I must admit, I was rather late to the "John Mulaney fan" game. I only discovered his stand up specials last year, after years of having some preconceived notion that he was "overrated" or "not funny." Oh, how very wrong I was. As soon as he told his first jokes in his "New In Town" special about 13-year-olds accusing him of having feminine hips, I was hooked on his self-deprecating style and animated delivery. In eager anticipation of his next Netflix special, "Kid Gorgeous," which comes out on Netflix May 1, I thought I'd look back and assess why exactly I love this tall child so much.

1. He reminds me of a 1950s radio announcer

John Mulaney has a way of speaking that always sounds very rehearsed and performative, without being obnoxious at all. His delivery is consistently emphatic, sassy, and very "old school" in that he often sounds like he's performing a radio advertisement for soap, or some other household product that was popular back then. I assume that this tone of voice is partly an act when he's on stage or on a talk show, but part of me really hopes that this is just how he talks all the time.

2. The SNL episode he hosted this April was actually very funny

Mulaney was an SNL writer for almost five years before he really became famous, and I was surprised that it took him this long to come back to the show as a host. I was worried going in that I'd overhyped the episode's potential, but it proved to very much live up to my personal hype. From the wild "Diner Lobster" sketch, to a hilarious digital short in which Mulaney played two twins on their own reality show, to a fantastic monologue, John Mulaney delivered in every respect in his first time hosting SNL. I can only hope he'll be asked to host again in the near future.

3. He is a masterful storyteller and can make even the most ordinary scenario sound entertaining

One of my favorite things about John Mulaney's stand-up specials is how artfully he turns moments from his everyday life into 10-minute long sagas that end in disaster, embarrassment, or both. Even when he appears on talk shows without, presumably, as much prepared material as he performs with, he always takes the audience on a hilarious personal journey. I know that Mulaney often jokes that he is an old soul at heart, but I have no doubt he'll make a great grandfather one day, one who regales his grandkids for hours on end with elaborate life stories that have meaningful lessons at the end.

4. He doesn't take anything about himself too seriously

Granted, I think this is sort of a requirement for most successful comedians because most funny people tend to make fun of themselves fairly easily. However, Mulaney has a special knack for identifying aspects about himself to playfully mock in his stand-up, whether it's his Catholic upbringing, excessive politeness, or college drinking habits. Though I would never wish for him to have low self-esteem, I am thankful that apparently years of not taking himself that seriously brought him to his current state of comedic perfection.

5. He has an unusual appreciation for the music of Tom Jones

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, watch this, and then get back to me. I don't want to spoil the entire joke here, because it's a masterpiece and I certainly could not do it justice in a couple of sentences. Apparently, other people have tried this exact stunt in that same diner, or other diners, and been told off rather sternly from the management. All I have to say is, John Mulaney paved the way for all of us to terrorize our favorite local diners by playing classic songs 21 times in a row.

6. He seamlessly transitioned from "stand up comedian" to "Broadway star" and back to "stand up comedian" with 'Oh Hello' on Broadway

For whatever reason, I did not see this show when it was on Broadway. As soon as it closed, I instantly regretted missing it, but I was subsequently thrilled when I saw that it was coming to Netflix. Oh Hello is basically what happens when two comedians who are also lifelong friends decide to make a Broadway show about themselves as 70-year old Jewish men. It's ridiculous, absurd, and incredibly funny, actually even funnier than I thought it would be. I do sincerely hope that Mulaney makes another appearance on Broadway soon, and I'll be sure not to miss it this time.

7. His awards show-hosting gigs are entertaining without patting Hollywood on the back too much

The only major awards show that I know he's hosted has been the Independent Spirit Awards with Nick Kroll for the last two years, and both of those opening monologues had me laughing hysterically. What I love most about his hosting gigs is that he and Kroll don't suck up to the Hollywood elite quite as much as other awards show hosts do and aren't afraid to call out the actors in attendance for their absurdly lavish lives. Kroll and Mulaney also consistently make fun of the whole concept of awards shows while telling hilarious jokes left and right. I would not be surprised if these two were asked to host the Golden Globes or the Oscars at some point, as I really think they're the Hollywood heroes we need right now.

8. His comedy is relatable, yet very classy

Though John Mulaney seems to be popular mostly among millennial-age people, I feel that his comedy could appeal to a large age group. For the most part, he keeps it clean, and even his more ~scandalous~ stories are told in a way that makes it seem like he's led a classy existence his whole life. I personally love this about him, as I think it sets him apart from other comedians who make a living off of vulgar stories and excessive cursing, which just gets boring after a while.

9. He didn't let a failed sitcom derail his comedic career, and in fact he's better than ever

I never saw any of his sitcom when it first aired, but I do remember that it got absolutely terrible reviews. Perhaps this is what turned me off of watching his stand up specials for the longest time. It's a shame that this initial TV gig didn't work out, but ultimately I think it's helped Mulaney hone his style over time. Network TV sitcoms with laugh tracks are too structured for his witty humor that thrives in an unstructured setting, in which he has room to improv and add banter. He has had TV success recently as part of the Netflix show Big Mouth, and honestly I think he'd be a great talk show host one day. I hope that he ultimately translates into success beyond just his stand up specials, though those are definitely his strongest work.

10. He embraces flamboyant gestures in a truly hilarious fashion

Finally, one of my favorite things about John Mulaney's comedy is that he makes great use of exaggerated gestures to act out either himself or the people he's describing. Usually, he accompanies these amusing gestures with impressions that all suspiciously sound like Jewish grandmothers. I really appreciate that he does not hold back when he's performing and clearly does not shy away from making a fool of himself. I read somewhere that successful comedians "will literally do anything for a laugh," and he seems to fit into that category without ever seeming desperate.

I could go on, but I think I've covered the gist of why I appreciate the comedic stylings of John Mulaney so much. To me, he's a voice of this generation that I'm sure will have a long and beloved career in comedy. Even if he can't keep burning the candle at both ends.