Nicholas James Mullen (born December 13, 1988)[2] is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, producer, actor and comedy writer.[3] Active since 2005, he is best known as the creator and co-host of the comedy podcast Cum Town (2016–2022) and its successor The Adam Friedland Show (2022–present). He released his first comedy special, The Year of the Dragon, in December 2023.[4] His comedy often focuses on internet culture and is ironic, observational and self-deprecating.

Nick Mullen
Mullen performing on stage.
Mullen in 2014
Birth nameNicholas James Mullen
Born (1988-12-13) December 13, 1988 (age 36)
Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • podcast
  • television
Years active2005–present[1]
Genres
Subject(s)
Notable works and roles
Websitemull.dog

Career

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Originally from Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, he began performing in the Washington–Baltimore Metropolitan Area as a teenager, often at Wiseacres Comedy Club in Virginia.[5][6][7] During his early twenties, he was based out of Austin, Texas (and briefly Los Angeles).[8][9][10][11]

A nationally touring stand-up, he was an opener for acts including Dana Gould, Jim Norton, Patrice O'Neal, and Hannibal Buress.[8] In 2010, he was named "Best of Fest" at the Laugh Detroit festival.[8] In 2012, he performed at SXSW as part of the Made in Austin and Weekend Spotlight comedy showcases.[10][12] That same year, he was named one of the New Faces Unrepped by Montreal's Just for Laughs festival.[9][13] Other festivals include the 2014 Bentzen Ball in Washington, D.C.[14]

From 2013 to 2015, he wrote a blog under the heteronym Nicole Mullen on Thought Catalog. He also had a prank call podcast called Help Me, I'm Old.[15]

In the mid-2010s, Mullen moved to New York City.[15] Prior to Cum Town, he had multiple TV and radio appearances.[16][17] During the late 2010s, he was a recurring guest on the Real Ass Podcast, Race Wars (hosted by Kurt Metzger and Sherrod Small), and Legion of Skanks.[18] His writing credits include Comedy Knockout on TruTV (premiered 2016), Make Me Understand with Jim Norton (2016 IFC television pilot), and 2017's Problematic with Moshe Kasher (Comedy Central).[16] Additionally, he made appearances on Fox News' Red Eye as a guest panelist.

From 2016 to 2022, Mullen was a co-host of the comedy podcast Cum Town with fellow comedians Adam Friedland and Stavros Halkias. After Halkias left the show,[19][better source needed] Mullen and Friedland started another podcast, The Adam Friedland Show, releasing the first episode on June 29, 2022.[citation needed]

His stand-up special Nick Mullen: The Year of the Dragon was released on December 3, 2023, reaching one million views after its first week of release.[20]

Personal life

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Mullen lives in Brooklyn, New York. He previously lived in Manhattan's Chinatown; some of his comedic anecdotes draw from his experience living there in a windowless tenement.[21]

Political beliefs

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Mullen has been a vocal supporter of many socially democratic political positions on podcasts and interviews throughout his career including universal health care. In his 2023 stand-up special Nick Mullen: The Year of the Dragon he stated "I believe that health care is a human right. I think everybody should have it: free, easy access."[22] Mullen stated in 2024 on an episode of The Adam Friedland Show Podcast that "I'm not a communist, I want to make that clear." While being pressed by colleague Ari Shaffir on his politics he clarified "If you really had to put me in a box I'm nothing more than just a run-of-the-mill social democrat."[23]

Works

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Podcast

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Year Title Position Notes
2016-2022 Cum Town Co-Host
2022- The Adam Friedland Show Podcast Co-Host

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2019 Jungleland Clay Carlson

Specials

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Year Title Credited as Notes
2016 Make Me Understand with Jim Norton Producer
2023 The Year of the Dragon Self

Series

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Year Title Released On Credited as Notes
2017 Problematic with Moshe Kasher Comedy Central Writer
2021 Gilly and Keeves YouTube Writer
2022- The Adam Friedland Show YouTube Writer, Producer

References

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  1. ^ Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank (April 26, 2015). #216: Tenement (Nick Mullen) (podcast). Apple Podcasts. Event occurs at around 1:30:00. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022. It'll be ten years in October [2015] that I'll be doing comedy
  2. ^ Adam Friedland [@AdamFriedland] (December 13, 2019). "Happy birthday to my dear friend @nickmullen who brings so much joy to so many people" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Nick Mullen | Comedians". The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  4. ^ "Nick Mullen: The Year of the Dragon - FULL SPECIAL". Youtube. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "SXSW 2012 Schedule". SXSW. 2012. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  6. ^ "Straight Outta D.C." do512. February 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2021. ...a ridiculous reunion of D.C.'s finest comedy exports: ...and Nick Mullen!
  7. ^ Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank (April 26, 2015). #216: Tenement (Nick Mullen) (podcast). Apple Podcasts. 1:25:00–1:28:15 minutes in. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Nick Mullen". Speakerpedia. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "First look: Montreal's 2012 New Faces, Characters and Unrepped | The Comic's Comic". July 30, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Nick Mullen". SXSW Schedule 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  11. ^ Brenner, Wayne Alan (May 20, 2011). "Funniest Person in Austin Contest 2011". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 24, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Your Definitive Guide To The SXSW 2012 Comedy Lineup". The Laugh Button. March 8, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  13. ^ Fox, Jesse David (July 23, 2012). "Just For Laughs Chooses its New Faces". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  14. ^ "Back on the Bentzen Ball". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Merriman, John (March 28, 2016). "Nick Mullen Has a TV Credit". Moontower Comedy News. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Nick Mullen". www.timessquarenyc.org. August 9, 2018. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  17. ^ Czajkowski, Elise (November 10, 2015). "New York's Funniest Stand-Up Finalists Gear Up for a Serious Smackdown". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  18. ^ "Nick Mullen". Podchaser. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "Stavros Halkias Explains His Reasoning for Leaving the 'Cum Town' Podcast". Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  20. ^ Nick Mullen: The Year of the Dragon - FULL SPECIAL, retrieved December 3, 2023
  21. ^ Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank (April 26, 2015). #216: Tenement (Nick Mullen) (podcast). Apple Podcasts. 25:30–45:00, 58:00–60:00 minutes in. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  22. ^ The Adam Friedland Show (December 3, 2023). Nick Mullen: The Year of the Dragon - FULL SPECIAL. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ The Adam Friedland Show (August 2, 2024). The Adam Friedland Show Podcast - Ari Shaffir - Episode 65. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via YouTube.
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