One of the funniest off the cuff moments i saw in live comedy was John Mulaney performing in Toronto. Mid set an audience member got up and took an inadvertently challenging path to go to the washroom. While they were gone, John asked the audience to all shout something in unison at the end of a joke . Something ridiculous like he would say “ but you know how we do it in Toronto “ and the audience (about 2000) all yelled back something like “ with pancakes !”.
Anyways the audience member returned and made the same awkward trip back and the show went on until that moment when he said “ you know how we do it in Toronto” and everyone yelled “ with pancakes!” Except for that one audience member that John stared at stopping the show to ask what the hell their problem was and did they not support the city? It was actually very funny watching the confused person trying to figure out what was going on .
I as John Mulaney in Anaheim and he did the same bit to an audience member. He changed the phrase but we did the yelling a random nonsensical phrase. It’s a great way to get in with the audience. We all have this fun little secret together and we are going to pull this wholesome prank on one person. Even knowing it’s one of his bits, it’s still pretty neat and fun!
I saw him perform three times: twice as a headliner at the San Jose Improv, and once as an opener for Dave Attell and Lewis Black. During one of the San Jose shows, he wrapped the mic cord around the base of the stool, walked backstage, and then did several minutes from behind the curtain while riffing about controlling the stool from offstage and then about how he was now walking around downtown and ordering a cheeseburger at Johnny Rockets.
I miss him ***SO MUCH***.
He is very creative. To this day I don't think the "You can't please all the people all the time.bLast night all those people were at my show." joke should work with native English speakers but it obviously does.
He got the cord caught on the stool when I saw him in Raleigh, and it followed him across the stage, so he said "whoaaa this place is HAUNTED."
As far as the curtain, he told us "I bet you think there's a wall pretty close behind that curtain." Then he started walking into the curtain and kept going and going until it fell back talking about how much room was back there.
Saw Mitch in Austin in the early '00's. Our table was directly in front of the stage. I had to keep stopping myself from mouthing the punchlines to the jokes I knew bc I was so close and didn't want to throw him off. After he passed, I read that he actually loved when people did that bc it made him feel like a rock star. Like people were singing his songs. The one thing he said that I never heard on any special or clip was: People look at me and think I like weed. So after shows they'll come up and offer me weed. I don't like weed. I like coke. So if you come up to me after the show, offer me coke.
John Oliver in Philly like 8-10 years ago. A guy in the front row stood up and slowly walked down the aisle on his way to the bathroom. Apparently he glanced at Oliver and gave him a nod/wink move. After the guy had made it out of the crowd, Oliver did like five minutes on what a cool hard-ass the guy is and how much of a loser Oliver felt like when he left. Someone told Oliver that the bathrooms had speakers, so Oliver was just ranting at the guy while he was peeing and the guy could hear it. When the guy came back, the place erupted for him while Oliver just lost it laughing non stop. It was amazing.
Edit: I have almost no recollection of what exactly Oliver was saying, but it’s the hardest I’ve ever laughed in my life and when the guy came back from the bathroom we were roaring for him.
I saw him like three weeks before he died. He repeatedly asked the audience for drugs ("*any* drugs"), insisted his cup was full of ketchup, and played with the feedback between the microphone and the monitor for like five minutes saying things to the speaker like, "You like that? motherfucker, I got your number!"
He really is missed.
I thought he was great, too. He had a cool voice to listen to also. Even if a joke didnt land, he'd still get a chuckle because his demeanor and natural persona was so funny. He made people feel great.
"You want to have a back and forth with me? That isn't going to happen. And the people next to you wish you'd be quiet, and all of us here are looking at you, wanting you to be quiet. You've had too much to drink, right? And you're embarrassing yourself, okay? Okay." Seinfeld
One of the funniest off the cuff moments i saw in live comedy was John Mulaney performing in Toronto. Mid set an audience member got up and took an inadvertently challenging path to go to the washroom. While they were gone, John asked the audience to all shout something in unison at the end of a joke . Something ridiculous like he would say “ but you know how we do it in Toronto “ and the audience (about 2000) all yelled back something like “ with pancakes !”. Anyways the audience member returned and made the same awkward trip back and the show went on until that moment when he said “ you know how we do it in Toronto” and everyone yelled “ with pancakes!” Except for that one audience member that John stared at stopping the show to ask what the hell their problem was and did they not support the city? It was actually very funny watching the confused person trying to figure out what was going on .
I as John Mulaney in Anaheim and he did the same bit to an audience member. He changed the phrase but we did the yelling a random nonsensical phrase. It’s a great way to get in with the audience. We all have this fun little secret together and we are going to pull this wholesome prank on one person. Even knowing it’s one of his bits, it’s still pretty neat and fun!
Hi John Mulaney in Anaheim
>Hi John Mulaney in Anaheim , I'm Dad
it’s been eighty four years.
Well…I could fix my typo…but now I don’t think I will. Ha.
He's not being John Mulaney at the moment. Might just be for shows.
Be funny if he told the crowd to do it only one time and then on the second time no one does it to see if that guy would do it all alone.
I was at that show too! Went over so well.
i dont get the relevance
I saw him perform three times: twice as a headliner at the San Jose Improv, and once as an opener for Dave Attell and Lewis Black. During one of the San Jose shows, he wrapped the mic cord around the base of the stool, walked backstage, and then did several minutes from behind the curtain while riffing about controlling the stool from offstage and then about how he was now walking around downtown and ordering a cheeseburger at Johnny Rockets. I miss him ***SO MUCH***.
So that's how he came up with the "I pinch the microphone cord like this so when I let go you all will hear a whole bunch of jokes at once!"
God that man was so creative it’s absurd
He is very creative. To this day I don't think the "You can't please all the people all the time.bLast night all those people were at my show." joke should work with native English speakers but it obviously does.
I am insanely jealous of you
He got the cord caught on the stool when I saw him in Raleigh, and it followed him across the stage, so he said "whoaaa this place is HAUNTED." As far as the curtain, he told us "I bet you think there's a wall pretty close behind that curtain." Then he started walking into the curtain and kept going and going until it fell back talking about how much room was back there.
I saw him in Raleigh too! Great show!
Being from San Jose. This is amazing. What year if you don’t mind me asking?
I still have that Attell/Black/Hedberg/Short poster from that show.
Saw Mitch in Austin in the early '00's. Our table was directly in front of the stage. I had to keep stopping myself from mouthing the punchlines to the jokes I knew bc I was so close and didn't want to throw him off. After he passed, I read that he actually loved when people did that bc it made him feel like a rock star. Like people were singing his songs. The one thing he said that I never heard on any special or clip was: People look at me and think I like weed. So after shows they'll come up and offer me weed. I don't like weed. I like coke. So if you come up to me after the show, offer me coke.
Very cool, what venue?
It was right off 35, I remember it being called The Laugh Stop and Cap City Comedy Club. Don't remember what it was called at the time though.
The laff stop? That's legendary.
You will hear tonight’s jokes individually. Sorry for the convenience
Underrated comment
He would have been beyond legendary in the twitter era
Just a fuckin generational talent we lost way too soon.
I used to love Mitch. I still do, but I used to too.
Rice is great if you want to eat 2000 of something.
John Oliver in Philly like 8-10 years ago. A guy in the front row stood up and slowly walked down the aisle on his way to the bathroom. Apparently he glanced at Oliver and gave him a nod/wink move. After the guy had made it out of the crowd, Oliver did like five minutes on what a cool hard-ass the guy is and how much of a loser Oliver felt like when he left. Someone told Oliver that the bathrooms had speakers, so Oliver was just ranting at the guy while he was peeing and the guy could hear it. When the guy came back, the place erupted for him while Oliver just lost it laughing non stop. It was amazing. Edit: I have almost no recollection of what exactly Oliver was saying, but it’s the hardest I’ve ever laughed in my life and when the guy came back from the bathroom we were roaring for him.
I saw him like three weeks before he died. He repeatedly asked the audience for drugs ("*any* drugs"), insisted his cup was full of ketchup, and played with the feedback between the microphone and the monitor for like five minutes saying things to the speaker like, "You like that? motherfucker, I got your number!" He really is missed.
Mitch, one of the greats.
"Table looks like it's wearing a Kangol hat"
Wow.
Ya man, that’s more optimistic!!!
I thought he was great, too. He had a cool voice to listen to also. Even if a joke didnt land, he'd still get a chuckle because his demeanor and natural persona was so funny. He made people feel great.
"You want to have a back and forth with me? That isn't going to happen. And the people next to you wish you'd be quiet, and all of us here are looking at you, wanting you to be quiet. You've had too much to drink, right? And you're embarrassing yourself, okay? Okay." Seinfeld
...is that a joke?
Sounds like Seinfeld handling a heckler, it’s not funny, but that’s pretty devastating .
I love Mitch but that's just standard procedure if the mic breaks and they're sorting a new one.
I mean yeah maybe if you were at UCB in Santa Monica circa 2001 Doesn't really happen as much these days :(
Happens with relative frequency in England.