The internet has seen Mike Johnson embarrass himself before, but this time the House Speaker managed to hit a whole new tier of cringe — and all it took was an interview with Katie Miller, Stephen Miller’s wife, on her podcast.
Johnson’s loyalty to Donald Trump already keeps critics busy. But now he’s giving them bonus material: a clumsy, try-hard move to seem cool when Miller asked him, “You know who Jelly Roll is?”
Johnson could’ve just said yes. Easy. Done. Instead, the Louisiana Republican snapped back, “Do I know,” and threw up a shaka sign — or something like it. The classic “hang loose” gesture uses only the thumb and pinky. Johnson managed three fingers up on one hand, somehow turning a simple gesture into slapstick.
“Yes, we have selfies together,” he added, referring to the photo he took with Jelly Roll and Kid Rock at a UFC event in November 2024.
And honestly, nobody should be surprised. Johnson has been sprinting toward uncool territory for years. Most recently, he joined right-wing pundits melting down over the NFL picking Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show. His own suggestion for who should perform?
“In my view, you would have Lee Greenwood or role models doing that,” he said — Greenwood being the 83-year-old known primarily for singing “God Bless the U.S.A.” at Trump events.
In the same preview clip, Johnson’s wife, Kelly, chimed in with a metaphor about how men’s brains are like “waffles” with “little compartments.” It was that kind of interview.
Once the preview clip hit the internet, people unloaded. One user, @jsnjarrell76, dismissed the whole performance by saying, “Hard pass that loser has nothing in common with the American ppl,” while another commenter, Gran McKerlie, kept it short: “This podcast is terrible.”
The political implications weren’t lost on viewers either, with @BrossMurray writing, “This guy is awful. Midterms look bleak.” Some reactions were far harsher — Kathy Haug declared, “Johnson’s a gay pedophile who lives with an evangelical preacher.”
Others reacted with disbelief. User @CelticMco asked, “Is this real or an SNL skit?” while Patrick Smatrick cracked, “Only people with CTE watch this right?”
The discomfort was universal. @ChrisKPatriot said, “This is miserable to watch…..🤦🏻♂️,” and Todd Wellborn added, “We can’t hate this guy enough.” Ann Wilson didn’t hold back either, calling Johnson “a useless idiot,” and @Anamarijwrote summed up the whole vibe with, “Holy slop.” Another user, @SHHazewinkel, went straight for the blunt assessment: “Gringe!”
Watch the clip below:
Who calls @SpeakerJohnson every night?
Which member is most frequently in his office?
What’s his favorite fictional show about his life?@SpeakerJohnson and Kelly on their transition from Louisiana to DC | Tuesday 6pm. pic.twitter.com/vrfHLy9drJ
— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) November 24, 2025
