James Johann

In 1991, James Johann began his stand-up career in Kansas City. His youthful appearance, self-deprecating sense of humor, and high-energy style all come together to create a unique on-stage persona.

In July 2004, James performed in the "New Faces Of Comedy" category at the Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and was featured on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend in 2005.

James headlines comedy clubs nationwide, including the 2003 Paying For The New Trailer theater tour starring Jeff Foxworthy & Larry the Cable Guy. From 2005 to 2007, James also was part of The Slackers Tour, a national tour from one of the producers of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour.


James Johann

Gettin' Inspired


Advice from the Green Room: Who is your comedic inspiration?

James Johann: My taste in comedy is as varied as my taste in music. Whereas I have Billie Holiday next to Slayer in my music collection, I have Bill Hicks next to Steve Martin next to Pigmeat Markham next to Stanhope. This is not to say that I am a die-hard fan of any of these people, but I think it's important to expose yourself to all kinds of styles--especially early on. Also, anything my family does is inherently funny to me. For better or worse, many of my comedic heroes are related to me.


In the Beginning


AGR: How long have you been doing this? How did you get started?

James Johann: I started in 1992 or so. I couldn't find a job I could tolerate after high school and one day my mom said, "Well, you think you're so goddamned funny, why don't you go down to the comedy club and find out?" The rest, as they say, is history.

AGR: What joke got you your first "big laugh?" (Do you still use it?)

James Johann: I honestly can't remember, but yeah, I probably still do it.


Makin' It


AGR: How long did it take you to get to headlining status? Describe the journey.

James Johann: It took quite a long time to get to headline. Many years. How did I get there? Sleeping at truck stops and rest areas. Often eating an Almond Joy and an orange Shasta for dinner. Sleeping on condo floors that were stickier than a 2-year-old hands. Making phone calls 4 days a week to club owners who were in perpetual "meetings." Shouting jokes over clacking pool tables and beeping dart machines. Riding in a van to a godforsaken college in Maine, smelling some other comics stinkin-ass feet and listening to their bad music for 1400 miles. Being awakened by overzealous maids for 12 years. Washing my hair with bar soap. But, of course, still digging it enough not to quit.


Bookin' It


AGR: How did you get the gig with Larry the Cable Guy?

James Johann: I had worked with Larry about 4 times back when he was still working comedy clubs. Colleen Quinn, who manages the Omaha Funny Bone, always put me on as Larry's opener at her club. I'm sure this was an intentional move on her behalf because she has an innate sense of what works well. Even back then there were lines around the corner of the club of people waiting to get in and the club would be adding extra shows. It was easy to see that Larry was getting ready to pop. One night after the last show, he came up to me and said, "You do a good job every time I work with you." He gave me the number of his management company. He said "call these guys." I imagine he put in a word or two for me, because they picked me up about two weeks later and I've been with them ever since. That's how it happened.

AGR: How did you get the set on Premium Blend?

James Johann: I sent a tape like everybody else.


Get it "Write!"


AGR: What's your (daily) writing routine? (ritual)

James Johann: I'm not sure if getting drunk and scrawling smart-ass comments on bar napkins is a ritualistic writing activity, but that's how I do it. Usually. Yeah, I've sat and stared at a blinking cursor before for 3 fruitless hours wondering, "What's funny about a ...tree?" But that method just doesn't work for me. I'm usually in a social setting, or shootin' the shit with my brother and I just say something that I know will work on stage. A lot of my comedy also comes from personal experience--stuff you can't really "write" because it has to happen to you. Once it happens you can embellish and exaggerate. But I feel it's a more organic way of writing. It usually rings true, and it's fairly honest.

AGR: How do you choose the opening joke? Closing joke?

James Johann: It's my belief that an opening joke should be quick to get a laugh. The sooner you make an audience feel that you're at least capable of making them laugh, the better shot you have at keeping the laughs coming. Now I know there are 1000 different opinions in this area. I'm just pointing out what works for me. I also feel that the closing joke is almost secondary to the build up to it. There is a rhythm to a good set, usually. After the checks are paid and the focus of the crowd has returned, you have a short amount of time to build to that final climax. The joke itself should be something strong, but I feel the timing and the build leading up to it is equally as important.


Stage Persona


AGR: Describe your comedic style. What makes you unique?

James Johann: I'm very self-deprecating and I don't like going too terribly long without a good solid laugh-line. I envy certain comics who can use silence to their comedic advantage, but frankly, it scares the shit out of me. I write some things that are generally too mean or preachy for my act, and usually I choose to leave that material out. That's of course a personal choice which I am duly chastised for by certain elite know-it-alls. But as of today, I almost instinctively know what should be in and what should be out of the act.

AGR: How and when did you find your voice?

James Johann: When I finally got the guts to pull the veil back a little on who I really am. Not 100% there yet, but working on it.


Stage Business

AGR: How do you handle a heckler?

James Johann: A shotgun would be nice. Actually, I've found that hecklers only seem to come in two varieties. The first of which is the heckler who is being somewhat playful and good spirited about it, and even though he or she may be annoying and interruptive, a good comic can use someone like this to his or her advantage. The second kind of heckler is the mean-spirited (usually drunken) heckler who is hell-bent on jacking up your show by yelling the most incoherent and obnoxious crap his beer-soaked brain can conjure up. A good comic can also use this to his advantage - but its important not to jump on any heckler too quickly. If the crowd isn't as fed up with the heckler as you are, you can come off looking like the asshole for tearing into them too soon.

AGR: What techniques do you use to get the crowd back (after a dud opening act, bad joke, etc.)
How important is it to work clean? When is "blue" okay?


James Johann: If things aren't going well in your set for whatever reason, I feel it's always good to acknowledge that it isn't. When the laughs aren't good or you're getting crickets on every line, I think it only makes it worse to keep pushing forward and ignoring the fact. Even a quick and subtle acknowledgement that you realize its not going well usually helps to bring the crowd back around to your side. Or you could just say "Screw you people, you don't know funny!" throw the microphone down and walk offstage. Its up to you. As far as blue material is concerned, I say do whatever you find funny. If "blue" works for you, do it.


Workin' It


AGR: What advice do you have for an up and coming comic?

James Johann: There is always the obligatory answer of writing everyday and getting on stage as much as possible - which is actually very good advice, but let's get down to brass tacks here. We all gotta eat. Perhaps more practical advice would be to learn how to say "no" to certain things when the time is appropriate. By this I mean that there comes a time in your personal comedic development when you have to stand up for yourself as a performer. It is important to keep in mind that it is the job of the club booker to get the best talent he/she can for the smallest price. When you're in the beginning stages of comedy--sure--whore yourself out a little. Drive 300 miles for 40 bucks and a ham sandwich. Do a string of one-nighters where you spend more on gas and candy bars than you earn for 9 shows. It's ok. You're young and hungry and working cheap is forgivable. But 3 years later, when you're act is honed and your confidence is high, quit driving to Duluth, Minnesota or Brownsville, Texas to work a Holiday Inn lounge for chump change - it's just pathetic. As soon as you begin to say "no" to certain types of work, your schedule will probably dry up. Mine did. But once you take a stand and say to bookers - "Hey, I'm not an emcee anymore!" or "Hey, I no longer wish to hump it across nine states in my Toyota Corolla with bad brakes and one windshield wiper for $250.00!" You have to stick to your guns. In time, people will realize that you are indeed worth more money or more time or both. But also be wise in knowing when that time is right. Just because you can go onstage and talk for 30-45 minutes doesn't necessarily mean you should automatically get a bigger check and a better spot. Be honest with yourself about the quality of show you are selling. Get what you're worth, but don't push it. Aside from that, when on the road, it's cheaper to go to the grocery store once than McDonald's 15 times.

AGR: How important is "who you know?"

James Johann: Knowing people never hurts. But constant name-dropping gets annoying. Comedy, like anything else, can rely a lot on your personality and how easy or difficult you are to work with. Making contacts and establishing good relationships can help you along the way. Then once you're a big, rich, super comedy star--you can be a prick to everybody. Gotta love show-biz.

Elliott Threatt

26 year veteran Elliott Threatt has appeared on shows such as A&E Comedy on the road, Showtime, Comedy Club Network and HBO's Comic Relief! He has toured musical concerts with famed stars Patti LaBelle to George Jones. He most recently won the HBO U.S.Comedy Art Open Award in Kansas City.

His early comedy partners included Sinbad, Dennis Miller, Louie Anderson and the late Bill Hicks and Sam Kinison. After college he moved to Los Angeles and began show casing the Improvisation and Comedy Store. He was a regular and house EMCEE at the famed Ice House in Pasadena. At the age of 22 Elliott became a national touring headliner. He was runner up for Ellen Degeneres in the Showtime's Funniest in America Contest.

Elliott first released CD, "Biscuits Made From Scratch and Other Funny Stuff," was nominated for a Grammy.



Elliott Threatt, Andrea Caspari, Brad Meehan

Advice from the Green Room: What have you been up to?

Elliott Threatt: I’ve been doing a lot more corporate gigs. They’re becoming increasingly easier because I’m much older. When I was 25 I was doing a lot of risqué material. Now I’m 44 years old. My mind set is different and I don’t have to do much editing.

AGR: How do you get into corporate gigs? It seems to be pretty lucrative.

Elliott Threatt: It’s tough. The way to get in there is to market. I know guys that are ‘okay’ comedians but make thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars doing corporate gigs. They make a lot of money but they really have to work it, though. You do one, you get a reference letter from them that says, ‘I did a great job at Sprint.’ Then you turn that into a 'Hallmark' or wherever. It’s a business. It’s not like a comedy club, though. You have to adhere to their rules. They’re paying a lot more money. They’re paying you more than you’d make in a week in a club. A comedy club might pay you $1000 a week. Corporate gig pays you $2000 in a night.

AGR: For how long? An hour?

Elliott Threatt: An hour? Not even that long. I’ve never done a corporate gig for an hour. It’s too long. It’s more like 35 – 45 minutes. At corporate gigs, they have stuff to do. It’s not like they’re just hanging out trying to get laid or something like that. You’re on between the motivational speaker and the break-out session so it’s shorter.

AGR: How important is it then to work clean?

Elliott Threatt: It’s pretty important - if you want to make more money. That’s the bottom line. If you just want to work the comedy clubs, do whatever you want.

The reality is, Eddie Griffin works really dirty but he’s not going to get the $100,000 gigs from GM like Frank Caliendo. Or he’s not going to get the $75,000 - $80,000 that Cerner pays Jay Leno when he comes to town. That’s where you want to be. You have to ask yourself: would you rather make the money in a big hunk? Or would you rather drive around to comedy clubs or theaters or whatever venue your name supports?

AGR: So it sounds more lucrative to try to write clean.

Elliott Threatt: If you think clean, you’ll write clean.


If I could do it all over...


Elliott Threatt: I admire these guys that drive hours to come do a spot. But if I were them, I’d do it a bit differently. I’d start my own little comedy nights at a bar and not adhere to the other guys structure. What’s the difference between doing it free here or free somewhere else? You don’t have to deal with the arrogance that people can pull off locally because they have some of their comic friends laughing at the back of the room. No one has ever been made famous by just making their comic friends in the back of the room laugh.


Stepping Stones


AGR: How has the Internet and MySpace changed everything?

Elliott Threatt: It’s huge, but it’s already been done. Dane Cook already took that to the n-th degree - him and Jim Gaffigan. It’s probably something different now. The guys that are on the radio shows like Bob and Tom, or Tom Joiner, or Steve Harvey seem to do very well. They have a passionate following. Also, Comedy Central is very powerful.

But, I don’t think one thing is going to do it. It's 'one thing leads to another thing leads to another thing.' They’re stepping-stones. It’s like ‘Frogger’. If you stand there too long, something is going to overtake you.


Charm School


AGR: How was your set last night? I heard you did well.

Elliott Threatt: It was weird. I had to work at them.

AGR: How did you do it?

Elliott Threatt: I just talked to them a bit more. My favorite part of comedy is ad-lib. I like working the crowd. As long as it involves people – you need to pull them in. If someone is kind of waning, you pull them back into the story. When you talk to someone in their group that will normally bring in the entire group.


Walk the Walk


AGR: What advices have your received that has helped you?

Elliott Threatt: Frank Ajaye told me, “Always walk around on stage because people’s eyes tend to get bored. The bigger the stage, the more you walk around.” You take up space because you want attention. You can’t just stand still. Even if you’re not doing anything. Make their eyes follow you. If you stand still people are going to get bored. You’re a school teacher at that point.

Also, I never make fun of the crowd. I don’t pick on them. They didn’t do anything wrong. I hate when comics get down on them and do all that other kind of stuff.


Find your niche


AGR: What would you leave us with today? What would Elliott Threatt like to leave up-and-coming comics?

Elliott Threatt: Develop a niche. You need to find it. I’m not a white guy, but if you’re just another normal white guy, you’ve got nothing to attract a following unless you’re ‘Seinfeld’ funny. And in reality, most folks aren’t Seinfeld funny. The people who do well, they find that active niche. For the black folks, it’s the Def Jam. The country, it’s the Blue Collar. There’s the lesbian, gay, Hispanic. Anyway you can try to branch yourself.


In for the long haul


AGR: What creates longevity in comedy?

Elliott Threatt: Being a good writer. That creates longevity - the words. But only as long as the words make up who you are.