Wednesday night in Annapolis, and I was ready to get my laugh on! When you hear that Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson is coming to town, you know you’re in for something special. Whether he’s impersonating President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, or unleashing one of his countless other voices, I had a feeling this was going to be one wild comedic ride. And boy, was I right!
Before Johnson took center stage at Rams Head On Stage, comedian Jared Stern had the honor of warming up the crowd. Voted “Best Comedian in D.C.” for three consecutive years (2023–2025), Stern proved to be the perfect opening act. In fact, Johnson couldn’t have picked a better comedian to get the audience ready for an evening of laughter.
During his 20-minute set, Stern kicked things off with a hilarious story about taking his dog to the veterinarian before transitioning into the challenges of eating healthy and an unforgettable drive-thru experience at McDonald’s. His sharp wit, relatable storytelling, and natural delivery kept the audience engaged from beginning to end.
Funny enough, Stern recognized me after the show! We had previously met at Howie Mandel’s comedy performance at Maryland Hall last year. It was a pleasant surprise and a reminder of how small the comedy world can be. After watching his performance, I can certainly understand why Stern earned his “Best Comedian” honors three years running. His jokes are clever, his timing is impeccable, and once he captures an audience’s attention, he refuses to let go.
If you want to catch Jared Stern live or check out his podcast, visit JaredStern.com. Trust me, he’s worth your time!
Then came the main attraction!
Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson took the stage to an enthusiastic Annapolis audience, immediately acknowledging his now-famous portrayal of President Donald Trump. He jokingly expressed his hope that he could continue playing Trump forever, a remark that drew a less-than-enthusiastic response from some audience members. Of course, Johnson had a perfectly hilarious explanation: he was hoping to land a book deal someday to chronicle his experiences! He even asked whether any publishers happened to be in the audience.
From there, Johnson took us on a comedic journey through his upbringing in Nashville, Tennessee. He poked fun at people who claim to love every kind of music—except rap—and shared stories about his family connections to Maryland. With his brother and sister-in-law living near Salisbury, Johnson has developed a familiarity with the Eastern Shore.
That connection led to a hilarious rant about the DELMARVA region. As someone who has lived in the area for many years, I can tell you that his observations were spot-on! His ability to find humor in the quirks of our region made the routine especially entertaining for the hometown crowd.
Naturally, the conversation eventually returned to Trump.
Johnson joked about Trump’s promises to “take us to the top” before reflecting on his own unusual journey portraying American presidents on Saturday Night Live. Interestingly enough, Johnson initially impersonated President Biden before SNL alumnus Dana Carvey stepped in to portray Biden, allowing Johnson to concentrate on his increasingly popular Trump impression. It is quite a remarkable distinction to have portrayed two consecutive presidents on one of television’s most iconic comedy programs.
Johnson continued with observations about how his generation has yet to reap the benefits of Trump’s promises. He also delivered a brilliantly constructed joke involving Titanic, inspired by a remark from Vice President JD Vance. The setup, delivery, and payoff landed beautifully with the audience.
One of the evening’s more outrageous segments centered on Johnson’s interpretation of the aftermath of the assassination attempt against Trump. He joked about the apparent absence of post-traumatic stress in Trump’s public behavior before comparing the situation to a friend named Matt, who had also been shot but experienced a dramatic change in personality afterward.
This led to one of the night’s comedic highlights: Johnson imagining an alternate universe in which Trump underwent a complete personality transformation following the shooting. And that’s when the magic happened.
Johnson slipped effortlessly into his Trump impression, complete with the unmistakable voice, mannerisms, rambling tangents, and wonderfully absurd verbal detours that have made his portrayal such a sensation on Saturday Night Live.
Having watched him perform the impression countless times on television, seeing him do it live was an entirely different experience. His ability to improvise an endless stream of Trump-style commentary while maintaining the character’s distinctive rhythm was nothing short of extraordinary.
Johnson also reflected on his upbringing in a deeply conservative Christian household and his 15 years working as an actor in Christian media. These personal experiences provided another fascinating dimension to his comedy, helping explain some of the influences that shaped his approach to political satire.
One particularly wild routine involved Johnson imagining what Trump’s music might sound like nine months after the assassination attempt. He painted an increasingly ridiculous picture of a dramatically transformed Trump, complete with an alternate-universe stream of consciousness that had the audience roaring. I still don’t know how Johnson manages to construct these elaborate comedic scenarios while remaining completely in character but watching him do it in real time was a treat.
At one point, Johnson declared, “We are an unserious country,” before imagining Trump following in the footsteps of former politicians who have appeared on celebrity reality competition shows. In Johnson’s version, Trump would participate in a hidden-identity talent competition, only for the celebrity panelists to recognize him almost immediately.
What followed was another spectacular helping of Trump-style verbal word salad, as Johnson imagined the former reality television star describing his experience on the fictional program. The absurdity kept building, and the audience loved every minute of it.
Just when I thought Johnson couldn’t possibly get any funnier, he introduced one of the most unexpected comedy concepts of the night: “White Wines for Dudes.”
Johnson asked the men in the audience to raise their glasses of white wine before unveiling his imaginary product, complete with its own symbol and marketing campaign. He then transformed himself into a white-wine-drinking Don Draper, giving us a wonderfully ridiculous take on masculine advertising.
But the cherry on top was his imaginary commercial, narrated in the unmistakable gravelly voice of legendary actor Sam Elliott. Now, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Sam Elliott, so I know that voice quite well. Johnson’s impression was superb! He captured Elliott’s deep, commanding delivery so convincingly that I couldn’t help but laugh. And he wasn’t finished.
Johnson proceeded to bring Walton Goggins, former baseball star Frank Thomas, and Billy Bob Thornton into the imaginary advertising campaign, each adding another layer of comedic insanity.
You truly had to be there to appreciate the genius of this routine. The combination of celebrity impressions, ridiculous product placement, and Johnson’s remarkable vocal versatility made it one of my favorite moments of the entire evening.
Nearly an hour into his performance, Johnson returned to another familiar political figure: President Joe Biden. He joked about Biden’s ability to read prepared material while struggling to communicate his thoughts aloud, offering an exaggerated demonstration of what he meant. His Biden impression was delivered in such a soft, subdued voice that even with the microphone amplified, parts of the routine were nearly impossible to hear—which only added to the joke.
Johnson also poked fun at Biden’s tendency to reference his mother during public appearances, imagining him repeatedly beginning remarks with “My mom says…” whether speaking at a political rally, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, or a grand opening. It was another reminder that Johnson’s comedic talents extend far beyond his famous Trump impression.
As the evening approached its conclusion, Johnson treated the audience to an assortment of additional voices and character ideas, including some sketches he had attempted to pitch to guest hosts on Saturday Night Live.
Among the wonderfully bizarre concepts were pigeons attending brunch, a video game character being burned alive, and an impression of the late Robin Williams reacting to seeing boobies.
Yes, you read that correctly!
Each idea was more outrageous than the last, and Johnson’s willingness to embrace the absurd demonstrated why he has become such a versatile performer. Whether delivering political satire, celebrity impressions, or completely off-the-wall character sketches, he possesses that rare ability to turn even the strangest premise into comedic gold.
By the time the evening came to an end, my cheeks were hurting from laughing so much!
What made the night even more special was the opportunity to meet both comedians afterward. James Austin Johnson and Jared Stern came out to greet their fans, giving audience members the chance to share their appreciation for a fantastic evening of entertainment. It’s always wonderful when performers take a little extra time to connect with the people who came out to support them.
Rams Head On Stage proved to be an excellent setting for this kind of intimate comedy performance. The atmosphere allowed the audience to feel connected to the performers, making every joke, impression, and unexpected moment that much more enjoyable.
I sincerely hope Rams Head On Stage continues bringing more outstanding comedians to Annapolis. If this performance was any indication, there’s certainly an audience eager for more nights filled with laughter.
James Austin Johnson delivered a masterclass in impressions, improvisation, and wonderfully unpredictable comedy. Jared Stern set the perfect tone, and together they gave Annapolis an evening that I won’t soon forget.
From the first laugh to the final punchline, this was one incredible night of comedy.
Final Grade: A+
About The Author
More Stories
