How Langston Kerman Got John Mulaney to Direct His Netflix Special

Before Langston Kerman became one of the most exciting stand-up comedians, he was a poetry teacher for high school students. In his Netflix debut special Bad Poetry, he humorously shares his desperation to find another path in life.

In an episode of The Last Laugh podcast, Kerman discusses his journey, including his big break writing for Oscars host Chris Rock—though none of his jokes made it to the broadcast. He also talks about convincing his favorite comedian, John Mulaney, to direct his special, and trying not to alienate Larry David during his first Hollywood gig. Kerman further details his apprehension about fans of HBO’s Insecure never letting him “be free.” He shares behind-the-scenes stories from writing on this year’s most unique talk show, Everybody’s in LA, including a pitch that even Mulaney found too weird.

“I really just wanted to create something that felt like a great articulation of what I find funny and what I’m capable of,” Kerman says. He expresses gratitude towards John Mulaney for understanding and pushing his vision forward, helping it find a home on Netflix.

The 37-year-old comedian, who initially pursued spoken word poetry, is still widely recognized for his role in Insecure, a series with a passionate fan base that holds the actors accountable for their characters’ actions. Kerman, who played Jered, a love interest for Yvonne Orji’s Molly, reveals that fans continue to troll him for his character admitting to a same-sex experience, even eight years later.

“They don’t stop,” he says. He notes that comments still appear as he promotes his Netflix special, pleading, “let me be free!” He humorously laments wanting to just tell his jokes without being bothered.

Kerman’s special, Bad Poetry, showcases his comedy in a fresh and confident way. After watching Kerman perform the set live, Mulaney decided to make it his directorial debut. “I always think of specials like album tracks, and each of these is a hit to me,” Mulaney told Vulture. He emphasizes that every part of a special should be good, and Kerman’s hour was tight and ready to go.

“There’s no substitution for someone who’s experienced the process as many times as he has,” says Kerman. He highlights the invaluable insights Mulaney provided on shooting and production aesthetics. If left entirely to Kerman, he jokes, the special would have looked and sounded worse, and he might have chosen inappropriate clothing. However, he jests that he “probably would have worn the same outfit.”

Kerman appreciates having someone who understood the essence of the format but also supported breaking certain rules.

This rule-breaking mentality extended to a larger scale with Mulaney’s week-long Netflix talk show, Everybody’s in LA, conducted this past May. During a hiatus from touring, where Kerman was opening for Mulaney, the latter invited Kerman to join the show’s writing team. Though uncertain about the project at first, Kerman readily agreed.

“It was just a cool room where someone you respect and find hilarious encourages you to be funny,” Kerman says. While some ideas, like infiltrating the Nation of Islam, didn’t materialize, Kerman successfully explored actor Terrence Howard’s bizarre theories about math and science.

When asked if Howard has seen the sketch, Kerman hopes so. “I think about him almost every day,” he shares, expressing his desire to meet the actor who inspires him greatly.

Listen to Kerman’s episode on The Last Laugh podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or your preferred platform.

Source: The Daily Beast