Annamarie Tendler, John Mulaney’s Wife, Usurped ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’ Without Even Trying

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’s return to television has been a complicated thing. Though Jerry Seinfeld‘s car-based talk show has always had a devoted fan following, it’s latest season has received less than stellar reviews — from Jen Chaney’s scathing take, to Hank Stuever’s claim that the series has run out of gas. Despite its lackluster critical response, there’s one part of Season 10 that stands as a must-watch moment. In the span of roughly a minute, makeup artist Annamarie Tendler turns the entire series on its head.

Tendler, who is married to comedian John Mulaney, only appears at the end of Mulaney’s episode, “A Hooker in the Rain.” But her presence is felt all throughout the 18-minute saga. After Seinfeld picks up Mulaney, the current comedy it boy asks his legendary peer if they can go rug shopping. Seinfeld begrudgingly accepts and what follows is a wordless examination about why this series about super rich and highly successful people enjoying their fame can be so frustrating.

Because of who he is, Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars guests typically bend to whatever his whims are, riding around in cramped older cars and courteously listening to his musings about the evolution of comedy. But by the structure of his very show, the roles should be reversed. As the interviewer, Seinfeld should be listening to his interview subjects to make them more comfortable.

Mulaney and his quest to find his wife a rug is one of the only comedians to test this power shift, and Seinfeld doesn’t take it well. As soon as the pair enter ABC Carpet & Home, Seinfeld starts complaining. But as the episode progresses and they see more and more rugs, his annoyance evolves from joking jabs to palpable frustration.

That’s when Seinfeld leans into what makes Comedians in Cars such a perversely interesting and sometimes aggravating show — its obsession with wealth. From the vintage cars Seinfeld borrows to its “humanizing” celebrity stories that involve personal yachts and TV shows, Comedians in Cars has always been a show that likes to pretend it’s not dripping with money. It’s just showing off how normal and relatable its subjects are, extravagant vacations and all. The rug adventure prompts Seinfeld to break this unspoken rule. As the episode continues he judges Mulaney for wanting to haggle, brags about inventing the American Express Black Card, and buys the rug Mulaney wants in a move that feels like using his wealth to force someone else to do what he wants.

After all of this rug talk and all the tension between the two comedians, Mulaney finally unveils the gifted rug to Annamarie Tendler at the end of the episode. Without even a second’s hesitation, she shoots it down with a curt “no.” Seinfeld is visibly shocked by her dismissal, but Tendler never changes her mind. Unlike some of the guests who have appeared on this show, she isn’t distracted by Seinfeld’s fame to the point of agreeing with something she doesn’t want. She’s unapologetically herself; and much like the trip to the rug store itself, Seinfeld is the one who has to yield to her.

Is it weird that John Mulaney decided to use his episode to go rug shopping? Yes. Was it probably intended to be a silly stunt for a silly show? Absolutely. But that stunt wordlessly flips the script on this fame-focused talk show. John Mulaney’s name may be on his Comedians in Cars episode, but it’s Annamarie Tendler who’s the real winner.

Stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on Netflix