We recently connected with Brandon Johnston and have shared our conversation below.

Brandon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

I know what I look like. I’m a 6’4″ USMC veteran and biker. I don’t look like your typical stand-up comedian. A lot of times I’ve had audiences think I was venue security until I got on stage. I find the confused looks from people funny and I even joke about it. I want to break down those barriers and just have a good time with everybody. I did a show one night and I joked about not being the bouncer. There were a few people that genuinely thought I was security and they approached me after the show. They shared stories about friends and family that ride motorcycles and were in the military and we talked for quite a while. It’s those moments that I enjoy. Where people let their guard down and are just people to each other. When you break it all down, we all have more in common and fewer differences. Comedy helps shine a spotlight on those similarities and bring people together.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started acting when I was in high school. I was in choir and all the plays I could be. I even worked with a local agency briefly. Then on Sept. 11, 2001 the world changed. I was still in high school so I had to wait until I graduated in 2003 to join the Marines. I served 2 deployments to Iraq in 2005 and 2007-2008. I left he Marines Corps in 2009 to focus on raising my family and had long left behind the ideas of acting or entertaining at all. Then, in 2018, after some coaxing from my wife and a few friends, I found a local open mic and tried my first crack at stand-up. And I loved it! I bombed but the feeling was the same I had remembered from high school. I started working on my jokes and how to tell my stories so the audience would get the most out of it. Before I knew it, I was being asked to perform in paid shows! I couldn’t believe it. I took advice from anyone willing to give it.
Additionally, I’ve been able to get back to acting and writing. Most recently I was a featured background actor on season 3 of The Righteous Gemstones on HBO, playing a member of the militia. I have since signed with CCL Talent and am looking forward to booking more roles this year along with continuing my unique brand of stand-up comedy.
I still perform with other comedians but I also run my own shows. I founded OFP Comedy in 2022. OFP is a term we used in the Marine Corps. It stands for “Own Freakin’ Program”. I was at a time in my life where I felt that really applied. I was setting out on a new adventure, rekindling the entertainer’s spirit I had in school, and loving every minute of it. I tell my stories about raising a family, being in the military, being a biker, and just whatever. The freedom is the best part. When people book me for a show we’re all gonna have a good time!
In 2023, I participated in the Operation Heal*arious “America’s Funniest Veteran” competition. I made it to the finals in Hollywood, CA and had a blast performing with the other comics and with the audience. The competition is available to watch streaming on VetTV. I enjoy working with Operation Heal*arious and the Best Medicine Brigade and their mission to improve veteran mental health through the use of comedy. Comedy can help you forget your problems for a little while but with a little work you can actually reframe a traumatic event and use comedy to deal with and move forward from it.
My house is filled with laughter not because we don’t have struggles but because we use comedy to reframe our thinking. Of course that gets really annoying when I’m trying to be serious with my teenagers and they can’t stop cracking jokes. So there is a down side. However, comedy has helped me to deal with my personal demons and make it easier to talk to my family. I want my kids to know I’ll always be there for them and they can always come to me about anything. Comedy allows us to broach some very sensitive subjects sometimes and keep those lines of communication open at a time when it seems like a lot kids don’t want to have anything to do with their parents. That is probably the one achievement I am most proud of, and the same philosophy I bring to my comedy shows. I may not know you, but for however long I’m on stage I’m going to treat you like family and we’re gonna have fun!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I had already started running my own shows when I found out that there are several resources for US military veterans looking to get into comedy, acting, writing, or the entertainment industry in general. There is an organization called Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME) that connects veterans from all over the entertainment industry through conference calls, classes, and mentorships for all levels of the entertainment industry. There is also the Armed Services Arts Program (ASAP) that specifically has a comedy boot camp for aspiring comedians and writers workshops and all sorts of classes and programs. Even the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has some writing workshops. Also, every veteran comedian or entertainment professional I’ve met has been willing to provide advice and insight about the industry or a particular subject. The bottom line is veterans especially have no excuse to not try if they are interested in the arts or entertainment industry. I wish I had known about these programs sooner and didn’t have to learn some of the lessons the hard way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I enjoy connecting with people that maybe I normally wouldn’t get the chance to. It’s an amazing feeling to talk with audience members after a show and share similar stories and experiences despite different locations, circumstances, or appearance. The same can be said of those I write and act with. We all share similar experiences even if we have different opinions and we get along well. I love that comedy in particular can bring people from different backgrounds, cultures, and circumstances together by highlighting shared or similar experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ofpcomedy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofp_comedy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OFPComedy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ofpcomedy