John Mulaney on Hosting SNL, Broadway Musicals, and Becoming a Meme
March 12, 2019 9:48 PM   Subscribe

In an interview with Vulture's Megh Wright, the comedian "also opened up about his decision to part ways with manager Dave Becky in late 2017 after the New York Times reported on Louis C.K.’s sexual misconduct, in which Becky, C.K.’s former manager, was accused of working to keep the women’s stories under wraps."

Wright: Why haven’t you said anything about it?

Mulaney: When it happened — when I made the decision — in terms of why I didn’t make a press release, honestly, I didn’t feel I had anything that noble to add, and issuing a simple statement of one sentence that I fired Dave seemed evasive and honestly an unhelpful use of everyone’s time and taking up oxygen. I did tell anyone who asked — comedian, representative, or otherwise. And I have been quite ready to tell any journalist who asked, and I believe you are the first. So if I am mistaken and someone did, I apologize, but I think you are the first to ask.
[...]

Wright: This has opened up a big discussion among comedians about how to make the industry safer. Whether it’s about comedy clubs or the bigger structural issues that Becky represents, do you have any general thoughts on all this?

Mulaney: To be quite honest, I have a lot of thoughts and opinions on many things. I don’t think my thoughts and opinions matter in any way compared to the women who have been directly affected by these actions. I say this not at all to be evasive, but just to not talk anymore as a male in comedy who has not had to experience this. Other people should. Women’s opinions matter, and mine does not.

John Mulaney previously on MetaFilter.
posted by Iris Gambol (9 comments total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
 
Funniest SNL opening monologue this season!
posted by fairmettle at 2:45 AM on March 13, 2019 [6 favorites]


I appreciate Mulaney's desire not to take up oxygen in the conversation, but I think I would have appreciated more him making a public call-out of another man over that other man's abusive behaviour. But let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the really pretty great -- Mulaney made the right call on dropping Becky and then made a thoughtful choice on how to handle that decision while respecting the women who were the victims.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:11 AM on March 13, 2019 [13 favorites]


I really liked this response. I do understand the desire to see a public call-out, but they can really hog the spotlight.
posted by chinese_fashion at 7:48 AM on March 13, 2019 [4 favorites]


Oh my yeah. I can see the COMEDIAN JOHN MULANEY BLASTS FORMER MANAGER OVER ABUSE SCANDAL type headlines and does anyone need that? Would that further the conversation in any helpful way?
posted by Maaik at 7:50 AM on March 13, 2019 [8 favorites]


Yeah I thought this was a great response. And I can't stop chortling at the Bodega Bathroom skit.
posted by alleycat01 at 7:59 AM on March 13, 2019


The review of Clint Eastwood's The Mule isn't bad either.
posted by gwint at 8:03 AM on March 13, 2019 [7 favorites]


Oh my yeah. I can see the COMEDIAN JOHN MULANEY BLASTS FORMER MANAGER OVER ABUSE SCANDAL type headlines and does anyone need that? Would that further the conversation in any helpful way?

My feeling is it would, especially if someone as thoughtful as John Mulaney was doing the "blasting". If he'd put out a statement that said "It's come to light that Dave Becky has looked the other way while his clients abused women, and contributed to and covered up those abuses. I can't in good conscience continue to work with someone like that and have terminated my relationship with him." that would have been a public statement of support for the women and given people a lot more reason to ask pointed questions of the rest of Becky's clients who didn't drop him. Then he could have deflected the story back onto the women if people asked him about it, and not done a chat show tour to talk about what a good guy he was.

But I want to reiterate again that I'm not displeased with how he did handle it. It was principled and thoughtful, and that I would have preferred some other approach doesn't make it wrong.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:33 AM on March 13, 2019 [3 favorites]


I love John Mulaney. I think he is hilarious, and he comes across as a genuinely good person.

Please don't let him have skeletons in his closet. Pleasepleaseplease.
posted by twilightlost at 9:35 AM on March 13, 2019 [20 favorites]


Mulaney is the guest star in the latest episode of Crashing. That is a fabulous show - if you haven't seen Crashing and have HBO Go, it's a great show to binge watch.
posted by w0mbat at 10:21 AM on March 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


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