As he took the stage on Sunday, Sept. 10 at Atlantic City’s Etess Arena, Jon Stewart got in a good line about the evening’s lineup.
“We’ve got the three stages of show business here tonight. Rehab, recovery and hospice.”
The crowd laughed and the former “Daily Show’ host launched into 45 minutes of fresh, punchy material.
However, like all good jokes, there was a kernel of truth to Stewart’s throwaway bit about his brief five-show tour with Pete Davidson and John Mulaney.
Each act represented a different stage of adulthood and that evolution made for a fascinating three-course comedic feast for fans of the trio.
To clue you in to what went down at the Sunday 7 p.m. show — “7 p.m. on a Sunday, you know, showbiz time!” Mulaney quipped — without spoiling too much, here are our thoughts about each performer’s set on the final night of the far too brief ‘Jon, John and Pete Tour.’
Pete Davidson
Punchline-heavy opening act Ricky Velez introduced Davidson and the crowd went nuts.
Taking the stage in casual athleisure, the 29-year-old immediately quieted the room and demanded our attention.
Rather than dance around his recent rehab stint, the “SNL” alum dove deep into what sent him there in the first place: using his cat’s ketamine.
This shocking and very funny admission let us into Davidson’s reality and he proceeded to get vulnerable with the crowd over the course of his half hour. His far-reaching material covered his experience at a rehabilitation center with an elderly patient, a doctor’s misguided suggestion for a “new hobby” and newfound struggles with renting movies online while he recovers.
He didn’t just tell rehab stories though.
In fact, Davidson was rather silly and light on his feet.
The “SNL” alum also touched on the time he got pulled over by a cop which led to the night’s most jubilantly goofy gag and his mom’s dating life (his larger than life impression of her was worth the price of admission alone).
Yet, the highlight had to have been a moment could only have been experienced live.
As Davidson geared up for the final punchline in his closer, a single piece of confetti fell from the rafters.
“This is Machine Gun Kelly’s fault!” Pete yelled.
While we can’t confirm whether or not it was from the MGK gig the night before, we can say that seeing Pete live was a thrilling delight.
If you want to catch him on the road again this year, he has 19 more shows lined up this fall.
A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found here.
John Mulaney
The evening’s middle act practically floated on the stage.
And as soon as he clutched the microphone, Mulaney was in complete control.
His airtight set — save for one hilarious but incomplete (by his own admission) bit about the devil — displayed a mastery of the form.
Some choice chunks from the polished veteran included an expertly crafted hot take about the FBI, a laugh out loud funny anecdote detailing the “kidnapping craze of the ’80s,” an edgy wish that his elderly parents weren’t so youthful and a breathtaking story centering around his salty tour bus driver.
In this reviewer’s humble opinion, all were special ready.
Still, this was a departure from the recently released “Baby J” hour dropped in April.
What separated this new half hour from Mulaney’s last is how much he’s grown up in the last year.
Now a father of a toddler, the “Sack Lunch Bunch” star joked about how his brain has gone out the window since having a kid.
These days, he often finds himself in the front yard of his home playing wiffleball with his son at 4:50 a.m.
Or he’s seeing if his kid enjoys Steely’s Dan “Gaucho” as much as he does.
Want to catch the latest Mulaney era live?
We recommend clicking here to see if he’s bringing his new material to a town near you soon.
Jon Stewart
All good things come to an end.
To close the night, Stewart ambled onstage and was quick to make fun of Atlantic City.
“Somehow, you guys f—ed up a town with beaches and a casino,” he jested.
From there, the ‘Jon, John & Pete’ elder statesman tackled aging (one joke about searching for his eyeglasses netted the night’s biggest laugh) and interfaith marriage (his expression impersonating childlike wonder witnessing the magic of Christmas was priceless) among a number of other topics near and dear to his heart.
He wrapped the night with political material covering trans issues, gay marriage, Kanye West’s inexplicable anti-Semitism, gun rights and 9/11 with a deft touch that showed he hasn’t lost a step comedically and is as sharp as ever.
Sadly, Stewart doesn’t have any more shows lined up to showcase his A+ material this year. If you need a fix, “The Problem with Jon Stewart” on Apple TV is your best bet.
Comedians on tour in 2023
Jon, John and Pete not headed to a city near you?
If that’s the case, here are just five other huge tours you won’t want to miss these next few months.
• Steve Martin and Martin Short
• Jerry Seinfeld with Jim Gaffigan
Want to see who else is telling jokes on the road this year? Check out our list of the 51 biggest comedians on tour in 2023 here to find out.
More of an ‘SNL’ fan?
Our team compiled a list of all the show’s biggest alum playing all over North America here.
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