The Amazing Johnathan

The Amazing Johnathan has had a career which exemplifies his namesake. At first glance one knows where and why he got his name and possibly a few other names come to mind… insane and bizarre. Using what he calls a “Norman Bates Approach To Comedy,” Johnathan has been able to amaze, but more importantly, entertain audiences across the country and on countless television appearances including: a regular on Fox’s “Comic Strip Live,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” Showtime’s “Jimmie Walker and Friends II,” “HBO’s Young Comedians Special,” “An Evening At The Improv” and “MTV.”

All of this is hard to comprehend when one thinks of the young Detroit native’s early days. Growing up, Johnathan (last name furnished upon request) was an amateur magician who performed under the name GAMIC THE GREAT, that’s magic spelled sideways. Even then Johnathan had a twisted sense of humor. As for his magic…Murphy’s Law couldn’t have been put to better use. His audiences would always wind up screaming, “I saw that!” and it is believed that those three little words put Johnathan over the edge.

While vacationing in San Francisco, Johnathan spent most of his free time watching the street performers bask in their creative freedom and relished the thought of taking the reigns himself. It was at that point he decided to extended his vacation indefinitely. Taking a cue from the other performers, Johnathan got himself a piece of rope, a deck of cards and a corner on Fisherman’s Wharf and was on his way to what he believed would be fame and fortune. The fortune part did not come easy, but luckily Johnathan found himself a gimmick—the adding of off-the-wall comedy to his magic tricks.

Soon The Amazing Johnathan was drawing large crowds to see what undefinable comedy-magic would develop before their eyes. The crowds were so large, in fact, that Johnathan was often arrested for the obstruction of public property. Many San Fransicans still fondly remember that wisecracking kid who kept slipping out of his handcuffs, much to the chagrin of the local police.

Not taking kindly to having a police record, Johnathan realized that after two. years, it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

In 1978, Johnathan entered the prestigious International Comedy Competition in San Francisco and placed in the finals. Before long, The Amazing Johnathan was recognized as a major night club talent in the Bay Area. An act like Johnathan’s is not easy to describe, however Variety did take a stab at it, “…every moment filled with gross sideshoots and quickies from a grab-bag that make the act a convulsive whirli-gig of fun, albeit twisted and slightly deranged.”

To date, The Amazing Johnathan has played every sized venue from comedy clubs in 49 of the 50 states; he won’t work Alaska because the one nighters are just too long, over 500 college campuses and 40,000 seat auditoriums. He has opened for such name acts as: Robin Williams, The Gatlin Brothers, Bob Seger and Monty Python. But, he says the highlight of his career was performing for President Reagan during Liberty Weekend in 1986.

When asked what keeps him going, Johnathan replies without hesitation, “Money… That, and freedom. I work an hour a night and I have mornings and afternoons to myself.”