10 Questions with ... Rob Stevens

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I began interning for KDDB and KPOI on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, interning for the Da Bomb Morning Show with Kid Leo, Paul Ogata and Blunt. I moved back to Boston, graduated from college and got the highly coveted "Promotional Street Team" gig. I wanted to be on air. So I moved out West to a place I had never been, where I knew nobody -- San Diego. In the first three months, with some Boston charm and a wicked lot of tenacity, I scored a gig board opping. Then The Mikey Show on KIOZ lost their producer. They knew me from doing cross-overs when I board opped, and from an on-air contest they held called The Mikey Show Apprentice. I joined the show and spent a decade making some pretty rad radio. I took an opportunity in my hometown of Boston. And within a year of joining The Hill Man Morning Show on WAAF we hit #1. I was the on-air producer for The Hill Man Morning Show on WAAF for three years.

1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?

Each morning I wake up and do 1,000 push-ups, but not literally, mentally ... I visualize them. Staying connected on social media, blogging, and podcasting is how I work out my conversationalist muscles. Also I've been doing stand-up comedy in my living room; teens and toddlers are not my target demographic but I still bring down the house. @BostonRobb

2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?

I considered creating a "fake news" website, seeing there is money to be made ... but my conscience got the best of me. I'm actually working with radio legend Bob Rivers, building an archive and digitizing his iconic library of Twisted Tunes & Best Of CDs. Bob is a "River" of knowledge, pun intended.

3) What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?

Ate an African hissing cockroach and dog food (one right after the other), and I didn't get the job right away. Contact me for the full story.

4) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?

I'd love to build an apiary, keep bees and start a sustainable marijuana farm where I can harvest "Robb's Hemp Honey" (patent pending) ... but in radio, I want to host/co-host a show with a cast of characters.

5) What's the most unbelievable on-air bit you were allowed to do?

Boston Public Restroom. It's very self-explanatory. It's me, a Masshole, with a hidden mic in bar restrooms saying outrageous things to other urinal goers. Wanna cross streams? I still can't believe no one ever tried to fight me.

6) With consolidation there are definitely fewer jobs. How do you separate yourself from the pack?

Tattoos. I can tattoo your soul with comedic relief. I am a paradox of parables. Jesus gave a sermon on the mount, I give a testimony out of a drunk tank. I've survived a crazy life and human beings relate to realness in comedy. People crave truth in humor. It's taboo and at the same time, liberating.

7) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?

No and yes ... not live radio but in podcast form. I am a podcast junkie. From SoundCloud to iTunes I, am a voracious consumer of podcasts. I love The Woody Show, Bill Burr, BJ & Migs, Kevin Smith has a bunch, Alec Baldwin's Here's The Thing, TED Talks, there's a few shows on XM that podcast. If podcasts had calories, I'd be morbidly obese.

8) Are you able to slow down and enjoy free time doing things with your family and friends that you probably did not have time to do while you were working?

Yes absolutely. But my comedy is wearing thin on my family like a vintage Mother Love Bone concert T-shirt. Compared to other married men my age with their monotonous whining that marriage took their freedom, I am like a rogue ninja wolf, and actually love my wife and my family life. There is never a dull moment in our family, and children are hilarious. Kids are so unique; they have yet to feel society's pressure to conform so they do some funny stuff. My son likes to eat ice cream, cone first, naked.

9) What have you learned about yourself, others, or life in general in your downtime?

Myself -- I found out I love Tony Robbins; he kind of is my guru. I've learned that I actually love to read. And with that I've done some real self-examination. Being accountable is tough; I guess that's why our president avoids it at all costs. I am constantly striving to better myself every day and accountability is key to achieving that. About others -- I learned that once Abe Lincoln was challenged to a duel, which he even took fencing classes to prepare for, the duel was stopped, but from that day forward Abe Lincoln never spoke bad of anyone. Wicked impressive.

10) How will this experience change you when you get back to work?

Salvador Dali believed his dreams were his greatest muse. He had a trick to invoking his muse. When taking a nap, he'd hold a key in his hand over a metal tray so when he fell asleep he would drop the key and wake himself up. Dali would then immediately jot down his ideas. I believe time off the air, out living and experiencing life creates the best content on the air.

Any books you can recommend to people who need something inspirational to read?

"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace ... just kidding. A book I love is "What Got You Here, Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith. We are all leaders in some aspect, and this book gives great insight to human behaviors and becoming a better leader.