James A. Janisse

James Anthony Janisse (born May 6, 1989), is an American YouTuber, content creator, executive producer, and actor. He is best known as the founder and host of the YouTube channel Dead Meat, which features the popular series The Kill Count, horror podcasts, and interviews. Janisse has appeared in several film and television productions, including In Search of Darkness, Scream (2022), Friendsgiving (2023), Little Bites (2024), and Hysteria! (2024). He also appeared in the second season of the web series The Look-See (2018).

Early life James Anthony Janisse was born on May 6, 1989, in Detroit, Michigan. He developed a passion for horror films at a young age, citing Scream franchise as his introduction to the genre. As a child, he learned HTML to create a website dedicated to counting kills in horror movies. Janisse earned a degree in filmmaking from the University of Michigan.

Career 2009–2016: Early career Before Janisse became a content creator on YouTube, he worked as an actor and appeared in 2009 short film Everyone's a V.I.P. to Someone in a small role. Janisse spent over five years co-running comedy YouTube channels with his now-wife Chelsea Rebecca, starting with Comediocracy and later Practical Folks in 2010. While studying at the University of Michigan, he began making comedy videos together with Rebecca.

In 2011, they founded Comediocracy, which was later removed by YouTube, and then launched Practical Folks with James Graessle and Joel Arnold. In 2022, streaming service Shudder sponsored the Dead Meat Horror Awards. Winners, chosen by him and his wife, were presented by their friends from the horror community. He has also appeared in acting roles, such as playing Toby, a store clerk in the Thanksgiving horror-comedy Fiendsgiving alongside Samm Levine. He has expressed interest in professional wrestling and has begun training for a potential future match. He has explained that his on-camera persona in The Kill Count is partly a character, while he is more candid on the podcast.

Personal life

Janisse lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Chelsea Rebecca. The couple are both horror enthusiasts, and actress Heather Langenkamp officiated their wedding.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2009 Everyone's a V.I.P. to Someone Ben Small role In Search of DarknessHimself 2022ScreamCriticCameo 2023 Fiendsgiving Toby GrindJustin 2025The Red MaskHimselfCameo Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave! Newscaster Executive producer 2026 Zealous Townsfolk Man

Television and web series Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2018 The Look-See Raymond Season 2 2024Hysteria!Male TownspersonCameo; Season 1, Episode 3

Music videos Year Title Artist Role Ref. 2014 "Fiona Coyne" Skylar Spence Main character 2023 "Welcome to Horrorwood" Ice Nine Kills Officer Dunbar

Other appearances +YearTitleNotesRef.2020Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-InSpecial guest