Nobody saw it coming. For years, Jamie Lissow was the guy audiences recognized as “the funny one on the couch” — a late-night guest who cracked quick jokes, got a few laughs, and faded into the background as the credits rolled. But one unexpected moment with Greg Gutfeld and Kat Timpf changed everything, flipping the script on his career and propelling him from sidekick status to comedy’s next big star.
The turning point came during a live taping of Gutfeld!, where Gutfeld teased Jamie for always “sitting there like an unpaid intern.” Without missing a beat, Jamie shot back: “Greg, if I’m unpaid, that makes Kat the severance package they forgot to deliver.” The crowd erupted, Greg laughed so hard he had to cover his face, and Kat Timpf leaned over with mock offense before breaking into giggles herself. The back-and-forth ended with Jamie tossing in one more line — “Don’t worry, Kat, you’re still worth more than Greg’s hair gel budget” — and the studio audience went wild.
Clips of the exchange went viral overnight, racking up millions of views across TikTok, X, and Instagram. “Jamie just demolished the moment,” Gutfeld later admitted. “I thought I was throwing him a softball, but he took the bat, swung, and hit it out of the park. Kat and I just looked at each other like, ‘Did we just watch him level up in real time?’.
Kat, known for her own razor-sharp quips, called it “the second funniest moment of my life — the first being my wedding vows, obviously.” She added: “Jamie’s always been hysterical, but that night people got to see the raw, unfiltered version of him. He wasn’t just reacting — he was owning the stage.”
Since then, Jamie’s career has exploded. His stand-up clips are trending, his podcast downloads have doubled, and comedy clubs are scrambling to book him for headlining gigs. Industry insiders say he’s suddenly in demand for pilot scripts, Netflix specials, and even a potential late-night hosting gig of his own.
Fans have also embraced his rise. On Reddit, one user wrote, “Jamie Lissow is proof that sometimes the sidekick is actually the main event.” On X, a meme of Jamie’s “intern” comeback has been reshared tens of thousands of times.
Jamie himself is staying humble but can’t hide his excitement. “People keep saying I’m an overnight success,” he told fans during a recent stand-up set. “And I tell them, yeah — it only took me 20 years to get here overnight.”
As for what’s next, Jamie only hints: “If you liked that moment with Greg and Kat, buckle up. That was just the warm-up.”
For the comedian who once seemed destined to stay in the shadows, Jamie Lissow has stepped firmly into the spotlight. And judging by the noise around him, this is just the beginning of comedy’s boldest new chapter.
