James Austin Johnson Shows Off His Best Bobby Flay Impersonation

James Austin Johnson talks about dressing his son up as Frodo from Lord of the Rings for Halloween, his podcast, 'Tis the Grinch Holiday Talk Show, and his love for niche impersonations.
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James Austin Johnson Shows Off His Best Bobby Flay Impersonation - Late Night with Seth Meyers
• James Austin Johnson S...
Late Night with Seth Meyers
/ latenightseth

[@dl2725]

James’ little throwaway comments are so good, and they’re not going over with the audience nearly as well as they should

[@MarkosGH]

I noticed that too!

[@emilytaylor2623]

Nate Bargatze on SNL, Taylor Tomlinson gets a network show, and JAJ on Seth. It's been a good week for my favorite comedians.

[@PreachBoldly2020]

Same here!!! What a great week!

[@MorrisDuBose]

SERIOUSLY 🎉🎉

[@PreachBoldly2020]

And we know that’s how both their dads talk too 😂

[@wasteland6961]

Nate's Netflix special destroyed me.

[@mandcbruce]

Possibly a silver lining to the actor's strike? Roy Wood Jr. on the View this week and Colbert had Jim Gaffigan last week.

[@icantollie]

You know you have arrived as a comedian and/or impressionist when you get Seth to crack up in delight, not Fallonesque histrionic laughter but a genuine authentic Seth cracking up in sheer joy type deal 🥰

[@tucci007da]

Being really good at vocal mimicry, and doing accents, goes hand in hand with being an excellent singer, this is a person in total control of their vocalizations. So glad SNL is using him more and not just as the Dorito Bandito.

[@gal1885]

The Dorito Bandito 😂😂😂

[@elizabethholdsworth1091]

As someone who listened to Les Mis as a young kid, I deeply appreciate his song choice.

[@sorkinfanatic]

The expository songs!

[@MrEdgoldsworthy]

One of my talents is I can do, with about 85% accuracy the entire musical from beginning to end.

[@coup919062]

James Austin Johnson and Bill Hader doing deep cut impressions is what we need

[@justinwuycheck7966]

He deserves a better crowd.

[@Dr_Jim57]

ehh I like him but his 'talk show banter' is just not very good. his bits and impressions are where he's amazing

[@MagicalMissMikki]

The Bobby Flay impression is absolutely unhinged 🤣

[@olorin4317]

Seth better hope that impersonation camp hires James as a counselor.

[@LateNightwithStudBuyers]

I heard that camp is closed until they settle their legal battle with Impressions Camp.

[@olorin4317]

@@LateNightwithStudBuyersJackals always take the bait. They’re owned by the same company. Obviously, Impersonation Camp is where they go after graduating from Impression Camp.

[@aaronpeart]

My jaw was on the floor when he started singing! How dare he be so talented?

[@diananuttman8291]

The Tambor impression OMG!!!! Unprecedented!!! 100% spot on!!!

[@katiechisholm]

I can’t with his Bobby Flay 🤣🤣 it made me happy lol

[@stephenjames2951]

Lake beach was hilarious.

[@Spo8]

James' extended bit about Jeffrey Tambor being irate that his Nintendo Switch Lite can't plug into the TV was criminally underappreciated by the audience.

[@icantollie]

The best comedy is grounded in truth

[@gal1885]

Omg I haven’t laughed that hard in a while! The Bobby Flay sent me. Lake Beach was my fav skit on the last SNL! WOW thanks I needed that ❤

[@beardown6574]

Absolutely love his impressions. That Tambor impression so unique and spot on.

[@lashendawest7509]

We love James Austin Johnson

[@susannehuber3996]

YES WE DO ❤❤❤❤YES WE DO ❤❤❤❤❤

[@Rolbell]

Man, I was caught off guard when he got into his Tambor. He may be one of the best mainstream impressionists of all time.

[@Qermaq]

If only SNL could have hung onto Melissa, these two could be anyone on Earth between them.

[@dcool2u2]

I was hoping he'd throw in Jeffrey's "Hey now!"

[@shawnuel]

@@Qermaq I think Melissa is very happy with her decision to leave. Anxiety has been an issue with her and she seems/says she is much happier now. But Chloe Fineman, IMO, is barely a step down from Melissa. More in common with the slightly “enhanced” takes of Bill Hader than the specificity of Melissa or JAJ.

[@Qermaq]

@@shawnuel Nah I agree, she left for her good reasons. I guess my point is it's a shame the nature of the show led to that. Agreed on Chloe, she's a good successor to Kate McKinnon.

[@christineherrmann205]

From Frodo to Gollum in 35 seconds might be a new record for the One Ring.

[@villanessa]

Favorite cast member right now without a doubt

[@TheDivayenta]

He’s a real singer!

[@charlie-obrien]

JAJ is so good and has such a great act. His "Lake Beach" sketch and song are hilarious. BTW, kudos for not requesting an impression of "you know who". As talented as James is the world can do with a lot less reminders of that stink hog.

[@waltergodsoe5526]

Wonderful range James,wish more of it showed on SNL

[@kayapapaya]

I love that bit of Les Mis! When I was a kid, giving non-answers to my parents’ questions, my dad would sing/bellow “what do you mean by that?! That is not an answer!” Which was very weird to me since I had not yet seen Jesus Christ Superstar.

[@joeyxc4]

He’s too funny he doesn’t seem human he’s very smart and I watch him all the time😊

[@momcatwoo]

“People are very proud of their hardcover nonfiction.” THAT IS TRUE SIR

[@swlatta]

Each week on this show three chefs are gonna team up with four celebrities to find out who's gonna head to the parking lot to battle against five moms for the ultimate battle of baby back ribs supremacy, and then those three people are gonna jump into an empty swimming pool with Tony Hawk who's gonna do a 900 to find out whose barbecue baby back ribs are gonna go up against three chefs that are gonna find out whose signature dish is gonna become the signature dish for the rest of the year right here on "Beat Bobby To The Punch."

[@jimtokheim1422]

They really nailed the Lake Beach vibe! I lived on a lake in Minnesota in high school and it was EXACTLY like that!

[@dancollins6171]

I met James when he performed on Maui. Super kind, humble guy. I’m not sure he even realizes how spot-on his impressions are.

[@shivavision23]

Why would he not realize that? Impressions don't just come along, comedians always work a lot on perfecting them, so they know better than you and me how good exactly they are.

[@Dr_Jim57]

@@shivavision23 lol right? the guy on SNL who opens the show as Trump sometimes doesn't realize he's that good at impressions. what

[@fdrstan]

JAJ is already an SNL LEGEND.

[@shawnuel]

Who still isn't used enough, IMO.

[@nms7872]

Only been on for 2 years and he felt like an essential cast member from the start. The key impressionist in the cast currently.

[@VIRACYTV]

I like how his Grinch is Jiminy Glick

[@sethlarson9433]

I need James Austin Johnson and Bill Harder to start there own sketch show. I love those guys.

[@fortytwenty6283]

The Bobby Flay took me out!!!! 🤣

[@quantumqueef]

oh my god a jeffrey tambor "arrested development" impression on SNL would be the greatest thing to ever happen. i adore this guy

[@emilytaylor2623]

Also, he really did his dad's voice perfectly.

[@PreachBoldly2020]

Thinking the same thing!

[@brigitperry4991]

The Lake Beach was perfection.

[@Kimm134Saya]

Petition to cast JAJ as Jean Valjean!

[@lydia1634]

I appreciate his Broadway indoctrination. I was so proud when my 2-year-old's favorite bedtime song was Come to My Garden from The Secret Garden. She used to sing, "nesowd inna hills" instead of nestled in the hills. So cute. Now she only wants me to sing the lullaby from Frozen 2. Oh well

[@icepick117]

I remember following this guy on twitter for his trump impressions and he's still here! wild!

[@Cancun771]

Don't worry, Trump is gonna be reinstalled in the White House soon. Him or some other Russian puppet.

[@sohft]

the music freaking threw me off, i thought i was in a bizarre alternate universe!!! hahahaha

[@nauseaqueen]

I’m 25 years old and I wish JAJ was my dad…also love to see Tennessee and lake beaches represented 🧡

[@LexWick]

1:27 I detect a cut :D I want the JAJ directors edition

[@thesoulmatecoach4225]

So talented

[@TheGiggleMasterP]

Channeling Jim Carrey energy with that Grinch voice! 🎉

[@housevisand]

Donald Trump was bleeding thru some of those impressions & it was absolutely hilarious to me... cuz then it had me thinking of a sketch idea where Donald Trump is a Ghost that keeps trying to possess random celebrities, especially reality tv celebs, to try & feed off their fame & gain life again by fully possessing Bobby Flay, for example. I feel theres a lot of potential there, but even if not, its very funny to me.

[@capriconleche-ig5fo]

Underrated dude!!!!!!!!

[@karolinaleleniewski4334]

Bobby flay impression was crazy good

[@jessedampolo]

I wish his Bobby Flay was a regular character in skits, it just kills me 💀

[@NewMessage]

Considering how many podcasts get animated, this one should be beyond great when that happens.

[@stebolavirus]

6:06 just casually quoting Carl Sandberg lol

[@_o_-I-_o_]

Based on that Les Mis excerpt I'll venture he too is a fan of the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast version.

[@silverXnoise]

KZbin is trying to sell me 33 seasons of “Beat Bobby Flay” alongside this video. No thanks, I’m already subscribed to the Beat Bobby Flay Plus service.

[@Richard-tf6oq]

According to my neighbor, the Grinch was a quitter who couldn't follow through.

[@ROYALPRIX]

Anyone notice the guitar hackery in the intro? Oooofff

[@The_Infamous_Boogyman]

You know the man is a comedian bc he named his son "Homer". 😅

[@nms7872]

Homer's Odyssey or Simpson?

[@The_Infamous_Boogyman]

@@nms7872 either way it's just a really bad name for a young man this far into society. Better than zoom zoom laser fists though, I suppose 😂

[@BBQAndButter]

I love to see teenagers trick-or-treating! We have a great group of high schoolers in our neighborhood who come by for candy every year. We give them candy, then suggest they come by after the kiddos have gone home for all that's left over. They pretend to demure, we pretend to insist, and then we all wait for them to come by before going back into the house and calling it a night. They're so sweet!

[@KNWIII]

...a ghost you say... a ghost maybe. She was just like a ghost to me. One minute there, and she was gone!

[@C2C.]

Next time he's on the show, he and Seth should do a Trump-off!

[@isaaccervantes5955]

Ok the lake beach song was so good !!

[@YT-Lucas]

3:45 - that's some Church Lady if I've ever heard it.

[@joaq3rd]

Thank you for that Jeffrey Tambor impression

[@hannahcrouch22]

Hear me out: SNL American idol sketch, james Austin Johnson is luke Bryan and Chloe fineman is Katy Perry.

[@nicolamcguinness8689]

Richard deacon talk about Cameron Mitchell

[@ChipCain]

Brilliance.

[@MulrySquare]

JAJ is amazing.

[@sailordaigurren8225]

Love his Trump steam of consciousness. He really narrows it

[@DenverHokie]

He’s so good lol

[@alexanderclaylavin]

He whiffs of the old legends

[@marcparsons1726]

Should do a mock Emeril cooking segment. Yea, Yea Hilda!! It's not rocket science folks.

[@saranobutt]

I know it sounds kind of weird but I used to fantasize about this guy a lot LOL

[@andybaldman]

Yeah, that’s weird.

[@eden3150]

he & andrew dismukes are my favorite current cast members

[@rossboylan18]

Bobby Flay impression at 9:38

[@frankstec4610]

I am sure that Carl Sandburg would be baffled at the idea that ' fog comes on little cat feet' would be in Nashville and not Chicago.

[@OngoingBox]

very good

[@masterofallgoons]

So his Grinch is Jimmy Glick?

[@dancoroian1]

His Grinch had a lot of Nathan Lane energy 😂

[@ericclaptonsrobotpilot7276]

He’s now just doing the Trump hands and head tilt autonomically now.

[@distractionb]

Completely missed the "became Gollum" joke.

[@lindaritchie4845]

Their noses are exactly the same!!

[@kp-ew7nh]

The best trump ever😂

[@wbaldwin666]

Omg that was like him doing an impression of trump doing an impression of Bobby Flay

[@russellzauner]

With a name like that it's surprising he's not a blues rock guitar man

[@dredgerivers7730]

I hope this poor guy is in agreement with the Dr. Seuss estate, because their lawyers are going to smoke him like a cheap cigar if he skipped that step and used 'The Grinch.'

[@itecblogger]

He's a genius with that Trump impersonation.

[@user-rr7bv3fu4b]

James looks like Woody harrellson and Woody Allen had a love child, or male Rachel maddow.

[@joycediggs4617]

Hahaha 😆

[@v2o3]

So this guy is on SNL? He seems very funny!

[@ghrg]

ele é mt bom vei

[@alanademetri390]

please have JAJ do a beat bobby flay on snl

[@plentyofswords]

hard shout out to Wegmans

[@jeffreym.8957]

I thought the Tambor impression was weak. But his Trump? Awesome...

[@karolinaleleniewski4334]

Wow!!!!

[@jameslarimer9211]

1:16 sooo, Smeagol?

[@happyandhapa5490]

Omg he can sing too. What can’t this man do

[@Fantasmister]

JAJ (I'm not writing out that name dude) is doing an amazing impersonation of a 7 year old kid.

[@paulheckbert]

Should have asked Jim Johnson about his uncle(?) Mike Johnson becoming House Speaker. Jim must have insight into what it's like to be a Johnson.

[@zabooka]

Wow

[@Hellwyck]

Bobby Flay is just a higher pitched, less gravelly Donald Trump.

[@Hollywood041]

So he is doing a Jiminy Glick?

[@stedbenj]

Beat me to it.

[@Dr_1212]

😆

[@coegj]

James Austin needs to start wearing a clinically obese fat suit when portraying tRumpty dUmpty on SNL, I mean lets keep it real, and tRumpy dUmty hates real, as he lives in his own mental decay of omnipotence.