James A. Janisse

James A. Janisse
Janisse in 2024
Born
James Anthony Janisse

(1989-05-06) May 6, 1989
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Michigan (BFTV)
Occupations
Years active2009–present
Notable work
Spouse
Chelsea Rebecca
​
(m. 2022)​

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 (2019), 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.[1] Janisse earned a degree in filmmaking from the University of Michigan.[2]

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.[3] 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.[4] While studying at the University of Michigan, he began making comedy videos together with Rebecca.[5]

In 2011, they founded Comediocracy, which was later removed by YouTube, and then launched Practical Folks with James Graessle and Joel Arnold.[5] Handling most of the editing for Practical Folks limited his creative freedom, so he left the channel and spent late 2016 to early 2017 developing a new horror-focused project, Dead Meat.[5]

2017–present: Dead Meat

Janisse launched Dead Meat in 2017 with its flagship show The Kill Count, where he breaks down horror movies, highlights memorable deaths, shares trivia, and notes production details. The channel grew fast, and by 2022 it had 5.94 million subscribers and more than 2 billion views.[4] He is president and executive producer of Dead Meat, which he co-owns with Rebecca, who launched the Dead Meat Podcast in 2018.[4]

In 2018, Janisse appeared in the second season of Crypt TV's The Look-See, where he played the role of Raymond.[6][7] 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.[8] He has also appeared in acting roles, such as playing Toby, a store clerk in the Thanksgiving horror-comedy Fiendsgiving alongside Samm Levine.[9] He has expressed interest in professional wrestling and has begun training for a potential future match.[10] He has explained that his on-camera persona in The Kill Count is partly a character, while he is more candid on the podcast.[11] His favorite films include John Carpenter's The Thing and Scream (1996).[11][12]

Personal life

Janisse and his wife Chelsea Rebecca in 2021

Janisse lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Chelsea Rebecca. The couple are both horror enthusiasts, and actress Heather Langenkamp officiated their wedding.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Everyone's a V.I.P. to Someone Ben Small role [3]
2019 Hashtag Beach guy Short film [14]
In Search of Darkness Himself [15]
2022 Scream Critic Cameo [16]
2023 Fiendsgiving Toby [9]
2024 Little Bites Doug [17]
Grind Justin [18]
2025 The Red Mask Himself Cameo [19]
Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave! Newscaster Executive producer [20]
2026 Blood Rush † Zealous Townsfolk Man [21]

Television and web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2018 The Look-See Raymond Season 2 [22]
2024 Hysteria! Male Townsperson Cameo; Season 1, Episode 3 [13]
2025 The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Titans Himself Season 2 [23]

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2014 "Fiona Coyne" Skylar Spence Main character
2023 "Welcome to Horrorwood" Ice Nine Kills Officer Dunbar [8]
2025 "Does She Know?" T-Pain Executive producer [24]

Other appearances

Year Title Notes Ref.
2020 Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In Special guest [25]

References

  1. ↑ "James A. Janisse – Bio". Dead Meat. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Meet James A. Janisse: Host & Media Commentator". Shoutout LA. 2021-04-26. Archived from the original on 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  3. 1 2 Everyone's a V.I.P. to Someone (2009). Paolo Carone, Chelsea Leonowicz. Independent Film Press.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. 1 2 3 Bonilla, Justina. "Meet YouTube's Impresario of Horror: James A. Janisse". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Matt (June 14, 2022). "YouTube Channel Dead Meat Gives Hilarious New Life to Horror Film Legacies". Paste Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  6. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (2018-07-18). "Crypt TV's 'The Look-See' To Get Season 2 Premiere Screening At RTX Austin". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
  7. ↑ Weiss, Geoff (2018-06-04). "Crypt TV Casts Horror YouTuber James 'Deadmeat' Janisse For Season Two Of 'The Look-See'". Tubefilter. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  8. 1 2 Bolton, Cameron (January 24, 2023). "Dead Meat Creator Addresses the Massive Popularity of Horror Movies". MovieWeb. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  9. 1 2 T, Amber. "Exclusive: Dead Meat's James A. Janisse Joins Clarke Wolfe's Thanksgiving Slasher Fiendsgiving". Fangoria. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Dead Meat's James A. Janisse Teases Possible Wrestling Debut, Says It's A Bucket List Item For Him". Fightful. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "A Bloody Dead Meat Christmas Interview with James A. Janisse, Chelsea Rebecca, and Wim Sweldens". Daily Dead. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  12. ↑ Pettis, Caillou (2022). The Inspiring World of Horror: The Movies That Influenced Generations. ISBN 979-8831215076.
  13. 1 2 "How Dead Meat host James A. Janisse landed that cameo in Peacock's Hysteria!". USA Network. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  14. ↑ "James A. Janisse". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Corey Taylor Releasing 'In Search of Darkness' '80s Horror Doc". Loudwire. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  16. ↑ Dominguez, Noah (2022-01-19). "Scream Quietly Confirms a Fan-Favorite Character Survived a Previous Film". CBR. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  17. ↑ "Little Bites". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  18. ↑ Grobar, Matt (2024-08-13). "James Paxton, Christopher Marquette, James Urbaniak, Rob Huebel & More Set For Horror Anthology 'Grind'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  19. ↑ DiVincenzo, Alex. "Helena Howard & Inanna Sarkis Star in Meta Slasher 'The Red Mask' - Bloody Disgusting". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  20. ↑ DiVincenzo, Alex. "'Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave' - Watch the Dead Meat-Produced Short from 'Onyx the Fortuitous' Filmmaker - Bloody Disgusting". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 2025-11-08. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  21. ↑ DiVincenzo, Alex. "First Look at Billy Zane & Danielle Bisutti's Vampire Western 'Blood Rush;' Robin Riker, Gigi Gustin, Dead Meat Join Cast [Exclusive] - Bloody Disgusting". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 2026-02-14. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  22. ↑ Barkan, Jonathan (2018-06-01). "Crypt TV's THE LOOK-SEE Locks Second Season and Casts DeadMeat's James A. Janisse". Dread Central. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  23. ↑ Levy, Marc Malkin,Giana (2025-08-26). "'The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Titans' Season 2 Sets Premiere Date, Jennifer Tilly to Guest Judge (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-05-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ↑ Busco, Andrea (2025-04-23). "Does She Know | Music Video of the Week". Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  25. ↑ Villasenor, Yvonne (2020-10-28). "Event Recap: Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In". Dread Central. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
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