A few years ago, only a relatively few amount of people knew the name John Mulaney. If you did, you were most likely a comedy buff or perhaps just aware of the fact he was the co-creator of Stefon on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.

Today, you don’t have to be a SNL superfan to know the name. In fact, he’s likely one of the most popular comedians in the world right now. You can’t go a day without hearing one of Mulaney’s quotes get thrown around, whether it’s a loud proclamation of, “Street Smarts!” or a singsong tone of, “Because we’re Delta airlines, and life is a fucking nightmare.” His comedy has certainly changed the Emerson community for the better.

Despite a failed 2014 sitcom, ingeniously entitled Mulaney, he has had plenty of success in the world of comedy. After working as a writer for Saturday Night Live, he added three Netflix comedy specials to his name: New In Town, The Comeback Kid, and Kid Goregous. In the last year, Mulaney has voice acted for Netflix original series Big Mouth and Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse, solidifying his career as more than just a stand-up comedian as he ventures into bigger and better projects.

But what makes his comedy so unique? For BCE major Laura Phillips, she claims his use of universal humor is what has struck a particular chord for her. “His jokes don’t come at the expense of other people,” she explained while expressing her love for the comedian. Gone are the days of stereotypes and crude humor, something that stand-up comedians are often known for.

Not Mulaney, though. Progressive and democratic, he prides himself on the ability to create hilarious, different bits that aren’t trying to pick people out in a crowd and laugh at them. With a focus on himself and his past, he switches up the typical comedy genre. Straight, white, male comedians get away with making fun of other people far too often, and Mulaney is cautious not to fall into that category. Making his love and respect for his wife known throughout his comedy is a perfect example of this - by being an admirable man, we automatically want to like him more.

It’s not just about playing nice. Mary Spadaro, a comedy major, doesn’t just appreciate his approach, but also the structure of his jokes as well. “He governs the stage with such authority that the audience is never uneasy in his presence. It’s his control that separates him from other comedians. The ride Mulaney takes you on is simultaneously steady and wild; you feel safe in trusting that his story will be funny even when you don’t know where it’s going.”

The safety aspect is key. Mulaney isn’t afraid to drop you down before he takes you back up, but that’s how he reels you in. He’s so relatable that you feel as though you have an inside joke with him, even when millions of others are in on it as well. Considering his ever growing popularity, it’s hard to say if there’s anything that will throw him off his rhythm.