Why John Mulaney  Passed On Hosting ‘The Daily Show’

John Mulaney Reveals He Turned Down Hosting ‘The Daily Show

After Jon Stewart Left Because He Was “Gun-Shy”

[{"selector":"#anim-e493139a-eb80-4694-af54-7bee689723ec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a5b9d7f-2f8c-4f29-b93a-01bb4ff932c6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca9e401a-aa7f-4297-9f8c-30f42dc9aeef [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f81391ad-e204-471e-ae9a-eaf961ba73eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ac00f46-5ee8-4d8b-9e25-82875548e776","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77a6ff62-36cb-4fca-adc4-4b311fd459b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c15380c3-f01e-4256-92eb-57c72d1f394c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.13924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

"I wish it was five years from now," he remembered telling Comedy Central execs at the time

[{"selector":"#anim-4ca4530b-fee9-413e-a876-f15e71b905e5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66c54d2f-0fd8-42fc-b2ef-638297df9232","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6b78736-2ac0-437f-8174-a460fa371693","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bde5701b-81d5-4341-92d6-dd8dc3e3ab68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f186bcf8-82f0-479e-b348-a9de5946a48f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-864c51ea-1c97-4d91-a76d-edebc5a68503","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e57a7a66-c36d-4190-bf9e-0d9bf14c1b6b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.84615%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

John Mulaney wishes he would’ve been asked to host The Daily Show five years after

[{"selector":"#anim-95d78fc9-e19c-41cf-b375-6889df367af5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa21af78-e1b3-456b-9e84-450e41b4ef39","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a0b05dd-3b5d-440e-86e6-c7d4d31ebf41","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77446e75-144f-42e9-9283-8c45c2186345","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e582b34-247c-450e-bf2f-6a7d7faa58cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-611ba15f-8af6-4239-95ec-3b73a74b5659","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4eb6b840-ccfc-47ab-92b0-81897e15ce7a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The comedian, whose new special John Mulaney: Baby J is now on Netflix

[{"selector":"#anim-f72a1f2b-4ebd-4b32-9b41-be85b34a12d2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f2a447f-eb0e-4046-a7f3-b95a5fad4c1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6366e7f5-96e4-4230-95f1-696d4dd42a70","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-267370ae-5603-42ff-8e6b-dc371ad8a5a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13e179c8-1b6b-48c4-954f-8578625d56d3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f22935da-76ab-439c-b587-b776532fb304","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2233ff52-5a78-4a2e-b6f2-2c6a9cb91639","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

“SNL” 40th anniversary special aired in February 2015.

[{"selector":"#anim-f8fbb1b1-1291-4591-8a0e-2b9c061a287f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6f23f09-4622-40db-afe9-67e8b2711a95","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0aae77c-df5e-4ad6-9491-109774a6ad79","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0272a96f-1c96-49da-ab4b-270182dd3b75","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c54af84-1e5f-4634-962f-edd28ddc0231","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35fc4b3a-1975-4f18-ba8f-e111080850bd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3124f30-2267-47a2-8fe4-135a5c0f7816","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.29113%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

It was shortly after the SNL 40th anniversary

[{"selector":"#anim-f76262f0-fc7f-45e4-a29c-c653cf9e8f8a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bb05755-d1b2-447a-b817-1ecebca857d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec3e16b9-71fe-42cd-ab04-cdc6994f5303","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-044ae3fe-7fdb-426d-8d82-16f608c945c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7eca61d0-493d-4d58-b766-9a1902963e30","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eaae21bf-08a9-4854-804c-3f0f0b4ca5a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77815b49-beb8-4bad-9f26-99ed1a453fca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Mulaney said during an appearance on Doug Herzog and Jen Chaney’s Basic! podcast

[{"selector":"#anim-d337ae34-cec0-4c4d-92b3-a57a837cb6e7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(8.064007875432107%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da6100bc-444e-4f40-b723-ebb8a22d2f85","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2797c83-90bc-48f4-a794-8028973392c7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c7b369c-5d49-4500-bfa0-5603316660ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b33eb3cf-270d-49bc-a026-647dbf10fc08","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.66588%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d37fa8a4-4710-494d-b927-4e3517523694","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-442226e3-08ab-47c0-b921-fe020497d268","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.82278%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-84cda6bd-521a-4c5b-b6d7-ab766d7af277 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7c93372-bb26-45aa-9180-7522cc3cfb1b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfcdb8ba-f934-47ec-883c-d59cd7098cee","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read Next