Ray William Johnson

Ray William Johnson, born on August 14, 1981, is an American internet celebrity renowned for his dynamic presence on YouTube, particularly through his channel and web series, Equals Three. This channel achieved remarkable success, surpassing ten million subscribers and accumulating over two billion views by 2013, making it one of the most popular channels of its time. For a notable period of five hundred sixty-four days from June 2011 to January 2013, Equals Three held the title of the most-subscribed YouTube channel, becoming the first to reach five million subscribers.

In March 2014, Johnson departed from Equals Three but continued to influence the digital landscape by producing other web series, including Booze Lightyear and Comedians On, although the latter two were eventually canceled. His creative journey also led him to co-found Your Favorite Martian, an internet cartoon band alongside Jesse Cale. As of December 2025, the band boasts three point eighty-one million subscribers on YouTube and nearly three hundred thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, having released sixty songs since early 2011.

Johnson's artistic endeavors extend beyond music and web series. He made his scripted web series debut with Riley Rewind on Facebook in 2013 and developed a television concept that was acquired by FX the same year. His foray into acting began with a role in the indie road film Who's Driving Doug. In 2015, he established his production company, Mom & Pop Empire, which was reported to be co-producing a documentary with Supergravity Pictures focused on monopolies in the cable television industry.