Comedian Josh Johnson Refunds 900 Tickets To Fight Back Against Scalper Price Gouging

"The Daily Show" star Josh Johnson canceled more than 900 ticket sales after catching scalpers charging sky-high prices.

In an Instagram post, Johnson said he'd rather have empty seats than see fans get scammed. His upcoming Flowers Tour, which includes a show at Newark's NJPAC on June 28, is at the heart of this bold decision.

Venue workers noticed scalpers buying large chunks of tickets, and then trying to resell them at ridiculous prices. Regular tickets for the Newark show were supposed to cost $39.50 to $59.50.

Rather than let scalpers win, Johnson told fans to join waitlists through his website. His actions show he's serious about keeping ticket prices fair.

“A venue contacted me and told me the day they went on sale that they believe that a lot of blocks of tickets were sold to resellers,” Johnson said. “One of the things that really bothers me on this tour is all of you trying to buy tickets and finding out they are all sold out and the resale price is astronomical.

The problem goes way beyond just one comedian's show. Venues and performers have tried everything from checking IDs to selling directly to stop these price hikes. Earlier attempts to stop scalpers included mobile-only tickets and limits on how many tickets each person could buy.

Comics are fighting back harder than ever. Other performers jumped in to back Johnson's ticket cancellation, trying to keep shows affordable for regular people.

Better-prepared venues now use online waiting rooms and fan verification. These tactics help real fans get tickets instead of money-hungry resellers.

This dramatic ticket cancellation hits just one stop on his cross-country tour. He's performing in major cities throughout 2025, with Newark being one of the biggest shows.

His stance lines up with other efforts to keep prices reasonable. Industry experts keep calling out websites that let scalpers charge way more than tickets are worth.