News

Tom Johnson, who received two Emmy Awards for his writing on The Daily Show, has died. He was 55.

Johnson died “peacefully and unexpectedly” at his Los Angeles home on Jan. 14 of a cardiac issue, his wife, actress Rozie Bacchi, told The Hollywood Reporter.

“He never got to eat the Texas toast he was making, or the 4 lbs. of crab legs he found on sale and crammed in the freezer two nights prior,” she said in a statement.

“Tom had such a big heart and cared deeply about taking care of others. His work ethic was impeccable. He was fair, kind, talented, inclusive and funny as hell.”

Born on July 25, 1968, in Fairfax, Virginia, Johnson began his career after college and founded the Network Comedy Troupe. He also toured as a comedian and performed at venues across the country and on television.

Johnson was initially hired in 1996 as a writer on Comedy Central...

Tom Johnson, who won two Emmy Awards for his comedy writing, died Jan.14 at his home in Los Angeles at 55. No cause of death has been established.

During his career, Johnson collaborated with comedic talent including Joan Rivers, Greg Giraldo, Jon Stewart, Marc Maron, Arsenio Hall, George Lopez, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, Nikki Glaser, and Anthony Jeselnik, among others.

In 1996, Johnson was hired on the original staff of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with host Craig Kilborn, and remained on staff when Jon Stewart assumed the role three years later.

Johnson wrote on more than 1,200 episodes and was one of the authors of the New York Times bestseller, America: The Book. Johnson won two Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards for his work on The Daily Show, but is perhaps best known for appearing on camera as anonymous hacker “Lord Viper Scorpion,” who mercilessly destroyed Stewart’s online reputation...

Tom Johnson, a writer and comedian whose credits include “The Daily Show,” “Lopez Tonight” and “The Jeselnik Offensive,” died Jan. 14 in his Los Angeles home. He was 55.

Johnson was hired on the original staff of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with host Craig Kilborn in 1996. He remained on staff when Jon Stewart took over as host in 1999, and wrote more than 1,200 episodes for the satirical news program. Johnson, who won two Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards for his work on “The Daily Show,” appeared on camera as anonymous hacker Lord Viper Scorpion in several episodes between 2000 and 2001.

Johnson served as head writer for “Talk Show With Spike Feresten” from 2007 to 2009, and later worked as head writer on “Lopez Tonight.” He co-created “The Jeselnik Offensive” with Anthony Jeselnik, where Johnson served as an executive producer and head writer. Even after his death, Johnson is still banned from New Zealand...