John Mulaney’s Comedy by Design
As streaming platforms flood the landscape with stand-up specials, John Mulaney’s specials demonstrate that comedy at its best only appears to be spontaneous.
Vlad Surdea-Hernea
Political scientist turned (pop)cultural critic. After years analyzing voting patterns, populism, and political violence, I discovered that sitcoms offer their own revealing lens on society. Now I decode the hidden politics of comedy, from how Seinfeld predicted our social atomization to why we find dysfunction more entertaining than virtue. I examine how comedians like John Mulaney and Larry David transform neurosis into cultural commentary, and how shows blueprint the way we actually live (versus how we claim to).
Based in Vienna, writing about the intersection of comedy and culture. Currently convinced that George Costanza explains more about modern life than most philosophers. You can also find me on Medium: https://medium.com/@vladsurdea1