Comedy special promoting wellness comes to Gainesville for World Mental Health Day

Growing up in South Florida, UF alumnus Micah E. Johnson, Ph.D., faced homelessness and community violence, but theater offered him healing and hope. 

“It was just a great way to teach us how to understand our emotions and make us feel like we had a voice and make us feel powerful,” Johnson said. “That way, we didn’t take a dark path.”

Through this passion, Johnson created “On Sight,” a live comedy special that uses humor, music and storytelling to spark conversations around wellness and resilience. On World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, Johnson will take center stage at 7:00 PM at the University of Florida's University Auditorium as the City of Gainesville hosts the premiere of his special.

“On Sight,” hosted by MTV star D.C. Young Fly, will blend comedy, hip-hop and theater to turn difficult topics like trauma, conflict and violence into accessible lessons that help students and community members build healthier relationships. 

“It’s like a gummy vitamin for the community,” Johnson said about the show. 

The show is fun and entertaining on the surface, Johnson said, but packed with practical tools for stress management, reframing negative thoughts and resolving conflict.

For Johnson – who completed his Ph.D. in sociology and completed a National Institutes of Health T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Epidemiology at UF – bringing the “On Sight” premiere to Gainesville is a homecoming. He says the city and campus gave him his professional foundation and shaped his personal outlook. 

His belief in the power of performance to transform lives underpins Johnson’s academic and artistic career. Over the past decade, his research – which involved interviewing more than 100 incarcerated individuals – reinforced how cycles of childhood trauma can lead to destructive choices, and how communities need more humane, health-centered approaches to prevention. 

With “On Sight,” Johnson hopes to move those lessons beyond academic papers and workshops into a format that is both digestible and unforgettable.

Comedy, Johnson said, lowers defenses, builds community and makes it easier to tackle difficult truths. Sharing a laugh, even about painful experiences, creates connection and sparks dialogue. 

“People learn better when they’re enjoying themselves,” Johnson said.

Partnering with D.C. Young Fly brings an extra dimension of accessibility. Johnson believes his co-host’s cross-generational appeal will draw in audiences that might not otherwise attend a mental health program. 

“For many young people, this will be the first chance they ever have to see someone like him live,” Johnson said. “That accessibility is powerful.”

Johnson hopes the show also strengthens Gainesville’s ongoing investment in addressing gun violence. 

“It’s a really symbiotic type of thing where I get to give back to this community that gave me so much,” he said.

Looking ahead, Johnson’s goal is to place “On Sight” on a major streaming platform so that schools, detention centers and families nationwide can access the program. 

For students who hope to use art to spark change, Johnson’s advice is simple: “Do it and do it your way. There’s no wrong way to use art and storytelling to make the world a better place.”

For more information about “On Sight” and the live taping, visit https://doctormicahjohnson.com/on-sight-gainesville/.