Chicago native and former New Yorker John Mulaney recently moved to Los Angeles. In his latest project with Netflix, “Everybody's in LA,” the comedian explores the city he describes as a place he simultaneously “confuses and fascinates.” him.
The show, which has a pseudo-late-night format and features actor and comedian Richard Kind as host, began on May 3 as part of the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. It airs live at 7pm Pacific and ends on Friday. Mulaney took a break from show business over the weekend to perform at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday in one of the most anticipated shows of the festival.
The show draws on the aesthetic of a '70s living room for its set, the humor of “Saturday Night Live” and the production chaos of Netflix's recent forays into the live-streaming space. Mulaney recruits comedians from the city for the festival and experts from Los Angeles to “try to figure out what the hell is going on here.”
With a number of Southern California-specific themes setting the tone and theme of each episode, some humor may be lost among the crowd of non-Angelenos tuning in. Here's an ongoing guide to some of the people, places and things in Los Angeles discussed in each episode of “Everybody's in LA.”
In progress
Saymo delivery robot
Delivery robot Saymo has toured the show every night, bringing guests snacks and ginger ale.
(Adam Rose/Netflix)
Based on the many food delivery robots that roam the streets of Los Angeles, Mulaney and company created the Saymo, perhaps a play on the Waymo self-driving cars that are permeating the city. The robot has appeared in every episode, providing snacks and drinks, particularly ginger ale (Mulaney: “It's not just for the sick”), to the show's guests. Jon Stewart, who frequently mentioned that he is not from Los Angeles (“The Daily Show” host is from New Jersey), jumped when the robot approached the stage in the second episode and called it a “rolling toilet” after commenting I had never seen a robot like that before.
Episode 3
helicopters
Mulaney dropped several one-liners about the episode's aviation theme, calling a helicopter circling an ETS billboard “the official bird of Los Angeles.” Introducing the topic, he said: “They're everywhere in Los Angeles, they float around and give you a headache. No, I’m not talking about actors,” before Kind interrupted with an emphatic “Damn actors!” In addition to helicopter journalist Zoey Tur, Mulaney hosted comedian Nate Bargatze, who said his 2021 special filmed at Universal Studios was interrupted by a police helicopter chase. “That's just Los Angeles,” Bargatze said before Mulaney chimed in: “That's exactly what happens when you film at Universal City Walk.” To cap off the discussion, Mulaney took live calls from viewers at home, as he has throughout the show's run, with one caller pointing out that Disney parks, including Disneyland in Anaheim, are no-fly zones , which Tur confirmed. Unfortunately for Bargatze, Universal is fair game.
Zoey Tur
Zoey Tur and John Mulaney on the set of “Everybody's in LA.”
(Ryan West/Netflix)
The Los Angeles-based journalist, known for pioneering live reporting from a helicopter, was the expert guest on Tuesday's episode. Tur, who was identified as a “helicopter queen,” said her career materialized when she became frustrated working as a journalist in Los Angeles because she couldn't get to timely news quickly enough due to the infamous helicopter traffic. city highways. She said she bought a helicopter in 1977 and learned to fly with the help of off-duty pilots from the Los Angeles Fire Department. Tur has covered global news, from OJ Simpson's white Bronco chase to footage of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and other major local defining moments during her storied career.
old punks
Mulaney hosted a pre-recorded segment featuring Los Angeles punk musicians from the '70s and '80s and called the city home to some of the “greatest punk bands of all time.” Fred Armisen was tasked with interviewing Los Angeles punk elders in a focus group, where he spoke with musical legends such as Fear's Lee Ving, Minutemen's Mike Watt, and X's Exene Cervenka. He asked them about the days of Gloria and Don Bolles of The Germs noted that the group of 11 prolific punk musicians had probably never met before.
Armisen also showed them a series of photographs and asked them to react: One shot of Ronald Reagan drew a chorus of boos and Kid Congo Powers called him a “fucking monster.” The group's final activity was to create a theme song for the Los Angeles tourist office. Titles like “Please Don't Move Here” and “You'll Be Famous for a Minute” were ultimately rejected in favor of “Ghosty Ghost Place Superstar,” an anthem the group improvised together to close the segment.
Episode 2
palms
Mulaney dove deep into the picturesque trees that line the streets of Los Angeles, in a monologue. He pointed out that they are not native plants and were brought in to beautify the city about 100 years ago, which is about their lifespan, meaning many of the palm trees in the area will die soon. He also added that trees use up a lot of water and don't improve air quality, saying they are “beautiful but useless, like the Grove fountain or Gavin Newsom.” Amanda Begley, leader of the nonprofit TreePeople, confirmed the facts of Mulaney's monologue and said palm trees are technically a type of grass.
Warren G.
Warren G brought the house down with a performance of his hit “Regulate.”
(Adam Rose/Netflix)
From Long Beach, the rapper, record producer and DJ served as the musical guest on the second episode. After his performance of “Regulate,” comedian and guest Gabriel Iglesias gave the rapper a standing ovation. Mulaney also noted that Stewart, another guest on the panel, had Warren G as a guest on his show 30 years ago, where he sang the same song. The rapper is a pivotal figure in the rise of the West Coast rap scene in the '90s, working with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Dr. Dre.
James Goldstein
Andy Samberg took on the role of Los Angeles pseudo-celebrity James Goldstein, known for sitting courtside at Lakers and Clippers games.
(Adam Rose/Netflix)
Mulaney recruited his friend Andy Samberg to take on the role of James Goldstein, a Los Angeles businessman known for sitting courtside at Lakers and Clippers games. Mulaney introduced the bit by saying that his show, like a Lakers game, draws well-known guests in the front row and hinted at more cameos in upcoming episodes. Samberg sported a long white wig and a sequin jacket with a cowboy hat, imitating Goldstein's unique style. During the segment, Stewart called Goldstein a “robber baron” and said he made his fortune from the high rent he charges on the mobile home parks he owns.
Episode 1
coyotes
Coyotes, the wolf-adjacent animals prevalent in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, are not well liked by Angelenos, especially those who have dogs and fear the animals will attack their pets. Mulaney made the animal the subject of his first episode, in which a coyote expert and local callers shared stories about their encounters with them. Tony Tucci, president and co-founder of Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife, shared what to do if you see a coyote in the wild and said it's important to get “larger than life” and make a lot of noise. Jerry Seinfeld, another guest on the show, mocked Tucci's suggestions, which included traveling with an air horn strapped to his neck.
Ray J.
Mulaney brought R&B singer and television personality Ray J onto the show and described him as a “black Forrest Gump,” noting that he had been a part of several cultural touchstones of the 21st century, although he did not mention Kim Kardashian. During his interview on the show, Ray J talked about how he is in the process of divorcing his wife, Princess Love, who he has been married to since 2016. The couple previously announced they would divorce three times, but called it off each time. . until his wife announced they had separated and were seeking a divorce in February. “She was mad,” Ray J said after saying he's heading to Africa to find his “queen.”
lou adler
Will Ferrell transformed into Los Angeles personality Lou Adler in a segment spotlighting a VIP audience member.
(Adam Rose/Netflix)
Comedy legend Will Ferrell appeared as Lou Adler, the record and film producer and co-owner of the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood. Adler has worked with music legends such as the Mamas & the Papas and Carole King and has produced films such as Cheech and Chong's “Up in Smoke” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Ferrell wore Adler's famous look: a beret and colorful sunglasses. Playing Adler in the audience, Ferrell attempted to cajole Mulaney into partying with him in a hilarious bit.
