Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Ray William Johnson

Role / Field:

American internet celebrity, comedian, and YouTuber known for 'Equals Three' and web series.

Born:

1981-08-14

Century / Era:

1981s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Raymond William Johnson (born August 14, 1981) is an American internet celebrity, comedian, actor, and singer-songwriter best known for his eponymous YouTube channel and his web series on that channel, Equals Three. In 2013, the channel surpassed 10 million subscribers and had over 2 billion views, making it one of the most watched and subscribed to channels at the time. For a 564-day period from June 2011 to January 2013 the channel was the most-subscribed YouTube channel, during which it also became the first channel to reach 5 million subscribers. Johnson left the series in March 2014 but continued to produce it and other web series like Booze Lightyear, Comedians On, and Top 6, the first two of which were later cancelled.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In the 2020s, he has since transitioned to sharing true crime stories, primarily on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. Johnson, along with Jesse Cale, was a founding member of Your Favorite Martian, an internet cartoon band, in which he also provided vocals as Puff Puff. As of December 2025, it has 3.81 million subscribers on YouTube and 296,547 monthly listeners on Spotify. Starting in early 2011, the band released 60 songs. After an over decade long hiatus their...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abel Gance — Contemporary (Died in 1981) (1981): French cinematic pioneer, celebrated for his mastery of montage and epic filmmaking.
• Abigail Spencer — Contemporary (Born in 1981) (1981): American actress, producer, and writer known for roles in soap operas and dramas.
• Adriana Lima — Contemporary (Born in 1981) (1981): Iconic Brazilian model, celebrated for her long tenure as a Victoria's Secret Angel.
• Alija Sirotanović — Shared historical date (08-14 · Born) (1914): Famous Yugoslav coal miner and model worker, recognized as a Hero of Socialist Labour.
• Bertolt Brecht — Shared historical date (08-14 · Died) (1956): Pioneering German playwright and poet, master of epic theatre techniques.
• Albert Cohen (novelist) — Historical peer (Died in 1981) (1981): Greek-born Swiss novelist who wrote in French, known for his memoirs and international work.
• Albert Speer — Historical peer (Died in 1981) (1981): German architect and Nazi official, known for monumental designs and wartime ministry.
• Aaron Swartz — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• Ahmed Fouad Negm — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Iconic Egyptian vernacular poet, celebrated for revolutionary and patriotic verse.
• Al Davis — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
• 1981 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1981
• August 14 (08-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 14

Frequently Asked Questions about Ray William Johnson