SNL's John Mulaney knows all about 'Law & Order', alcohol-related amnesia and Trump tomfooleries

You might know Chicago-bred, New York-based funnyman John Mulaney if you’re an SNL fan. Mulaney’s been putting his nerdy, culturally savvy humour to good use writing for the show for the past few seasons, and he made a most memorable on-camera debut during a Weekend Update segment to rant about girl scout cookies. He’s a fresh, no-nonsense young comedian well-worth your time, and Just for Laughs/Zoofest programmers seem to agree, as they’ve booked him for an entire week of shows at Théâtre Ste-Catherine – similar to what they did last year with YouTube sensation Bo Burnham.

Along with our recommendations for Zoofest, the Just for Laughs Film Festival and interviews with John Oliver, Natasha Leggero and Sugar Sammy (okay, so he doesn’t have a show at JFL this year, but he’s our staple entertainer, for God’s sake!), we wrap our comedy coverage this morning with Mulaney. The guy who’s been cultivating his stand-up proficiency since the age of 7 (yes, his mother signed him up to a children’s sketch group called The Rugrats) talks to us about Law & Order, alcohol-related amnesia and Trump tomfooleries.

Let’s start by talking about the title for your show: John Mulaney 'Making Fun'. Are we talking about laughing at the expense of others here, or is it more along the lines of goofing around?
Yes, I mean, I make fun of myself and of other things, that’s kind of what fills the hour. I like the expression 'making fun' because people always use it in a negative way, and they’ll try to preface everything by saying: “Oh, we’re not making fun of this person but…” It sounds like such a good thing to do, to make fun out of someone, and yet it means that you’re mocking them. It’s just an expression I’ve always liked.

What are some of your earliest, fondest memories of cracking up uncontrollably?
I had pretty funny friends, and I remember we would make up fake names for ourselves when there was a substitute teacher, and that would make me laugh to no end. I remember telling a substitute teacher that my name was Gus, and I couldn’t even get it out, I was laughing so hard.

While we’re on the topic of fun, what would you say is your idea of a good time?
Some days, after I’ve been on the road or working on SNL and I’m just exhausted, my girlfriend agrees to watching four hours of back-to-back Law & Order: SVU. I really get so excited when that’s happening.

Also, I realized recently that one of the most exciting things in the world is when you’re talking with someone and you realize that you’re about to make fun of another person, and then people go: “Hey, shut the door.” Like when you work in an office and you’re about to talk about someone who works there.

You’ve been very vocal in your support and admiration of Law & Order in your comedy bits. What is it about Law & Order that makes you so happy?
I don’t know what it is. I’m not a big sports person, so I’ve never really understood why some people love certain teams and hate others. And yet I do kind of understand it in the context of Law & Order because I love Law & Order and I can’t be bothered to watch CSI. One seems just so much better than the other. There’s something about the pacing… I don’t know. It just speaks to me.

You’ve been a fixture on the New York stand-up circuit for years. Any irksome trends you’ve observed when comedians talk about New York?
The only thing that's dangerous is when comedians describe New York the way it was in, like, the ‘80s, like if they talk about getting mugged or crazy people everywhere. I mean, Times Square is like Disneyland now. It’s like an M&M store. So when people talk about New York in terms of smoking crack and getting robbed, that’s something that kind of ended 30 years ago.

You co-created the beloved Comedy Central series I Love the ‘30s. For those of us who can only think of The Great Depression, Bonnie and Clyde, the rise of Hitler and the Lindbergh baby, what exactly is there to love about the ‘30s?
Well, it was a miserable decade but people made liquor in their bathrooms, so there was always an upside.

You’ve educated audiences about the mechanics of blackout drinking, and how it's something you used to partake in. Do people generally leave those habits behind once their college days are over?
Hopefully, but it seems like some people keep doing it! From just speaking to friends of mine… What happens is, and I’ve said this on stage before, once you black out, your brain will start to automatically black out, like as soon as you taste alcohol, your brain is going to be like: “Ok, let’s power down now… I can see where this is going.”

You’ve been a writer on SNL for a few seasons now. What do you make of critics’ recurring criticism that the show’s heyday has passed and that “SNL isn’t what it used to be”?
I think people like being younger, so they remember what it was like when they were younger and they prefer that. I think people prefer anything when they were younger, like macaroni & cheese was better when you were a kid than it is today.

John Mulaney on SNL's Weekend Update

Do you have a favourite SNL character?
When I was growing up, I liked anything with John Lovitz. Lovitz’ Get To Know Me segments on Weekend Update, those were my favourite.

You’ve had some fun at Donald Trump’s expense in some of your recent bits. How do you think 2011 has played out so far for The Apprentice kingpin?
My joke about Trump is that he’s what a hobo imagines a rich man to be. He’s like a hobo who dreams of having buildings with his name on them. It’s kind of like a kid fantasizing about being an adult and then being president is always the climax of that. So I thought it was perfectly in keeping.

John Mulaney “Making Fun”
July 29 and 30 at 11:30 p.m. | Théâtre Ste-Catherine | 264 Ste-Catherine E. | hahaha.com

Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends (featuring Mulaney)
July 30 at 10 p.m. | Underworld | 1403 St-Elizabeth | hahaha.com

The Alternative Comedy Show, hosted by Andy Kindler (featuring Mulaney)
July 30 at 11:59 p.m. | L’Astral | 305 Ste-Catherine W. | hahaha.com