John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (2018) Plot Summary & Timeline

The performance begins with a glimpse of a nervous John Mulaney as he prepares himself backstage, eventually being ushered toward the spotlight by a mysterious chaperone. Once the show officially commences, accompanied by the musical accompaniment of organist Jon Brion, John Mulaney addresses the audience directly. He launches into a deeply introspective monologue that explores the dynamics of his parents’ marriage and delves into his mother’s claims of having encounters with the supernatural.

As the narrative progresses, Mulaney recounts various memorable and often awkward events from his relationship with his father. He notes that his father preferred to “pick [him] apart psychologically” rather than utilizing physical discipline. This psychological approach is highlighted through several anecdotes, including a particularly uncomfortable conversation regarding sex and the perceived homosexuality of composer Leonard Bernstein. Furthermore, he recalls a humorous yet biting incident from his youth where, at just six years old, he was compared to a Nazi simply because he failed to intervene during a moment of schoolyard bullying.

The focus then shifts toward the rituals of his childhood, specifically the assemblies held during his elementary school years. He vividly describes the unusual antics of J. J. Bittenbinder, a retired Chicago police detective who was brought in to educate students on the concept of “stranger danger”. In a meta-commentary on the performance, it is noted that Bittenbinder later expressed his dismay over Mulaney’s parody of him, specifically disputing the claim that he ever wore a three-piece suit paired with a cowboy hat. Mulaney then transitions into his experiences with tertiary education, where he expresses a sense of despair over the burden of student loans and mocks the “audacity” of Georgetown University for soliciting donations from its alumni.

The performance continues to skewer the mundanities of domestic life, including the specific process of donating items to Goodwill. Mulaney also details a legal battle in which several of his college friends were sued for alleged property damage. His reflection on his failure to handle that situation effectively leads into a self-deprecating segment regarding the inevitable physical and psychological trauma that accompanies the process of ageing. This discussion on ageing and the tendency toward “grumpiness” serves as a bridge to his time on Saturday Night Live, where he compares the most memorable guests he encountered, such as Patrick Stewart and Mick Jagger.

Mulaney further explores his fascination with “old-timey things” and his perception of the “olden times,” contrasting this with the modern frustration of online CAPTCHA tests that frequently mistake him for a robot. He illustrates this fascination by describing a gazebo in Connecticut built during the American Civil War, an act of construction he compares to the act of performing stand-up comedy during the volatile political climate of the 2010s. This leads into an extended and sharp metaphor regarding the political leadership of the time, specifically referring to Donald Trump as:

“a horse loose in a hospital”

This segment, which originally appeared during his 2017 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, serves as a rationalization for his previous lack of interest in politics.

Following his critique of “these new Nazis” linked to the presidential establishment, the tone shifts toward a loving evaluation of his three-and-a-half-year marriage to Annamarie Tendler, a lampshade designer and make-up artist of Jewish heritage. The difference in their religious backgrounds is highlighted through a charming anecdote involving their French Bulldog, Petunia; while attempting to recreate Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, it became clear that Petunia mistakenly believed the painting depicted a Thanksgiving celebration. The show concludes with Mulaney reflecting on his own religious upbringing, recalling the various biblical stories, psalms, and homilies that shaped his early education and worldview.