Josh Johnson (comedian)
Josh Johnson | |
|---|---|
Johnson in 2019 | |
| Born | 16 March 1990[1] Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Centenary College of Louisiana |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, writer |
| Website | joshjohnsoncomedy |
Josh Johnson (born 16 March 1990) is an American stand-up comedian and writer. He became a correspondent on The Daily Show in February 2024, after being a writer on the show since 2017. He was also previously a writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He toured with Trevor Noah on his Loud & Clear tour for several years. In 2018, he was named New York's Funniest Stand Up at the New York Comedy Festival. He has released two hour-long comedy specials, # (Hashtag) (2021) and Up Here Killing Myself (2023).
Early life
Johnson is from Alexandria, Louisiana. His mother, a former special education teacher before neurosurgery, worked as a librarian at the same library Johnson visited after school.[2] His father worked as a teacher, and his parents are separated. He has a brother.[3] He studied design[4] and received a degree in lighting design for theater from Centenary College in 2012.[5] While in college, he performed at open mic nights, inspired by Christopher Titus.[4] He lived in Chicago before moving to New York City.
Career
Johnson made his late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he was also a writer and performer.[5] Since 2017, he has been a writer for The Daily Show,[5] where he made his debut as an on-air correspondent in 2024. His first half-hour special was released on Comedy Central in 2017.[6] His comedic story "Catfishing the KKK" has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube.[7]
In 2018, he appeared on the Netflix stand-up comedy series The Comedy Lineup.[8] At the New York Comedy Festival that year, he was named New York's Funniest Stand Up.[9]
He toured with Trevor Noah on the Loud & Clear tour beginning in 2019.[10][5]
Johnson's first hour-long stand-up special was # (Hashtag).[11] It was released in June 2021 on Comedy Central to a positive reception, including being named one of the best comedy specials of 2021 by Vulture magazine.[12][13] Variety named him one of 10 Comics to Watch.[4] Also that year, he took bits from his stand-up and interspersed music compositions in a 33-track mixtape album called Elusive, which he worked on with Mike Relm.[14][15] His second special, Up Here Killing Myself, was released in February 2023 on Peacock.[12]
Johnson voices Harry Buns on the Disney Channel series Kiff, which premiered in March 2023, his first acting role in a major scripted TV series.[16]
Starting from July 13, 2023,[17] Johnson has uploaded routines from his open mics and performances at the Comedy Cellar and his running tours every week at his personal YouTube channel.[18] Coverage and criticism of Johnson's uploads praise their remarkable frequency, thematic consistency, and depth.[19][20]
Personal life
Johnson has a long-term girlfriend he lives with and keeps his personal life private.
Discography
| Year | Name | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | I Like You | ||
| 2021 | Elusive | ||
| #Hashtag | |||
| 2022 | Channel Black | ||
| Some of the Best of the Josh Johnson Show, Vol. 1 | |||
| 2023 | Biden! Karen! OnlyFans! A Josh Johnson Basement Tape | ||
| Up Here Killing Myself | |||
| Some of the Best of the Josh Johnson Show, Vol. 2 | |||
| Leaps | |||
| 2024 | Josh Johnson: Live from Before |
References
- ^ "Josh Johnson - Personalized videos on Cameo".
- ^ AreYouGarbage? Comedy Podcast (June 11, 2025). Josh Johnson | Are You Garbage Comedy Podcast w/ Kevin Ryan & H. Foley. Retrieved June 26, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Josh Johnson (June 23, 2025). This TikTok Prank is Accidentally Healing Men. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
- ^ a b c Ferme, Antonio; Plunkett, Paul; Miller, Stuart; Shanfeld, Ethan; Gilchrist, Todd (July 27, 2021). "Mirth Makers on the Rise". Variety. Vol. 352, no. 20. pp. 11–16. ISSN 0042-2738.
- ^ a b c d The Times (January 29, 2021). "Centenary College's free virtual convocation features interview with NowThis, 'Daily Show' media". Shreveport Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Season 1, Ep. 9 – Josh Johnson – Full Episode – Comedy Central US". Comedy Central. January 26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Johnson, Josh (November 15, 2017). "Catfishing the KKK". Yum's The Word. YouTube. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Watch The Comedy Lineup". Netflix Official Site. November 26, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ "New York's Funniest Stand Up – New York Comedy Festival". New York Comedy Festival – Official Website. November 8, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Martinson, Elizabeth (June 5, 2019). "Trevor Noah brings laughs to Pittsburgh". The Pitt News. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Greenough, Jason (June 3, 2021). "Josh Johnson's first hour special '# (Hashtag)' set to hit Comedy Central". Vanyaland.
- ^ a b Miller, Kirk (February 17, 2023). "How Josh Johnson Uses His Therapy for Laughs". InsideHook.
- ^ VanArendonk, Kathryn (December 16, 2021). "The Best Comedy Specials of 2021". Vulture. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Comedian Josh Johnson Dares To Make Us Laugh In A Global Pandemic". NPR.org. September 30, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Wilstein, Matt (September 14, 2021). "Josh Johnson Made Jimmy Fallon and Trevor Noah Funnier. Now It's His Turn". The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Thompson, Avery (January 24, 2023). "Lauren Ash & More Stars To Recur In Disney Channel Series 'Kiff': Exclusive Theme Song Reveal". Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Josh (June 12, 2023). ""Biden, Karen, OnlyFans – Josh Johnson – Comedy Cellar Set – Stand Up Comedy"". YouTube. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Johnson, Josh. "Josh Johnson". YouTube. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Pandya, Hershal (August 21, 2024). "The Daily Show's Josh Johnson Is Reaching New Prolific Heights". Vulture. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Miller, Stuart (September 13, 2024). "Josh Johnson put out over 22 hours of stand-up material in a year, and somehow is still hungry to do more". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 17, 2024.