Gary Gulman Turns Depression into Laughter

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Photo via garygulman.com

Gary Gulman

“At least I didn't go to law school.”

Gary Gulman says this not out of any apparent animus for that profession. But it may have been easier to escape the 9-5 as a substitute teacher and accountant and become a comedian of the stature he has achieved. That standing encompasses his ability to play Turner Hall Ballroom (1040 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.) on Wednesday Oct. 13 for an 8 p.m. show on his current Peace of Mind tour. That name of his latest round of stand-ups speaks to the state of his mental health, a subject that supplies some of the inspiration for laughter-generating material that is therapeutic for both Gulman and his listeners.

“I only explicitly discuss my recovery for several minutes near the end of the show,” Gulman says of his struggle with clinical depression that formed the basis of his 2019 HBO special, “Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh,” adding, “but the enthusiasm and renewed confidence since my recovery, the peace of mind, is the source of the entire show.  

“I think it’s poetic to describe fighting mental illness as wrestling demons,” Gulman observes of comedy as a coping mechanism, “but it discounts the very real biological/chemical components that cause mental illness. But sticking with the metaphor, for me, the wrestling was done offstage, in a psychiatrist’s office, a therapist’s office, in a psych ward and during the miles of running and walking my dogs.

“I will say that getting out of my home and being with other comedians and expressing myself was a critical component of my recovery, but once I was feeling well enough to write what became the HBO special, the demon wrestling was minimal. I was feeling so good about feeling good I was driven to share the story, so I could convince people to seek and follow treatment.”

Successful Journey

If it’s gladdening to hear Gulman speak of his successful journey in this regard, it’s enlightening to see him acknowledge it among fellow comics, “I don’t know how many people are wrestling demons onstage or being real with themselves. I love it when they are doing it well, like Maria Bamford and Tig Notaro and Eddie Pepitone.”

Getting his mind right has been a source not only of some of Gulman’s funniest bits, but ongoing rewards of appreciation, “Every day I hear from at least one person who says the ‘Great Depresh’ special made them seek treatment, go back on meds, or just feel seen and less alone. When I did meet-and-greets before the pandemic, I would get hugs and thank-yous from so many people in line. I love hearing that people used my special to let their loved ones know what they were going through. It's really hard to put depression and anxiety into words and I didn't get It perfect but I got close enough for it to help.

“The feedback is something I didn’t expect, and I think it is the best part of all of it, along with my SAG/AFTRA Health Insurance,” says Gulman with gratitude and practicality. And when I share that I sensed that it must have taken courage to make his journey through depression in his art, Gulman concurs. 

Brave to Share

“I think it’s always brave to put your thoughts and creations in front of an audience. For decades, my self-esteem was also on the line. Part of my recovery was removing my self-esteem from the equation. It’s brave enough to share my perspective and personal life with the audience. Letting the resulting laughter or lack of laughter dictate how I feel when I wake up the next day is not safe for me anymore,” Gulman admits. But he has plenty of support to keep him letting whether he kills or dies on any give stage get to him. 

“The first time I told stories of the psych ward or my illness in general on stage, it was kind of brave. However, almost. immediately I was rewarded by the praise and encouragement of other comedians and the audiences,” he shares. “People were so appreciative that I only really needed a deep breath to get through the occasional bump in the road that almost always came on Friday nights after 11 p.m.”

Dealing with mental illness and its aftereffects isn't the only subject of Gulman’s hilarity, but if it makes for his legacy, he’s fine with that. “If the only thing I created was ‘The Great Depresh,’ my time on earth would be a net positive,” he asserts. 

As for his most recent work, Gulman reveals, “While I don’t talk about my condition as much as I did when I did the special, I think it endures in the idea ‘There's the guy who has a similar illness to me or my loved one, and he's having a lot of fun and looks like he had enough energy to shower and iron his clothes tonight.’” 

Here, Gulman riffs on the relativity of technological obsolescence, the dubious necessity of one business, a prominent abbreviation and empowerment through cursive writing, some of which may be broached in his upcoming memoir, K-12...