Mindy's Comedy Archives

Joyelle enters the Comedy Archives in 2012 at the long since closed Red Star Bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This was a show run by Annie Lederman. I love that we have Annie greeting Joyelle as she walks on stage and into the archives. Joyelle had two boxes of photos and we only got through one. Around the time of her taping, I began to realize that we just may not get through everything in one interview and that's perfectly fine. I've already seen her at a comedy show since we taped this interview. She headlined a show at the St. Nell's Reunion in Williamsport, PA. So we will have even more to discuss when she visits for a part two. Follow Joyelle. Watch her special on Peacock!

Want to join the Fun?? Support us here:
https://mindys-comedy-archives.ghost.io/

Click here to watch a video of this episode.

Host
Mindy Tucker

Guest
Joyelle Nicole Johnson

Theme Song
Taking Pictures by Hula

Podcast Consulting
Seltzer Kings

Cinematographer
Eric Durkin

Editor/Sound
Jeremy Balon

Chief Administrative Officer
Jin Moon

Booking Consultant
Marianne Ways

Graphics
Howdy.nyc

Executive Producer
Mindy Tucker

Sponsor
Blonde Medicine

Special Thanks
Pat Byrne

★ Support this podcast ★
 

Creators and Guests

Host
Mindy Tucker
Comedy Photographer and Archivist that has documented 20 years of the NYC Comedy world.
Guest
Joyelle Nicole Johnson
Joyelle Nicole Johnson is an American comedian, writer, and actress. Johnson has written for the series Broad City and Pause with Sam Jay. She is also an abortion rights advocate. In 2021 she released her debut stand-up album YellJoy, and her debut televised special Love Joy was released on Peacock.

What is Mindy's Comedy Archives?

MINDY'S COMEDY ARCHIVES is a visual podcast featuring intimate interviews with the people who have been an instrumental part of the New York comedy community for the past 20 years. In each episode, our guest flips through a chronological stack of photos (starting with their very first "Mindy") using each image to unlock specific memories about their evolution in comedy. We'll touch on memories of early struggles and day jobs, to breakthroughs, friendships, and career shifts in an ever-changing industry.

Mindy Tucker:

With me today is Joyelle Johnson. Frankly, I don't see how we're gonna get through all the photos that I've taken of her. I also don't see how we're gonna get through it with a straight face. We laughed together all the fricking time, and thank you for being here, friend.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh my gosh. Hey buddy, I'm happy to be here. I'm like already feeling like I'm about to cry.

Mindy Tucker:

Alright. So Yeah. We're gonna start with box one.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh my gosh. The box oh, see. Oh, Annie. I start there like that.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, that's exactly it.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, look at Annie Leatherman. Look at both of us. So very

Mindy Tucker:

what's funny is you enter the archives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Yeah. A couple of blocks from where we are today.

Joyelle Johnson:

Really?

Mindy Tucker:

It would take us about three minutes to walk there.

Joyelle Johnson:

Is this the first picture you took of me?

Mindy Tucker:

This, you enter the archives, yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh my gosh.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, you enter the archives. Annie Letterman had a show at a place that's no longer there. It was called Red Star Bar. And I'm looking for the date, 11/02/2012.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow. Yeah. This is wow. Oh my gosh. It's been a long time.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh yeah, because we both had, do we both have gray hoodies on? Yeah. I remember that hoodie too, Brooklyn hoodie. I was so proud of it with the microphone. Patrice O'Neil would roast me because I, when I first started, I wear like little microphones, and he'd be like, Oh, you want us to think you're serious?

Joyelle Johnson:

He would roast me. So I wore that sweatshirt with pride.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. So this is Red Star bar. And then I think we have some performance photos from that night. I keep going. Photos in there.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, you just

Joyelle Johnson:

keep Oh my goodness.

Mindy Tucker:

So we're gonna have some nights where we have like a bunch of photos. I included these because I just think sometimes it's fun to have a moment where a comedian You see the comedian bringing you on stage. And I just love that we have Annie bringing you on stage and also bringing you into the archives is so fun.

Joyelle Johnson:

Look at that. That is amazing. I barely recognize this human being. I'm wearing glasses. I have since had LASIK eye surgery.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, wow. And it is since fading and I might be back to glasses soon again. Oh, I'm now this picture. This is one of my favorite pictures that you I was using that as promo for a very long time. That was one of my favorite pictures.

Joyelle Johnson:

And I remember, oh, this is a different show. Okay. Yes. Wow. Look at me.

Mindy Tucker:

And how long do you think you'd been doing comedy at this point?

Joyelle Johnson:

That was 2012. I've been doing -TANCE: comedy since 2007, so Okay. That five years? -NANCY: Yeah. Am I mathing?

Mindy Tucker:

So were you full time comic at this point?

Joyelle Johnson:

No, No. No, no. And I think I had just moved to New York, so I'd been in New York about a year or so, and I was just hitting it aggressively doing open mics. That was back when I was still doing open mics.

Mindy Tucker:

-:

Joyelle Johnson:

Really? I don't miss that at all. Doing open mics, doing bringer shows, barking. Luckily, I didn't have to do barking or bringer shows that many times. Shout out to all the barkers in New York City and around the world.

Joyelle Johnson:

Y'all are doing Lorde's work, and I was way too scared to bark. And big, Excuse me, do you wanna go to a comedy show? No? All right. I couldn't convince anybody to come into a comedy show.

Joyelle Johnson:

I could not do it. No. No. Absolutely not. So I can't even call, like, when you're calling for a politician, calling cold calling.

Joyelle Johnson:

I panic every time somebody's about to answer the phone, because I know they don't wanna hear from me. Yeah. I don't wanna bother people walking down the street. No. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

So that oh, this was one of my faves. Sorry to cover your face, Annie, but I will.

Mindy Tucker:

That's one of my faves too. Yeah. And then the next photo is gonna be from fifty first Jokes in 2014. This is 01/03/2014. Yes.

Mindy Tucker:

And this is your first fifty First Jokes. Do you remember

Joyelle Johnson:

anything I about remember being terrified. Fifty First Jokes is a show where all comedians are on stage behind you. Yep. And I didn't know that

Mindy Tucker:

until I got you didn't

Joyelle Johnson:

know that. I didn't know the comics were gonna be

Mindy Tucker:

on And

Joyelle Johnson:

that just made me so scared because comedians are terrible people. And it's like, why? I don't want to tell my new joke with all of my peers just judging me behind me. Right. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

So that was terrifying. I remember that. I absolutely remember that. I don't remember the joke that I told, but I remember being very scared.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. How Do you remember how it went?

Joyelle Johnson:

I I feel like I've only done this show a couple of times, and each time it went great, but it feels like you're being shot out of a cannon. Yeah. That's how most comedy shows feel to me, that one especially was like, Oh my God.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. And you know what's crazy is that show started as a way for comedians to hang out with each other. And I always call it Comedy Christmas. Because everyone's been away for the holidays. A lot of people have been touring in the fall.

Mindy Tucker:

Maybe they went home for Thanksgiving. Everybody's been kind of scattered. And everybody comes together for fifty first jokes. And once upon a time, it was all comedians in the room, comedians in the audience, comedians on the stage. And then at some point, industry started coming and the structure of the night changed.

Mindy Tucker:

But yeah, you're right, by 2014, it's a daunting thing to think about being on fifty first Strokes. Yeah, absolutely. But it started out as a hangout show.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow, look at me deep squatting here. I have no idea what I'm doing right now. Would have to look at my bits from that time to wonder why I'm in a full squat position. And also look at those knees.

Mindy Tucker:

What year was I

Joyelle Johnson:

think 2014. I had way more collagen back then. I'm taking collagen now guys. And it's so funny because every picture looks like I'm doing a TED talk that is very intensely serious and not a comedy show. I love that.

Joyelle Johnson:

I remember that jacket I wore all the time.

Mindy Tucker:

And then this next one is at The Creek In The Cave. Oh. This is in February 2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

I remember this one. I used that one a lot too for promos. Look at those glasses. Remember those glasses were like $10. I think I got them at like a Walmart in Atlanta when I was visiting my parents.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. And I wore those puppies until I think I lost them. Oh my goodness.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. Wow. And then this is you with Michelle Wolf and Rebecca Trent downstairs at The Creek in the

Joyelle Johnson:

Cave, just hanging out after the show. Wow. We had so many nights at The Creek. That is amazing.

Mindy Tucker:

And this show was called 1,000,000,000 Laughing, an Evening of Comedy. So I'm A billion? A billion. That's

Joyelle Johnson:

a A billion with a B. That's aggressive.

Mindy Tucker:

I'm thinking it must have been a fundraiser show.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. Yeah. And this is when my hair is twisted out and it's very it takes a very long time for me to get my hair like that. And I love when it's like that, but oh man, can't do it every day.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. And these are some of the best performance pictures I've taken of you.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow, that's amazing. Now I look like I'm doing stand up. This looks like stand up. The other ones looked so intense. Aw, Aw, I wonder if that was the first time we met.

Joyelle Johnson:

That's Cheryl, right?

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, so I think this is, yeah, like I said, I think this is a fundraiser of some type. So, the next picture is you sitting around in a circle with our friend Liz Winstead.

Joyelle Johnson:

And Oh, wow. Was this the first meeting for Lady Park's Justice?

Mindy Tucker:

If it's not the first, it's early on. Wow. Which is, I mean,

Joyelle Johnson:

yeah. Oh my gosh. Wow. What year is that picture?

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, that's 2014

Joyelle Johnson:

at the creek. That was probably the first time I met Liz.

Mindy Tucker:

Wow. Yeah. And you guys are still friends, like you're working together a lot, right?

Joyelle Johnson:

I am on the board of the abortion access front. I am a board member. That's the most grown up thing I've ever said in my life. I'm a board member of the abortion access front, and I'm extremely proud to have gone from, I mean, at this point, it was an inception of an idea that Liz had to start this organization. Back then, was called Lady Parts Justice, and I traveled all over the country with them.

Joyelle Johnson:

I've done countless things. Liz has had such an impact on my life. Oh, shout out to Liz. Yeah. That one makes me wanna cry.

Joyelle Johnson:

Because we have so many pictures together through the years and I feel like that's the first one we took.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And the next picture is you and Kyle Grooms.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love Kyle Jersey, Jersey in the building. I'm from New Jersey. I'm very proud of it to most people's chagrin, but I love being from Jersey and I love hanging out with people that I believe Kyle's from Jersey. I assume that maybe he lived there at the time, but I also remember that sweater dress I have on. It was one of the hottest sweater dresses of all time.

Joyelle Johnson:

I couldn't breathe inside of it. But I loved it so much. And I would wear it. And when I finally got rid of it, I was like, bro, this thing, I could have wore that to Antarctica and no coat. That's how hot that sweater dress was.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, this is for Todd Barry's birthday. It's in March 2014. Todd Barry, Todd Barry, Todd Barry. Yep. I remember that.

Joyelle Johnson:

I remember that party, actually.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. And then this is Oh, yeah. I think we used one photo from that for a bit, I feel like.

Joyelle Johnson:

A bit?

Mindy Tucker:

No, I mean, like for a while.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, a

Mindy Tucker:

while, a while. Feel like it maybe it was a profile photo or something like that.

Joyelle Johnson:

That I had?

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, not that one, but I feel like one of these.

Joyelle Johnson:

There's a few in here that I keep updating because it's like after a while, we would just be like, Mindy, what's the new Mindy? New Mindy just dropped. Time to change your profile pic. New Mindy. And you can tell through the years where you're like, okay, take the glasses off.

Joyelle Johnson:

The glasses came off. The hair went into the permanent puff. I love my permanent puff.

Mindy Tucker:

So that's you and Rebecca Trent at a happy birthday for Nikki T. Nick Turner had a birthday. Looks like we were looks like we would have been at the creek in the cave for that.

Joyelle Johnson:

Is that who's that in the background? I don't know who that is the background. LOL. It's so funny when you see yourself at people's birthday parties. I'm like, I don't know when the last time I even saw Nick Turner was.

Mindy Tucker:

Well, he moved to LA.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, okay. That tracks. That tracks.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. Our next photo is in June 2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

Okay, June 2014.

Mindy Tucker:

And this is at the show Comedy as a Second Language, the seventh anniversary of that show, and this was a marathon show that just went on and on. Yeah. You remember anything about it?

Joyelle Johnson:

Where were we? Is this the bellhouse?

Mindy Tucker:

This is a cabin.

Joyelle Johnson:

Cabin? Oh my goodness.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. Did you do Cabin a lot?

Joyelle Johnson:

Did Cabin a lot. Yeah. Was one of the shows. So we had, you know, Sunday was Knitting Factory. Monday was, where were we Monday?

Joyelle Johnson:

Whiplash. Whiplash was Monday, but I was never booked on Whiplash back then.

Mindy Tucker:

Night Train was Monday.

Joyelle Johnson:

It was Night Train, then there was also What did Nimesh and Che have? Oh, yeah, Matchless. -TANNIE: Yes, Broken Comedy at Matchless. And then Tuesday, Wednesday was kind of like a break, and then Thursday was Cabin. And that's when we had like our run, like a pretty good week run of like hanging out all the time.

Joyelle Johnson:

And Cabin was a good hang. And that was a tiny room. How many people could fit in Cabin?

Mindy Tucker:

I don't

Joyelle Johnson:

know. More people in my bathroom right now than you could fit in Cabin. And it would just be tight and warm. It was very moist in there. That whole bar was very moist.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes, it I think it flooded a lot. One of those places where you're like, we shouldn't be breathing this air. Yes, I remember those shows. Remember that necklace? LOL, seeing old clothes that you've gotten rid of throughout the years.

Mindy Tucker:

Do you know, like, about how often do you think you were performing? Like, was it three sets a night or one or what do you About

Joyelle Johnson:

three sets a night would have been my average. I remember we were, we would talk about the people who did comedy the most. And Mike Lawrence was like the blueprint of everyone.

Mindy Tucker:

He and Dan St. Germain.

Joyelle Johnson:

Six, seven open mics a night. Yeah. And I was like, I ain't trying to do all that. So, that's like, what's the halfway point of that? Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

So, I was like about three, I can rock three.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. So I think Where do you think you were at career wise when you were at this Cabin show? Were you touring? Were you mostly in the city? Were you a full time comic?

Mindy Tucker:

What year is this? I believe we're in 2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

I didn't become full time with jazz comedy until 2016.

Mindy Tucker:

Oh, wow. Okay.

Joyelle Johnson:

So I was not full time. So at this point, I think, I was probably waitressing.

Mindy Tucker:

Oh, you did waitressing?

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah, was waitressing was my biggest gig and also teaching. Was teaching. They let me teach children. Yikes. I was doing that doing stand up at night.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow. So it was hard. So I'd work a lunch shift. Lunch shifts were the best, but less money. But do a lunch shift and then work at night and try to do stand up.

Joyelle Johnson:

And the comedy room started at 04:00. 4PM to about 2AM, can get an open mic. That's how Michael Lawrence was able to do, you know, every hour. He'd do a And different it got to a point where he would show up to a spot, and then they put him on. But usually, you had to sign up for a list and just wait and wait and wait.

Joyelle Johnson:

Right. You know, so that was probably at the times where I was just starting to get on the popular shows, like, Cap'n. Right. I think. Yeah, because I was touring with people.

Joyelle Johnson:

So I was doing a little

Mindy Tucker:

bit touring, opening, opening. How did you maintain the working a day job and then trying to get those sets at night? What was the thing that kept that going for you?

Joyelle Johnson:

I don't know, insanity? Yeah. Not taking meds? Like what? Not being a stable human being?

Joyelle Johnson:

I don't know, yeah, because it's such a weird pursuit to be like, I wanna hang around all these people and do this night thing that's not paying me any money. Yeah. It was weird. So, I don't even remember how much Cabin, or if Cabin paid.

Mindy Tucker:

Don't know that it did.

Joyelle Johnson:

I don't think Cabin paid. Yeah. So, we were doing, and we were happy to be booked on that show.

Mindy Tucker:

Well, was a hot, rhythmic It a great show. But I still have a day job when this photo is taken. Yeah. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. I was working, I mean, anything I would do production work, PA. I was transcribing for, what show was that? Flea Market Flip. I was the transcriber for Flea Market Flip.

Joyelle Johnson:

That host never talked to me. Yeah, I did anything that I could, you know, make some money catering, whatever it was. Was doing it because I knew I was not fit for a day job. I knew nobody wanted me behind their desk. Oh, I'm a get fired and fired.

Joyelle Johnson:

I got fired a lot.

Mindy Tucker:

So this is the launch of Lady Parts Justice. This is at Union Pool, 07/15/2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, my gosh. Yes. So that first Liz picture was the prequel to this going for Lady Parts Justice. Oh, my gosh. Look at Sherrell.

Joyelle Johnson:

Look at Sharon. We're like a girl group.

Mindy Tucker:

I love Look

Joyelle Johnson:

at the skin. Bright gleaming. Oh, my goodness. Look at that melanin popping. That is so and Union Pool had the best taco truck.

Mindy Tucker:

Still does.

Joyelle Johnson:

Still does. Is that taco truck still there? Still haven't been there in so long. That taco truck was one of my favorite reasons to go to Union Pool.

Mindy Tucker:

Oh, yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

I'd be like, Stand up, sure, sure, sure. But the taco truck. Yeah, I love that that has made it through. I haven't been there in a very long time. But yes, no, I remember that.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, this picture. Yes. Look at that girl. What is she like a size? Oh, she's like a size six.

Joyelle Johnson:

Come on, my mother would love these pictures. Oh my gosh, look at that. That's so funny. Look at me posing, trying to pose. Amazing.

Joyelle Johnson:

Aw, Mindy. I remember that shirt. I don't know any of these clothes anymore. Oh, yes. And this blazer.

Joyelle Johnson:

That's so funny. All of us on there. That's Eunice the uterus puppet. I think that's Sarah so flicker in there. Oh my goodness, Leah Bonhama.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. That was amazing. I haven't seen these pictures in so long. Yeah, shout out to activism and, being all over the place. Yay.

Joyelle Johnson:

Now this is a different day. Yes. Same shirt. Look at me. Different day, same shirt.

Joyelle Johnson:

I one thing about me is I will wear oh, I will wear an outfit. I've had this hoodie on for the past week because I'm just comfy. I go week by week because I never see the same people. Know? Every single day I see somebody different.

Mindy Tucker:

I have a uniform, basically.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes, you do.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. I just have a little uniform.

Joyelle Johnson:

Look forward again. You look like like HR, you know? Mindy's always dressed like HR. Noah. One of my besties in stand up, as he would say, he's, I'm allowed to say this, he is my favorite Jew.

Joyelle Johnson:

And I love that man so much. He has since moved to, Vegas. So hopefully I'll see him soon, but.

Mindy Tucker:

You were there the Comedy Freaknik one year anniversary show, 08/09/2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow. Comedy Freaknik?

Mindy Tucker:

That was the name of the show he had with the other guy from Atlanta. Clayton? No. Andy, I think.

Joyelle Johnson:

Sanford.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I haven't seen Andy in the longest. I do not know how Andy is doing.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, me neither.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Noah, I know is a father, which, wow. Because that Noah, not a father. No semblance of father in that Noah. So he's a different person now, I'll tell you that.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, yes. The fake proposal. This is What was this award show called?

Mindy Tucker:

So this is the Creek Awards. Yes. This is 08/23/2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

Look at how pained Clark is to be pretending to kiss me. That is so funny. We did a fake little proposal. I was nominated for best girl. I lost to Christicello.

Joyelle Johnson:

Whatever. You could see straight through that skirt. I still have this tutu. I'm a tutu girl. I love I love a tool.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love a tutu. You will never get me out of that. I don't care how old I am. I will be a grown ass woman in a tutu. I love it so much.

Joyelle Johnson:

It's so whimsical. You cannot smile when you see somebody in a tutu.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, it looks cute.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. Shout out to my brother Clark. I love him. I miss him.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. Was he in Chicago now?

Joyelle Johnson:

I don't know. Clark is in a different city every month. Oh, my gosh, the whole progression of this fake proposal. She said yes. I love it.

Joyelle Johnson:

Aw, and those shoes. Oh, my gosh. Heels, ever since the pandemic, no more of

Mindy Tucker:

those. No more.

Joyelle Johnson:

No more of those. If we fast forward this to now, it would be this outfit with some Jordans on.

Mindy Tucker:

And cut.

Joyelle Johnson:

What are you doing with all these pictures?

Mindy Tucker:

Joyelle, that's why you're here today. On my website, there are now over 1,000,000 photos. And people are always like, hey, Mindy, when are you gonna do a book? I'm like, I don't know. Whenever I have the time to sort through 1,000,000

Joyelle Johnson:

photos. So,

Mindy Tucker:

I'm asking everybody to come in for, it's kinda like several things. One is, what's the photo that you like the best? Like, do we have a top five? Do we have a top 10? Like, I need help.

Mindy Tucker:

Like, what's the stuff that's important to you? What's a photo that's like, you know, there's something that was going on that day, and it's important to you, so you really want us to be able to remember it? Or what's a photo that's like, I don't care about that photo at all. So that's part of it, is I genuinely want to make a book, and I want everyone to be happy with how they're represented. So I would never just put together, Here's 100 photos, have at it.

Mindy Tucker:

I, you know, I want you guys to be happy, but also, I think we're in a time where comedy has changed so much. And I think just asking people about their process and about what worked for them as they went from good to great, like what's just the really granular detail behind that? Because we're seeing so much on social media of finished products. And I think that when we were in this time where all the shows were geographically close to one another, and you all were, like you described earlier, you know what Mike Lawrence's joke routine was, right? Now, you didn't take all of what he did, but you took some of it.

Mindy Tucker:

You were like, If you're doing six, I can do three.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

That's where I'm gonna land on that, right? But, it developed you into someone who now, we're gonna get to this eventually in this episode, but there's a photo of you coming on stage at a show you weren't even scheduled to be on and killing, just absolutely owning the room. I have a photo of, like, people just clapping just because she walked onto the stage. Like just the way she walked onto the stage, she had them. And like all these moments, that's how you get there.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. That's why it looks so easy Because when you go up on stage, it just looks like, oh, that's just Joyelle being Joyelle. But it's all these times that are in that. And so, you know, I've talked earlier about, I'm just trying to send out a flare of like, Hey, if you're a young artist, like, here's all these people. Here's all the different things they took from this.

Mindy Tucker:

Here's all the different ways they did it. But with great, you know, specificity so that the comedy nerds can have fun too.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. Yeah. Thank you for being a comedy merd.

Mindy Tucker:

And if you're watching this, you are. Right. Anyway, here's some more candidates from the Awards.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes, the Creek Awards.

Mindy Tucker:

In 2014, such a fun night, 08/23/2014. I, you know, I don't Artistically speaking, I don't love a quote unquote red carpet photo. Right. We tend to turn stuff like that down when it hits the old inbox. But I am so glad that we do have these photos of everyone together.

Mindy Tucker:

I do think that's special.

Joyelle Johnson:

I do too. I do too. Yeah, and I love I live for a group shot. I love a group shot. Is that Jeremy Wing?

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. That's so funny.

Mindy Tucker:

Still working in comedy today.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. A sweetheart. Still friends with him. Yeah. I got one in with his wife recently.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that. Oh, this was one of my faves. That is one of my favorite pictures. With the tulle skirt gathered and just being a I think this picture is the essence of a Virgo.

Mindy Tucker:

This is you. So Joyelle is looking at a photo of herself.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

That's hanging at the creek in the cave. This was part of the year in comedy. And Joyelle had quote unquote made the wall I made the wall. Creek.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, I made the wall.

Mindy Tucker:

And she was excited about that. And it was a joy. I was really excited to take this picture as well. This was a really fun moment. Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

That, yeah, it's Joyelle looking at Joyelle.

Joyelle Johnson:

Joyelle loving Joyelle. Love Joy. And if

Mindy Tucker:

you're if you're in Austin, Texas, you can go to the creek in the cave today and see all the old urine comedies.

Joyelle Johnson:

They're Oh, they're all still hanging out all there. Still

Mindy Tucker:

there. Yeah. She drove them down to Austin a couple years ago.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, I love that. I haven't been in a while. Austin's not for me. Yeah. That is a classic Joyelle face right there.

Mindy Tucker:

So this is a show called Stand Up and Take Your Clothes Off. L. O. L. Hosted by Karen Fian and Kitten Kent.

Mindy Tucker:

This is 12/07/2014. So you and I saw a lot of one another in 2014.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that.

Mindy Tucker:

That means you were out there working.

Joyelle Johnson:

I was working.

Mindy Tucker:

Do you remember if you had a goal at that time? Like, were you working towards a half hour? Were you

Joyelle Johnson:

I was working towards a late night set. Okay. And working towards getting past at the popular comedy clubs in New York City. That's what I was working towards.

Mindy Tucker:

So that's really evident in this photo spread, is, you know, we initially see you in 2012, and then, you know, you were probably doing open mics and things like that. And then you show up in 2014, you're starting to get booked on those bigger shows, and it's Joyelle, Joyelle, Joyelle, Joyelle. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. That is I remember this time because I was like, stand up and take your clothes off. It looks like I'm about to take my clothes off because I have, like, the perfect hoodie on to be naked under, but absolutely not. Are you kidding me? Stand up is scary enough.

Joyelle Johnson:

You want me to do it naked? That is terrifying. That's a no for me, dog. That's a no for me, dog. This is a fifty first joke.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. And

Joyelle Johnson:

this is January 2015. All of my colleagues look positively at me, which I appreciate. Well, there's one person with his head in his hands, but other than that, everybody else's faces look promising.

Mindy Tucker:

Hello, Leon Torreso.

Joyelle Johnson:

Is that Matteo in the back?

Mindy Tucker:

I think so, yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

And Liza? Who you?

Mindy Tucker:

Sweet pie Liza.

Joyelle Johnson:

Love that. That is I know what's about to happen. I'm probably gonna cry.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. I cried putting it together.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that dress. Good lip. Good red lip. My hair is straight. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Which for those of you that don't know, this is not that. And to get my hair straight takes a very long time. It does not last for long. The second if there's any humidity in the air, it will right back up into an afro. So having my hair straight in any pictures is a feat.

Joyelle Johnson:

Clapping about Everest, and I don't do it often. Yes, backstage, Bell House is my favorite venue in the country, in the world. I shot my special at Bell House. I love the Bell House. I love Aparna.

Joyelle Johnson:

Is that the side of Josh Gonderman's head? Yep. Probably is because he has a cardigan on. We got Lisa. We got Naomi.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

We shall know him by his cardigan.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. We will know Josh Gonderman by a hat and a cardigan and a really nice shoe. A really great shoe. Wow, look at us. Okay, so Janelle James and Joyelle Johnson are actually about to do a show together at the end of May in Atlanta.

Joyelle Johnson:

So I'm And excited about I have sometimes gotten deal memos for Joyelle James. I've gotten offers for Janelle Johnson. -Oh, wow. -And when I asked Janelle if that ever happened to her, she was like, No, that's never happened. And then the next time I saw her, she was like, Somebody just bought me up as Joyelle James.

Joyelle Johnson:

Was like, I told you it was called Happy Girl. Because it's the JJ's and Janelle is more of a more common name than Joyelle. So if I say Joyelle to somebody, they'll be like, Janelle? And I'm like, you're just not listening. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. So holler, shout out. Oh, wow, we was really mugging.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, I, you know, I actually called, there were like more photos of the two of you together, and I was like, I don't know how to pick, because you guys actually look good in all of them, I feel. And also, was just such a fun moment to have you both together there.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. Her cheekbones are I know. So beautiful. Astounding. Oh my gosh.

Joyelle Johnson:

Face beat. Who's that guy talking to Josh?

Mindy Tucker:

That is Jeff Wesselsmidt. Did comedy with Joel Wachowski and Eli Sayers. They were called The Wildcats. Oh, cool.

Joyelle Johnson:

Has he still do comedy?

Mindy Tucker:

No. For him. Really, really, I know. I'm lit. We had Joel in for an interview recently, and I'm always so happy for people putting her out.

Joyelle Johnson:

Well, come the waterworks. Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. So, this is Everybody with Kevin. This is our Kevin Barnett, and he just was so funny. But what's so hard for all of us is that he was funny, he was an incredible writer, but he was also such a good friend and artist. He really was on the more artful side of things, which you wouldn't know like, just only from his comedy.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, he just I always felt like such an artistic kinship with him. And this is Kevin with Jay and Janelle and Seton

Joyelle Johnson:

Amber photobombing our black Amber

Mindy Tucker:

totally knowing what she's doing, having a great time with it, and all of you knowing what she was doing and having a great time with

Joyelle Johnson:

it. Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

But, yeah, this was Kevin at fifty First Strokes. And he was he was around for a lot of community stuff. I think he I think he already had a TV show at that point. I think.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. I mean, he, he was doing fantastic. Yeah. Him and his writing partner, Josh. And, and I will say that, he was holding out on a really good friend from college that he never introduced me to, that I met at his funeral, and that is my partner.

Joyelle Johnson:

We've been together for six years. So, I feel like he kind of like brought us together. So yeah. Yeah. And that's all I can say about it.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh my gosh, I loved this picture. That and also that's my first, that's not my first time crying, but they will not be the last, I already know. I'm gonna cry again, and it is what it is. So if y'all looking at me puffy eyed right now, it's Huffle. Barbara Walters of comedy.

Mindy Tucker:

I just want you to come in here and cry. That's it. That's the whole thing.

Joyelle Johnson:

Doctor. This archive is fantastic. And like, I never thought about it that much. Like, you really did archive our careers. And the times back when we were all friends.

Joyelle Johnson:

Because that ain't the case as much anymore. Shout out to Robert D. Robert D is responsible for the one of the sexiest moments I've ever seen in my life. We were at a festival in Atlanta. He has his long hair, and we were all hanging out on, like, the seventeenth floor of this building.

Joyelle Johnson:

And then at one point, all the comics just looked at the patio, and he was making out with this girl, and his hair was, like, blowing in the wind. And we all just -Wow. Stopped and were like, God damn. That was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. Robert Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yay, winter coats.

Mindy Tucker:

I love that one.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love the bell house. I love winter coats. I love this dress. I think I still have it. I can't fit it, but I still have it.

Mindy Tucker:

So this is Valentine's Day, 2015, the show Hard, Lonely and Vicious. Yeah. Hosted by Peggy O'Leary and Molly Austin at The Creek in the Cave.

Joyelle Johnson:

Molly is supposed to have a baby.

Mindy Tucker:

I think they have the baby.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah, my God. Gosh, I can't believe any comedians are parents. This dress, I love this dress so much. And LOL at how dressy I got. I probably thought I was trying to get a man at the Valentine's Day show.

Joyelle Johnson:

Like, she's single, look at her. And then a winter coat,

Mindy Tucker:

And then which is this is outside the knitting factory in April 2015, and I don't think these photos are out anywhere. I think I found them in the archives. Who am

Joyelle Johnson:

I talking to? Rami. I was like, that looks like Rami. And a babushka looking like an auntie. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

I was like, That is Rami. Aw.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. I love this because it's just, you know, it's no flash, It's available light, and it's just a little moment of people hanging out. And that was one of the great things about the Knit.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. Yeah. We love Knitting Factory. Oh, my goodness. That was such a great time.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love looking back to those times and just being like, Oh, we did have a good time there.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. But I feel like a lot of you worked on material. It was such a useful place for that, you know?

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. It absolutely was. This was one of the shooter shirts. I remember she gave me this shirt. I loved how bright it was.

Joyelle Johnson:

It was such a great shirt. And that's at The Creek.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah. So, this is for the LPGA Carnival. This is in June 2014. I'm sorry, June 2015 at The Creek. And this was John Fugal sang.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, love him. They did like a booth or something. That was part of the festival. I can't remember the whole thing. But it was like, it wasn't just a comedy show.

Mindy Tucker:

There was stuff happening A lot going on. Out on the patio. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

That was I do I remember that. Oh, gosh. It's like going back into the memory dump from inside out. This is all from the memory dump, shooting back up that thing and coming down. And all of my personalities are like, wow, that was a crazy time.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah, that's a, I love that shirt. I wore that shirt till it, the, the Boondock shirt. I wore that shirt till it got so thin. You could like see through it. I love that shirt.

Joyelle Johnson:

LOL at this. This is Stick or Treat?

Mindy Tucker:

Stick or Treat 2015 at the knitting factory. LOL.

Joyelle Johnson:

Take a wild guess at who I am pretending to be Yep. at this point. That was yeah. That was a great time. I love the background of those girls laughing at it.

Joyelle Johnson:

It was that was a funny that was a funny thing. I had a good time doing that. Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

And I think Sticker Tree was just a it was a wonderful place for everybody kind of coming together. Yeah. But then we had to, the next photo of you is at Littlefield.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that. This photo was promo as well. I used that photo as promo for a lot. I missed that ring, that little zebra ring. I love that ring so much.

Joyelle Johnson:

And what year is this?

Mindy Tucker:

I believe that this is the fall of fifteen. Wow. And let's see.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that leather jacket.

Mindy Tucker:

This was Night Train, Wyatt's and Knacks show. Yes. And this was the fifth anniversary show.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah. That's a great shot. That hallway is great for pictures. I feel like I have a lot of good Mindy shots in that hallway.

Mindy Tucker:

I miss that hallway. That's the old Littlefield.

Joyelle Johnson:

That's the the original Littlefield location. And I did love, I used that wall a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Judging by this picture, I was doing an impression of Seton there.

Joyelle Johnson:

Oh, yes. I love that jacket. Oh my goodness. And the necklace. I remember having that necklace.

Joyelle Johnson:

And I also have a sheer shirt on. I've never met a mesh or a sheer that I do not love. Yes, I do. These pictures were coming. These are some of my favorite group shots.

Joyelle Johnson:

Getting down here. I'm glad I don't have nails on. Thought I was gonna wear nails. Yes. Shout out to Jeffrey Joseph, who has escaped America.

Joyelle Johnson:

That is in Canada. Good for him.

Mindy Tucker:

He got out early.

Joyelle Johnson:

Sure did. I love this picture. I love Parna, Hari, Rojo. That's a great shot. Mary Anne.

Joyelle Johnson:

I love that. I love that picture. I really do. I love a group shot. I love a good group shot.

Mindy Tucker:

And this next one, you came out to support Julia Rozzi's album release celebration, 02/18/2016.

Joyelle Johnson:

Wow. Amazing. There's that, shirt again. I love that shirt dress. It was like a thin sweater dress.

Joyelle Johnson:

I loved it.

Mindy Tucker:

And then this next one is from, also from February 2016. Yes. This was the Oscars at The Creek In The Cave.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. Now this skirt, I don't know whose skirt that was. I don't know where I wore it. I don't remember that skirt. I feel like it was one of those things I had and didn't, and couldn't really fit and wore it once.

Joyelle Johnson:

And there was like, girl, you gotta get this away. But it's so cute. It's like feathers, But yay, all. I love that.

Mindy Tucker:

And then I want you to to just some real life is happening.

Joyelle Johnson:

Uh-oh.

Mindy Tucker:

So, the next photos of you

Joyelle Johnson:

Yeah.

Mindy Tucker:

From Yeah. When we did the women in comedy thing.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. Yeah. I remember that. I remember women in comedy. Oh my gosh.

Mindy Tucker:

And so we did individual photos of each person. And then we did group photos. And then we had breakout groups.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. And I remember these. Jean, I was just on the phone with Jean. She says hi.

Mindy Tucker:

I love Jean simply, she's so artistic and the best.

Joyelle Johnson:

Yes. One of the besties. Yes, great breakout groups. Yeah. I love that.

Mindy Tucker:

But the thing is

Joyelle Johnson:

Has that little field?

Mindy Tucker:

This was such a data heavy day that only the individual photos are captioned. And I'm gonna need a fellowship, you guys. I'm gonna need one of those things where they give you a bunch of money to go away to the woods for a while, and they pay all your living expenses because this gallery isn't captioned, the group photos. And so, I remembered at the last minute before you were coming in, like, way

Joyelle Johnson:

How many people are in these pictures?

Mindy Tucker:

Like, wait, Joyelle. So you didn't come up automatically on the internal archive search Yeah. When I entered your name, but I was like, wait.

Joyelle Johnson:

There's other pics.

Mindy Tucker:

There's other pics. Oh, there's

Joyelle Johnson:

lot going on in that braid there.

Mindy Tucker:

Thank you.

Joyelle Johnson:

Good braid. Big braid. Bigly.

Mindy Tucker:

It's a lot. You're amazing. You know, it's like, allegedly, this is the definitive Joyelle Johnson pull up until this moment in 2016. Yeah. But there could be a photo somewhere that I missed.

Mindy Tucker:

Like, it's highly possible.

Joyelle Johnson:

Selena got on. Is that a, yeah, girl. Okay, flat stomach. You ready

Mindy Tucker:

to So, do was in 2016. Yeah. And we want to do this again. So, hopefully in the fall, we're gonna bring everyone together again to do this. Because did you meet anyone that day that you had never met or was it mostly just hanging with people you knew?

Joyelle Johnson:

I'm sure I did. I'm sure I met people I'd never met, but I feel like the whole career has been such a blur. I'll tell people, I'm not sure where I met you. Right. You know, it'll be somebody where I'm like, I recognize your face.

Joyelle Johnson:

I don't remember your name. And I realized that you just have to be like, remind me your name again. And it's that simple. Just remind me your name again. And I'm sure I mean, I'm looking at these pictures because there's so many people I know, but there's so many faces I don't know in there.

Joyelle Johnson:

So, yeah, let's do that again. So I can meet more people. Oh, my little box. Box number one.

Mindy Tucker:

So, you guys, we got through box number one today. There's a whole other box. So, I think you guys, what you're gonna have to do here is you're gonna have to like, you're gonna have to subscribe, you're gonna have to subscribe to my newsletter, and we're gonna have to have Joyelle back again.

Joyelle Johnson:

You gotta do that. This is crazy, so I can cry again.

Mindy Tucker:

Yeah, I cried too. Yeah, yeah, anyway, I just, don't wanna rush it, you know? Never. Is there anything from this time you wanna, like talk about or you think you got it?

Joyelle Johnson:

No, I just I've had fun. Yeah. I've had a I'm having a fun life and this is just evidence of that to be like, oh wow, you're having a good time. And I wouldn't I don't think I would change a single thing about anything because those were ups and downs times a lot a lot of rough things happened but wow lots of smiles. Yeah.

Joyelle Johnson:

And I love you. I'm taking pictures of you. I'm taking pictures of everything.

Mindy Tucker:

Do you remember your first joke?

Joyelle Johnson:

I was a young girl, and I always knew I was gonna be a performer. And one of my favorite movies is The Sound of Music. And there's a scene where they sing a song called 16 going on 17. And when you watch the scene, they're leaping off of these benches so that they can leap all around the room. And I would do that in the living room.

Joyelle Johnson:

I would put on every single skirt that I owned, and I would jump from couch to couch to couch. And my mother finally caught me, and instead of yelling at me, she was like, Oh, I have a little baby entertainer and comedian on my hands, because she just laughed at me with every single skirt on in the house, hers and mine, twirling around singing 16 going on 17.

Mindy Tucker:

That's fantastic. Ready for the stage.

Joyelle Johnson:

Ready for the stage.

Mindy Tucker:

At a young age.

Joyelle Johnson:

At a young age, Barst.