Life & Work with Julia Johns of North Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Johns

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then lived in Charlotte, North Carolina for two years where I taught 7th grade. I quit teaching to move to New York to pursue comedy. I took an improv class, went to a bunch of stand up and sketch shows, and then did stand up at my first open mic and was hooked. I wrote and performed stand up in New York City for about 10 years, and then moved to Los Angeles in October 2020 (after moving out of New York in February 2020 – crazy timing). I wasn’t performing much due to the pandemic, and in March 2022 a fellow comedian asked if I wanted to feature for her that May at Go Bananas Comedy Club in Cincinnati. I said sure, figuring this would be a good opportunity to start writing and performing again. Then, in April, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was hard to think about anything else, so I wrote some jokes about it, using comedy to help me process things. Half of my set that weekend was about my breast cancer, and the audience’s response was so great that I wanted to continue writing about my experience.

In June of that year, I had a double mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. With each ordeal, I wrote more jokes, using comedy to tell my story. At some point, I decided I wanted to have a 60-minute solo show. My friend Leah suggested the title – “A Tale of Two Titties.” I performed a very sloppy version to friends in February 2023, two months after completing treatment. My friends have been so supportive throughout everything, and I had a bunch of friends come out each time I performed this show, encouraging me to continue growing it.

In May 2024, I took the show on a little tour, driving from Atlanta to Cincinnati, and stopping in DC, Brooklyn, Boston, and Buffalo along the way. Each show was so special, and the most rewarding thing was when women who had or have breast cancer were in the audiences, telling me after the show how much it meant to them, how relatable it was, and how it was nice to laugh about this awful disease.

Next up is the 2025 Whitefire Theater SoloFest in Sherman Oaks, where I’ll perform on January 25th. Tickets can be purchased here.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Once I moved to New York, the road definitely got bumpy. Trying to pursue a dream in one of the most expensive cities is a major challenge, but those are the years I saw so much growth in myself, made the best friends, and had the most fun. Even though this business is competitive and full of rejection and sh*tty people, I’m so grateful for the people I’ve met and the experiences I get to have. Many of my New York friends made the move to LA, and I have this rich community out here where we can enjoy sunshine, more space, and exploring this beautiful city!

Neither cancer nor producing the solo show has been a smooth road. The obstacles with cancer and treatment were somewhat what I expected, after working to get over the continuous shock of having cancer in the first place. A struggle I didn’t see coming was survivorship, along with the side effects of medication. I now take two forms of hormone-blocking medication to help prevent cancer recurrence, vitamin D for bone strength lost because of said medications, and an antidepressant. Fun! But you know what is smooth? The inside of my breasts, because they’re cancer free and full of silicone 😎

The biggest obstacle with producing a solo show is that for the most part, I have been producing it on my own (another personal obstacle is that I need to get better at asking for help🙃). I am not great at setting goals and breaking them down, and that’s what happened with the show. I just sort of started performing it, and then booking it at other venues. I created a press release and would send that to venues. Once a venues was booked, I had to promote and sell tickets. Promoting a show on Instagram is a nightmare, but in addition to listing the show in local events websites, and passing out flyers, I just kept posting about my little show that I believed in.

I’ve been producing my own content for years, and as challenging as it is, I feel very proud that I can say “I did that.” I recently wrote, starred in, and directed my first short film, and it’s because I had an idea and knew some great people, and made it happen.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
All things comedy – stand up, acting, writing, sketch comedy. I also am an illustrator, and I love working with comedians to make their dream poster happen (or close to it). I’m most proud of my recent accomplishments – my solo show, especially touring it, and my short film. I’m also proud that I continue to be creative and I never lose the desire to create. I tread water financially, and life is hard, but I continuously want to make art. The people need to hear my jokes about airplanes!! Hm, I’m not sure what sets me apart from others, because there are lots of funny, silly, loud comedians, but I guess at this point I can say that it’s my ability to turn trauma into comedy. I stay POSITIVE, baby!

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Hmm, I have lots of fond childhood memories, but one that came to mind is from when I was maybe 7 or 8? And I was sledding with my family at a park behind our house. I ran into a tree (lol) and my dad took me home and gave me strawberry milk. I think I remember it because even though it started with me faceplanting into a tree, it ended with my dad and me bonding. A sad moment turning into a happy core memory! (who doesn’t love an Inside Out reference?)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://juliajohns.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/heyjuliajohns
• Twitter: https://x.com/heyJuliaJohns
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heyjuliajohns

Image Credits
Andrew Doench
Britney Small