Friend a Day – Bob Alberti

People surprise me all the time.  Bob surprised me more than most.

When people try out for Vilification Tennis, they fall into three categories.  The first category is people I know will be good.  They may not be a good vilifier but they are good performers.  The second category is people about whom I have no innate feel.  They could be great, they could be lousy.  I just don’t know.  The third category is people who I know won’t do well.  I’m almost always right about the third category.

At least I was until Bob came along.

Bob is so laid back, I just didn’t think he’d have what it took to succeed as a vilifier.  I was wrong in all the best ways.

He’s a good writer, a good performer and he constantly surprises with his willingness to try new things.

I like Bob because he’s an idea guy.  He doesn’t sit around and wait for the next show.  He thinks about it and offers ideas.  And he doesn’t just suggest things other people should do.  He’s always willing to do those things himself.

He’s passionate about his politics and more than willing to argue with anyone about his opinions.  That inner passion, though, is what I missed in some of those early encounters with Bob.  It isn’t hidden but it is subtle.

When Bob says he’s going to do something, he will make it happen even if he doesn’t know how to do it.  When he said he’d get streaming to work for Die Laughing, he made it happen.

He takes pictures, runs an art gallery and still has time to be a big participant in Fearless Comedy.  Whenever a call goes out for performers, he’s one of the first to answer.  Whenever a call goes out for some help, he’ll be one of the first people there.

I was wrong about Bob as a performer and I’m so glad that I was.

Bob has a lot of creative stuff going on.  You can read about all of it on his website.