John Mulaney Sets Six-Night Live Comedy Event At Netflix

John Mulaney is back, and going live.

Netflix announced Monday that the comic will be rolling out his latest twist on the traditional comedy special with a multi-night streaming event, which he’s titled John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.

The six episodes will unspool live on Netflix over as many nights during the service’s Netflix Is a Joke Fest, when, yes, everybody — or at least every major comic — is in town. The special formally launches May 3, with additional episodes debuting nightly, beginning 7 p.m. PT, from May 6 to 10. Mulaney will also be performing at the Hollywood Bowl on May 4 as part of the star-studded festival. 

Each of the live installments will feature Mulaney exploring the city, and will incorporate many of the famous (and not-so-famous) faces in town. As Netflix describes it, the “comically unconventional show will feature special guests and field pieces shot in Los Angeles.” Mulaney will serve as host, co-showrunner and executive producer through his Multiple Camera Productions, while Ashley Edens is credited as his co-showrunner and EP and Dave Ferguson is head writer.

Everybody’s in L.A. continues Mulaney’s Emmy-winning partnership with Netflix. His previous specials include John Mulaney: Baby J (2023), The Comeback Kid (2015) and Kid Gorgeous (2018). He also delivered a similarly unconventional, children’s musical comedy variety special, titled John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, during that window. The former Saturday Night Live writer has dabbled on Broadway, too, with his co-creation Oh, Hello, which ultimately made its way to Netflix, and guested on several TV shows, including the most recent season of FX’s The Bear.

The news comes as the streaming service continues to experiment with live programming. Its first foray into real-time comedy came in early 2023, when the service debuted Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. To fully event-ize the occasion, Netflix added pre- and postshows, lining up other household names, including Amy Schumer and Jerry Seinfeld. In the year since, the streamer has added more live event offerings, from the SAG Awards to recent tennis and golf tournaments.

As for the Netflix Is a Joke Fest, it’s widely perceived as a flex of the streamer’s dominance in the stand-up arena. Though rivals have been acquiring buzzy specials, including Alex Edelman’s Just for Us on Max, Netflix devotes 10 days in May to remind the larger comedy community and its fans of both its reach and its roster, with some 300 shows across 35-plus Los Angeles venues. Everyone from Chris Rock to Matt Rife is set to participate.