It’s been nearly a year since John Early released his first stand-up special , Max’s Now More Than Ever . But it’s only now that he’s gotten the chance to talk about the go-for-broke special in-depth, with any chance at promotion waylaid by last summer and fall’s back-to-back strikes. And the comedian, best known for his work on Search Party , 30 Rock , and with collaborator Kate Berlant, is relishing his overdue moment in the spotlight.
In this episode of The Last Laugh podcast —Early’s second appearance on the show, following his 2022 visit with Berlant —he opens up about the genesis of his Emmys category-breaking special, including how he sees himself as less in step with his fellow campaigning comics and more in the mold of performers like Bette Midler . Originally pitched in 2019, it took until February 2023 for filming to actually happen. The long road is just one part of why Early is particularly excited to be on the campaign trail for this special, which led to what he says is “the first time I felt, privately, a real artistic success.
” “This is the first time I’ve ever made anything where it builds and it swells and it delivers,” Early tells The Last Laugh. “I know that it’s also incredibly unfocused and insane and sloppy in many ways, but that’s also part of its charm, I think.” Now More Than Ever is a unique entry into the Emmys race: a combination of observational humor, musical performances, and rock-(mock-)doc sketches stitching.
