Rob Anderson:
The pathway to success
JUNE 21, 2022 → WORDS ADRIÁN GOMIS EXPÓSITO
Worldwide known for his hilarious short-form sketches, parodies, and comedic series like Gay Science, the comedian, and content creator Rob Anderson talks with us about his origins, what first attracted him to comedy, and the impact his comedy series made on social media users. We also talk about the comedy tour through North America he is about to embark on as well as his debut single named Nothing For You. Anderson’s success comes with hard work and innate talent for comedy, and we predict even more successes because we can really tell when there is passion, and with Anderson, we see it in everything he does.
I would like to start this interview by knowing you better. Could you tell me a little bit about your origins? Where are you from, how was your childhood, etc?
I grew up on the Jersey Shore and I was a big musical theater kid. I was constantly in some staged production from middle school through to when I finished high school. My mom also tried to get me to do sports as a kid but I’m wildly uncoordinated and gay so that wasn’t going to work.
How and when did you start doing comedy? What was your journey with it like and why do you love it so much? Can you link this matter to today’s content creation methods and how do you use comedy on your social media platforms?
I grew up watching the show Strangers With Candy in high school and decided to move to Chicago after college to study improv and be a part of my own comedy troupe. I ended up performing for iO, Second City, and The Annoyance for seven years. I enjoyed being in an environment where aspiring comedians had to work together and make their partners look good to succeed. It was nice to see that in such a highly competitive industry.
You’re known for a lot of pretty impressive things, but your viral series “Gay Science” has really put you on the map. What made you start these series? Can you tell us about it?
Well, thank you! It started as a one-off sketch where I wanted to have fun explaining why gay men love iced coffee, but have it sound super serious. It had an incredibly positive response. I was flooded with requests to explain different things about the gay community and I continued making new episodes. Each one takes a ridiculous stereotype about the LGBTQ+ community like “Why do lesbians love board games?” or “Why are gay co-workers either best friends or enemies?” and proves them to be true with fake science. There’s also been a spin-off “Gay Anthropology” which explores sub-sets of gays like Plant Gays and Disney Gays, as well as a few full-length YouTube episodes.
LGBTQ+ topics are at the core of your platform, topics that you talk about regularly. Why do you think it’s important to talk about this theme and raise awareness about it? What do you think is the best way to do so?
Queer media and entertainment are typically pretty heavy and serious. We’re always fighting for something, defending something, or dealing with prejudice in the news. In movies and shows, we’re coming out of the closet or dying some tragic death. We need more opportunities to laugh at ourselves. I poke fun at our community, culture, traditions, and stereotypes in a way that still makes you feel good about being gay.
If I’m not mistaken, you are also going on a comedy tour through North America soon. What can you tell us about it? What will we be seeing in these shows?
That is accurate information! I’ve collected some personal stories that aren’t appropriate for the internet and combined them with sketches and original songs to create a one-hour solo comedy show. There will also be some playful banter with the audience and a custom sequin sleeveless jumper!
Not only that but you are also presenting your debut single named “Nothing For You” Were you always interested in music? How was the creative process behind this single and how do you feel about it?
I wanted to create a pop song that was well-produced and sounded great - but was about something completely stupid. Nothing For You is definitely that! There have been parodies, comedy rap, broadway, and cabaret - but I haven’t seen too many people tapping into the comedy-pop genre.
I worked with professional songwriters Sam Creighton and Will Jay to write it, with Grammy-winner Zack Djurich producing. Normally my sketches take days to weeks to write, so I was amazed that we were able to write and record this in one session. When we listened to it back I was blown away by how fast they were able to create something great.
Besides comedy, music, and content creation, which other activities, or hobbies do you like to do? Do you have any hidden talents?
I’m a huge board game guy! I have almost 100 of them on my gaming shelf and I like to host game nights when my schedule allows. I also used to play Magic The Gathering competitively and I was pretty good at it. I’m also a die-hard fan of the Academy Awards and know an unhealthy amount of Oscars trivia.
I see that you've embarked on a lot of projects already, but what do you plan for the future? How do you see yourself in a couple of years from now, both professionally and personally?
I’ve got long-form projects (TV pilots, film treatments) sitting on my google drive waiting for the right development opportunity. I’d love to see those get kicked off in the next few years. I’d hope by that time I’m in a space where I understand more about the entertainment industry and how to get my ideas seen by wider audiences.