Comedy
Every Halifax Reference in Josh Johnson's New Comedy Hour
The Daily Show comedian taped "U sure that's Usher?" at the Rebecca Cohn. Six minutes are about why nobody here honks, and the closer is Gus the Tortoise.
Written by Halifamous 3 min read
Josh Johnson had never been to Halifax before. In one weekend he headlined five shows at the Rebecca Cohn, walked the Commons until he nearly ended up in Dartmouth, met Gus the Tortoise, and put the whole thing on YouTube. A quarter million people watched it in the first day.
Johnson releases a new hour on YouTube almost every week, each taped in a different city, so the Halifax material was written here, that weekend, between shows. The taping was Sunday night, August 9. That was also the day of Gus's 104th Hatchday party at the Museum of Natural History, and he went.
The Halifax moments
The local material starts about half an hour in. Timestamps link to the moment in Josh's video.
- 19:54
First contact
His story about the New York food hall Eataly meets silence, and he clocks it: "I just realized there might not be any Italies here."
- 31:56
"My first time in Halifax, by the way"
His review: wonderful people, deeply laid-back, and "y'all could have more urgency."
- 33:45
The walk
He arrived Thursday and walked the Commons, downtown, and almost across the bridge to Dartmouth before turning back.
- 34:33
The honking investigation
Hours of walking, zero honks. A light turns green and the cars behind the leader wait.
- 36:51
The only honk in Halifax
It resolves with "Your brights are on."
- 37:39
The aftermath
Everyone on the street turned toward the honk. "They heard a honk. They're like, someone needs help."
- 41:26
Halfway recognized
Getting clocked-but-not-quite around town all weekend.
- 49:50
Gus
The final punchline of the hour.
“This was the most Canadian-ass crowd I've ever heard. Their sheer delight in every little mention of local things, and blasting off about their local tortoise celebrity.”
— Top YouTube comment
Come back any time, Josh. Gus turns 105 next August.
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