We’ve never gotten to hear from the homeless man who was New In Town, or anyone in the Salt & Pepper Diner the day “What’s New Pussycat” played 21 times, but today offers the unique perspective from the subject of one of John Mulaney’s bits. That’s Frazier Tharpe, the GQ editor who interviewed Mulaney while he was in the throes of a relapse, three days before his now (in)famous intervention.
Mulaney concludes his new Netflix special Baby J by reading excerpts from the interview, which he has “no memory of giving.” Reading from printed out sheets of paper, Mulaney pokes fun at the version of himself on cocaine that rambled on about haunted houses and “ghouls” (“I goddamn love that I used the word ‘ghouls’”). “There was not another question asked in the midst of that run,” the comic tells his audience. “I am still answering the question, ‘What did you do today.’”
Actually, though, he was answering the question, “Did you see any ghosts today?” Which is slightly less funny for the joke (we’ll forgive Mulaney for punching it up) but does give context as to why he was rambling about ghouls. In a new essay, Tharpe reveals he chose that opening question as a suggestion from a Mulaney megafan friend in reference to a bit from Kid Gorgeous.
For his part, Tharpe didn’t recognize that his interviewee was unwell at the time. “I spent most of the interview (done over the phone, not Zoom) thinking Mulaney was lightly trolling me,” he writes now. The offbeat nature of their conversation “didn’t feel that out of place in an interview with the John Mulaney who just made” Sack Lunch Bunch the year prior. “When he randomly mentioned to me that he was eating Froot Loops, it just felt like more zaniness from a comedian ready to turn everything into a bit—an extension of Mulaney’s boyish, wily charm,” Tharpe shares.
When the interview was published, it contained the note, “This conversation took place two weeks ago, before news broke that Mulaney had checked himself into a 60-day stay at rehab. GQ wishes him a speedy recovery.” Tharpe reveals that after news broke of the Saturday Night Live alum entering rehab, he consulted with both GQ internally and “John’s team” before putting it on the Internet.
So, while Mulaney roasts GQ in the bit for not helping him out with some editing, clearly there are no hard feelings on either side. Tharpe even saw the set earlier in its run (when the tour was called From Scratch), and had a back-and-forth exchange while Mulaney was on stage about their memorable conversation. You can read all about Tharpe’s experience here, or check out Mulaney’s version of events in Baby J.