James P. Connolly

Marine Corps Veteran
Stand Up Comedian 

James P. Connolly is a Stand Up Comedian and radio/TV host who has been seen on Netflix, America’s Got Talent, Comedy Central, HBO, and can be heard daily on multiple SiriusXM Comedy Channels. He has a Comedy Special “Acceptable Loss” currently streaming on Dry Bar Comedy and YouTube and is slated to release two mini specials in 2025: “Origin Story” and “Opportunity for Growth”. 

Connolly is a United States Marine Corps veteran who resigned his commission after achieving the rank of Captain. His primary military occupational speciality (MOS) was as an Infantry Officer with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, where he held the billets of Platoon Commander, Adjutant and Weapons Company Executive Officer. While in the Marine Corps he made multiple combat deployments including Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990-91) and Security Ops in  Panama (1989). He also deployed to Bangladesh for humanitarian relief efforts as part of  Operation Sea Angel (1991). 

Before active duty James attended Harvard University on a Marine Corps ROTC scholarship. He  was cross enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where the ROTC unit was  located, servicing midshipmen from Harvard, MIT and Tufts University. During his Senior year,  

Connolly was selected as the Midshipmen Battalion Commanding Officer. He was  commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in a ceremony aboard the USS Constitution: the oldest  commissioned (1797) US Naval Warship still afloat. While serving in Operation Desert Storm,  then 1st Lieutenant Connolly was asked by his Colonel to write him jokes for a “roast style”  dinner, in an attempt to help bring together active duty officers and the newly attached reserve  officers to the recently formed Battalion Landing Team 3/5. 

After arriving in Hollywood in 1993, James began to perform at LA’s major comedy venues and  soon popped up on television, commercials, and in small films. His early appearances included  Comedy Central, the Jerry Lewis Telethon, a Grand Comedy Champion on Ed McMahon’s  “Next Big Star," host of “Movie Obsessions” on VH1 and “The Week That Was” for National  Lampoon Comedy Radio. He released two Comedy CD’s “Pure Polyester” (2004) and “The  Master Plan” (2006) which received heavy rotation on satellite radio making him one of the most  played and most requested comedians on SiriusXM in the early 2000s. Connolly continues to  tour the country making regular appearances in Las Vegas at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club inside  the MGM Grand and has become one of the premiere Corporate Master of Ceremonies in the  world, with satisfied clients including the Fortune 500.

As a Stand Up Comedian, Connolly continues to serve the Veteran/Military community. Between  2004-2012, he made 7 deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation  Enduring Freedom, doing shows for the troops including a post Thanksgiving performance in  Fallujah, immediately following operations. James has raised funds for many Veteran  organizations including: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Semper Fi Fund, Dana Point 5th  Marines Support Group and the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP). Additionally,  Connolly still sporadically tours with the “GI’s of Comedy”: a group of professional Stand Up  Comedians who are also Veterans. 

Connolly is the 4th Marine in his family. His father was a Marine as well as two of his Uncles.  He is also a proud father to his teenage son Parker.