John Keister
Encyclopedia
John Keister is a Seattle
-based comedian, writer, commentator and motivational speaker, best known as the host of the local comedy program Almost Live!
from 1988 to 1999.
A native of Seattle, he grew up in the Seward Park
neighborhood and graduated from Franklin High School in 1974. He was an editor for The Daily
as a student at the University of Washington
, graduating with a degree in communications in 1979.
He wrote for The Rocket
and initially joined KING-TV
as a music reviewer on a program called REV in 1984. Shortly thereafter, he joined the cast of KING's local comedy program Almost Live!. Following the departure of original host Ross Shafer
, Keister became the show's host and its format was reworked to emphasize the opening monologue, sketches, and parody news segments. He won a total of twelve local Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Almost Live! was canceled by KING in 1999.
In 2000, Keister created a new sketch comedy show for competing station KIRO-TV
, titled The John Report with Bob. Its format was similar to the news report segment he had done on Almost Live!, with additional sketch material from Bob Nelson and local comedy troupes. The new show was canceled after a year.
Keister was a writer for the 2005 public television series The Eyes of Nye
, starring fellow Almost Live! alumnus Bill Nye
.
Keister currently teaches Video Production classes at The Art Institute of Seattle. He has three sons, Elroy, Riley, and Arlo.
Keister is also a staff writer and producer for the critically acclaimed children's PBS series "Bizkid$" taped at Seattle's KCTS public television studios. He shows up occasionally in several of the series short vignettes playing various funny characters. As of 2011 the show is airing and taping in its third season.
On April 30, 2009, Keister appeared on The Brandon Ivey Show at the Historic University Theater in the U-District. He refuted rumors regarding his death.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
-based comedian, writer, commentator and motivational speaker, best known as the host of the local comedy program Almost Live!
Almost Live!
Almost Live! was a local sketch comedy television show in Seattle, Washington, USA, produced and broadcast by NBC affiliate KING-TV from 1984 to 1999. A re-packaged version of the show also aired on Comedy Central from 1992 to 1993, and episodes aired on WGRZ-TV in the late 1990s. The show was...
from 1988 to 1999.
A native of Seattle, he grew up in the Seward Park
Seward Park, Seattle, Washington
Seward Park is a neighborhood in southeast Seattle, Washington just west of the park of the same name. The park itself occupies all of Bailey Peninsula, a prominent, forested peninsula that juts into Lake Washington...
neighborhood and graduated from Franklin High School in 1974. He was an editor for The Daily
The Daily of the University of Washington
The Daily of the University of Washington, usually referred to in Seattle simply as The Daily, is the student newspaper of the University of Washington in Seattle, USA.-History:...
as a student at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, graduating with a degree in communications in 1979.
He wrote for The Rocket
The Rocket (newspaper)
The Rocket was a free biweekly newspaper serving the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, published from 1979–2000. The newspaper's chief purpose was to document local music. This focus distinguished it from other area weeklies such as the Seattle Weekly and the Willamette Week, which...
and initially joined KING-TV
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
as a music reviewer on a program called REV in 1984. Shortly thereafter, he joined the cast of KING's local comedy program Almost Live!. Following the departure of original host Ross Shafer
Ross Shafer
Ross Shafer is a comedian and television host turned motivational and customer service speaker/trainer, based in Carlsbad, California. Although he now splits time in Nashville, Tennessee, where his wife Leah has an aspiring singing career.-Biography:Shafer graduated from Federal Way High School in...
, Keister became the show's host and its format was reworked to emphasize the opening monologue, sketches, and parody news segments. He won a total of twelve local Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Almost Live! was canceled by KING in 1999.
In 2000, Keister created a new sketch comedy show for competing station KIRO-TV
KIRO-TV
KIRO-TV, virtual channel 7, is the CBS affiliate television station in Seattle, Washington. It broadcasts on digital channel 39. The station's offices and broadcasting center are located near Seattle Center in Belltown, and its transmitter is located on Queen Anne Hill...
, titled The John Report with Bob. Its format was similar to the news report segment he had done on Almost Live!, with additional sketch material from Bob Nelson and local comedy troupes. The new show was canceled after a year.
Keister was a writer for the 2005 public television series The Eyes of Nye
The Eyes of Nye
The Eyes of Nye is a science program airing on public television in the United States in 2005 and featuring Bill Nye. The show was more sophisticated than its predecessor Bill Nye the Science Guy, as it was aimed more toward adults and teenagers than children. All episodes were rated TV-G, except...
, starring fellow Almost Live! alumnus Bill Nye
Bill Nye
William Sanford "Bill" Nye , popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American science educator, comedian, television host, actor, mechanical engineer, and scientist...
.
Keister currently teaches Video Production classes at The Art Institute of Seattle. He has three sons, Elroy, Riley, and Arlo.
Keister is also a staff writer and producer for the critically acclaimed children's PBS series "Bizkid$" taped at Seattle's KCTS public television studios. He shows up occasionally in several of the series short vignettes playing various funny characters. As of 2011 the show is airing and taping in its third season.
On April 30, 2009, Keister appeared on The Brandon Ivey Show at the Historic University Theater in the U-District. He refuted rumors regarding his death.
External links
- No 'Keister' Puns (on the cancellation of The John Report with Bob)
- http://www.bizkids.com