On a recent episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart had a visit from John Mulaney. Mulaney was there to discuss the season finale of his Netflix talk show “Everybody’s Live,” in which he fought three teenage boys in a wrestling-style match, which he joked was the secret to eternal youth.
“Obviously, there's a lot going on right now. This isn’t the most important message you'll hear tonight, but everyone should fight three teenagers once a year,” Mulaney quipped. “You'll feel so much better…I feel invigorated. I've never been more present in my life, because I had to be for that fight.”
John Mulaney appeared on The Daily Show to discuss his show Everybody's Live, on which he fought three teenage boys. The Daily Show, www.youtube.com
Indeed, the season finale of “Everybody’s Live,” which has become known for its unabashed quirkiness, included a match between Mulaney, 42, and three teen boys, all aged 14 (their combined ages, of course, being 42).The four of them, all in navy suits, went head to head while the studio audience as well as Adam Sandler and Sean Penn, guests on the show that day, watched and cheered them on. Mulaney was ultimately, hilariously defeated. “If you want to watch this episode,” Stewart tells The Daily Show audience, “it is maybe the most perfect hour long episode of television.”
Not only was it comedy, though, it also became a fun way to upend ideas of toxic masculinity. Mulaney joked that this was a way to solve the “crisis of masculinity,” “that if you want to really get to the root of it, you get three of them together, get them in nice suits and helmets, and you get in a suit yourself, and you go at it.” Of course you can tell by the way that Mulaney talks about it he thinks the “manosphere” and “men’s rights activists” from which such an idea comes from is a joke itself, so the bit becomes satire.
Jon Stewart fully leans into the bit. “I haven't looked at it in this way. You weren't just fighting for entertainment. In many ways, this was a crusade to save American youth and maleness.” Accordingly, the audience laughs uproariously.
Ultimately, though, Mulaney brings the bit to a more personal place. “It's basically, probably, unconsciously all building up to me fighting my own son, who's three and a half,” Mulaney joked to Stewart.
In recent interviews, Mulaney has discussed the role fatherhood has played in his life, one that extends into his comedy. “I now know the person that I want to make laugh,” he said last year on Conan O’Brien’s podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. “I like other people in my life, but if there's someone's eyes I want to see light up, it's my son when I get home…I used to need so much to feel any kind of happiness in the day. If I see a garbage truck with him now, we’re both so psyched. It’s like I’m seeing a celebrity.” It’s as if that’s the counterbalance to toxic masculinity after all.
Mulaney’s days of fighting his son are well into the future, but at least now he has the practice. In the meantime, hearing his son’s laugh is all he needs.
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.