Last week it was reported that John Mulaney and Olivia Munn had welcomed the birth of their son back on Nov. 24. It was the first child for both Mulaney, 39, and Munn, 41, but the happy news was overshadowed by the real or perceived drama surrounding the comedian’s personal life.
Mulaney’s relationship (and later pregnancy) with Munn was revealed in the immediate fallout of news that he and his now-estranged wife Anna Marie Tendler were separating. And as such, many fans who had previously rooted on Mulaney and Tendler for their “couple goals” felt personally betrayed.
For her part, Tendler has not opened up on their breakup, other than commenting that she was “heartbroken that John has decided to end our marriage” through a spokesperson in May. Still, that hasn’t stopped folks from pouring through the artist’s Instagram and TikTok accounts to search for clues, where she seems to be thriving.
But on Sunday, just two days after TMZ broke the baby news, Tendler may have finally given the people what they’ve been wanting with a well-timed Instagram post. “Norman F******g Rockwell,” Tendler captioned the photo, in which she was pictured sitting in front of a large elaborate mirror, looking morose.
It didn’t take long for would-be detectives to begin breaking down the cryptic post.
“Norman F***ing Rockwell,” as many are aware, is the title track of Lana Del Rey’s 2019 album. And the lyrics are, uh, not super subtle!
Godamn, man child
You fucked me so good that I almost said, “I love you”
You’re fun and you’re wild
But you don’t know the half of the shit that you put me through
Your poetry’s bad and you blame the news
But I can’t change that and I can’t change your mood
A jab at Mulaney, perhaps? Depending on who you ask, the answer ranges from “there’s a very good chance” to “almost freaking certainly.”
“You act like a kid even though you stand six foot two,” reads another lyric of the song, which could even be interpreted as a reference to Mulaney’s height. And suffice to say, people were absolutely titillated with the shade.
“Another piece to analyze every pixel of,” commented one sleuth. “Lana del Rey reference?? Okay!!!!” added another excited fan. “It’s just what they do sis,” quipped yet another user.
And if Tendler was indeed shading her ex, it seems as though she has good reason. Previously, Mulaney opened up about his stints in rehab, separation from Tendler, relationship with Munn, and pregnancy during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers in September.
“In the spring, I went to Los Angeles and met and started to date a wonderful woman named Olivia – Olivia Munn,” Mulaney told Meyers at the time. “And we’re having a baby together … I’m going to be a dad. We’re both really, really happy.”
However, counting backward, the November birthday seems to throw off his timeline. If Munn went full-term, it seems more likely that she got pregnant in February or March. It’s unclear whether Mulaney was still with Tendler at the time, but things considered, she may have actually been quite the restrained comment.
On the other hand, Lana Del Rey lyrics are always appropriate Instagram captions as the world burns.