Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

Episode: RE-RELEASE – John Mulaney
Release Date: December 24, 2025
Guest: John Mulaney

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode is a deep-dive into the career, comedic process, and personal journey of John Mulaney—a former SNL writer turned global stand-up star. Dana Carvey and David Spade engage Mulaney in a lively and honest conversation about the behind-the-scenes realities of Saturday Night Live, the evolution of stand-up comedy to arena-sized venues, the anxiety and excitement of performing at that scale, and Mulaney’s personal experiences with sobriety and becoming a father.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. SNL Origins, Culture, and Inside Stories

• SNL Writers' Room: John reminisces about joining SNL in 2008, describing the competitive yet collaborative nature. He learned a lot from people like Bill Hader, and the unspoken rules about relationships with hosts and the hierarchy of the show.

  • "Everyone from SNL on their Summer Break writes 100 drafts of a Judd [Apatow] movie, and he doesn't make them ... So as soon as he and I had some weird, unsaid understanding that I was never gonna write a movie for him, we became a lot closer." — John Mulaney (07:21)
  • "It's funny to me when people go like, Judd has an eye for talent. It's like, well, they're on SNL. It's not rocket science." — John Mulaney (07:52)
  • The unglamorous reality of writing promos and the herding-cats dynamic on Thursdays leading up to a show.

• Lauren Michaels Wisdom & Mystique:

  • Lauren’s cryptic guidance and memorable expressions that straddle motivation and puzzle.
  • "Relax your face. When you get out there, take a beat. Relax your face and look directly into the camera like you're talking to someone you know." — Lauren Michaels’ advice to John on his first Update (25:14)
  • The constant pressure to expand appeal: “You know, we're on in all 50 states.” — Lauren, as imitated by John (19:13)
  • Lauren’s subtle “tough love” — "People will tell you you're the funniest one in the show. You're not. Wow, that's what I got a lot." — David Spade (20:10)

• Writers Interfacing with Hosts:

  • The daunting, often awkward process of writers pitching monologue ideas to celebrity hosts, who often regard them as little more than “two children with pieces of paper.” (39:32)
  • “I would always be like, I'll have a page call your manager's assistant ... the idea of even, like, reaching out personally [to a host].” — John Mulaney (38:47)

2. Sketches & Comedy Process

• Love for Obscure Impressions:

  • Their affection for Dana’s Mickey Rooney and Casey Kasem bits—how writers geek out over niche impressions instead of calling for the characters everyone expects.
  • "[Mickey Rooney] was at one of the rare down points. And he had the gun walk around ... he would walk around with his hand on the .38 and they're not gonna get me ..." — Dana Carvey (10:32)

• Sketch Failures & Insights:

  • Hosting perils: Stories of sketches that bombed for technical, performance, or staging reasons (“Too big of a set. They didn’t want to.” — Dana Carvey, 67:49).
  • The SNL dead zones and the sacredness of “home base” for certain sketches (70:17).

• Performing Stand-up in Big Rooms

  • Mulaney reflects on his rise from clubs to multi-night stints at Madison Square Garden:
    • “One should not get used to it. I just keep thinking ... it's pretty funny, man.” — John Mulaney (55:40)
  • Arena energy vs. club intimacy—how comics adapt their style, movement, and performance to fill vast spaces.
  • The mix of pressure, gratitude, and impostor syndrome that comes with playing arenas.

3. The Anxiety, Ritual, and Reality of Stand-up and Specials

• Taping Stand-Up Specials

  • Two shows, one night (Kid Gorgeous). First show might feel like a "C," but remind yourself: “No one else has done every show with me. So they're not comparing them.” — John Mulaney (49:45–51:06)
  • Whitney Cummings’ advice: Play to the camera for the special, not the room (50:07).

• Onstage Anxiety & Crowd Dynamics

  • The mental gymnastics of recovering from a lukewarm audience, and how directing more energy and effort can sometimes turn things around.
  • “If you don't feel like they're carrying your chair ... if you don't feel that bounce, I'll suddenly be like, how the hell do I do this? What am I doing? I'm giving a speech.” — John Mulaney (51:49)
  • “When they're not good, you guys try to be twice as good.” — Advice from director Alex Timbers (53:55)

4. Personal Journey: Sobriety and Fatherhood

• Rehab and Recovery

  • John speaks candidly about his struggles with addiction and the gratitude he feels for being able to return to the stage, bringing his audience along for the journey.
    • “Thank God cocaine and arenas didn’t overlap. Oh, dear God. That would have been a disaster.” — John Mulaney (57:21)
    • “I didn’t know if I’d be on a stage again ... I was at a point where it wasn’t just that like today was miserable, it was that I could absolutely guarantee you tomorrow was miserable.” — John Mulaney (60:09)
  • The sense of connection and renewed bond with fans after his personal struggles went public.

• Fatherhood Reflections

  • Joy, surprise, and humility in the early months with his son Malcolm.
  • “What I love about Malcolm, one, he’s my son ... but also, he's so independent ... he kind of sounds like Jiminy Glick.” — John Mulaney (71:22)
  • Parenting in the social media age: The intrusive and unsolicited advice culture (“If anyone has any parenting thoughts, please leave them in the comments.” — John Mulaney, 74:03)

5. Banter, Self-Deprecation, and Comic Meta-Commentary

• The “bus driver test”: Arena tour bus drivers who casually compare comedians to legends who just played (“Well, Robert Plant, Steve Harvey, then you ...”) — John Mulaney (83:47)
• Being heckled (unintentionally) by club owners recalling the “wildest crowd ever” witnessed—right before you step on stage (84:18)
• On aging and touring: Is flying too much aging? The ‘celebrity health tip’ banter between John, Dana, and David (93:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |--------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 07:52 | John Mulaney | "It’s funny to me when people go like, Judd has an eye for talent. It’s like, well, they’re on SNL..." | | 10:46 | John Mulaney | "[Mickey Rooney] was at one of the rare down points. ... He goes, 'Do you know my name?' ... I was gonna plug him if I do." | | 25:14 | Lauren (via John) | "Relax your face. When you get out there, take a beat. Relax your face and look directly into the camera like you’re talking to someone you know." | | 39:32 | John Mulaney | “I didn’t even sense if they thought we were writers. I think they thought we were just like two children with pieces of paper who kept asking them ... questions.” | | 51:49 | John Mulaney | "When I have. When the crowd is with me ... if you don't feel that, like, bounce, I'll suddenly be like, how the hell do I do this? What am I doing? I'm giving a speech." | | 55:40 | John Mulaney | "One should not get used to it. I just keep thinking that, like it’s pretty funny, man... It’s a big room.” | | 57:21 | John Mulaney | "Thank God cocaine and arenas didn’t overlap. Oh, dear God. ... that would have been a disaster.” | | 60:09 | John Mulaney | "It means ... I didn’t know if I’d be on a stage again. Like, I didn’t know what ... I could absolutely guarantee you tomorrow was miserable." | | 71:22 | John Mulaney | "What I love about Malcolm, one, he’s my son ... But also, he’s so independent. ... he kind of sounds like Jiminy Glick." | | 74:03 | John Mulaney | "If anyone has any parenting thoughts, please, please leave them in the comments." | | 93:14 | John Mulaney | "Planes, no one should be flying. I'm in that phase of celebrity now where I weigh in on health theories." | | 94:13 | David Spade | "Neil Brennan said you should be introduced as, 'You know him from TMZ... please welcome, Drugs!'" |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• SNL Experience & Judd Apatow – 06:06 to 08:35
• Mickey Rooney Story – 09:07 to 11:30
• SNL Promo Writing/Update Experience – 15:03 to 25:14
• Lauren Michaels’ Philosophy – 18:59 to 20:10
• Stand-Up Taping & Crowd Dynamics – 49:13 to 54:16
• Madison Square Garden, Arena Tours – 55:06 to 57:10
• Sobriety, Rehab & Comedy – 57:10 to 66:21
• Fatherhood & Parenting – 70:48 to 74:14
• Touring/Life Practicalities & Social Media – 74:35 to 86:53

Flow and Tone

The episode flows as a rapid-fire, comedic roundtable interspersed with earnest confessions and personal history. Dana and David maintain their signature dry, self-deprecating wit, while John’s stories alternate between laugh-out-loud funny, surreal, and emotionally genuine. The trio lovingly roast SNL and the comedy world, but never lose sight of the realities behind the craft, the toll of fame, and the healing power of humor.

For New Listeners

If you’ve never heard John Mulaney or aren’t familiar with SNL’s inner workings, this episode serves as both a masterclass in modern comedy and a testament to resilience. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of both the highs and lows of comedy at the highest levels, the role of camaraderie, mentorship, and self-acceptance, and, above all, the unvarnished truth behind the punchlines.

End note:

Skip the ad reads (until after 05:59 and at various mid-rolls) for uninterrupted comedic gold and deep insight into the comedy mind!