Josh Johnson (comedian) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Johnson
Johnson in 2019
Born	(1990-03-16) 16 March 1990 (age 35) Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma mater	Centenary College of Louisiana
Occupation	Comedian, writer

Josh Johnson (born March 16, 1990) is an American stand-up comedian and writer. He is famous for his work on the TV show The Daily Show. He started as a writer for the show in 2017.

In February 2024, Johnson became a correspondent, which means he appeared on the show to report on news stories. In July 2025, he became one of the show's main hosts. He has also written for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. For many years, he toured with comedian Trevor Noah.

Johnson has won awards for his comedy. He has also released two popular, hour-long comedy specials: # (Hashtag) (2021) and Up Here ... Myself (2023).

Early Life and Education

Johnson grew up in Alexandria, Louisiana. His mother was a special education teacher. After having brain surgery, she worked as a librarian. Johnson would often visit her at the library after school. His father was also a teacher.

Johnson has one brother. In college, he studied theater lighting design. He graduated from Centenary College in 2012. While in college, he started performing comedy at open mic nights. An open mic night is when anyone can get on stage to perform.

Comedy Career

Television and Early Success

Johnson first appeared on late-night TV on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He was also a writer for the show. In 2017, he joined The Daily Show as a writer. That same year, he had his first 30-minute special on the Comedy Central channel.

One of his most famous comedy stories is called "Catfishing the KKK." A video of this story has been watched over 13 million times on YouTube. In 2018, he appeared on a Netflix comedy show called The Comedy Lineup.

That same year, he won the "New York's Funniest Stand Up" award at the New York Comedy Festival. Starting in 2019, Johnson toured with Trevor Noah on his Loud & Clear tour.

Comedy Specials and More

Johnson's first hour-long special was called # (Hashtag). It came out in 2021 and got great reviews. Variety magazine named him one of the top 10 comedians to watch that year.

He also created a "mixtape album" called Elusive. For this project, he mixed his comedy jokes with music. His second special, Up Here ... Myself, was released in 2023 on the streaming service Peacock.

Recent Work

Johnson is also a voice actor. He voices the character Harry Buns in the Disney Channel show Kiff, which started in 2023. This was his first big acting role.

Since 2023, Johnson has posted new comedy clips every week on his YouTube channel. These clips are from his performances at clubs like the Comedy Cellar.

In July 2025, Johnson was added to the team of hosts for The Daily Show. He hosts the show along with other comedians like Jon Stewart and Desi Lydic. He hosted his first show on July 22, 2025.

Discography