Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 6, 2025 · Entertainment

Comedy's Dark Turn: Last Comic Standing Winner Arrested on Child Porn Charges

Former Last Comic Standing winner Jon Reep has been arrested on multiple child sexual exploitation charges. Reep, 53, was arrested on Friday at his home in Hickory, North Carolina, the Hickory Police Department announced; pictured in 2007 on Last Comic Standing

BOMBSHELL: Former Last Comic Standing Winner Jon Reep Arrested on Multiple Child Sex Exploitation Charges

In a shocking turn of events, former comedy star and winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing in 2007, Jon Reep, has been arrested on multiple child sex exploitation charges. The 53-year-old comedian, who was once a household name, is now facing a whopping nine counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to the Hickory Police Department, the arrest came after an online tip was received back in April by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led authorities to Reep's online activities. The tip pointed to a suspicious online account linked to the comedian, and further investigation revealed a trove of disturbing child sex abuse materials.

Reep, who is pictured in his mug shot from Friday, had his bond set at $260K. He was indicted on September 2 on nine counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to TMZ

The Catawba County District Attorney's Office issued an indictment on September 2, which included all nine counts of third-degree exploitation and one count of second-degree exploitation. Reep was arrested just three days later, at his home in Hickory, North Carolina, after authorities obtained a warrant to search the location linked to the online account.

Reep's arrest has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, with many of his colleagues and contemporaries left reeling from the news. "We are still trying to process this information," said a spokesperson for the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where Reep was scheduled to perform just hours before his arrest. "We did not book Jon Reep directly, but rather a third-party producer who had rented out our theatre. We have immediately contacted the producer and are working on canceling tonight's performance."

As it turns out, Reep's comedy career has been marred by controversy in the past. The comedian was already known to audiences for his recurring role as a police officer on the ABC sitcom Rodney, which starred country singer Rodney Carrington from 2004 to 2006.

Police began investigating Reep in response to a referral from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), which received an Internet Crimes Against Children cyber tip in April; pictured in 2007 on Last Comic Standing

Reep's recent acting credits include appearances on popular shows such as Eastbound & Down, Black-ish, Jane The Virgin, and American Dad. He even had a guest appearance on Larry David's HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm just last year!

But behind the scenes, Reep was allegedly harboring some dark secrets. According to investigators, his online activities were under scrutiny for months before his arrest. "We received an Internet Crimes Against Children cyber tip in April that pointed us toward Reep's online account," said a spokesperson for the Hickory Police Department. "Our investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior that led to multiple charges."

Reep is currently being held at the Catawba County Detention Facility on $260,000 bail. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday, September 8.

The tip reportedly pointed authorities toward an online account that belonged to the stand-up star. The charges from the grand jury were reportedly all related to child sexual abuse materials; pictured in 2017 in Nashville, Tenn.

As the news spreads like wildfire through social media, fans and fellow comedians alike are left reeling from the revelation. "This is a devastating blow to the comedy community," said one insider. "We can only hope that Reep's arrest serves as a warning to others who may be engaging in similar behavior."

The scandal has left many wondering how this could have happened under their noses. "We're still trying to wrap our heads around it," said another source close to the investigation. "It just goes to show that no one is immune from accountability, not even someone as well-known and respected as Jon Reep."

UPDATE: The Paramount Theatre has announced that existing ticket holders will be given the opportunity to retain their tickets for a possible future date or receive a refund.

An incident report filled out by police in April, after the tip was received, listed alleged 'Obscene Material/Pornography ¿ Exploit Children' in relation to the online account mentioned in the tip; pictured in 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada

A Timeline of Reep's Downfall

  • 2007: Wins Last Comic Standing on NBC
  • 2004-2006: Recurring role as police officer on ABC sitcom Rodney
  • 2010: Guest appearance on Disney Channel series Good Luck Charlie
  • 2013: Four episodes on HBO comedy Eastbound & Down
  • 2015, 2017, and 2020: Single-episode appearances on Black-ish, Jane The Virgin, and American Dad (voice role)
  • 2024: Guest appearance on Larry David's HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm

Sources:

Reep is best known for winning season five of Last Comic Standing in 2007, but he also appeared on the sitcom Rodney in a recurring role and had guest parts on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Eastbound & Down and the Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie; seen in 2016 in Pasadena, Calif.

TheScholarlyNote.com Hickory Police Department Catawba County District Attorney's Office NCMEC TMZ

Reep was scheduled to perform Friday night at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro, North Carolina, but the show was canceled after his arrest; pictured in 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina