Meticulous, cerebral, and unexpectedly tender
Gary Gulman is the guy who can turn something as mundane as state abbreviations or a Boston sub shop menu into ten minutes of pure, meticulously crafted joy. His mind works in these wonderful little spirals of specificity — he'll take one weird observation and just keep turning it over until you're crying laughing at something you never once thought about before.
What makes him special isn't just the writing, though the writing is airtight. It's the vulnerability underneath it. He's been remarkably open about his struggles with depression, and that honesty gives even his silliest bits a real warmth and depth. You leave a Gulman set feeling like you laughed hard AND like you know him a little.
He's a comedian's comedian, beloved by other standups for his craft, but totally accessible to anyone who just wants really smart, really funny jokes about growing up Jewish in Massachusetts, being tall and awkward, or the correct way to eat a sandwich.