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John Mulaney had only been in rehab for a few hours when he got a call from Pete Davidson.
Davidson was unable to attend the “star-studded intervention,” as Mulaney put it, that his friends staged in 2020 for his drug abuse issue, but Davidson called as soon as he heard his friend had checked into rehab, Mulaney shares in his latest Netflix special. Davidson frequently changes his phone number and Mulaney made a habit of saving his new numbers under the names of increasingly famous actors, which led the nurse on duty to wake Mulaney up in the middle of the night because he had five missed calls from “Al Pacino.”
“Some people suggested he and I did drugs together because he has tattoos and I am plain,” Mulaney joked about Davidson before getting serious: “I’ve never done drugs with Pete. He’s always been very supportive of my sobriety.”
In his new Netflix standup comedy special, “John Mulaney: Baby J” (streaming now on Netflix), Mulaney gets candid about his “weird couple of years,” which included the aforementioned intervention, a two-month stint in rehab, a divorce, a new relationship with actress Olivia Munn and the birth of their 1-year-old son, Malcolm.
Though he makes no mention of his love life in the special, relationships were at the core of Mulaney’s recovery. He speaks throughout the special about how his friends, counselors, fellow patients and even his former drug dealer helped in his recovery. The stories he shares help break stigma surrounding getting help, experts say.
“Whether you know John Mulaney or not, when famous people come out and talk about their substance use disorder recovery journey, it helps,” says Holly Sawyer, director of the Masters in Addictions Counseling program at Drexel University. “Everything around substance use disorder is still stigmatized. … The more (those in the public eye) come forward and are honest about their journey, it helps because there are so many people who can’t just come out to their families about their substance use disorder.”
Previously:John Mulaney reportedly checks into rehabilitation program; comedians express support
What we can learn from John Mulaney’s intervention, rehab stay
Mulaney had access to his phone in rehab, which likely helped him in the important step of fostering relationships with those inside and outside rehab who are supportive of recovery.
“It’s critical (to connect with others),” George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, previously told USA TODAY. “We’re primates and we pay attention to other primates. We get strength from (others). … It’s a huge reward when we interact with other people.”
Sawyer notes, however, many rehab programs encourage participants to cut off contact with the outside world in order to minimize their risk of a relapse while they are in inpatient therapy.
Trustworthy and supportive relationships, she says, are a meaningful tool in recovery, but Sawyer believes getting help is ultimately in the hands of the person dealing with addiction.
Mulaney also gets candid in his special about the dichotomy of being both thankful for and angry at his friends who worked to convince him to get help. Comedians Seth Meyers, Fred Armisen and Nick Kroll were among those who made up the intervention, which involved contentious conversations about Mulaney’s drug use and well-being.
“i was furious at them. I was so mad that night,” Mulaney says. “They had tricked me. I mean, at its core, an intervention is a prank. They had pranked me, they were trying to tell me what to do with my life, they were trying to control me. They were sending me away to rehab for months. I felt powerless.”
Matthew Perry, Drew Barrymore, more stars who have spoken out about addiction
There’s a growing trend of celebrities being open about sobriety, from Drew Barrymore and Jason Ritter’s candid conversation on her show to Matthew Perry and Ben Affleck sharing their experiences with Alcoholics Anonymous.
Perry, who opened up about a decades-long struggle with alcohol and drug addiction in his 2022 book “Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing,” told the New York Times in October that though he sponsors three members of Alcoholics Anonymous, he doesn’t love that the program is anonymous.
“It suggests that there’s a stigma and that we have to hide,” he said.
Conversely, Affleck recently took issue with becoming the “poster boy for actor alcoholism,” saying in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that a person doesn’t need to give up anonymity in their recovery.
And while that may hold true, especially for those whose personal struggles wind up on the front page of tabloids, experts say overall that hiding sobriety can be detrimental to recovery.
Celebrities being open about their sobriety also “shows others that they are successful and making their dreams come true without having to fall into the trap of substance escape and partying,” said Courtney Tracy, a licensed psychotherapist and founder of virtual addiction treatment center Exist Centers. “Celebrities hold a lot of weight when it comes to creating the culture of our country. The more celebrities emulate a healthy lifestyle, the more our American population will turn to it.”
More on celebrities, addiction and sobriety
Jason Ritter and Drew Barrymore’s raw conversation on her show may matter more than you think
Matthew Perry and Alcoholics Anonymous:Does the anonymity perpetuate a stigma?
More:Hunter Biden’s shocking tell-all is important. Here’s why.
Prince, Whitney Houston, Elvis Presley and the sad intersection of fame, drugs and death
If you suspect you or someone you know needs help with alcohol abuse, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit https://findtreatment.gov.
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