Bob's Burgers Star Gets Severe Prison Sentence For January 6 Attack!

UPDATE 10/28/24 6:20 P.M. PST: Damn. Jimmy Pesto really got himself into trouble.

It’s easy to forget just how bad January 6 was, especially with Trump saying over and over again it was a lovefest or whatever. But this was serious. People got gravely injured, and dozens have already been sent to federal prison. The latest? Jay Johnston from Mr. Show, The Sarah Silverman Program, and, as he’s probably best known these days, Bob’s Burgers.

Sadly the hilarious actor got involved in the insurrection attempt — even joining in a sort of crowd crush against police officers who were guarding a tunnel entrance to the Capitol Building. We obviously know eventually rioters breached the Capitol, requiring security teams to hide the legislators — and in some cases their families — from violence.

For his role, Johnston pleaded guilty over the summer to a charge of interfering with police officers during a civil disorder. He was finally sentenced Monday to one year and one day in prison.

In court, per PBS, Johnston expressed regret, saying he hadn’t gone to Trump’s rally expecting a riot to ensue — that he might have realized if he “had been more political.” We guess he’s one of many to argue he was swept up in the moment as the then-President whipped everyone into a frenzy, telling them to “fight” for him?

US District Judge Carl Nichols was regretful, too, about the fact Jay would be away from his 13-year-old autistic daughter for a year. But the law is the law, and Johnston’s behavior that day was “reprehensible.” Prosecutors wanted more time — as he was still joking about it two years later, posting a photo dressed as the “QAnon Shaman” who was also present on January 6. They argued he “thinks his participation in one of the most serious crimes against our democracy is a joke.”

We hope he isn’t laughing about all this anymore. For the sake of his daughter at least.

Well, this is a sad day for comedy fans…

It was confirmed once and for all on Wednesday that Jay Johnston, fan favorite from Mr. Show, The Sarah Silverman Program, and Bob’s Burgers, was indeed present at the January 6 insurrection attempt. And like many others before him he’s going to prison for it.

Johnston, best known these days for playing pizzeria owner Jimmy Pesto on the beloved animated series Bob’s Burgers, was arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday — by the FBI no less. The Department of Justice revealed in a criminal complaint that the comic is being hit with four charges: civil disorder, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Thankfully for him, he wasn’t one of the masterminds behind the attack — those folks are getting charged with much more serious crimes, such as seditious conspiracy. The founder of Donald Trump-supporting far-right group the Oath Keepers, for instance, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars. Compared to that, we’re guessing ol’ Jimmy Pesto is looking at months — assuming he plays ball and pleads guilty.

Unfortunately for him, he was one of the easier crowd members to identify. In the days following the attack, the FBI posted pics of everyone spotted on camera breaking into the Capitol Building to try to stop the election certification — and thus interrupting the peaceful transfer of power.

The #FBI is still seeking information on people who took part in the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. If you know this individual, visit https://t.co/iL7sD5efWD. Refer to photo 247 in your tip. pic.twitter.com/CetMHzU190

— FBI (@FBI) March 4, 2021

His pics stood out for comedy fans, who thought at first it was funny that one of the rioters happened to look like that hilarious guy from Mr. Show.

I know it is not him but this guy looks like Jay Johnston from Mr. Show with Bob and David. pic.twitter.com/lcuvhDUZ3L

— L. Ron Howard (@LRonHoward) March 5, 2021

this man operates under many different aliases. Here’s one of them. Contact Candy Addams at Entertainment 4-Every-1. She’ll point you in the right direction pic.twitter.com/rgNMMdcUfN

— David Malitz (@malitzd) March 5, 2021

that's President Guy "Whitey" Corngood

proof it was an inside job pic.twitter.com/fUiPB2wtjN

— Chudwick DeBoatercycle (@DeBoatercycle) March 5, 2021

Oh no! pic.twitter.com/aQuKMmmRr8

— Jeff Yorkes (@JeffYorkes) March 4, 2021

It stopped being funny all too quickly as folks who knew the man personally revealed that unbelievably, it was him. Those individuals were apparently questioned by the feds, too! Per the complaint, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter:

“The FBI has interviewed three current or former associates of Johnston, all of whom identified Johnston as the individual in the above photographs of 247-AFO.”

Not only did they give the government a positive ID, one proved how they knew for certain — because he texted and told them he was there!

“One of these associates provided the FBI with a text message in which Johnston acknowledged being at the Capitol on January 6, stating ‘The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic.’”

Apparently, in addition to being a very funny man, he has also fallen under the spell of Trump and those who would keep him in power at all costs. Someone else who knew of his new political leanings also shared with THR a pic of him mocking (we think?) his own predicament by dressing up in costume as the most recognizable January 6 attacker, the “Qanon Shaman.”

THR has obtained a photo of Jay Johnston from a party last October in which he appeared to be dressed as the so-called "Qanon Shaman," who previously pled guilty to storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 https://t.co/cR2Cgwh0Z6 pic.twitter.com/OR8dk3e3JO

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 7, 2023

It’s a sobering reminder that, just as many of our family members have been convinced by Trump’s big lie about the election being stolen, so too have plenty we’ve grown to love onscreen.

But hey, at least we can still rely on Xena, the warrior princess IRL …

[Image via Netflix/Bob’s Burgers/YouTube/FBI/Twitter.]