It’s been a year since John Mullaney debut Baby J, the comedian’s triumphant special revolves around the humor from his recent personal rollercoaster through relapse, recovery, divorce, a new relationship and making father within a few short years. The comedian described his all-star intervention during a particularly hilarious run—”I was so angry when I walked in there, I was like, ‘This is a good lineup’—but in a new sit down with David LettermanMulaney goes deeper into the much more serious aspects of recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.
On the new Netflix episode of My next guest is with David LettermanMulaney pampers her ex Late show the host’s question about his experience with addiction. “It wasn’t immediately about good nights of sleep and serenity,” Mulaney said, explaining that he initially didn’t need anyone’s inspirational stories or words of encouragement. “I have no gratitude.”
“Drug withdrawal was really physically unpleasant, and I did a lot of benzodiazepines like Xanax and Klonopin,” Mulaney explains. “Getting rid of those things can be very difficult. I was in the hospital room detoxing and grinding my teeth so much that a molar cracked.”
The comedian had only been in rehab for about 4 days but was so miserable that he told the doctor he was leaving. “He didn’t argue or anything. He just said, ‘John, we both know how this movie ends.’ And that was it,’” Mulaney said, explaining why that statement ultimately convinced him to stay. He shared that December 20 will mark 3 years of his sobriety.
In the episode, Letterman and Mulaney return to the Chicago private school where Mulaney graduated, and sit down to a meal with the comedian’s father. Chips. Mulaney’s father explains what it was like to be the inspiration behind some of his son’s best comedic material, but Letterman goes into serious territory, asking how Chip handled Mulaney’s addiction and recovery process. how. After Chip admits that he feared for Mulaney’s life, Mulaney apologizes to his father for making him so scared.
IN Baby J, Mulaney admitted that his friends who orchestrated the star-studded intervention saved his life. “Do you know what it’s like to have 12 people save your life? There are too many people,” Mulaney said. “They could do it with four—and I know eight they could cut. Instead, for the rest of my life, there are 12 separate people out there that if I had dinner with, I would have to say, ‘No, I get it. Try your best. You saved my life. . . . ‘”
While Letterman wasn’t praising Mulaney’s material, he also asked about Mulaney’s two-year-old son, Malcolmwhom Mulaney shares with his girlfriend Olivia Munn. The baby “was a big surprise,” Mulaney laughed, explaining that he had never thought about becoming a father before.
“It wasn’t to the point where I thought I wouldn’t be. . . That’s never a good day to have [a kid],” Mullaney said. “I just don’t think about it. That’s just me. . . living from minute to minute. And then this guy appeared. I was stunned when I met him. I said, ‘Oh, there you are.’ I’m looking for bad places and then, ‘Oh, there you are.’ That was my first thought.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you can visit samhsa.gov or contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
