Joshua Johnson is the star of NBC's Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson, which first aired last week.
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The show has already received rave reviews, and between his busy schedule, the TV journalist sat down with HELLO! to talk about his job and everything inbetween.
Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson is NBC's latest news show
Congratulations on your new show, Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson, what can viewers expect from the program?
Thanks very much! On our show, we want to spark conversations about the stories that have everyone talking, or that everyone should be talking about.
We know you're already talking about the news on social media, but often not able to reach the people with the most expertise, or the people who are actually in the middle of those stories. That's where we come in. We use email, social, voicemail and our website to collect and curate your questions and stories about what's happening in the world, all to build a smarter, more welcoming conversation about the things that matter.
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What are you most excited about your new show and how have your family and friends reacted to the news? Does it ever get old seeing yourself on TV?
I'm excited about building the community around the show. Honestly, the part I do on-camera is by far the easiest part of my job! It's the editorial work of designing segments that's the most challenging, and the most rewarding. The family and my friends were extremely excited to hear the news, and they've all been very supportive. And no, seeing myself on TV is still very surreal. My prayer as I walk around 30 Rock is: 'May this never get old!'
Joshua opened up about his life outside of work
What are you most hoping to achieve from the show, and where will we see you in 5 years from now?
The big achievement for me would be to get more people believing that they have what it takes to hold tough, honest, welcoming conversations. I've spent a lot of time talking to people all over the country about some very big issues, and believe it or not we do have this ability. We just don't always see people doing it, so we've started believing we can't do it. I want to dispel that myth and show people how good and thoughtful they really can be when given a chance. I'd like to still be doing that work five years from now, and beyond.
How do you enjoy relaxing in your spare time?
I'm still getting to know New York, since COVID made it hard for me to explore when I moved here in early 2020. Museums are a great way for me to unwind: surrounded by new stimuli, moving my body, thinking about things that usually have nothing to do with my job. I also am loving my PS5: I finally got one, from Sony, without having to pay $1,000 on some third-party site! Right now I'm deep into a game called "Hades", about the son of the God of the Dead trying to escape the underworld and discover the truth about his past. Great dialogue, beautiful art design: it's like they made a video game inside a living water color painting. Really amazing, and lots of fun!
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How do you separate working in a heavy news environment from your personal life – do you have any top de-stressing tips?
I've never been great at relieving stress, sorry to say, but I've learned how to prevent some of my stress. A lot of what's made previous jobs hard for me were the expectations I set for myself. Not just for excellence, but for a kind of perfection that left me terrified of disappointing anyone. That's no way to live. Perfection, frankly, is boring as hell. Once you're "perfect'… then what? You have nowhere to go from there! And you have everything to lose the moment you're not "perfect" anymore.
Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson has already proved popular
It's better to strive for growth: that's much healthier, it's actually humanly possible, and it's unlimited. You never know how much you can grow! Perfection is very limiting… growth is liberating.
Your show comes out right around the holidays, do you have any nice plans for the holidays?
This is going to sound terrible, but I've been so busy dealing with the show that I haven't even booked my holiday travel yet! Wish me luck…
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What is something fans would be surprised to know about you?
I've never been drunk. Yes, I've tasted alcohol - I'm not a teetotaller. But I don't know what it's like to be drunk. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I'm missing anything!
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