UPDATED, May 6, 10:34 a.m.: HBO has unveiled a premiere date, trailer and logline for Symphony, its first comedy special from Emmy nominee Josh Johnson, which we announced in March.

Symphony will premiere on HBO at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, May 22 and will also be available to stream on HBO Max. The special finds Johnson reflecting on strange childhood experiences, the perils of being labeled “nice,” challenging family dynamics, and navigating life’s most awkward moments.

Watch the trailer for Symphony above, and read more about Johnson’s hour below.

EXCLUSIVE, MARCH 19: Comedian Josh Johnson has landed his first HBO special, Josh Johnson: Symphony, which is set to premiere this spring.

Filming at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, the special will feature original material from Johnson about our shared experiences as humans — tackling topics like family, religion, and relationships through his unique point of view.

Coming on the heels of Johnson’s specials Up Here Killing Myself and #(Hashtag) for Peacock and Comedy Central, respectively, the hour will be directed by Jacob Menache, who is also exec producing alongside Johnson, James Dixon, Daniel Bodansky and John Irwin for Irwin Entertainment.

In a statement to Deadline, Nina Rosenstein, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Late Night & Special, observed: “Josh Johnson releases more comedy in a year than most people do in a career. He tells stories with an incredible rhythm, and it makes the whole room feel like they’re listening to a friend. There’s a musicality to his work and SYMPHONY captures that perfectly.”

The exec added, “We’re so proud to bring Josh to HBO.”

The comic himself told us, “I’m excited to have my breakout piece be with a company that nurtures vision like HBO does. I’m grateful to them, and you, for watching.”

An Emmy-nominated and NAACP Award-winning writer, stand-up and actor from Louisiana by way of Chicago, Johnson was named on our list of the Comics Who Won 2025. Currently a rotating host and correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, where he was a writer for seven years, he’s just recently concluded his global, 112-city Flowers Tour, which he sold out with zero promoter marketing money.

Uncommonly prolific, Johnson is known for putting out new original material on his YouTube channel each week, which has been viewed over a half-billion times by people all over the world. Last year alone, he released 38 hours of topical stand-up that was performed in front of a live audience. Formerly a writer and performer on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017, Johnson is repped by Independent Artist Group, Dixon Talent, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.