PUNKIE JOHNSON & KALEA MCNEILL
PUNKIE JOHNSON & KALEA MCNEILL
Punkie Johnson
Punkie Johnson is a comedian, actress, and writer from New Orleans, Louisiana who joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2020. Known for her fearless stand-up, sharp storytelling, and unmistakable voice, Punkie has quickly become one of comedy’s most dynamic multi-hyphenates.
She starred for two seasons on The Chi, the acclaimed series created by Lena Waithe, and will next be seen in the upcoming Amazon series Barbershop, premiering this fall.
Additional television and film credits include season two of HBO Max’s critically acclaimed Love Life, where Time Magazine hailed her performance as a “particular standout,” as well as Space Force, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Ghost on CBS. Punkie also served as a writer/consultant on Peacock’s reboot of Queer as Folk and appeared in the hit comedy film Bottoms.
A powerhouse stand-up comedian with roots deeply tied to New Orleans culture, Punkie continues to tour nationally while developing original television and film projects that blend raw honesty, bold humor, and heartfelt storytelling.
Kalea McNeill
Kalea McNeill is an actor/standup comedian from the bay area. She gained a love for performance at an early age through various plays, oratorical competitions, and community events. In 2009, she graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a BA in Theatre Arts and moved to Los Angeles shortly after to pursue her career.
Recently, she appeared in Comic View on BET, and FunnyAF with Kevin Hart on Netflix. She was named a Just For Laughs New Face of comedy in 2022, has appeared on Don't Tell Comedy, Comedy Central, Netflix is a Joke Festival, and the LMAOF Comedy Series. She headlines around the country in addition to opening for legends such as George Wallace, Earthquake, and Arsenio Hall. Her Grammy considered debut comedy special, Sma'am is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
As an actor, she is most known for her recurring character "Hanifa Downey" on CW’s Crazy Ex Girlfriend, but has also been seen on The Prank Panel on ABC, S.W.A.T. on CBS, Baskets on FX, Criminal Minds on Paramount +, and Animal Kingdom on TNT.