John Mulaney Credits Friends' Intervention For Getting Him To New Comedy Special

John Mulaney is sharing his story about the life-saving intervention that helped him overcome his struggles with addiction.

Although he had achieved sobriety in 2005, he later relapsed and struggled to regain control until December 2020, when his friends intervened and got him to seek help. The star rose to fame with his work as a writer on the popular sketch comedy show, "Saturday Night Live," and has since become a beloved figure in the comedy world, known for his sharp wit and relatable humor. 

In his latest comedy special on Netflix, "John Mulaney: Baby J," the comedian spoke candidly about his time in rehab and the pivotal intervention by his well-known friends that ultimately led him to rehab.

The actor revealed the extent of his addiction, acknowledging that he heavily used cocaine and other drugs. This led a group of twelve friends in the comedy community to come together in person and over Zoom, supposedly for a "dinner with a friend from college," but with the real intention of encouraging him to enter rehab.

According to him, the group included a range of well-known comedians over 40, such as Fred Armisen and Nick Kroll. ET shared that Mulaney referred to the gathering as the late Michael Jackson's "We Are the World" of alternative comedians.  

The writer addressed the sold-out audience saying, "Let me just call this out now; I don't mean to be weird. It was a star-studded intervention. It was, like, a good group. As mad as I was when I walked in there, I was like, this is a good lineup; this is flattering in its way."

He added, "It was like a 'We Are the World' of alternative comedians over 40. All comedians. Yet no one said a funny thing the entire night." The 40-year-old revealed that before he arrived, the group had agreed to refrain from making jokes or light-hearted comments to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

The producer explained that when he arrived, he was feeling extremely agitated and was experiencing the symptoms of cocaine withdrawal. He noted that despite his discomfort, no one would allow him to leave the room to freshen up and expressed that it was challenging to sit in the same room with the funniest people he knew and yet not hear any jokes or comedic remarks.

The "Human Giant" guest star recounted the experience saying, "Fred Armisen was serious. Do you know how off-putting that is?" He didn't do a character or a voice. He said, 'Hey, John, I'm apprehensive about everything you're going through.' And I was like, 'Ah, next! Next!'"

The "Ugly Americans" voice actor disclosed that he initially felt angry and betrayed by his closest friends, who organized the intervention to help him confront his addiction issues.

He saw the intervention as a prank that had taken away his control over his life and was resentful that his friends had conspired to send him to rehab for an extended period, leaving him feeling powerless and angry.

However, upon reflection, he expressed gratitude, stating, "Getting to do this show and standing here, listen, I am grateful to everyone at my intervention. They intervened. They confronted me, and they saved my life." 

The actress basked in the joy of motherhood since welcoming her son Malcolm with partner John Mulaney in November 2021. The Blast noted that she took to sharing glimpses of her life as a new mom on social media, including heartwarming moments between her son and his father.

In the post to her Instagram stories, the "X- men: Apocalypse" star proudly shared a picture of her boys bonding. The image captured Mulaney playfully carrying Malcolm on his neck while the baby looked sideways, donning a white long-sleeved shirt and grey pants.

The "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" guest star, who wore a brown sweatshirt and olive green pants, had a big smile on his face and placed a hand on the tiny tot's back to ensure his safety. Munn added Latto's "Big Energy" track to the post to emphasize her admiration for the stand-up comedian's fatherly energy.