James Austin Johnson is bringing his stand-up act to streaming.
The Saturday Night Live star’s new hourlong special, He’ll Yeah, is set to debut Aug. 31 on Gorilla Comedy+, the new streaming service from comedy label 800 Pound Gorilla. The special will then get a wider release on YouTube on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. ET.
Variety, which broke the news of the special, reports that He’ll Yeah was assembled from various Johnson performances at several clubs around the country, including The Den Theatre in Chicago, Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco, and Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville.
The trailer sees Johnson sporting a variety of different hairstyles from venue to venue, suggesting the performances were shot over an extended period of time.
The hour marks Johnson’s first stand-up special after five seasons on SNL. He joined the show as a featured player in 2021 and has become its most prominent impressionist, most notably as Donald Trump. His winding, stream-of-consciousness take on Trump has become a frequent fixture of the show’s cold opens.
Outside SNL, his credits include Barry, Better Call Saul, and Ghosts. Johnson’s upcoming projects also include lending his voice to The Angry Birds Movie 3, set to hit theaters December 23.
As with every other SNL cast member, whether Johnson will return to the sketch show after this summer remains to be seen—but LateNighter’s Season 52 Exit Index gives a JAJ return very solid odds.
He’ll Yeah was written by Johnson and directed by Bryan B. Stray, with Johnson and Stray producing. Daniel Page and Kris Evered serve as co-producers.
I have a ticket to see him in his home town of Nashville (I was born in Nashville and now live in a rural area about an hour south) later this month, and seeing this trailer makes me more excited for it. I was mainly familiar with him from SNL and wasn’t sure what to expect from his standup.