John Mulaney’s journey to sobriety has been well documented, notably in his Emmy-winning stand-up special Baby J, where he candidly addresses the intervention that saved his life. However, not everyone close to Mulaney found the humor in those moments, particularly fellow comedian and longtime friend Nick Kroll.
During a recent episode of the Armchair Expert podcast, Kroll opened up about his personal experience with Mulaney’s addiction and recovery, as well as the stand-up material that followed. While Baby J was praised by many fans and critics, Kroll admitted he was uncomfortable with some of the early drafts of Mulaney’s post-rehab jokes, especially those that touched on the intervention in which he participated.
“It was so scary and brutal to go through,” Kroll said, recalling the 2020 intervention that took place remotely during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “He was in New York. I was in L.A. It was incredibly stressful to coordinate and bring together friends from college and other close circles to try and help him.”
Kroll described Mulaney’s behavior leading up to the intervention as deeply worrying. “John was running around New York City like a true madman. I was terrified he was going to die.”
The intervention itself, Kroll explained, gave him a new perspective on Mulaney’s struggles. “You start to understand why your friend has been so inconsistent. It creates both empathy and anger because you realize they’ve been lying to you.”
Following the intervention, Mulaney immediately entered rehab and has maintained his sobriety since. However, the comedian’s decision to turn such a painful and private experience into comedy material created tension among those involved. Kroll revealed that when Mulaney returned to the stage, some of the jokes came across as angry and directed at his friends.
“When he started performing again and the material was mostly about the intervention, he was still pretty pissed,” Kroll recalled. “He came back clean, but there was definitely some resentment. I thought, ‘I don’t love that joke about me.’”
Despite this, Kroll recognizes that Mulaney’s comedic process involves a raw, unfiltered portrayal of his life, which is what makes his performances resonate. “Everyone processes trauma and art differently. John’s strength is giving audiences access to his life in a way that’s both funny and real.”
Kroll also emphasized that while addicts often share their stories through comedy or other outlets, the perspectives of those who support them through their darkest moments are less frequently heard. “There’s a part of this story about the people who were terrified, who were trying to keep John alive,” he said.
As Mulaney continues to navigate his recovery and career, the complex dynamics of friendship, pain, and comedy remain intertwined.