John Mulaney on Turning Addiction Into Comedy and Why He ‘Identified’ With Matthew Perry’s Journey

We learned Friday that ketamine killed Matthew Perry. And now we’re learning more about how the drug affected him.

Friends star’s recent passing.The two actors starred together in the 2009 comedy film 17 Again about a struggling father, Mike O’Donnell (Perry), who suddenly transforms into his teenage self (portrayed by Efron).In a new interview with Variety, the High School Musical star reflected on the time he spent with Perry years ago, and how the Chandler Bing actor became an important figure in his life.“I hold the time we shared together really dear. I’ve been thinking about him a lot, every day,” Efron said.

Netflix is a Joke Festival is returning to Los Angeles for over 300 (!) shows spread out across 35 venues.And yes, one of your favorite comedians will probably be there.Just a few of the mega names on this year’s lineup include Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, David Letterman and controversial crowd work wunderkind Matt Rife.They’ll be joined by household names John Mulaney, Jon Stewart, Kevin Hart, Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman.Plus, seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady will be on hand for ‘The Greatest Roast of All Time,’ where Jeff Ross and celebrities will poke fun fun at the former NFLer.As of now, over 100 acts have been announced for the sprawling, mega event, the first since 2022.“This is a special time for comedy, both for Netflix and the genre at large,” Robbie Praw, Netflix VP of stand-up and comedy formats, said.“In the ten years that we’ve been doing stand-up we’ve seen the art form reach levels we didn’t think possible. This festival aims to capture this moment by bringing together the world’s best comedians for an unforgettable eleven days.”And if you want to grab tickets for the show of your choosing, you can, as soon as today.Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Friday, Dec.

Jennifer Aniston is opening up about her late pal Matthew Perry.

Valerie Wu Intern Jacqueline Novak‘s comedy special “Jacqueline Novak: Get On Your Knees” will premiere on Netflix Jan. 23, 2024. The project is directed by Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face”), who also serves as an executive producer.

Olivia Munn is showing off her baby boy.

Emma Stone made it into Saturday Night Live‘s five-timers club and was welcomed by Tina Fey and Candice Bergen.

William Earl administrator Felicity Huffman is speaking out for the first time about her role in the high-profile college admissions scandal Operation Varsity Blues which, after being revealed to the public in 2019, resulted in her serving 11 days in prison. Huffman was found guilty of working with college-admission consultant Rick Singer to falsify her daughter’s SAT scores. Singer had created a system of bribery and fraud in order to help wealthy parents get a leg up on their kids’ college admissions chances.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Saturday Night Live” alum Aidy Bryant has been tapped to host the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, which will once again stream live on Film Independent’s YouTube channel and IMDB.com from its signature Santa Monica beach tent location. Last year’s ceremony marked the first time since 1997 that the annual celebration of independent cinema and television wouldn’t air on the IFC network after it did not renew its licensing deal.

Jennifer Aniston encouraged fans to honor her late friend and co-star Matthew Perry by supporting his charity.

Todd Longwell In addition to a top-to-bottom organization overall, the Golden Globes has added two new categories for its next awards, for cinematic and box office achievement and stand-up comedy performance on television. The creation for a box office achievement award is clearly a move to attract viewers who have tuned out kudofests in recent decades because they tend to focus on little-seen movies.

John Mulaney resonates with the late Matthew Perry’s story.

The Writers Guild of America is doubling down on plans to cut the number of writing awards given out on the main Emmys telecast.

John Mulaney has shared that he “identified” with Matthew Perry’s story of addiction.Speaking with Variety following the Friends actor’s sudden death last month, Mulaney opened up about his connection to Perry’s experience. The actor, who died at his home aged 54, had a history of addiction, which he detailed in his memoir, Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing.The book, which also covered Perry’s road to recovery, reportedly impacted Mulaney, who has himself struggled with addiction, leading him to attend rehab following a drug relapse in 2020.“Addiction is just a disaster,” said Mulaney.

John Mulaney is opening up about his connection to the late Matthew Perry.

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has learned that season 3 of FX/Hulu’s The Bear will commence production in late February-early March.

Variety about relating to the “Friends” star’s battle for sobriety, which Perry detailed in his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.” Perry died on Oct. 28 at the age of 54. “Addiction is just a disaster,” Mulaney told the outlet on Monday.

William Earl administrator In the midst of a legal battle that includes a restraining order against his longtime musical and business partner John Oates, Daryl Hall played a concert with a setlist filled with Hall & Oates classics. Hall took to the stage at the Tokyo Garden Theater in Japan on Nov. 23, and performed plenty of the duo’s classic hits, including “Out of Touch,” “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” and “Private Eyes.” Classic rocker Todd Rundgren also appeared at the show.

Jon Stewart can’t stop co-headlining.The former “Daily Show” host, who shared the stage with Pete Davidson and John Mulaney earlier this year, is now splitting time with comedian and podcaster Tom Segura.On Tuesday, Dec. 12 and Wednesday, Dec.13, the unlikely duo will bring the funny to Montclair, NJ’s Wellmont Theater.“Come see one of the greatest comedic voices of our generation and also Jon Stewart will be on the shows as well,” Segura cracked on Instagram.While our team hasn’t seen Segura live, the NY Post caught Stewart live in Atlantic City earlier this year.

The only subjects that were off limits in John Mulaney: Baby J were his divorce and his newborn son.