Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out Josh Johnson: Reinventing the Modern Comedy Special
12 snips
Dec 29, 2025 
Josh Johnson, a talented comedian and writer known for his work on The Daily Show and viral stand-up specials, dives deep into his unique creative process. He discusses building a YouTube-first comedy model and the art of crafting one-take, free-flowing sets. Johnson reflects on the challenges of perfectionism and shares insightful advice from Trevor Noah about keeping performances fun. The conversation highlights the evolution of comedy in the internet age and reveals Johnson's ambitions for a lasting creative legacy.
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Publish Before Perfection
- Upload your live sets quickly instead of over-polishing them.
- Josh Johnson says releasing work builds competence and feedback faster than endless refinement.
Creation Beats Criticism Paralysis
- Creating constantly prevents insecurity from trumping real audience feedback.
- Johnson argues that publishing what you know is good stops fear from blocking future work.
Earn Your Time Before Chasing Viral Hits
- Do the foundational work before chasing virality.
- Josh warns that early raw material shouldn't be publicly promoted if it undermines professional bookings.
