From the UCLA bench to Comedy Central to the top of NBA Twitter, Josiah Johnson has built a career on creativity, culture, and consistency. In this episode, Josiah breaks down how a single meme got him noticed by Jordan Peele, how his content reached Oprah and Ava DuVernay, and what it really takes to stand out online—especially when LeBron, KD, and Steph are watching.

We talk about:

• Building a creative lane in a crowded media world
• Turning rejection into opportunity
• Why memes are the new media currency
• How to stay resilient when the dream stalls out

🎧 This one’s for anyone trying to break through with nothing but talent, humor, and hustle.

Show Notes:

(0:00) Cold open: The truth about starting a company
(0:16) Intro to Josiah + what makes his story unique
(1:20) UCLA hoops, bench energy, and a passion for storytelling
(1:49) Balancing the NFL Network and a secret sports blog
(2:41) Pitching Legends of Chamberlain Heights—6 tries, 1 yes
(3:13) Memes that matter: The Get Out moment Jordan Peele saw
(5:19) Doing the work—no shortcuts, no entitlement
(6:10) Brands can’t fake meme culture
(6:33) Connecting with Ava, Oprah, and LeBron through content
(7:21) The post-cancellation low and the bounce back
(8:16) Rewind the Clock: “Don’t stop at the dream. Build the next one.”

Josiah Johnson:

Twitter/X: @KingJosiah54

Instagram: @kingjosiah54

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