John Crist releases comedy special 3 years after being canceled by Netflix over harassment allegations
Christian comedian John Crist has released a new comedy special years after Netflix canceled his last special amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment.
The special, titled "John Crist: What Are We Doing," was posted on YouTube last week and has since garnered over 354,800 views as of Thursday morning.
“From the frustrations of ordering at McDonald's and waiting in line at CVS, to the perplexities of expectant mother's parking spots and getting baptized in the Nile river, John Crist has been there to observe it all and ask simply ... What Are We Doing?” the synopsis for the comedy special filmed at the historic Lyric Theater in Birmingham, Alabama, reads.
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Crist’s special is filled with jokes told from his perspective of the world.
“We were in Egypt on the Nile River. It was a very spiritual moment, very significant … and the guide was like, ‘Hey, we are going to do baptisms,’ and I was like, ‘Excuse me, but have you seen this river? I love Jesus but my health insurance deductible is $4,000. I’m not trying to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and tuberculosis,’” he quipped. “I ain't Methodist, but I am today, sprinkle me.”
The famous comedian, who's also the son of a pastor, has amassed 1.1 million followers on Instagram and rose in popularity for his social media posts poking fun at various aspects of the Christian life, including contemporary Christian music, political correctness and Christian dating sites.
In 2019, Crist abruptly canceled his tour after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him by several women. This also led to his Netflix special being canceled and the postponement of a book. The misconduct allegations included sexting multiple women, having sexual relationships with married women, and giving away tickets to his shows in return for sexual favors.
Following the Netflix cancellation, Crist sought professional help.
“I was in a treatment facility for four months and I was away from my phone,” Crist said in his first post back from rehab after returning from the eight-month hiatus.
The Christian comedian, who's known for making fun of church culture, said he was surprised to receive so much support from those in his community.
"I had assumed that I lived in a community of people that would be the first to look down on me and judge me and point fingers at me, and I felt nothing but the opposite throughout this whole process. Let me just say how hopeful and encouraging that was to be working on my own mental health, and my recovery and healing, and to have a bunch of people rooting for me and supporting me meant the world,” Crist said.
“That being said, I want to say that I made a lot of poor choices in my personal life. I've made a lot of decisions that hurt myself, that hurt other people, and embarrassed myself and had consequences and I could look you in the eye and own that.”
His new special makes no mention of the past allegations or his missteps.
Crist has also returned to touring with his "Fresh Cuts Comedy Tour." His next gig is scheduled to be held at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Illinois, on June 18.
Jeannie Ortega Law is a reporter for The Christian Post. Reach her at: [email protected] She's also the author of the book, What Is Happening to Me? How to Defeat Your Unseen Enemy Follow her on Twitter: @jlawcp Facebook: JeannieOMusic
