Friend a Day – Ronn Bauman

I’ve known Ronn since I was assistant Artistic Director at the Arizona Festival in 1996.  I knew of him prior to that time but I don’t think we actually met.

We only see each other seven weekends a year and we are both too busy to spend any time together.  Most interactions we have are a quick two sentence exchange in the morning or a conversation via Facebook.

Such is friendship with someone on the circuit.

Ronn is a member of the very Tortuga Twins.  They are one of the most popular acts at the Festival and I have never actually seen them perform.  Too many conflicts.

What I know from watching them at other times and from talking to him about their shows is this:  their comic timing is absolutely stellar and the attention to their writing is admirable.  I don’t think they feel they are owed anything by their audience.  They know that every dollar in their hat is earned and they work hard to earn each and every one.

Ronn and I have bonded a bit over shared opinions on Religion, politics, vaccines, conspiracies, and homeopathy.  Among other things.

He’s not afraid to invite debate about touchy subjects.  Nor is he afraid to express his opinion on those subjects.  In that way, he is a lot like me.

He exudes confidence that should never be mistaken for cockiness.  Being confident is the sign of a professional who knows what he is doing.   Cockiness is the sign of someone who wants to be a professional but doesn’t know what he is doing.

Ronn writes about his daughter a lot and is clearly very invested in his role as a dad.  Raising a child while travelling around the country is a challenge that he seems to have embraced in a way I respect and admire.

He’ll be rolling into town in a couple of weeks and we’ll have our all too brief exchanges once again.  Such is the nature of the community we share.

It’s pretty awesome and at the same time, a little bit disappointing.