Josh Johnson on Building a Comedy Career on YouTube vs Netflix

The Colin and Samir Show

Colin and Samir

Business

4.9 • 703 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 93 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Comedian Josh Johnson is doing something almost no one else in stand-up is doing: releasing a new set every single week on YouTube. In this episode, we talk with Josh about how he’s built a 350M-view channel without Netflix or HBO, why stand-up comedians are some of the best observers of the human condition, and what creators can learn from the way he writes, performs, and publishes at such a relentless pace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	All right. So earlier this month, we hosted our first ever press publish NYC, a gathering of 400 plus creators in New York City. And it was powered by Microsoft co-pilot.
0:12.4	Now, one of the coolest parts about the partnership with Copilot is that Copilot was the official note taker of the event.
0:18.3	So for everyone sitting there listening to all the speakers,
0:24.2	they didn't have to take notes because co-pilot recapped and summarized everything and gave everyone there the biggest takeaways. If you weren't at Press Publish,
0:28.8	NYC, you can still get access to all of these takeaways from all of the sessions.
0:33.5	You just go to thepublishpress.com and you can read them.
0:36.8	And thanks again to Microsoft Copilot for powering Press Publish, NYC.
0:41.7	Your work is like performing at a really incredible scale.
0:44.6	I think you did last year alone, like over 100 million views on your comedy.
0:48.2	I want to be like the best, like best writer, best performer, best everything.
0:53.6	Do you have aspirations to do a special
0:55.7	with like a Netflix, or do you feel like you're already doing it? As best as I can, the two things I'm looking to do now are like, I think like a lot of creators need to hear that. Yeah, I feel like I need to hear that right now. Something we haven't talked about is the Daily Show. Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Josh Matzai.
1:10.0	Do you remember the joke or jokes that lost the room?
1:13.0	I was just like, y'all heard about it. Welcome to the Daily Sharks. I'm Josh Mountain. Do you remember the joke or jokes that lost the room?
1:13.0	I was just like, uh-huh.
1:14.4	Y'all heard about these sharks?
1:16.6	I am a problem.
1:18.1	How do you view the structure of a joke?
1:20.3	I think you laugh for a few different reasons.
1:23.1	If you are starting YouTube right now, what you don't want to have happen is...
1:27.2	Today's guest is comedian Josh Johnson. Josh is doing something super unique, not only in the world of stand-up comedy, but also on YouTube. Traditionally, comedians will put out an hour special after going out and touring and really workshopping it. Josh is putting out a weekly special every single Tuesday on his YouTube channel. And it's working. These uploads are doing between like one and five million views and his channel
1:48.7	has gotten over 350 million views. And all this success has actually landed him a hosting spot
	...

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