Skip to content
Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Timeless

Papp Johnson

YouTube · 2023

A slow and quiet half-hour of deadpan observations.

Papp Johnson takes his time. Standing at six-foot-eight with a deep, slow-rolling voice, the Oakland-born comedian does not panic when the room goes quiet. Instead, he treats silence as part of the rhythm, letting pauses hang in the air until the crowd leans in. Filmed at the intimate Comedy Nook in Los Angeles, his debut half-hour features a relaxed set where an unhurried cadence is as much of a draw as the jokes themselves.\n\nThe material ranges from the absurdities of modern politics to the mundane struggles of morning sex. Johnson touches on the rare moment of bipartisan unity that occurred when Joe Biden fell off a bicycle, and offers a dry, perspective-shifting breakdown of “positive racism.” Rather than relying on high-energy setups, he lets his observations drift naturally, occasionally letting a trailing sentence serve as the punchline.\n\nReleased on YouTube by Four by Three and as a comedy album via punk-turned-comedy label Kill Rock Stars, the special represents a milestone for Johnson. After years of booking commercial spots, landing bit roles in That Damn Michael Che and Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and building a reputation in the Bay Area and Los Angeles scenes, the set captures a comedian fully settled into his own rhythm.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Theory on how COVID-19 started

    Explores the aftermath of the pandemic and offers his own theory on how the coronavirus originated.

  2. Life as a 6'8" tall man

    Pokes fun at his tremendous height, the perks and annoyances of being mistaken for a superhuman, and his own johnson.

  3. The mechanics of tickling

    Breaks down the juicy details and silliness of what tickling entails.

  4. Hillary Clinton as president

    Looks at Clinton in a comedic light and questions whether people missed a moment with her.

  5. Impressions of hyper individuals

    Shifts abruptly from his relaxed cadence into jarring impersonations, including an older basketball teammate and an impertinent woman.

How it plays

Tone
Understated, silly, relaxed, and thoughtful stupidity.
On stage
Laid-back, unhurried, carefree, possessing quiet confidence and a sonorous voice.
Pace
Serene, leisurely cadence characterized by long pregnant pauses and deliberately trailing off.
About
race, politics, social graces, parenting, sex, relationships

What the critics said

Paste Magazine praised Johnson's unhurried, sonorous delivery and confident use of pregnant pauses, describing it as an understated yet riotously funny starter album designed for leisurely listening.

In the room: An intimate club taping where Johnson's mother was present in the audience.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: 48hills.org, pocp.co, pappjohnson.bandcamp.com, pastemagazine.com, weownthelaughs.com.

Backstory

Former NBA prospect standing 6'8" who turned to standup after rupturing his Achilles tendon in 2010. The album marked the relaunch of Kill Rock Stars' comedy division.

Details

Released
Taped
2022, Comedy Nook, Los Angeles
Where
YouTube
Topics

If you liked this