Josh Johnson

Settle into Memorial Hall on a Saturday night and let someone else make sense of the week you just survived. Comedian Josh Johnson turns headlines, relationships, and everyday contradictions into stories that feel less like a set and more like a conversation with a very smart, very funny friend who noticed something you missed.

With over 11 million followers across his social media, Josh Johnson was recently called “the funniest guy on the internet” by WIRED and is one of the industry’s fastest-rising names in comedy. He is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comedian, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. Johnson is currently a rotating host and correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy & Peabody Award-winning program The Daily Show where he was previously a writer for seven years. Johnson is also a former writer and performer on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. 

Photo by John Cafaro

Earning rave reviews with fans and critics alike, the LA Times described Johnson’s use of music in Symphony as “a canvas to paint a funny, layered portrait of the human experience,” and went on to say that “with stories focused on surviving a rowdy family, moments of loneliness, struggles with faith, and navigating our deepest human relationships, Johnson’s abilities as a pensive storyteller are conducted masterfully. The result is an hour that helps showcase his refined comedic voice, surprise the audience and sound the trumpets for his next round of touring.” In the UK, The Guardian noted that “to call him a disruptor of the conventional comedy career path would be a heavy understatement; Johnson is playing by his own rules and the comedy cognoscenti around the world are undoubtedly watching with a keen eye… for those who have been following Johnson’s body of work for the past decade, you’ll know that it’s not hyperbole to describe him as a generational comedian.” 

Johnson’s reach is truly global; his YouTube channel alone has surpassed half a billion views, and he recently completed his sold-out FLOWERS TOUR, which spanned 112 cities worldwide. He is also a prolific writer and performer who puts out weekly stand-up sets on his YouTube channel. In 2025, Johnson released 38 hours of topical stand up material that was performed in front of a live audience. When not on television, Johnson headlines major theaters, clubs, and festivals, continuing to cement his status as one of the most essential voices in modern comedy. 

As the festival’s one separately ticketed Special Presentation, Johnson’s Saturday-night performance brings a roomful of individual experiences into one shared release and sends everyone back into the weekend a little lighter. 

Separately ticketed; not included with the Saturday day pass. Reserved seating with ticket purchase. On sale mid-October.