Jermaine Johnson

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Jermaine Johnson

Jermaine Johnson (born August 7, 1980 in Opelika), known professionally as "FunnyMaine", is a stand-up comedian and YouTube celebrity.

Johnson graduated from Jackson-Olin High School and attended Stillman College and the University of Alabama. He began performing stand-up in 2005 and considers the Comedy Club Stardome to be his home field. He has appeared as an afternoon personality on 95.7 JAMZ for several years and was also a regular guest on the Roy Wood Jr Morning Show. His performances have been featured on Bounce's "Uptown Comic" and Kevin Hart's "Hart of the City". In addition he has acted on TBS' "Sullivan and Son," and BET's ""Being Mary Jane".

Shortly after Alabama's loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in 2014, Johnson uploaded his first "How Bama Fans Watch Games" video to YouTube. The video got an instant positive reaction, so he has continued it for every Crimson Tide football game since, building a social media audience that has numbered in the millions.

Johnson made an impact as a leader during the Birmingham protests that followed the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Johnson addressed crowds at Kelly Ingram Park and encouraged them obliquely to meet him later at Linn Park to, "tear something" down." A large group did assemble and began to vandalize the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Memorial and other monuments in the park. When dispersed by police, a large number continued to damage property in the downtown area. Johnson blames agitators from outside the community for spreading the destruction beyond the monument. On July 11 Johnson was formally charged with misdemeanor "inciting to riot," and surrendered to police. The Black Lives Matter Birmingham Chapter requested that the city dismiss the charges. The charges were dismissed during a hearing at the Birmingham Municipal Court on June 17.

"The Root" recognized Johnson as one of the 100 most influential African Americans in 2020.

References

  • Heim, Mark (October 24, 2016) "Meet Alabama man behind 'How Bama Fans Watched Games' viral video." The Birmingham News
  • Specker, Laurence (May 21, 2019) "Funnymaine keeps rolling with Crimson Tide comedy." The Birmingham News
  • Beahm, Anna (May 31, 2020) "Demonstrations continue in Alabama: comedian calls for tearing down Confederate monument." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (June 1, 2020) "‘FunnyMaine’ Johnson: Agitators from outside Birmingham turned protests violent." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (June 11, 2020) "Jermaine ‘FunnyMaine’ Johnson charged with inciting a riot after Birmingham protests." The Birmingham News
  • Koplowitz, Howard (June 12, 2020) "Black Lives Matter demands Birmingham drop charges against Jermaine ‘Funnymaine’ Johnson." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (June 17, 2020) "Jermaine ‘FunnyMaine’ Johnson’s inciting riot charge dismissed." The Birmingham News
  • Specker, Lawrence (March 7, 2021) "Jermaine ‘Funnymaine’ Johnson: ‘Y’all can laugh ... come on!’." Al.com

External links