John Mulaney Reveals Parenting Hack for Teaching Son to Ride a Bike

John Mulaney Reveals His Hilarious Hack for Teaching His Son to Ride a BikeLearning to ride a bike is no laughing matter. John Mulaney shared his unorthodox method for teaching his and wife Olivia Munn’s 4-year-old son Malcolm to ride a bike. "I'm teaching him to ride a bike currently," he exclusively told E! News' Will Marfuggi at the Nov. 5 premiere of Prime Video's Madden, which is in select theaters Nov. 18, "and it is funny, because I can ride one for sure. I don't do it often, but I can ride one. But I have no idea how to communicate to him." "Like, 'I don't know, man,'" Mulaney continued. "'You just you kind of just stop moving your arms around.'" So the 44-year-old, also dad to Méi, 2, with the Newsroom alum, leaned on a "hack" to get through to Malcolm, though he made sure to emphasize that he "can't pretend" he came up with it. "I put a pair of sweatpants," he explained, "I hold the legs, and then the crotch of the sweatpants is around his chest into his armpits, he rides, and I'm back kind of holding him up in case he goes from side to side. But he's actually riding it himself, so no training wheels—right to sweatpants."And after nearly five years as a dad under his belt, the training weeks are certainly off when it comes to parenthood—especially around the holidays. In fact, the Everybody's Live with John Mulaney host is really looking forward" to the upcoming holiday season, which is also when his son will celebrate his birthday. "He's gonna be 5," he shared. "My son has his demands, but he's very good at communicating them. If I say, 'You seem really frustrated about this,' he can kinda collect himself and say, 'I just want you to leave, because Mama will let me watch more TV.' And I go, 'OK, so you don't hate me, I just won't let you watch Duggee,' or whatever the hell."Instagram / Olivia MunnMulaney also shared why he took on the role of Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins in Madden, which tells the story of John Madden and the eponymous video game empire he spawned. "What's funny about the game itself—and this is touched on in the movie, but this was really true in the way they looked at it," he said. "This sounds like wishful thinking, but they kind of they realized the game would make kids want to play football and go outside." "Hard to predict when you're designing a video game that this will bring people outside again," Mulaney added, "but they really did want to design a game that got people so involved in football and young people in football that they go, 'This is great! I want to take these plays outside.'"Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicKeep reading for more on Mulaney and Munn's family life...Olivia Munn/InstagramChristmas ChaosJohn Mulaney and Olivia Munn had their hands full with their son Malcolm and daughter Méi in this Christmas 2025 family portrait.Olivia Munn/InstagramBaby BaoMunn dressed her daughter up as a steamed dumpling on Halloween 2026.Olivia Munn/InstagramBirthday GirlThe family celebrated Méi's first birthday in 2025 with a cake that referenced her name. As Munn wrote on Instagram, "Just like her Chinese zodiac and the translation of her name, she’s the perfect mix of a dragon and a plum."Olivia Munn/InstagramBeary Cute"Don’t worry she’s not a real bear," Munn quipped in a January 2025 Instagram post. "Happy 4 months Méi Méi!!"Olivia Munn/InstagramGrumpy FaceMulaney made a face with Méi in this November 2024 Instagram photo.Olivia Munn/InstagramBig BrotherMalcolm gave his sister a sweet kiss in this Instagram photo Munn shared in November 2024.Instagram / John MulaneyWelcome MéiOn Sept. 22, 2024, the couple announced they had welcomed their second child, daughter Méi June Mulaney, via surrogate one week prior. Méi was born on Sept. 14, 2024.Instagram / John MulaneyBaby GirlMunn and Mulaney shares several pics in their birth announcement for their baby girl, including this sweet photo of the three in the hospital.Instagram / Olivia MunnMother of TwoAs part of her birth announcement for baby Méi, Munn shared this pic of the two enjoying a sweet moment.Instagram / John MulaneyFamily of FourMéi joined big brother Malcolm, who was born in 2021. After her birth, Munn and Mulaney shared pics of one of their first outings as a foursome.Instagram / Olivia MunnBaby BlissMunn also shared this pic of newborn Méi catching some zzz's.Instagram/Olivia MunnTime to CelebrateMulaney and Munncelebrated Malcolm's second birthday in November 2023.Instagram/Olivia MunnWay to Go, IdahoThe parents took Malcolm to the Gem State in June 2023.Instagram/Olivia MunnLittle MomentsMunn shared this photo of her family of three on Father's Day 2023.Instagram/Olivia MunnLife's a BeachMulaney and Munn hit the beach with Malcolm in March 2023.InstagramLet Them Eat CakeThe couple rang in Malcolm's first birthday in November 2022, with Munn joking that her mom Kim Munn was getting "impatient" with the cake-cutting.InstagramMaking MemoriesMulaney celebrated his 40th birthday with Munn and Malcolm in August 2022.InstagramDoting DadMunn snapped a sweet moment between Mulaney and their son on stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado in April 2022.InstagramNew Parent PalsThe family of three posed alongside fellow parents Dan Levy and Rachel Specter with their daughter Penny.Instagram4 MonthsMunn and Mulaney celebrated Malcolm turning 4 months old on March 24, 2022.InstagramBirthday Boy"Daddy" Mulaney cuddled with Malcolm on his 4-month birthdate before heading out to Texas.InstagramMommy & MalcolmThe actress shared, "It's been 4 months since the happiest, chillest baby came into my world."InstagramLove at First SightMulaney peered over at his baby boy in this throwback photo from his birth. The comedian wrote in March 2022, "Four months ago I met a 6 lb boy who changed my life forever." InstagramBoys ReunitedMunn captioned this adorable embrace with a teddy bear emoji.InstagramIn the FamilyMunn shared a pic of Malcolm with his grandma a.k.a. the "retired tiger mom." Instagram / Olivia Munn"Buttered Biscuit"Munn gushed over her baby boy.InstagramBaby PlaydateMulaney and Munn introduced Malcolm to friends Henry Golding and Liv Lo Golding, as well as the couple's daughter Lyla, in January 2022. InstagramDads on DutyMulaney and Golding were seen laughing as they held up their tiny tots.InstagramNew MomsThe friends snapped a selfie while introducing their babies.InstagramFirst FriendsAs Munn wrote, "Malcolm met Lyla today."