los Angeles is also clearly important to Mulaney, who centered his latest project around the city. For the talk series, Mulaney used each episode to focus on the strangest, most unique aspects of living in L.A., like earthquakes, coyotes, and the La Brea Tar Pits. His fascination with everyday life is a signature of Mulaney’s comedy, and his observational humor shines in the mini-series. During the live show, he invited fellow comedians like frequent collaborator Bill Hader, Jerry Seinfeld, and Pete Davidson to talk about living in L.A., and experience the strangeness of what the live show had to offer. It often went off the rails, which is the beauty of the show, and Mulaney seemed to be enjoying every bit of the chaos.
Check out this location-specific clip from one of the Netflix episodes.
Even if Mulaney could rank amongst the best late night hosts in the future, Everybody’s in L.A. likely won’t be replicated or renewed. Mulaney has stated that the experiment was a one off thing, and doesn’t seem to have much interest in making more episodes. Additionally, it’s not every day that hundreds of famous comedians are in the same place at the same time and have the availability to participate in a strange live talk show. The convenience of having Netflix Is A Joke happening in tandem with the show was integral to the success of Everybody’s in L.A., and is one of the big reasons Mulaney, and other comedians love the event so much.
You can check out John Mulaney’s recent comedy endeavor, Everybody’s in L.A. now with a Netflix subscription. Fans of the comedian should also check out our feature on where to watch Mulaney’s best stand-up specials that are streaming now.
