John Mulaney: Mister Whatever NYE

There are better ways to spend New Year's Eve than watching fireworks on your phone, and John Mulaney at The Wiltern ranks near the top of the list. On December 31, 2026, Mulaney brings his Mister Whatever tour to one of LA's best mid-size music and comedy venues, turning what could be an ordinary night out into a proper send-off for the year.

Mulaney is one of the most consistent stand-ups working today. His specials, from New in Town to Kid Gorgeous to Baby J, have a clean, narrative quality that makes them easy to watch more than once without the jokes going stale. He writes the kind of material that sounds conversational the first time you hear it, and then you catch yourself repeating the exact wording because that's just how the sentence has to go. Mister Whatever is his current touring show, and if the pattern holds, it'll be tight, sharp, and full of the kind of personal storytelling that holds an audience for ninety minutes without anyone checking their phone.

The Wiltern itself is worth noting. Housed inside a 1931 Art Deco building at the corner of Wilshire and Western, it holds around 1,850 people and has one of the better sightlines of any room its size in LA. There's no bad seat, the sound system is well-dialed for spoken word, and the neighborhood (Koreatown, basically, though the address reads Los Angeles) has good options for dinner before the show or a late bite after. Finding parking on Wilshire is manageable if you arrive early; otherwise the Purple Line stops at Wilshire/Western, which puts you at the front door.

For those looking at comedy shows in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve, this one stands out. Most clubs do multi-act packages that feel padded; a Mulaney headliner runs tight and doesn't meander. You're in for a full set from one of the better writers in stand up comedy Los Angeles has seen come through in the last decade, in a room that actually suits the format.

Doors typically open thirty to forty-five minutes before showtime. The Wiltern is 21+ for some events but not generally for comedy shows, so check your ticket details. If you're thinking about things to do near me on December 31 and you're within driving distance of LA, this is a reasonable answer to that question.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. Check the listing for current price and availability, as New Year's Eve shows at this scale sell through quickly once a tour announcement lands.

The Wiltern is at 3790 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. For more comedy events in Los Angeles, browse the full calendar. More things happening in Los Angeles across all categories are on the neighborhoods page.