Punkie Johnson
Johnson in 2021
Born
Jessica Williams

(1985-04-29) April 29, 1985
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma materNicholls State University
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actress
  • writer
Years active2015–present

Jessica Williams (born April 29, 1985),[1] known professionally as Punkie Johnson, is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer based in New York City. Johnson began her career as a stand-up comedian at The Comedy Store in California, before becoming a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live for its 46th season in 2020. She was promoted to repertory status in 2022, ahead of the show's 48th season.

Early life

Johnson, born Jessica Williams, was raised by her mother, Mary Johnson, in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she attended Catholic and public schools, graduating in May 2003[1] from McDonogh 35 High School.[1][2] Johnson studied at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where she graduated in May 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies.[1]

Career

Johnson began her career as a stand-up comedian. She later joined The Comedy Store in Los Angeles as a paid regular.[2] In 2019, Johnson performed at Just for Laughs.[3]

As an actress, Johnson has appeared in various television series such as Space Force, A Black Lady Sketch Show, Corporate, and Adam Ruins Everything.[4][5]

Saturday Night Live

In 2020, Johnson was cast as a featured player on Saturday Night Live, starting in its forty-sixth season. She was promoted to repertory status in 2022 before the beginning of the 48th season. Johnson is the eighth black female cast member in the show's history, the second black LGBT woman to be a cast member (following Danitra Vance, who was not publicly out during her lifetime), and the seventh LGBT cast member overall.[4][5][6][7]

Personal life

Punkie Johnson at the NYC Gay Pride Parade in 2022

Johnson is a lesbian as well as identifying with the queer community. She and her wife had been partnered since 2002,[3] but in a 2022 episode of the podcast Films To Be Buried With she revealed she was in the middle of divorce proceedings and had since begun a new relationship.[8] In a 2021 interview with NBC News, Johnson affirmed her LGBTQ identity, stating: “I’m just this little lesbian chick from New Orleans who is just enjoying life doing comedy”.[9]


Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2019 The Lot Punkie Short film
2020 Sixteen Thousand Dollars Jo'Nique Short film
2020 The Adventures of Whit Detective Short film
2023 Bottoms Rhodes
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2018 Take My Wife Episode: “Episode 205”
2018 Adam Ruins Everything Ava Episode: "Adam Ruins Guns"
2019 Corporate Taylor the Tattoo Artist Episode: "The Fall"
2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Dance Biter Episode: "Angela Bassett Is the Baddest Bitch"
2019 Crank Yankers Shasta Episode: "Jimmy Kimmel, Kathy Griffin & Jeff Ross"
2020 Bill Burr Presents: The Ringers Herself
2020 Space Force Staff Sergeant Kiki Rhodes Episode: "Space Flag"
2020–present Saturday Night Live Various characters Repertory cast member
2021 Love Life Ida Watkins Supporting role (season 2)
2022 Ghosts Ally 2 episodes

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Art and Creativity Has Absolutely Nothing to do With Gender by Punkie Johnson of MewNowTV.com's TALKIN' POINTS". Film Courage. January 5, 2016. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Punkie Johnson". The Stand NYC. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Reynolds, Daniel (September 16, 2020). "SNL Adds Black Lesbian Cast Member Punkie Johnson". The Advocate.
  4. 1 2 Steinberg, Brian (September 16, 2020). "Jim Carrey to Play Joe Biden in Next Season of 'Saturday Night Live'". Variety.
  5. 1 2 Ryan, Patrick (September 16, 2020). "'SNL': Meet the three new cast members joining Season 46". USA Today.
  6. ↑ White, Peter (September 16, 2020). "'SNL': Jim Carrey Set To Play Joe Biden As NBC Show Adds Three Featured Players & Will Have Limited Audience". Deadline.
  7. ↑ Pierce, Robbie X (22 August 2016). "A Brief LGBT History of Saturday Night Live". The Advocate. Retrieved 1 September 2022. Danitra Vance, a lesbian, is tied with Sweeney for first LGBT cast member on SNL, though she was not out publicly during her lifetime.
  8. ↑ "Punkie Johnson - the Resurrection! • Films to be Buried with Brett Goldstein #195".
  9. ↑ "Comedian Punkie Johnson on making 'Saturday Night Live' history". NBC News. June 2021.
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