House Speaker Mike Johnson Delivers Cringeworthy Hand Gesture in Awkward Interview
What To Know
- House Speaker Mike Johnson made an awkward attempt to appear relatable by flashing a “shaka” hand gesture during a podcast interview with Katie Miller.
- Johnson discussed his familiarity with country artist Jelly Roll, referencing selfies taken together at a UFC event last year.
- The podcast episode also features Johnson’s wife, Kelly, who compares men’s brains to waffles.
House Speaker Mike Johnson attempted to prove he is down with the kids during a new podcast interview, where he displayed an awkward hand gesture that was meant to show he was cool, supposedly.
The cringeworthy moment occurred in a clip from an upcoming episode of the Katie Miller Pod, a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, a former Department of Government Efficiency aide married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
In the preview clip, Miller asks Johnson if he his familiar with the country star Jelly Roll.
“Do I know?” replies an incredulous Johnson before awkwardly throwing up a Hawaiian “shaka” (or “hang loose”) sign with both hands. “Yes, we have selfies together!” he adds.
Who calls @SpeakerJohnson every night?
Which member is most frequently in his office?
What’s his favorite fictional show about his life?@SpeakerJohnson and Kelly on their transition from Louisiana to DC | Tuesday 6pm. pic.twitter.com/vrfHLy9drJ
— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) November 24, 2025
The Louisiana Congressman indeed has selfies with Jelly Rolly. The pair previously met at a UFC event in Madison Square Garden, not long after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
“UFC at MSG was epic!” Johnson wrote on social media at the time alongside a selection of selfies from the event, including Jelly Roll, Kid Rock, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and more.
UFC at MSG was epic! pic.twitter.com/BxpiZK00qu
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) November 17, 2024
A few X commenters reacted to Johnson’s attempt at being hip, with one viewer writing, “Holy smokes… this made me react like nails on a chalk board.”
“Johnson should never try to throw shaka. What a babooze,” said another.
“Is this real or an SNL skit?” another added.
The upcoming podcast interview also features Johnson’s wife, Kelly, who appears in the preview clip. In one section, Kelly explains to Miller how men’s brains are like waffles.
“Men’s brains are like waffles,” she says. “They have little compartments, and men actually have a compartment that has nothing in it.” Meanwhile, Johnson nods along beside her.
Miller launched her podcast back in August, saying in her announcement, “For years, I’ve seen that there isn’t a place for conservative women to gather online. I wanted to create that space, where we have real, honest conversations with people across the political spectrum and across the world.”
“As a mom of three young kids, who eats healthy, goes to the gym, works full time I know there isn’t a podcast for women like myself,” she wrote alongside the announcement. “Hope you’ll join me.”
Check out the full podcast when it’s released later today (Tuesday, November 25), and who knows, maybe Johnson will bust out the 6-7 dance.
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