Nicole Randall Johnson

{{short description|American actress, writer and producer (born 1973)}}

{{Infobox person

| image =

| imagesize = 170px

| caption =

| name = Nicole Randall Johnson

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|12|9|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actress, writer, producer

| othername =

| website =

| years_active = 1998–present

}}

Nicole Randall Johnson (born December 9, 1973) is an American actress, writer and producer. Johnson is best known for her work on the sketch comedy series MADtv.

Biography

Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California, United States, North America. When she turned seven, Johnson's family left Los Angeles and she spent time growing up in Phoenix, Arizona and later, Portland, Oregon. She attended the University of Arizona, where she majored in theater. While pursuing her degree, Johnson performed in a number of plays and was a member of the school's sketch and improv group, Comedy Corner.{{cite journal |last=Chesnick |first=Mike |title=From UA to National Stage |journal=The University of Arizona Visitor Guide |publisher=University of Arizona, Arizona Student Media |issue=Spring 2012 |pages=20–21 |url=http://wc.arizona.edu/ads/visitorguide/VGSpring2012.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017204157/http://wc.arizona.edu/ads/visitorguide/VGSpring2012.pdf |archivedate=2013-10-17 |date=2012 }}

After college, Johnson moved back to Los Angeles and began studying at The Groundlings School and Theatre, whose alumni include fellow MADtv cast members Phil LaMarr, Michael McDonald, and Daniele Gaither. She became a member of the school's Sunday Company, where she wrote and performed for a year before becoming a series regular on the acclaimed Bravo comedy series Significant Others.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

Johnson has had recurring roles on Key & Peele, Reno 911!, and Andy Barker, P.I.. A few of her other television credits include guest-starring roles on Single Parents, Prime Suspect, Weeds, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Monk, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Shield, Hannah Montana, and Hot in Cleveland.

Johnson has had supporting roles in such films as In Her Shoes (2005), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Transformers (2007), Role Models (2008), and Murder Mystery (2019).{{cite web|title=IMDB|url=http://www.imdb.me/nicolerandalljohnson/}}

''MADtv''

Johnson joined the cast of MADtv in 2005 as a feature performer and writer in the show's eleventh season. She became the third black female cast member in the show's history (Debra Wilson and Daniele Gaither were the first two respectively). She was promoted to repertory status for the show's twelfth season. Frequently recurring characters include Ka-Son and Darell, while her impersonations include Condoleezza Rice, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah and Randy Jackson.

=Original characters=

Ka-son: A customer service rep who gets in verbal confrontations with unruly customers. Her many jobs include: Komkast Kable phone rep, 1-800-Gifts-and-Flowers phone rep, Nightclub Door-Person and TSA Airport Security.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xARiFIew8Ao |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/xARiFIew8Ao |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Mad TV- Ka-son: Airport Security|website=YouTube |date=29 March 2008 }}{{cbignore}}
Darell: A man who relentlessly asks women for their phone number.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTFZyl7hfBw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/kTFZyl7hfBw |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Mad TV-Can I Have Your Number|website=YouTube |date=September 2008 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4G6zSeAOi4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/_4G6zSeAOi4 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Can i have your number? Part 2|website=YouTube |date=7 August 2008 }}{{cbignore}} The character is exceptionally recognized as one of the most popular characters on the show.

=Celebrity impersonations=

Oprah Winfrey
Queen Latifah
Chris Rock
Condoleezza Rice
Randy Jackson
Star Jones
Tyra Banks
Beyoncé Knowles (as Deena Jones from Dreamgirls)
Chandra Wilson (as Dr. Miranda Bailey from Grey's Anatomy)
Eddie Murphy (as Mama Klump from The Nutty Professor)
Isabel Sanford (as Louise Jefferson from The Jeffersons)
Mo'Nique
New York

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
1998 \| Open 'til 3 \| Diana \| Short
2004 \| Reaction \| The Acting Partner \|
rowspan=2\| 2005 \| The 40-Year-Old Virgin \| Speed Dater \|
In Her Shoes \| Rose's Assistant \|
rowspan=2\| 2006 \| Jimmy and Judy \| Prostitute \|
School for Scoundrels \| Shanice \|
rowspan=4\| 2007 \| Transformers \| ASI Security Woman \|
License to Wed \| Louise \|
The Brothers Solomon \| Birthing Instructor \|
Truth Be Told \| - \| Video Short
rowspan=2\| 2008 \| Have Tig at Your Party \| Kaotanda Jefferis - Black Person \| Video
Role Models \| Karen \|
2010 \| Lez Chat \| Disappointed Woman \| Short
rowspan=2\| 2019 \| Murder Mystery \| Marisol \|
American Skin \| Tammi \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

1998

| Open 'til 3

| Diana

| Short

2004

| Reaction

| The Acting Partner

rowspan=2| 2005

| The 40-Year-Old Virgin

| Speed Dater

In Her Shoes

| Rose's Assistant

rowspan=2| 2006

| Jimmy and Judy

| Prostitute

School for Scoundrels

| Shanice

rowspan=4| 2007

| Transformers

| ASI Security Woman

License to Wed

| Louise

The Brothers Solomon

| Birthing Instructor

Truth Be Told

| -

| Video Short

rowspan=2| 2008

| Have Tig at Your Party

| Kaotanda Jefferis - Black Person

| Video

Role Models

| Karen

2010

| Lez Chat

| Disappointed Woman

| Short

rowspan=2| 2019

| Murder Mystery

| Marisol

American Skin

| Tammi

=Television=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
rowspan=2\| 2002 \| Felicity \| Resident \| Episode: "Ben Don't Leave"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation \| Nurse \| Episode: "The Hunger Artist"
2003 \| Miss Match \| Nicole \| Episode: "Who's Your Daddy?"
rowspan=5\| 2004 \| The Parkers \| Mrs. Carter \| Episode: "Can Two Wrongs Make a Right?"
Dragnet \| Uni Cop \| Episode: "Frame of Mind"
Still Standing \| Karen Gault \| Episode: "Still Champions"
Reno 911! \| Bridesmaid/Stolen Hair Victim \| Episode: "Raineesha X" & "Department Investigation: Part 2"
Significant Others \| Alex \| Main Cast
rowspan=5\| 2005 \| Listen Up \| Susan \| Episode: "Snub Thy Neighbor"
Half & Half \| Reporter \| Episode: "The Big Undercover Lover Episode"
Monk \| Frances \| Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Office"
Inconceivable \| Dana \| Episode: "Balls in Your Court"
Curb Your Enthusiasm \| Omar's Receptionist \| Episode: "Lewis Needs a Kidney"
2005–07 \| MADtv \| Herself/Cast Member \| Featured Cast: Season 11, Main Cast: Season 12
rowspan=2\| 2007 \| Andy Barker P.I. \| Clerk/Nicole \| Episode: "Pilot" & "Fairway, My Lovely"
The Shield \| Leticia Gregory \| Episode: "Back to One"
rowspan=2\| 2008 \| Kath & Kim \| Suzette \| Episode: "Respect" & "Old"
Hannah Montana \| Lorraine \| Episode: "Ready, Set, Don't Drive"
2010 \| Hot in Cleveland \| Eleanor \| Episode: "It's Not That Complicated"
2011 \| Traffic Light \| Cop \| Episode: "Pilot"
rowspan=3\| 2012 \| Prime Suspect \| Diane Carey \| Episode: "Stuck in the Middle with You"
Weeds \| Detective Crowley \| Episode: "God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise"
Greetings from Home \| Emma \| Main Cast
2012–13 \| Key & Peele \| Rap Video Mom/Katendra \| Episode: "I'm Retired" & "Obama Shutdown"
rowspan=2\| 2013 \| The Crazy Ones \| Debbie \| Episode: "The Spectacular"
I Hate My Teenage Daughter \| Ginger \| Episode: "Teenage Cheerleading"
2016 \| The Crossroads of History \| Prudence \| Episode: "Smallpox"
2019 \| Single Parents \| Dr. Rhonda \| Episode: "The Shed"
2022 \| The G Word \| Various characters \| Supporting role

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

rowspan=2| 2002

| Felicity

| Resident

| Episode: "Ben Don't Leave"

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

| Nurse

| Episode: "The Hunger Artist"

2003

| Miss Match

| Nicole

| Episode: "Who's Your Daddy?"

rowspan=5| 2004

| The Parkers

| Mrs. Carter

| Episode: "Can Two Wrongs Make a Right?"

Dragnet

| Uni Cop

| Episode: "Frame of Mind"

Still Standing

| Karen Gault

| Episode: "Still Champions"

Reno 911!

| Bridesmaid/Stolen Hair Victim

| Episode: "Raineesha X" & "Department Investigation: Part 2"

Significant Others

| Alex

| Main Cast

rowspan=5| 2005

| Listen Up

| Susan

| Episode: "Snub Thy Neighbor"

Half & Half

| Reporter

| Episode: "The Big Undercover Lover Episode"

Monk

| Frances

| Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Office"

Inconceivable

| Dana

| Episode: "Balls in Your Court"

Curb Your Enthusiasm

| Omar's Receptionist

| Episode: "Lewis Needs a Kidney"

2005–07

| MADtv

| Herself/Cast Member

| Featured Cast: Season 11, Main Cast: Season 12

rowspan=2| 2007

| Andy Barker P.I.

| Clerk/Nicole

| Episode: "Pilot" & "Fairway, My Lovely"

The Shield

| Leticia Gregory

| Episode: "Back to One"

rowspan=2| 2008

| Kath & Kim

| Suzette

| Episode: "Respect" & "Old"

Hannah Montana

| Lorraine

| Episode: "Ready, Set, Don't Drive"

2010

| Hot in Cleveland

| Eleanor

| Episode: "It's Not That Complicated"

2011

| Traffic Light

| Cop

| Episode: "Pilot"

rowspan=3| 2012

| Prime Suspect

| Diane Carey

| Episode: "Stuck in the Middle with You"

Weeds

| Detective Crowley

| Episode: "God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise"

Greetings from Home

| Emma

| Main Cast

2012–13

| Key & Peele

| Rap Video Mom/Katendra

| Episode: "I'm Retired" & "Obama Shutdown"

rowspan=2| 2013

| The Crazy Ones

| Debbie

| Episode: "The Spectacular"

I Hate My Teenage Daughter

| Ginger

| Episode: "Teenage Cheerleading"

2016

| The Crossroads of History

| Prudence

| Episode: "Smallpox"

2019

| Single Parents

| Dr. Rhonda

| Episode: "The Shed"

2022

| The G Word

| Various characters

| Supporting role

Commercial spokesperson campaigns

Sierra Mist - In 2006, the lemon-lime flavored soft-drink line Sierra Mist by PepsiCo hired Johnson to join five other comedic performers—Michael Ian Black, Tracy Morgan, Jim Gaffigan, Guillermo Diaz, and Eliza Coupe—to portray the Sierra Mist comedy team, the Mist Takes, in a nationwide, multi-spot television ad campaign.{{cite web|title=Sierra Mist Takes Karate Combover to Hospital|url=http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2007/sierra-mist-takes-karate-combover-to-hospital/|publisher=The Inspiration Room|accessdate=19 June 2018|date=7 February 2007}} Three commercials from the campaign, “Karate”, “Combover” and “Hospital Beds” debuted during Super Bowl XLI in 2007.
DriveTime - In 2013, auto financing company DriveTime hired Johnson, along with comedienne/actress Katie Crown, for a "DriveTime Girls" ad campaign,{{cite web|title=DriveTime Commercials 2014 / 2013|url=http://www.adfibs.com/drivetime-commercials-2014-2013/|publisher=AdFibs|accessdate=25 June 2014|date=23 November 2013}} each actress portraying one half of a comically eccentric duo of mobile credit approval agents "rescuing" potential car buyers rejected for financing by other auto dealers.