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 (the latter of which has become popular outside of Johnson's short stint on MADtv).

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. Previously, she stated the couple did not want children of their own, although they enjoy spending time with their nieces and nephews. On December 29, 2022 the couple announced they were expecting a baby in 2023. Johnson gave birth to the couple's daughter Rosalie Harlow Reyes on June 14, 2023.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Studio albums

As Bon Qui Qui:

Extended plays

As Bon Qui Qui:

Music videos

As Bon Qui Qui:

Awards and nominations