Kyle Mooney's signature voice and approach to comedy are reminiscent of '90s era Saturday Night Live. What's next for the comedian?
Anyone consuming comedic YouTube content around 2009 likely stumbled across GoodNeighborStuff, a channel that featured various skits and interviews. This is where Kyle Mooney first birthed several iconic characters, one being an insecure, marble-mouthed sports enthusiast capturing some of the most hilariously awkward man-on-the-street interviews ever uploaded to the platform. It wasn't all that surprising that the performer quickly made his way up the ranks of the comedy circuit, ultimately landing a spot on Saturday Night Live in 2013.
Mooney's signature style is reminiscent of 1990s SNL, when the ensemble cast may have peeked for many fans. Mooney's charm and comedic instincts helped improve SNL's standing, which was waning after years of criticism, citing a clear decline in the show's quality in the early aughts.
Recently Mooney announced his tenure at the long-running skit show was coming to an end. He now ventures into a world of digital content and series platform opportunities where a once clearer path to feature films may have serviced former members like Eddie Murphy, Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Kristen Wiig and countless others who made their way onto the big screen after a successful run on the nearly fifty-year-old show.
The trajectory of Kyle Mooney's career has been fascinating to track as the performer seems to have no trouble adapting to comedic skits or dramatic narratives. Mooney has successfully landed roles in Arrested Development, Bob's Burgers, Rick and Morty, and he even voiced a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. His show on Netflix, Saturday Morning All-Star Hits! is an ambitious comedy experiment, and the tragically underappreciated 2017 feature Brigsby Bear may have flown by the radar for many fans. Both projects involve writer-director Dave McCary, who also writes for Saturday Night Live, representing a promising collaboration.
Let's take a closer look at Kyle Mooney's comedic content and what the future may hold for the talented actor/comedian.
2017 saw the release of Brigsby Bear, a brilliant blend of comedy and drama, giving flight to Mooney's signature acting techniques. The character is written perfectly for the actor's wit and charm. The underrated film follows the story of James Pope, a boy kidnaped by mentally ill eccentrics as a baby and brought up in a make-believe post-apocalyptic world complete with the one-and-only television show made specifically for James, Brigsby Bear Adventures.
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The unlikely plot strikes a great balance of comedy and drama for Mooney, whose childlike character must come to grips with his false upbringing and reclamation into normal society. He does this by embracing his bizarre Brigsby Bear obsession, which leads him to the filmmaking process, inspiring everyone around him as he attempts to finish the story crafted by his false dad, played impeccably by Mark Hamill.
The film features great performances from seasoned actors like Greg Kinnear and Claire Danes, as well as memorable appearances by Andy Samberg and Tim Heidecker. The movie hopefully represents one of many collaborations that allow Mooney to shine and continue to evolve the unique sub-genre that is the dramedy.
A recurring motif is an extensive collection of obscure VHS tapes that seems to accompany the actor wherever he goes. The hilarious and clunky signature trait is likely a true-to-life-inspired quirk. Mooney's Netflix show Saturday Morning All-Star Hits! continues celebrating a previous era's pop culture, attempting a full alternate parody universe of early '90s television programming. The show leans heavily on a rivalry between twin brother hosts Skip and Treybor, whose interstitials break up an impressive number of original animated parodies that comprise most of the show.
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While overflowing with creativity, the show blends its dynamic blend of parody animation, live-action, and general nostalgia. It includes some of the most on-point '80s and '90s animation homages ever made. Often it's more odd than funny, though, and certainly falls in line with programming you might find on a network like Adult Swim. Mooney's career is a prime example of the challenges faced by the modern stable of premium comedic talent who have come up in a world of YouTube and digital content.
Often taking inspiration from the weird realm of content creation, Mooney has made a name for himself in countless unique ways. Signaling a sign of the times, Mooney is sometimes appearing as four individual characters on screen at one time which doesn't always work. As countless streaming models continue to emerge, there is an over-saturation theme appearing more and more in media as well, which Mooney seems to be tapping into. Titles like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Multiverse of Madness may pack a subtext that speaks to the media overload we are experiencing.
As the world continues to struggle amidst rising energy costs, war, environmental, and supply chain problems, the comedy genre has never been more important as a place to decompress from modern anxieties. As Kyle Mooney keeps finding opportunities to flex his comedy muscle and refine his skill, his efforts are not going unnoticed. Whichever movie or show he lands next will undoubtedly be improved by his presence.