Anjelah Johnson
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and former NFL cheerleader. Johnson was a cast member on the series MADtv during its 13th season. Her characters included a Vietnamese nail salon employee named Mỹ Linh/Tammy and a rude fast food employee turned music star named Bon Qui Qui.
Career
She became a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders after being inducted in 2002. As a member of the Oakland Raiderettes, she was named Rookie of the Year and performed at Super Bowl XXXVII. Johnson subsequently moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue a career in comedy after a friend suggested that she join a joke-writing class. She took improv classes, and quickly began to headline her own shows. Her stand-up routine, comprising her impression of a Vietnamese nail salon employee, received a lot of attention on YouTube.In 2007, Johnson joined the cast of sketch comedy show MADtv as a featured performer. Due to the impending writers strike, Johnson was often given only a few lines in the scripts during her tenure, as the writers had to produce more scripts at a faster pace. However, her self-scripted character Bon Qui Qui, a fast-food employee who treats customers rudely, was received well and gained a similarly large YouTube following. In 2008, Johnson was nominated for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Female Performance in a Comedy Television Series for her work on MADtv. In 2013, Johnson reprised her role as her MADtv character Bon Qui Qui for a skit released by Alexander Wang.
Johnson was given her own one-hour Comedy Central special, Anjelah Johnson: That's How We Do It, in 2009. She also appeared in the films Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Our Family Wedding, and provided her voice for the live-action adaptation of Marmaduke. As well, she was featured on the late night talk show Lopez Tonight, hosted by George Lopez. Johnson became the "TC Girl", a spokesperson for Mexican restaurant Taco Cabana, in 2011.
Johnson's second stand-up comedy special titled Homecoming Show followed and premiered on Netflix. It was filmed in San Jose, California. On October 1, 2015, Johnson's third stand-up special, titled Anjelah Johnson: Not Fancy, was released on Netflix. It was filmed in southern California.
Personal life
Johnson was born and raised in San Jose, California, in a devout Christian family and remains a Christian. She is of Mexican and Native American descent. She was a Pop Warner cheerleader from the age of 8 and was active in soccer, softball, and track; she also practiced hip hop and break dancing. She began acting as a senior in high school and was especially interested in imitating different accents. She later studied speech communications at De Anza College.Johnson married musician Manwell Reyes of Group 1 Crew on June 11, 2011, in Half Moon Bay, California. On December 29, 2022 the couple announced they were expecting a baby in 2023. Johnson gave birth to the couple's daughter in June 2023.
Filmography
Film
Television
Discography
Studio albums
as Bon Qui Qui:| Title | Album details |
| Gold Plated Dreams |
|
Extended plays
as Bon Qui Qui:- ''The Come Up''
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director |
| "I'm a Cut You" | 2012 | DG |
| "No Boyfren" | 2013 | DG |
| "This Is How We Do It" | 2014 | Randal Kirk II |
| "Shut Us Down" | 2016 | Diego Contreras |