Jay Johnston
Encyclopedia
Jay Johnston is an American
actor and comedian best known for his work as a writer and cast member on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show
and for playing the role of Officer Jay McPherson on The Sarah Silverman Program
.
, where he studied acting and comedy alongside other future Mr. Show alumni such as Dino Stamatopoulos
, Scott Adsit
and Eric Hoffman. After graduating college, Johnston later joined the Chicago Second City
's touring comedy for a number of years and also performed in stage shows at the Annoyance Theater in Chicago.
Jay Johnston's contribution to Mr. Show
were generally of the "evergreen" variety, dealing with more or less universal themes as opposed to the more political/socially satirical material that his fellow writers/performers contributed to the series. As such, Jay was responsible for many of the show's memorable sketches and characters. Johnston often incorporated physical comedy into the show, most notably in the "The Story of Everest" sketch, which features Johnston performing an astounding number of comical pratfalls.
Since the conclusion of Mr. Show
, Johnston has made guest appearances in a number of television programs such as Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, and Parks and Recreation
, as well as appearing in films such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny.
In 2006, Johnston regularly appeared as "The Boss" on FUEL TV
's American Misfits, in the show's intro and outro sketch segments. The show is a half-hour mix of skateboarding and sketches, very much in the mold of the early 1990s skateboarding videos.
Johnston starred on all three seasons of Comedy Central
's The Sarah Silverman Program
as "Officer Jay McPherson", the love interest of Sarah's sister Laura in the series. The series reunited Johnston with several Mr. Show
cast members such as Brian Posehn
, Scott Aukerman
, B.J. Porter
and Paul F. Tompkins
.
Johnston, along with fellow Mr. Show
regulars Dino Stamatopoulos
and Scott Adsit
, were part of the creative team (voicing, writing, directing and producing) behind Adult Swim
's stop-motion animation series Moral Orel
, which ran from 2005 to 2008. Johnston also provides voices for Stamatopoulos' current Adult Swim
series, Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
, which began airing in 2010.
Johnston currently has a recurring voice role as Jimmy Pesto in the FOX
animated series Bob's Burgers
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor and comedian best known for his work as a writer and cast member on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show
Mr. Show
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
and for playing the role of Officer Jay McPherson on The Sarah Silverman Program
The Sarah Silverman Program
The Sarah Silverman Program is an American television series that starred comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, who created the series with Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab...
.
Biography
Johnston was born and raised in Chicago and attended Columbia College ChicagoColumbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
, where he studied acting and comedy alongside other future Mr. Show alumni such as Dino Stamatopoulos
Dino Stamatopoulos
Dino Stamatopoulos is an American television comedy writer, actor and producer who has worked on Mr. Show, TV Funhouse, Mad TV, The Dana Carvey Show, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien...
, Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
and Eric Hoffman. After graduating college, Johnston later joined the Chicago Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
's touring comedy for a number of years and also performed in stage shows at the Annoyance Theater in Chicago.
Jay Johnston's contribution to Mr. Show
Mr. Show
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
were generally of the "evergreen" variety, dealing with more or less universal themes as opposed to the more political/socially satirical material that his fellow writers/performers contributed to the series. As such, Jay was responsible for many of the show's memorable sketches and characters. Johnston often incorporated physical comedy into the show, most notably in the "The Story of Everest" sketch, which features Johnston performing an astounding number of comical pratfalls.
Since the conclusion of Mr. Show
Mr. Show
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
, Johnston has made guest appearances in a number of television programs such as Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, and Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
, as well as appearing in films such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, or simply Anchorman, is a 2004 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film, which was also written by Ferrell and McKay, is a tongue-in-cheek take on the culture of the 1970s, particularly the then-new Action News format...
and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny.
In 2006, Johnston regularly appeared as "The Boss" on FUEL TV
Fuel TV
Fuel TV is a U.S. cable and satellite specialty channel that launched on July 1, 2003. It focuses on the cultures of such extreme sports as skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, motocross, surfing, BMX and FMX. It is a unit of Fox Cable Networks and is currently available to 26-million...
's American Misfits, in the show's intro and outro sketch segments. The show is a half-hour mix of skateboarding and sketches, very much in the mold of the early 1990s skateboarding videos.
Johnston starred on all three seasons of Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's The Sarah Silverman Program
The Sarah Silverman Program
The Sarah Silverman Program is an American television series that starred comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, who created the series with Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab...
as "Officer Jay McPherson", the love interest of Sarah's sister Laura in the series. The series reunited Johnston with several Mr. Show
Mr. Show
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
cast members such as Brian Posehn
Brian Posehn
Brian Edmund Posehn is an American actor, voice actor, musician and comedian, known for his roles as mail clerk Kevin Liotta on NBC's Just Shoot Me!, a cast member and writer on HBO's Mr. Show, and most recently as Brian Spukowski on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program.-Early life:Posehn...
, Scott Aukerman
Scott Aukerman
Scottrick "Scott" Aukerman is an American writer, actor, comedian, television personality, director, producer, and podcast host. In the mid-1990s, Aukerman was a writer and performer on Mr. Show with Bob and David. He currently hosts the weekly comedy podcast Comedy Bang Bang...
, B.J. Porter
B.J. Porter
B. J. Porter is an actor, writer and comedian best known for appearing on the HBO sketch comedy program, Mr. Show.Porter, along with comedy partner Scott Aukerman, perform as the comedy duo "The Fun Bunch"...
and Paul F. Tompkins
Paul F. Tompkins
Paul Francis Tompkins , best known as Paul F. Tompkins, is an American actor and comedian.-Life and career:Tompkins was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a receptionist mother and railway worker father. He started out in stand-up comedy in 1986 at The Comedy Works, Philadelphia, PA, where he...
.
Johnston, along with fellow Mr. Show
Mr. Show
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross...
regulars Dino Stamatopoulos
Dino Stamatopoulos
Dino Stamatopoulos is an American television comedy writer, actor and producer who has worked on Mr. Show, TV Funhouse, Mad TV, The Dana Carvey Show, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien...
and Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
, were part of the creative team (voicing, writing, directing and producing) behind Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
's stop-motion animation series Moral Orel
Moral Orel
Moral Orel is an American stop-motion animated television show, which originally aired on Adult Swim from December 13, 2005 to December 18, 2008...
, which ran from 2005 to 2008. Johnston also provides voices for Stamatopoulos' current Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
series, Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
Mary Shelley's Frankenhole is a stop-motion animated TV series by Dino Stamatopoulos, creator of Moral Orel. Nine of ten 15-minute episodes have aired on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. Frankenhole premiered on June 27, 2010.-Premise:Dr...
, which began airing in 2010.
Johnston currently has a recurring voice role as Jimmy Pesto in the FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
animated series Bob's Burgers
Bob's Burgers
Bob's Burgers is an American animated television sitcom, which premiered on January 9, 2011 on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series was created by Loren Bouchard and focuses on the Belcher family, who runs a hamburger restaurant. On April 7, 2011, Bob's Burgers was renewed for a second season...