John Mulaney’s French Bulldog, Petunia, Has Died

If you are a fan of John Mulaney’s comedy, you have heard of Petunia, the French Bulldog he and his ex-wife, artist Anna Marie Tendler, got together during their relationship. Petunia was the subject of many jokes in Mulaney’s bits, and after his split from Tendler in 2021 (they officially divorced in 2022), remained a social media star on her mom’s Instagram account. Today, both Tendler and Mulaney announced on their separate Instagram accounts that Petunia, who was in their 2014 wedding and would reportedly have turned 10 this June, has died.

Tendler wrote the following:

“Rest in peace my sweet Petunia. You were my best friend and the great love of my life. You were the funniest. You were the smartest. You were the weirdest. Everything about you was the best thing. To think I will never again hold you, hear you, or see your big, beautiful brown eyes gazing back at me seems unfathomable. Thank you for letting me be your constant companion, and for being mine. I love you with every part [of] me. Until we meet again in our next life ❤️.”

Shortly after, Mulaney, whose latest comedy special, Baby J, came out on Netflix this week, followed up in his own post: “Petunia, I loved you from the first moment I saw you. Rest in peace. Thank you for being my little shadow.”

Besides the fact that she was a member of the dog breed that recently edged out the Labrador Retriever as the most popular in America, Petunia has long held icon status. In his 2018 Radio City Music Hall Netflix special, Kid Gorgeous, Mulaney talked about how Petunia was “one of my most favorite people I’ve ever met in my life.”

He went on to describe his life in New York City with Petunia, saying that because she was a brachycephalic breed, she had trouble breathing, so they got her a stroller for walks. He described it as “a big stroller, and it has a big black hood. And people lean in to see the baby. And instead they see a gargoyle...Her paws are sweating. We’re like, ‘He’s sick.’”

During that set, he talked about how he wanted do a painting of Petunia at the Last Supper, surrounded by other French Bulldog apostles. As part of the joke, Mulaney recounted that Tendler thought Petunia should “be in the middle where Jesus is, in front of the turkey.” So, that said, we can only hope that Petunia is enjoying a beautiful turkey meal wherever she is now.