Gary Gulman's journey from 'The Great Depresh' to Carnegie Hall

Gulman's had quite a journey through the depths of crippling depression to a new 90-minute show, "Born On 3rd Base," which he will perform at Carnegie on Nov. 13 as part of the New York Comedy Festival. Gulman's 2019 HBO special "The Great Depresh," covered a bout of depression he experienced that landed him in the hospital. This special, he tells CNN, is a little less heavy.

"It's still autobiographical, but it's more about my childhood, of being on free lunch and food stamps and welfare and just, I guess stories in a funny way about how we've treated poor kids in America," Gulman says. "And also some stories of income inequality in my observation and financial insecurity in America and how it relates to my life."

Gulman says although the subject matter is serious, he says it's "probably my funniest special so far."

Gulman wrote the set over the past 18 months, during which he also penned a memoir. Although he's unsure depression can ever be cured, he says he is in a much better place now.

"I'm doing great. I think kind of one of the benefits of having been through such a severe and extensive bout of depression is that I'm really aware. I would say vigilant about any sort of signs that I need to adjust my behavior in order to ward off another bout," Gulman shares. "I exercise nearly every day and I eat right and I go to my therapist and I take my medicine. I'm hyperaware of what I need to do to make sure that mood and my mental health is maintained. I'm grateful for that."

He has had shorter durations of depression, Gulman says, but his recovery is quicker and the bouts have never been as bad as the one he covers in "The Great Depresh."

Gulman can also be seen in the upcoming Any Schumer Hulu project "Life and Beth." He says he enjoyed playing Schlomo, an observant Jewish man who loves people.

"I got a really fun part on that and got to hang around with Amy and Michael [Rapaport] and other comedians on the show, and it was really, it was so much fun," he says. "The show is really funny and well-written, and she's such a great actress and comedian and a friend."

As for Carnegie Hall, Gulman calls it a dream come true.

"I mean, look, it's Carnegie Hall," he says. "My dreams were never audacious enough to really dream of performing it at Carnegie Hall. It's really a dream come true."

The NY Comedy Fest runs through Nov. 14.

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