Johnny Taylor grew up with a mother with bipolar disorder with religious mania. That included bouts of serious delusions, which he first witnessed as a small child. It was often confusing, scary and strange. Without a doubt, it shaped the person he became as an adult.
He has been a comedian for many years, and leans into the storytelling style of comedy. But he’s rarely told the story about his mom on stage. It just never felt right for a comedy audience
But storytelling audiences are different! For our May 2026 Nutshell show (Cults, Crackpots and Swindlers), Johnny got real with our audience and told stories about his mom that he generally told off stage—ones where his mother was convinced that he was John the baptist, or that she was the real killer of Nicole Brown.
Though there still was some humor, it was dark, and an emotionally raw experience for him. After the story, we sat down with Johnny in his Roseville home to discuss the story. We learned a whole lot more about his mother, his siblings, the complexities of his family dynamics and how there’s enough for Johnny to make a 1-person show if he ever wants to.
The Nutshell Three:
Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves
Thank you to:
DJ Yuma Tripp for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show.
Hyperpixel for audio and video services.
Sofia Theatre for a beautiful stage to gather around.
Our photographer, Antonio Lovig.
Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible.
We believe stories deserve to be heard and storytellers deserve to be paid, including the ones who make this podcast possible. If The Nutshell True Story Hour has ever made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's the most direct way to keep this going. And we are so grateful for every single person who does. xoxo, Amy
