John Mulaney didn’t hold back when taking a jab at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s underwhelming Netflix projects while addressing an audience filled with Hollywood A-listers, including Ben Affleck and Tina Fey.
The comedian, 42, made the remark while promoting his upcoming live talk show, Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, at Netflix’s Next on Netflix event at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
As he teased the format of his new show, Mulaney quipped, “This will be the one place where you could see Arnold Schwarzenegger sitting next to Nikki Glaser sitting next to a family therapist with music by Mannequin Pussy.” He then praised Netflix for taking a risk on him, adding, “This is a really fun experiment. Not since Harry and Meghan has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.”
The joke was a direct reference to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s 2020 deal with Netflix, reportedly worth $100 million, to produce content for the platform. While their 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan garnered attention, other projects—including their animated series Pearl—were scrapped. Their 2024 docuseries Polo also failed to gain traction, leading to increased scrutiny over the couple’s ability to deliver successful content.
“Fact is, Harry and Meghan were paid an exorbitant amount of money by Netflix and have little to show for it,” an industry insider told InTouch Weekly. “Whether they admit it or not, the pressure is on for the Sussexes to deliver a hit.”
Markle, 43, is now gearing up for the release of her upcoming Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, set to premiere on March 4. The lifestyle series will feature cooking, gardening, and hosting tips, tying into her newly launched American Riviera Orchard brand. Originally set for a January 15 debut, Markle postponed the release out of respect for those affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires.
Meanwhile, Mulaney’s Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney will premiere on Netflix on March 12, with a rotating cast of celebrity guests in an unscripted, unpredictable format. If his latest joke is any indication, audiences can expect sharp humor and unfiltered commentary throughout the series.
