Key Takeaways
- Jay Johnston had a successful comedy career for over 20 years.
- His breakout came on “Mr. Show with Bob and David.”
- He now faces limited career options, a prison sentence, and works as a handyman due to his legal record.
Jay Johnston, an American comedian and actor, currently faces a significant decline in his net worth, estimated between $100,000 and $1 million as of October 2024.
This financial downturn follows legal setbacks linked to his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, which overshadowed his earlier career successes on popular shows like “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and “Bob’s Burgers.”
Before these issues, Johnston built a solid career spanning over two decades.
He began after graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 1993, joining Chicago’s Second City touring group and performing at Annoyance Theater, establishing himself in comedy.
His breakout role came with “Mr. Show with Bob and David,” where he contributed as both an actor and writer across all four seasons from 1995 to 1998, likely earning between $5,000 and $20,000 per episode – a typical range for niche sketch actors at the time.
Following Mr. Show, Johnston appeared on “Arrested Development” and in films like “Anchorman” and “Bicentennial Man,” building his reputation.
From 2005 to 2008, he worked on the animated series “Moral Orel,” lending his voice to multiple characters.
He later starred in “The Sarah Silverman Program” as Officer Jay McPherson. He also voiced Jimmy Pesto Sr. on “Bob’s Burgers” from 2011 until his firing in 2021, earning an estimated $4,000 to $10,000 per episode.
In March 2021, the FBI publicly sought information about a man resembling Johnston at the Capitol riots, and friends later confirmed his identity.
Johnston was subsequently arrested on June 7, 2023, facing charges for felony obstruction of officers during a civil disorder and several misdemeanors, and later posted a $25,000 bond for release.
He admitted guilt to a felony charge for obstructing officers during civil unrest on July 8, 2024.
Recently, on October 28, 2024, Johnston received a sentence from Judge Carl Nichols, who called his behaviour “problematic” and “reprehensible,” assigning him one year and one day in prison, 40 hours of community service, and a $2,000 restitution payment.
Since these events, Johnston’s career has suffered, with the actor now reportedly working as a handyman after being blacklisted from Hollywood.
Johnston’s team stated in the sentencing memo that he “has not been able to sustain his livelihood as an actor after his involvement” on January 6, and that working as a handyman is “an obvious far cry from his actual expertise and livelihood in film and television.”
The future of Johnston’s entertainment career remains uncertain, hindered by public backlash and limited opportunities due to his legal record, which has impacted his net worth.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Jay Johnston, whose birth name is Jay James Johnston, was born on October 22, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois.
- Johnston, who stands well above six feet, frequently portrayed police officers and other law enforcers.
- As of 2024, Johnston, who has a daughter born circa 2011, was engaged to Sara Radovanovitch.
