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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Tyson Wray

Josh Johnson: Symphony review – a masterful HBO special from a generational comedy talent

Josh Johnson in a still from his HBO Original standup special, Symphony.
Josh Johnson in a still from his HBO Original standup special, Symphony, ‘which culminates with a crescendo that’s too masterful to spoil here’. Photograph: HBO

In terms of both quality and quantity, Josh Johnson is producing standup at a more prolific rate than any other comedian on the globe. How often would you expect a professional comedian to release an hour-long filmed and edited set consisting of 100% brand new gear? Once a year? Every two years?

For Johnson, it’s every week. Every Tuesday since 2023, the American comic and rotating host-correspondent of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has uploaded fully fledged, highly topical routines to his YouTube channel. Filmed from his own tours and club drop-ins, many have eclipsed the 5m view mark. To call him a disruptor of the conventional comedy career path would be a heavy understatement; Johnson is playing by his own rules and the comedy cognoscenti around the world are undoubtedly watching with a keen eye.

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