By Dustin Rowles | TV | October 28, 2024 |
One of the complexities in the public response to John Mulaney and Anna Marie Tendler’s divorce is how Mulaney incorporated his wife so deeply into his stand-up. His routines often included jokes about her and her family, which—though occasionally awkward—felt endearing because Mulaney’s affection for Tendler convinced fans they were a perfect match.
In contrast, I felt a bit differently about Ali Wong’s stand-up specials, where she openly shared graphic details about her marriage with her now ex-husband. Wong’s comedy is hilarious but can be uncomfortable to watch with a partner and often left me wondering how her husband felt about their intimate life being on full display. When they announced their divorce, I wasn’t surprised — being the butt of Ali Wong’s hilariously withering critiques of their sex life would be hard on anyone, although I was glad to hear in her most recent special that they’ve remained close friends.
Seth Meyers, however, mostly keeps a respectful boundary around his personal life. His wife Alexi figures prominently in his specials like Lobby Baby, which hilariously recounts their son’s lobby birth, and his latest, Dad Man Walking. This new special is refreshingly free of politics, a stark change from his late-night show, which centers heavily on current events. It’s a break from the usual Trump-heavy fare and, like Lobby Baby, it’s timelessly funny, enjoyable even years later, and for anyone, regardless of politics.
Dad Man Walking focuses almost entirely on the highs and lows of parenting. Meyers spares us the cliché of over-the-top declarations of love before each parenting horror story. His affection, however, shines through naturally, even when describing his kids’ most frustrating antics. He cleverly balances this with jokes about how his kids’ mischief fuels his career, funding their future college educations.
The special is warm and genuinely funny, a perfect antidote to the relentless noise of social media and politics. Yet, Meyers does tread on topics that could become awkward soundbites if he and Alexi ever split. For instance, he jokes about Alexi’s general sweetness toward everyone but reserves a mean streak just for him, which he good-naturedly admits he deserves because he still can’t figure out how, for instance, to collapse a stroller. Amen to that! He also teases about in-laws taking his side in arguments with Alexi, lending an amusing honesty to his stories.
These jokes are all good-natured, miles away from the “take my wife, please” style of the past. But with high-profile splits like Mulaney’s and Wong’s, if I were a divorce attorney, I might keep a few clips from Meyers’ special in my back pocket, just in case.
‘Dad Man Walking’ is currently streaming on Max.