Basic Information
Field | Details |
---|---|
Full Name | John B. Crist (professionally: John Crist) |
Date of Birth | March 20, 1984 |
Age (2025) | 41 |
Birthplace | Lilburn, Georgia, USA |
Residence | Nashville, Tennessee |
Occupation | Stand-up comedian, writer, podcaster |
Active Years | 2009–present |
Known For | Observational humor on Christian culture, family life, Southern norms; viral sketches and sold-out tours |
Parents | Father: Johnny Crist (pastor, former mayor of Lilburn); Mother: Not publicly named |
Siblings | Seven; Crist is the third of eight children |
Education | Briefly attended Samford University |
Relationship Status | Engaged to Lydia Fielder (August 2025) |
Signature Projects | Viral sketches (“Christian Music: How It’s Made”), specials (“What Are We Doing?” 2022; “Emotional Support” 2025), podcast (Net Positive), book (Delete That, 2022) |
Social Reach | 1B+ video views; ~7M social followers (cumulative, across platforms) |
Notable Recognition | Pollstar Top 100 Tours (2019) |
Style | Family-friendly, faith-adjacent, high-energy storytelling with character-driven bits |
Early Life and Family Roots
John B Crist was born in Lilburn, Georgia, into a home where church life wasn’t a Sunday activity—it was the air everyone breathed. The son of pastor Johnny Crist, he grew up as the third of eight homeschooled children, a bustling household that doubled as a comedic boot camp. Without much television and with tight community rhythms, he learned early to find punchlines in potlucks, youth group rituals, and the amusing contradictions of growing up devout in the American South.
He briefly attended Samford University, even taking a shot at college football, before realizing his true sport was timing—and his field was the stage. In 2009, he began grinding at open mics and church shows, testing material that blended everyday absurdities with inside-baseball jokes from Christian culture. The voice that emerged was sharp yet affable, like the family friend who can roast your quirks and still make you feel seen.
Family Members at the Center of the Joke
Crist’s comedy is a family album with the volume turned up. He’s long found jokes in that rolling group chat where siblings pile on and parents reply with three-dot ellipses and delayed “Love you!” texts. He often paints himself as the observer in the middle—watching married brothers, a politically vocal sister, and a values-minded father collide in affectionate chaos.
Family Member | Relationship | Notable Details |
---|---|---|
Johnny Crist | Father | Pastor at Atlanta Vineyard Church; former mayor of Lilburn; a steady moral compass and recurring character in John’s bits. |
Mother (name not public) | Mother | Homeschooled eight children; a behind-the-scenes stabilizer in his stories. |
Seven Siblings (unnamed) | Brothers and sisters | Provide raw material for sketches about group chats, weddings, and generational clashes. |
Lydia Fielder | Fiancée | Nashville news anchor; engagement announced August 2025; frequently referenced as part of a “redemptive” new chapter. |
The consistent throughline is affection. Even when he caricatures the family text thread or lampoons the “rules” of growing up Christian in the 1990s, the laughs land with warmth, not cynicism. It’s observational humor as a family reunion: loud, specific, and full of love.
Building a Voice: Church Basements to Viral Feeds
The early 2010s were Crist’s apprenticeship years: clubs and churches, short sets and longer drives, an ever-tightening act. By 2015, he released his first special, “I Got Questions,” and his social clips began catching fire. The premise-driven sketches—“Christian Music: How It’s Made,” awkward church greetings, and youth group tropes—found an online audience that understood the subculture and enjoyed the winks.
Then came velocity. Opening slots for comedy veterans like Jeff Foxworthy helped sharpen his stagecraft, while Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube turned him into a household name in faith-adjacent circles and beyond. Crisp premises, quick edits, clean punchlines: he built a portfolio that traveled fast across timelines and family chats. The numbers followed—hundreds of millions of views, then a billion.
Setback and Recovery
Crist’s arc includes a public fall. In 2019, misconduct allegations halted a planned special and tour, prompting a hiatus and rehab. It was a rupture—professionally costly and personally clarifying. His return, however, has been marked by candor and accountability. Through his Net Positive podcast and his 2022 book, “Delete That,” he addressed the double life he’d led and how he rebuilt. He frames this era as learning to live onstage and offstage as the same person, with jokes that neither minimize the past nor wallow in it.
Tours, Specials, and a Web-First Strategy
Crist’s playbook blends classic road comedy with digital-native sensibilities: test live, clip relentlessly, iterate. His tours have sold out across dozens of cities, and his specials balance crowd work and sculpted bits, keeping his online audience engaged while rewarding fans who show up in the room.
Year | Project/Milestone | Notes |
---|---|---|
2009 | Stand-up debut | Open mics, churches, regional rooms |
2015 | “I Got Questions” | First special (DVD) |
2018 | “Human Being Tour” | 55-city breakout run |
2019 | Pollstar Top 100 Tours | Mainstream recognition; momentum interrupted by scandal |
2022 | “What Are We Doing?” | Special; comeback stand-up hour |
2022 | “Delete That” (book) | Transparent memoir of pitfalls and recovery |
2023 | “Would Like To Release a Statement.” | New hour capturing post-hiatus voice |
Feb 2025 | “Emotional Support” | Special releasing to strong fan response |
2025 | “Jokes for Humans” (ongoing) | Tour expansions announced throughout the year |
Aug 2025 | Engagement | Proposed to Lydia Fielder in Nashville |
The titles themselves chart a journey—from questions to statements to emotional support—mirroring a comic learning to integrate vulnerability without sacrificing punch.
Money, Metrics, and Media
Crist’s audience is his engine. With 1B+ cumulative video views and millions of followers, he converts attention into tickets, ads, and merchandise. Estimates place his 2025 net worth in the $5–15 million range, reflecting revenue from touring, specials, YouTube monetization, brand partnerships, book sales, and podcasting. He keeps his production orbit nimble and Nashville-based, a city that offers both a creative community and proximity to his core demographic.
2024–2025: Momentum and Milestones
The most recent stretch has felt like a second wind. In February 2025, he released “Emotional Support,” an hour that threads his familiar church-and-family observational humor with sharper self-awareness. Throughout 2025, he extended dates on a new tour run while continuing to publish viral clips tailored for scroll culture. In August, he announced his engagement to Nashville anchor Lydia Fielder, casting it as part of a redemptive story arc that has resonated with long-time followers. Since his return to the stage, no major controversies have been reported, and the work has kept pace—proof that consistency can be its own comeback.
The Material: Everyday Life With a Wink
Crist’s comedic lens is both narrow and universal. He targets hyper-specific rituals—church lobby handshakes, Christian school dress codes, family meeting “agendas”—and then peels back the layers to reveal something every audience recognizes: the desire to belong, the weird rules we all follow, the group chat where chaos reigns. His stage persona alternates between tour guide and anthropologist, with quick pivots into character work and the occasional heel-turn aside. The effect is a crowd laughing at themselves and each other, held together by a comic who knows the terrain by heart.
Timeline at a Glance
Date | Event |
---|---|
Mar 20, 1984 | Born in Lilburn, Georgia |
2009 | Begins stand-up comedy |
2015 | Releases first special, “I Got Questions” |
2018 | 55-city “Human Being Tour” |
2019 | Allegations lead to canceled projects and hiatus |
2022 | Releases special “What Are We Doing?”; publishes “Delete That” |
2023 | New hour, “Would Like To Release a Statement.” |
Feb 2025 | Releases “Emotional Support” |
Aug 2025 | Engaged to Lydia Fielder |
FAQ
Who is John B Crist?
He’s an American stand-up comedian known for sharp observational humor drawn from Christian culture, Southern life, and family dynamics.
Where was John B Crist born?
He was born in Lilburn, Georgia, and raised in a pastor’s household.
How old is John B Crist in 2025?
He is 41 years old, born on March 20, 1984.
Where does he live now?
He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
Is John B Crist engaged?
Yes, he became engaged to Nashville news anchor Lydia Fielder in August 2025.
What is his comedy style?
Clean, high-energy storytelling with character bits and wry observations about church life, family, and everyday absurdities.
Did he face controversy?
Yes, he paused his career in 2019 after misconduct allegations, later returning with a more transparent approach to life and work.
What are some of his specials?
Notable releases include “What Are We Doing?” (2022), “Would Like To Release a Statement.” (2023), and “Emotional Support” (2025).
What’s his estimated net worth?
Estimates place it between $5–15 million, driven by touring, media, and digital revenue.
Who are his parents?
His father is pastor and former mayor Johnny Crist; his mother’s name is not publicly shared.