Eric Johnston joins Steve and Ace on Human Reset for a wide ranging conversation about growing up around wrestling, carrying his family's show business legacy, and turning personal trauma into comedy and storytelling. He talks about building a career as Hamilton's comic, balancing fatherhood with a nonstop touring life, and why his work across stand-up, social media, his book, and his TV show all lead with honesty.In this episode: Eric shares how a childhood surrounded by wrestlers, road stories, and larger-than-life personalities shaped his instinct for storytelling and performance. The conversation also covers his book, Run with the Bull, his TV project of the same name, and how he has become an unexpected voice in men's mental health by speaking openly about addiction, grief, and resilience. Key topics Eric explains that he was "born into the circus," growing up around wrestlers, entertainers, and colorful characters who came through his family's home in Stoney Creek. He says the biggest lesson from his childhood was that the best storytellers held the most attention, which helped shape his identity as a comedian. Eric reflects on his father's wrestling career, his mother's steady work, and how the family dynamic balanced road life with a stable home life. He describes his father's funeral as a profound community gathering, with stories from people whose lives his dad had changed. Eric talks about branding himself as Hamilton's comic and being proudly rooted in the city rather than chasing success by leaving it behind. He compares Hamilton's cultural identity to the Tragically Hip's relationship with Canada, saying he wants to be the comic who made it from here and stayed here. He breaks down the making of Run with the Bull, a book that blends hard facts from family history with his own childhood perspective. Eric explains how the book opened the door to deeper conversations about alcoholism, grief, and the impact of growing up with an alcoholic parent. He shares how his planned documentary became a book first, after Netflix and Vice passed on the project, and how that led to the TV series Run with the Bull. He talks about making comedy and trauma work together by following serious moments with humor, so the audience stays open and engaged. Eric discusses fatherhood, burnout, and how touring now has to fit around being home for his son and wife. He explains that he handles everything himself as an independent comic, including booking, promotion, contracts, merch, and show setup. He talks about joke theft in comedy, how material becomes a "death sentence" if stolen, and why his best material is so specific to his own life that it can't easily be copied. He closes by explaining that his live show, book, social media, and TV work all share the same mission: tell the truth and help people laugh through hard things. Connect with Steve Denyer: Follow along on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stevethecomebackdad/
