Justin Martindale is in a Class of His Own

There’s funny, and then there’s Justin Martindale. In a class of his own, he has managed to become an industry favorite fixture in stand-up, podcasting, on-screen commentary, and in the writer’s room. A pop culture and reality TV maven, he can comment and celebrate those genres without making it trashy or grabbing at low-hanging comedy fruit. You never know where he is going to pop up next and he and his work have been seen on Comedy Central, E! Entertainment, Hulu, Funny or Die, and more.

His obsession with all things TV started early, perhaps even from the womb.

I remember running home from school and watching Montel Williams, Jenny Jones, Ricki Lake, and Jerry Springer. It was such a pop culture phenomenon in the 90s. You could get amazing guest interviews, garbage people, awaken your sexual identity, and a psychic named Silvia Browne in one solid afternoon!

This San Antonian, homecoming king, funny man was bitten by the performance bug in high school, quickly earning the esteem of his peers. While the rest of us were getting through voice cracks, awkward dances, and acne, he was winning over hearts through his comedy. (Fun fact: one of his first stage appearances was playing Dracula!)

I was the class clown making students laugh and getting them in trouble. I was also a theatre kid. I also lettered in it during high school and was very competitive in getting the bigger roles in the school plays and used my “theatrical abilities” to always be on the teachers’ good side. Most Humorous was my high school superlative, classically trained actor, and all-around heartthrob. [Laughs]

Even though his confidence was blossoming during those school days, his relationship with his sexuality was not. He was pretty much outed in college.

I went to a Christian school in Texas and always debated my sexuality in my teens. I didn’t know what being gay was, I just knew that it was “bad” and “evil.” I was always teased for being a little different than most boys, but I used my sense of humor to put bullies in their places. In college, I was struggling with my sexuality. I dated all the most popular girls on campus but knew there was something different in me when I saw the boys without their shirts on. I knew a guy in my department on campus that was bisexual (amazing body, piercings, bleached hair – you get it) and one summer he asked if he could move in with me because the dorms were closing for the summer break. Now mind you, I was dating a girl at the time but was struggling with my own identity. One night we had gone out to a local gay bar in super-secret, and I asked him if I could kiss him. We started making out when we got back to my place and one thing led to another and my roommate walked in on us and freaked out and went and told everybody. It spread like wildfire and every semester people were asking if I was gay or not. I wasn’t ready to let everyone know yet, so I went back and forth from being gay to bi to even straight. I was a mess. And finally, my senior year I said to myself, “to Hell with all of these judgmental bigots” and I never looked back.

Justin came to Los Angeles, fresh out of the closet, ready to make a splash. Setting the tone for Justin’s career, his first professional gig was writing for THE Joan Rivers for E! Entertainment’s Fashion Police MET Gala episode. Not too shoddy.

NO PRESSURE. I contacted her assistant Tony Tripoli at the time and asked to put a packet together and they said yes! We all went to Melissa’s house in Santa Monica where a chef was making us all lunch and afterward went to her writer’s room and Joan walked in, all 3 feet of her, as we sat at this round table and someone in the room said, “This is Justin Martindale. He will be joining us today.” She then looked at me and said, “Oh, I know Justin” and winked at me. I died that very day. What a true icon. When that word gets thrown around for just about anyone these days. She then actually went on to use some of my jokes for that episode and it was such an out-of-body experience. The week before she passed in 2014, I was at E! doing a chemistry test for a show that of course never happened, but she passed me in the hallway and asked how I was doing. She remembered me and that was the biggest gift I got from that experience. Since her passing, she’s taught me to be fearless, that’s for damn sure.

Justin was fearless for sure and hit the scene strong and had a presence in writer rooms during a time when being gay was the butt of a joke, not yet approaching the current boom in LGBTQ representation. Did he experience homophobia in those early years?

Not necessarily towards me but yes, in general. I was working on a game show and the creator said to my face that there were no such thing as gay comedians. I was blown away. Considering I was one, right in front of his dumb, rich face. I’ve experienced it on a comedy lineup getting bumped for straight male comics because “THEY CRUSH!!!” only to watch them crash and burn, and then I’m left to clean up for sure.

When Justin started establishing his personality behind and in front of the camera, his gay contemporaries like Ross Mathews and Guy Branum were being put on TV with monikers like “token gay guy,” the “ambassador of gay,” and even the “gay intern.” Though Justin’s sexuality wasn’t a secret, he escaped being pigeonholed as just the “gay guy.”

Escaped. Great word [laughs], I mean, there’s room for everyone. I just got sucked into primarily straight comedy clubs. I was performing with the big boys and girls nightly and wasn’t used as a prop for straight comics to exploit as a caricature. I always wanted to be myself and not what Hollywood wanted me to be. I like being a little rougher around the edges.

Although not the token gay guy, his comedy has evolved to encompass more of his life.

Honestly, it has gotten gayer. Not in a “Who’s on Grindr? Bottoms am I right?” sort of way but rather me just embracing my voice. I’m more confident on stage now and I use my time to maybe educate people’s perception of what it is to be a gay person. I love it when straight guys come up to me and fist-bump me and say, “Man that was really funny!” Comedy should be a universal language, not a gay or straight, man or woman field.

As a gay man, does Justin think comedy should be more mindful of being socially and politically correct?

I knew this question was going to pop up somewhere. Look, I think everything is fair game, if it’s CLEVER and FUNNY. I’m not going up there for shock and awe reactions. The world is dark, and people will do anything for a bit of attention and trolls are gonna troll. Comedy is not for everyone, and some people think they are experts on it. I think it’s wise to educate yourselves on the constant evolution of social and political correctness but it’s also ok to make jokes about them in an intellectual and joking manner.

As a podcaster, he is killing it on the audio waves dishing the latest celeb gossip, reality TV tea, and pop culture hit-and-miss lists. He sits alongside Juicy Scoop podcast host, comedian (and Chelsea Handler alum) Heather McDonald.  What does Justin love most about doing JS?

The listeners, of course. I just go in there and talk for an hour. The listeners actually DM me on IG and tag me in things that I reference on the show. They stop me on the street and say hello and are just the best. That’s what I want. Just to make someone’s day better.

He and Heather have created a delicious comedy brand with fans greedily eating up each week’s episode.  They have literally taken the show on the road and are fast becoming the go-to duo for everything popular.

Heather is like my sister. We go way back during her Chelsea Handler days. Even though I was never on Chelsea Handler, we’ve done the road together and even gone to events together. We just click. She has an amazing heart. She’s an amazing mother and wife and she’s hilarious and can take a joke and never takes herself too seriously. Something I aspire to be one day…a mother and a wife.

Justin’s own podcast, Just Sayin’ is a personal favorite. Breaking down the hottest stories, gossip, headlines, and fashion each week, he features a diverse who’s who of the entertainment world. With all this talk of pop culture, how does he keep it fresh?

I keep it fresh by doing some digging and not relying on those gremlin Kardashians to be every story. Sometimes it is a new series that’s caught buzz, or a weird headline in the news, a TikTok challenge, or fads that are in or out.  I can always find out something in pop culture. Working with Heather has helped me with that no problem. I weirdly never get burnt out, I just get over the same people getting talked about day in and out more quickly. (I don’t want to name names but Kanye, Britney, all the Kardashians, Taylor Swift, etc.)

With tons of pop culture “authorities” in the field, what sets him apart?

I think I’m relatable and real. I’m not trying to be the culture; I just live in it already. I have opinions and critiques and don’t want to kiss ass and be one note. Pop culture loves and deserves to be shaken up.

And Justin’s current TV obsessions?

I loved this past season of RHOBH. Kathy’s tequila ALL THE WAY. I loved Queen of Versailles and need a sleepover with Jackie Siegal ASAP. Bling Empire is fantastic, and I love Anna Shay. Would love to go shopping with her any day. I always love Drag Race for sure but there are so many spinoffs, I can’t keep up. I think they’re on Drag Race: Siberia now.

As reality TV has taken over as the programming of audience choice, it has also gotten a bad rap for exploiting people for entertainment. Justin’s take?

Hello, that’s the whole point! I feel like at this point when anyone can be a reality star, you have to know what you’re getting into. There will be production edits and storylines. Someone will be the villain this season. As long as audiences realize it’s just television. I hate when people take it so seriously and start going after these people online and trying to destroy their families and lives. It’s so gross. Toxic fans are the worst.

As for the future of reality TV, Justin has high hopes.

I’m hoping for Squid Game: Housewives Edition. Wouldn’t that be amazing? I’m honestly not sure. Let’s stop following families, that’s for sure. And enough with high-end real estate…it’s depressing. Would love a gay ghost hunters show… I’ll throw that out there.

Justin has other hobbies other than entertainment, although they are still very “Justin.”

I love to cook and be outdoors on a hike or some sort of adventure. I also love reading bad drivers to filth in my car. I’ve also been told that I can say so much with my facial expressions without even saying a word.

With his writing projects, podcasting, and stand-up, what does he want to do more of most?

I’d definitely love to do more TV. Get me on Bridgerton or a fantasy series or movie. Would definitely love to nerd out some more.

We love this nerdy, gay, sassy, fabulous, hilarious comedian. So do many, many fans from the LGBTQ and mainstream community. What is his message to his audience?

Thank you for believing in me and supporting me through this crazy journey and keeping me real. I want to make you guys proud.

You can follow everything Justin on IG: @JustinMartindale

[All photos courtesy of Justin Martindale]