In Netflix’s new special The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up, some of the best comedians pay tribute to the all-time greats in standup, who will be inducted into a new comedy hall of fame at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.
In a clip released online, which you can watch above, John Mulaney honors the late Robin Williams, who he says fell victim to a misconception that comedians struggle with “some inner darkness.”
“People like to theorize that comedy all comes from a place of pain and sadness,” Mulaney said. “And people like to talk about comedians as if we do what we do because of some inner darkness.”
Mulaney went on to remind the audience that being a comedian “is not a psychiatric condition.”
“Have a little respect for a brilliant artist who was just more talented than you,” he joked. “Are many of us also fucked up, myself included? Yes. But whatever. You know, there are depressed people who don’t even have the decency to be great comedians. Why don’t you pick on them for a change?”
The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up features Mulaney, Jon Stewart, Chelsea Handler, and Dave Chappelle paying tribute to late comedians Robin Williams, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, and Richard Pryor. You can stream the 70-minute special now on Netflix.
Watch Mulaney’s full clip up top.
