Josh Johnson is a relatively new name on the U.S. comedy scene, and yet he has put out more original material in the past year than some comics do in a lifetime. While he’s been writing for The Daily Show since 2017, he first appeared as a correspondent in early 2024. Also, throughout the whole of that year, he regularly posted stand-up comedy videos to his YouTube channel more than once a week, each one showcasing completely new stand-up material. From satirizing the internal affairs of the White House to cracking gags about the Drake-Kendrick drama, Johnson’s comedy encompassed a huge range of topics in 2024. Releasing 66 YouTube videos in 2024, Johnson’s free online output adds up to roughly 30 hours of original stand-up material in 2024, not to mention all his work on The Daily Show.
It’s not just the frequency of Johnson’s new material that’s so impressive; it’s also the quality of the jokes. His unique stream-of-consciousness style captivated millions of people in 2024. Each of his YouTube videos (all completely for free) garners hundreds of thousands of views, with many moving past one million views; his stand-up video about Sean “Diddy” Combs is longer than one hour and gained 5.6 million views It’s no surprise that both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show were keen to use Johnson’s talents — and it’s great to see how quickly he’s rising, though it’s entirely deserved.
From the Comedy Cellar to ‘The Daily Show’
His success as a comedian stemmed a ton of road work and eventually two stand-up specials, # (Hashtag) (2021) and Up Here Killing Myself (2023). The former is now available for free through Comedy Central’s YouTube channel, while his second special can be streamed on Apple TV+ or Peacock. Johnson has also become a regular at The Comedy Cellar, one of Manhattan’s most prestigious stand-up venues. He isn’t restricted to New York though; despite living in the Big Apple and filming The Daily Show there, Johnson tours his stand-up prodigiously.
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One of the joys of watching each new video from Johnson is seeing which new part of the Americas he’s performing at, and getting to see how different audiences in different cities react to his style. Johnson is a very oratory stand-up comic, tending to tell long stories and recount events and anecdotes, woven together with thoughtful analysis and delightful humor. Some of his work can be almost philosophical, while other bits transform into beautifully stated, deeply compassionate ruminations on culture and humanity. He never forgets to be funny, though.
It’s also incredible that Johnson is able to tour with completely new material all while filming great material for The Daily Show. After a long period writing on the show under Trevor Noah, he finally appeared on the show as a full-time correspondent in January 2024. While Noah had left the program several months prior, Johnson had remained as a writer on the series and his abilities as a performer were put to use. Since then, he’s led hilarious segments, from “How Rich People Avoid Paying Taxes” to “Do Black Voters F**k With Trump?” In addition to Jon Stewart’s Monday night episodes, Johnson’s moments on the show have been one of its real highlights over the past 12 months.
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Joking About Almost Everything
Johnson’s biggest success is that he doesn’t really seem to have a line of subjects which cannot be joked about — for him, everything is fair game. He has an incredible penchant for turning news events into lengthy comedy bits (something The Daily Show has benefited from). Johnson can take something immediately topical, such as the U.S. Presidential debates, and turn them around the very next day into astounding stand-up comedy. He’s done this with everything from Luigi Mangione shooting the CEO and Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul, to the potential banning of TikTok and Tyreek Hill’s incident with the Miami police department.
What’s extraordinary is his ability to blend those white-knuckle topics with far more trivial pieces, such as his set about “The Demure Trend.” It’s just one of many examples of his staggeringly consistent connection with the cultural zeitgeist. He isn’t afraid of talking about any subject he feels like, either, no matter how taboo — the L.A. Catholic Church’s settlement for sexual abuse, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the Amazon worker strikes, Harvery Weinstein, O.J. Simpson, and many more topics become fascinating, provocative, and hilarious comedy in Johnson’s hands. He’s embraced by an audience which admires his unique trains of thought and how he can be both funny and thought-provoking, regardless of what he’s joking about.
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It’s refreshing for a comedian to be able to take on such a diverse range of topics. Josh Johnson is a real comedy tour de force, and it’s likely that his career will only soar to even greater heights in the coming months. He’s certainly a face to watch with a keen eye. His Twitter feed, like his YouTube channel, is also filled with clips of his various performances, and he can also be found on Instagram. Josh Johnson continues to take comedy to the next level on his YouTube channel. His latest special, Josh Johnson: Live from Before, is available to stream as an audio recording now. Check it out on Spotify here. Johnson is currently on tour; find locations and tickets here.
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