J-L Cauvin

J-L Cauvin
Born
Jean-Louis Cauvin

(1979-04-24) April 24, 1979
New York City, U.S.
EducationWilliams College
Georgetown University Law Center
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • attorney
  • politician
Years active2006–present
Height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[1][2]

Jean-Louis Cauvin (pronounced koh-VAN; born April 24, 1979), better known by his stage name J-L Cauvin, is an American attorney and stand-up comedian. He is best known for his political satire and Donald Trump impression. In 2026, he unsuccessfully ran in New Jersey's 11th congressional district special election.

Early life

Jean-Louis "J-L" Cauvin[3][4] was born on April 24, 1979,[1][5][6] in the Bronx, a borough of New York City,[6] to a Haitian father and an Irish-American mother.[2][7] He earned his undergraduate degree from Williams College, where he also competed in varsity athletics.[8]

Cauvin was raised Catholic, and continues to practice.[9]

Career

In the early 2000s, Cauvin pursued a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.[10] While enrolled, he began performing stand-up comedy across New York and New Jersey.[2][11] Cauvin graduated and passed the bar examination in 2005.[4] He went on to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney's Office.[10] In 2009, he was laid off from his job due to the recession. Following this, he decided to pursue comedy full time and spent the next four years touring.[12]

During Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, Cauvin developed and began incorporating an impression of the president in his routine.[6] He performed his impression on several radio shows and podcasts, including The Adam Carolla Show and The Dan Le Batard Show.[6] In 2018, he developed Make Podcasts Great Again, a satirical podcast that critiqued Trump's behaviour and policies.[12] Cauvin gained widespread attention for his Trump impressions during the 2020 United States presidential election with several of his social media videos receiving millions of views.[2][13]

In 2019, Cauvin returned to law and took a job as a staff attorney.[2] In late 2020, he confirmed that he was still working full time as an attorney in addition to making comedy videos.[1][13]

In November 2025, Cauvin announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in New Jersey's 11th congressional district for the 2026 special primary election.[14][15] His campaign focused on issues such as affordable housing, protection of seniors, and regulation of artificial intelligence.[16] He lost the election, receiving 0.43% of the votes.[17]

Personal life

As of 2020, Cauvin lived in Bloomfield, New Jersey, with his girlfriend, Laura.[1][12][18]

Discography

Albums

  • Racial Chameleon (2006)
  • Diamond Maker (2008)
  • Too Big To Fail (2012)
  • Keep My Enemies Closer (2013)
  • Israeli Tortoise (2016)
  • Fireside Craps (2017)[6]
  • Famous Nobody (2019)
  • Fireside Craps: The Deuce (2020)
  • Half-Blackface (2024)

Filmography

Radio and podcast

Year(s) Title Role(s) Notes Ref.
2015–present The Adam Carolla Show Himself Series regular [6]
2016 The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Trumpgotz Episode: "10-28-16" [6]
2018–present Make Podcasts Great Again Host/Donald Trump [12]
2021–2025 Rain on Your Parade Host [7]

Television and film

Year(s) Title Role(s) Notes Ref.
2007 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Himself Episode: "4.155" [19]
2008 NESN Comedy All Stars Himself Episode: "1.7"
2022 Billions Darren Russakoff Episode: "Rock of Eye" [20]
2024 J-L Cauvin: Half-Blackface Himself [7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Jennings, Rob (December 19, 2020). "What's Next for N.J. Comedian Who Hit it Big Spoofing Trump?". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. p. A11. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e McNulty, Charles (December 17, 2020). "What comes next for a Donald Trump impersonator? J-L Cauvin has thoughts". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Coffey, Wayne (February 14, 1991). "Topp Hits Bottom with War Cards". Daily News. New York, New York. p. 51, 63. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "New Members Welcomed" (PDF). New York State Bar Association Journal. 77 (9): 56. 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  5. ^ Cauvin, J-L [@jlcauvin]; (April 24, 2025). "#HappyBirthday to me. 46 is really 80 in giant man years". Retrieved December 31, 2025 – via Instagram.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Jennings, Rob (March 28, 2020). "N.J. Comic's Riff on Trump's Virus Response is Going Viral". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. p. A16. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Worden, Amy (December 2024). "Comedian who's won accolades as the best Trump impressionist returns to Harrisburg". PennLive. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  8. ^ Tuthill, Matt (April 21, 2022). "INTERVIEW: J-L Cauvin". Chef Irvine Magazine. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill's vacant Congress seat could be filled by Black Catholic comedian". Black Catholic Messenger. December 4, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  10. ^ a b Yensi, Amy (May 11, 2020). "Aspiring Comedian from the Bronx Has Trump Impersonation Down Pat". NY1.
  11. ^ McCarthy, Sean L. (June 22, 2017). "Meet Me In New York: J-L Cauvin". The Comic’s Comic. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d Jordan, Chris (April 4, 2020). "Jersey Comic Goes Viral Thanks to Trump Easter Video". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Cavna, Michael (January 16, 2021). "The top Trump impersonators are asking themselves: What now?". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ "Trump impersonator wants to fight back against Trump as next NJ-11 congressman". New Jersey Globe. November 21, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  15. ^ Fernandez, Madison (December 1, 2025). "More than a dozen candidates file for NJ-11 special election". Politico. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  16. ^ "Dem free-for-all engulfs NJ as 13 contenders scramble for Sherrill's House seat ahead of critical 2026 fight". Fox News. December 2, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  17. ^ "New Jersey 11th Congressional District special primary election results". Associated Press. February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  18. ^ Laughran, Jason (March 30, 2020). "Jersey comic J-L Cauvin's career to rise again thanks viral Trump Easter video". The Associated Press. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  19. ^ "Wednesday Prime Time - Highlight/What to Watch". The Buffalo News. Buffalo, New York. October 3, 2007. p. C6. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  20. ^ Collins, Sean T. (February 20, 2022). "'Billions' Season 6, Episode 5 Recap: All in the Family". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
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