Jay Johnston, actor in 'Mr. Show' and 'Bob's Burgers,' charged with felony related to January 6 insurrection
Department of Justice
- A former 'Mr. Show with Bob and David' actor has been charged with a felony over his alleged actions at the January 6 Capitol siege.
- Fans and colleagues had previously thought he was present based on an image circulated by the FBI.
- The actor was arrested in California, according to Ryan J. Reilly of NBC News.
Jay Johnston, the beloved comic actor who has appeared on the seminal sketch show "Mr. Show with Bob and David," the sitcom "Arrested Development," and the animated comedy show "Bob's Burgers," has been arrested in California and charged with participating in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, Ryan J. Reilly reported at NBC News.
Eagle-eyed comedy nerds had long speculated that Johnston — who performed in iconic sketches that included "The Story of Everest" as well as the now-ironic "The Independent Nations Games" — was the unidentified individual seen in a 2021 FBI tweet seeking information about a rioter. In December, Johnston was removed from the cast of "Bob's Burgers," and a number of his former colleagues — including actor and comedy writer Tim Heidecker — suggested on Twitter that Johnston was the man in the photo.
Three current or former associates of Johnston identified him in the photographs circulated by the FBI, according to the federal complaint. One of them provided the FBI with a text message from Johnston that said, "The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn't. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic."
The complaint accuses Johnston of stealing a police riot shield, assisting other rioters, and participating in a group assault on officers defending the Lower West Terrace tunnel.
Johnston has been charged with felony obstruction of officers during civil disorder, unlawful entry on restricted buildings or grounds, and impeding passage through Capitol grounds.
An attorney for Johnston could not immediately be located.