The video, posted to YouTube on March 21, 2025, features Mooney fielding a phone call where he declares, "The whole point is that I’m letting the world see the real me. We went over this. I don’t want to be a clown anymore." However, the album - a genre-spanning attempt at music - has been met with harsh scrutiny, with its elementary production and Mooney's lackluster vocal delivery failing to resonate as either comedy or art, leaving fans and critics questioning the intent behind this latest venture.
Mooney, born on September 4, 1984, in San Diego, grew up in Scripps Ranch, the youngest of three boys to parents Linda, a former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter, and Brian, an environmental consultant. His early life was marked by a flair for performance - his Marshall Middle School class voted him most likely to become a TV star, and at Scripps Ranch High School, he earned the title of class clown while winning Best Actor for his role as Prospero in The Tempest.
Mooney's love for San Diego runs deep; in a 2019 San Diego Union-Tribune interview, he expressed his affection for the city’s culture, saying he cherished carne asada burritos and the red salsa at Rigoberto’s. That connection has kept him tied to the area, often spotted at Padres games both at Petco Park and on the road, proudly sporting vintage Padres caps - a nod to his "Inside SoCal" sketches from his SNL days.
Mooney's entertainment career took off after studying film at the University of Southern California, where he joined the improv group Commedus Interruptus alongside future SNL collaborators Beck Bennett, Nick Rutherford, and Dave McCary, a childhood friend from San Diego. In 2007, the quartet formed the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor, uploading videos to their YouTube channel GoodNeighborStuff that gained millions of views.
Mooney joined Saturday Night Live in 2013 as a featured player, rising to repertory status by 2015 and staying until 2022. During his nine-season run, he became known for characters like the 4/20 Weed-Smoking Guy, Chris Fitzpatrick, and Bruce Chandling, as well as celebrity impressions ranging from Jeff Bezos to Pope Francis. Beyond SNL, Mooney co-wrote and starred in the 2017 film Brigsby Bear, which premiered at Sundance, and co-created the 2021 Netflix series Saturday Morning All Star Hits!, a nostalgic take on 1980s and 1990s Saturday morning cartoons. His directorial debut, the A24 disaster comedy Y2K, released in December 2024, further showcased his versatility.
The Real Me, released on March 21, 2025, through independent label Stones Throw, marks Mooney’s first foray into music as Kyle M., with the artist claiming to have sung all the songs and played all the instruments himself. In the YouTube video, while browsing guitars at Music Central in Mira Mesa - a store known for its wide selection of instruments and gear - Mooney reflects on the project, stating, "I promise, this is art that is earnestly me. There’s no walls. There’s no boundaries." He later adds, "I'm sure this all feels like a joke. I get it. I promise, there is nothing comedic about the 'Kyle M. Project'. I've poured everything into my music, and all I'm asking from you is that you listen to 'The Real Me'." But if this is earnest, it's an unmitigated disaster.
The Real Me, released on March 21, 2025, through independent label Stones Throw, marks Mooney’s first foray into music as Kyle M., with the artist claiming to have sung all the songs and played all the instruments himself. In the YouTube video, while browsing guitars at Music Central in Mira Mesa - a store known for its wide selection of instruments and gear - Mooney reflects on the project, stating, "I promise, this is art that is earnestly me. There’s no walls. There’s no boundaries." He later adds, "I'm sure this all feels like a joke. I get it. I promise, there is nothing comedic about the 'Kyle M. Project'. I've poured everything into my music, and all I'm asking from you is that you listen to 'The Real Me'." But if this is earnest, it's an unmitigated disaster.
The album's 11 tracks are a chaotic mess, with lyrics that sound like Mooney made them up on the spot, devoid of any coherent thought or structure. The sound quality is atrocious - buzzing and distorted as if recorded on a cheap cell phone. Mooney doesn't even attempt to sing, instead mumbling and stuttering through lines like a nervous karaoke reject. Clocking in at only 20 minutes, at least the torture isn't prolonged.
Tracks like "I’m Not That Guy" feature him droning, "I’m not that guy, the one you laugh at, I’m the real me, can't you see?"- a painful slog that's neither melodic nor rhythmic. "California Summer" is particularly excruciating, with lines like, "S-s-summer in Cali, I’m f-f-free, or am I?" over a droning synth loop that makes you want to flee into hibernation as far from a speaker as possible. It's amazingly horrible, leaving one to wonder: what is going on? Is Kyle Mooney okay? Should someone check in on him?
Mooney’s history suggests a penchant for blending humor with sincerity - Brigsby Bear drew from his love of 1980s children’s shows, and Saturday Morning All Star Hits! leaned into nostalgic absurdity. Yet, The Real Me lacks the charm or wit of those projects. The YouTube video, showing Mooney walking through his childhood home and visiting Music Central, hints at a personal journey, but his declaration of shedding his "clown" persona feels hollow when the album fails to deliver on musical or comedic merit.
Mooney’s history suggests a penchant for blending humor with sincerity - Brigsby Bear drew from his love of 1980s children’s shows, and Saturday Morning All Star Hits! leaned into nostalgic absurdity. Yet, The Real Me lacks the charm or wit of those projects. The YouTube video, showing Mooney walking through his childhood home and visiting Music Central, hints at a personal journey, but his declaration of shedding his "clown" persona feels hollow when the album fails to deliver on musical or comedic merit.
Having listened to the album, I can’t help but wish I hadn’t wasted those 20 minutes of my life - neither entertaining nor innovative, it's bad in every regard. Fans who have followed Mooney’s career - from his Padres game appearances to his SNL sketches - may find this release perplexing. While Mooney’s San Diego roots and entertainment legacy remain a point of pride, The Real Me risks alienating even his most loyal supporters with its shockingly poor execution. Perhaps, as Mooney himself might reflect, some walls and boundaries could have served this project better.
SNL alum Kyle Mooney's new album The Real Me is a San Diego dumpster fire so bad, you'll scream, "What the F is going on here?!?" track after unlistenable track.
See Kyle Mooney's video below about The Real Me, filmed mostly around San Diego.
