18 October 2019_Esquire
somewhere between those two feelings—the thrill and the
terror—that most of the good stuff in life happens.
Now back to the issue.
This is the first time I’ve selected a cover subject, and it so
happens to be John Mulaney’s first Esquire cover. I feel a cer-
tain kinship with him—we’re about the same age; we’re both
from the Midwest—but that’s not why we’re featuring him.
As Jonah Weiner (who’s writing his first piece for Esquire)
lays out, Mulaney finds himself at a crossroads where every
path leads upward. Because comedy today is more diverse
t h a n e v e r, w e a l s o s u r v e y e d t h e m a n y v o i c e s w h o a r e r e s h a p -
ing the landscape—from Hannah Gadsby and Ramy Youssef
to Julio Torres and Bill Hader—in our Guide to Funny 2019.
It’s not just the comedy evolution we’re thrilled by. Men’sstyle, too! If you ask a stranger on the street to describe an
Esquire Man, I bet they’ll put him in a suit. There’s nothing
wrong with that—we love suits—but the Esquire Man con-
tains multitudes. She might be a woman. Or they might be
nonbinary. That’s the impetus behind How We Dress Now,
spearheaded by our creative director, Nick Sullivan, who
cast real men (and one woman) wearing their own clothes,
not only to show a diversity of style but also to inspire readers.
Sometimes life tilts toward the terrifying, and those sto-
ries are a lso vita l to tell. This month, we have two. The first
is a profile of Jim Boeheim, the Syracuse men’s basketball
coach and a staple of college hoops, who earlier this year was
involved in a car crash that claimed a man’s life. Longtime
Esquire writer Tom Chiarella met with the Hall of Famer,
who opens up for the first time about the accident. The sec-
ond is a dispatch by Bronwen Dickey from the U. S.–Mexico
border, where a team of researchers uncovered a burial plot
c o n t a i n i n g h u n d r e d s o f m i g r a n t s w h o ’d d i e d c r o s s i n g n o r t h.
The researchers have spent the past six years identifying the
bodies, including that of Christian Gonzalez, whose family
last saw him alive in 2012, just before he was deported after
having spent nearly his whole life in America.
The last time I saw Brett was in 2004, in coastal North
Carolina. Just as Hurricane Charley made landfall. As oth-
er vacationers boarded up or evacuated, Brett and I foolish-
ly went to the beach. The rain fell as if from a faucet, and the
waves thundered onto the shore. Brett leaned into the gale as
I took out my camera, and the opposing wind held his body at
a slant as I clicked the shutter. I think about that picture of-
ten, not just to remember Brett but also as a reminder to al-
w ay s lea n i nto t he s tor m.
Since it first hit newsstands in 1933, Esquire has been at its
best when we’ve steered toward the tempest and still kept our
fo o t i n g. W h a t m o t i v a t e s u s t o k e e p a t i t , t o a l w a y s h e a d fo r t h e
b e a c h w hen e ver yone el s e i s he a d i n g for h i g her g r ou nd , i s t o
inform and entertain you, our readers. Sometimes even with
dad jokes. I’ll spare you another for now and just say, simply
and sincerely: I’m glad you’re along for the ride.—Michael SEBASTIAN
photograph: Christian Anwanderhis month, we’re doing a little comedy thing.
To k i c k t h i n g s o ff, I ’ l l t e l l y o u m y f a v o r i t e j o k e :
A grasshopper walks into a bar and hops
onto the stool. The bartender takes one look
at him and says: “Hey, we’ve got a drink
named after you.” The grasshopper says,
“Me? Leonard?”
Is that a dad joke? Yes. Am I a dad? I am! But I’ve been tell-
ing that one for fifteen years, which is eleven years longer than
I’ve had children. I first heard it from my friend Brett. It was
his go-to joke, and telling it always made him cackle. Brett
tragically died fifteen years ago this September, at the age of
twenty-three, a few weeks before the U. S. Marines were to
deploy h im to Iraq. I tel l that joke in pa r t to remember h im.
A s w e p u t t o g e t h e r t h i s i s s u e , I t h o u g h t o f h i m o f t e n , b e c a u s e
he loved all things comedy, and although he wasn’t around to
see the rise of this month’s cover subject, joke teller John Mu-
laney, I’m certain Brett would’ve adored his comedy.
I should take a moment to introduce myself. Hello! I’m Mi-
chael, the new editor of Esquire. I’ve been around the office for
a little while now, serving for the past two years as the editor of
Esquire.com. The new gig is mostly thrilling, and a bit ter-
rifying. Working alongside an incredible team of editors,
writers, photographers, and designers helps me dial up the
one and dampen the other. But not by too much, I hope. It’sA LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
NOT JUST MEN IN SUITS
T
this Way InIT’S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THOSE TWO
FEELINGS—THE THRILL AND THE TERROR—THAT
MOST OF THE GOOD STUFF IN LIFE HAPPENS.