Difficult People Faces The Jim Gaffigan Show In The Battle Of The Johns Mulaney

Which show gives its John Mulaney a splashier introduction?

In "Ugly," S02.E03 of The Jim Gaffigan Show, Jim must determine whether he's going to submit to the indignity of auditioning for a character named "Ugly" -- and not ironically, either, the way big guys are sometimes nicknamed "Tiny." Ultimately deciding the humiliation is worth it for the chance to act opposite Alec Baldwin, Jim heads down to a casting office, where he runs into his comedy colleague John Mulaney -- except John's not auditioning for "Ugly"; he's lined up with a bunch of other Catholic-looking white dudes outside the door where producers are seeing performers looking to be considered for "Young JFK." Which, as soon as you see it, just makes you wonder why the actual John Mulaney hasn't actually played young JFK already.

"Unplugged," the Season 2 premiere of Difficult People, finds Billy trying out his new gym, and making a new friend!

Winner: Difficult People.

Which show's John Mulaney has less to be embarrassed about?

Some might say that life as a working actor is generally embarrassing, what with the groveling for work and the constant rejection, but there's really nothing embarrassing in the job The Jim Gaffigan Show's John is pursuing, unless the project focuses intently on the rumours that JFK's people stole the presidential election for him. Even landing the role of "Ugly" over Jim can't tarnish John, since the episode makes it clear that he'll be playing it under prosthetics that will disfigure his natural handsomeness. But Cecil, the character Mulaney plays on Difficult People, is not only an "Old-Timey" -- a subculture of weirdos Billy read about in the Times's Sunday Styles section -- who wears a bowler hat and rides a pennyfarthing; he's also an antiques dealer...

...with an unsettlingly large secret cache of Nazi memorabilia.

Winner: The Jim Gaffigan Show. (Just because Cecil is not even slightly embarrassed about his Third Reich tchotchkes doesn't mean he shouldn't be!)

Which show's John Mulaney is doing better?

Cecil may brave the potential Athlete's Foot that's always a risk of membership in a public gym, but it seems as though it's mainly for the hookups; in addition to his antiques business, he's the heir to a jelly bean fortune. The Jim Gaffigan Show's John is doing fine, but he doesn't have fuck-you confection money.

Winner: Difficult People.

Which show's Mulaney leaves its protagonist happier than he found him?

Jim's encounter with John on The Jim Gaffigan Show is not only more humiliating for Jim in the short term, as Jim has to reveal to a peer that he's trying to get a job playing someone Ugly; it's worse in the long term when Jim loses out on that job to John and his handsomeness. Cecil, meanwhile, not only showers Billy with costly gifts and gratifies him sexually; the discovery of Cecil's shameful Nazi collection also gives Billy a reason to curse him out floridly: "Fuck breaking up gracefully and fuck you, you tincture-making, derby hat-wearing, jelly bean-inventing, pennyfarthing-riding, steam room-blowing, Nazi stuff-selling piece of shit!" Unleashing hell like this is something Billy doesn't seem to relish as much as his dear friend and soulmate Julie does, but you'd have to be really evolved not to take a little pleasure in dishing out a tongue-lashing so richly deserved.

Winner: Difficult People.

Which show's Mulaney is Mulaneyer?

John Mulaney plays "John Mulaney" in The Jim Gaffigan Show. Even if it's a fictionalized John Mulaney, it's still by definition far Mulaneyer than Cecil.

Winner: The Jim Gaffigan Show.

Verdict

There's really no point pretending you don't have time to enjoy both of John Mulaney's recent summer sitcom appearances, and then go on to devour The Comeback Kid, his most recent Netflix standup special. But if you have to make a choice, Difficult People's Cecil is the way to go.

Winner: Difficult People.