No, Really, I’m Awful

The worst, most clichéd part of any filmed stand-up special usually comes in the opening minutes, before a comedian takes the stage. In an attempt to build anticipation, some directors show the audience filing in; others concentrate on the performer backstage, deep in thought. John Mulaney’s 2015 Netflix special, , featured a soaring view of the Chicago skyline and a cute bit where he talks to his dog in a greenroom. In his 2018 follow-up, , Mulaney arrived at Radio City Music Hall and proceeded through its majestic