John Mulaney – The Comeback Kid LP Drag City Records

“This album was recorded on a warm and very rainy night at the Chicago Theater in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. I had been to the Chicago Theater as a kid to see Donny Osmond in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. I remember a joke in that production where a set of pyramids moves past Joseph as he travels to Egypt. Because they were performing it in Chicago they also threw in a miniature Sears Tower. When we, the audience, saw it was the Sears Tower we laughed so hard because that building is in Chicago. Stuff like that is a lot of fun. On the night this album was recorded I arrived at the Chicago Theater having not had dinner because I was too nervous to eat. I think I ended up eating a bunch of crackers. The Chicago Theater is a gorgeous beast with a built-in Mighty Wurlitzer organ. We filmed this whole show for Netflix and Rhys Thomas directed it beautifully. This performance is called The Comeback Kid. The title is a reference to Bill Clinton but it’s also not. “Lake Street Dive” performed. Joe Mande and Vanessa Bayer performed. I performed last and I wore the suit I got married in. My parents and sisters and brother were in the audience. My wife Anna was in the audience. Petunia our dog was at the hotel in a stand-off with the room service cart. She has a problem with room service carts. She… I don’t know… she hates how the wheels lock or something. She is not too fond of skateboards either. A few last things: Jon Brion is a good man and it’s the pleasure of my life to have his music included in The Comeback Kid. Michael Berkowitz makes things happen. I am grateful to everyone who enjoyed the show but truthfully I do it to make my wife laugh. I want to thank MSG and the Chicago Theater. I want to thank the Daves. I want to thank anyone who helped put this show together or who helped put me together. While I was performing all these jokes on that night, I was genuinely happy.” -John Mulaney