Ben Mayer

Host of FNI

Lawyer extraordinaire

People ask me all the time: "Why do you keep hosting FNI?" I always laugh when I hear that. That's like asking me why I breathe, or eat, or shit. I HAVE to host FNI. I am compelled. I find that fact amusing, considering I really didn't want to host the show in the first place. Ask Lou Stein. He turned the show over to me eight years ago, and I only took it because Lou said he was desperate and couldn't find anyone else. I took it over on an "interim" basis only. Now that interim has turned into almost nine years, or a tour of duty four times longer than any other host. So why do I keep doing it? I don't make money doing it, and I put more time into it than almost anything else. Well here's the thing: in my psychotic brain, I have convinced myself that even after eight faithful years of service, I still owe the show something. Why? Well I can honestly say that Friday Nite Improvs has been the single most important thing to ever happen to me. Little did I know that night when I walked into FNI for the first time, a drunken college freshman who was checking out social outlets other than frats, that the show would remain the one constant in my life for the next 17 years. Every close friend I have is because of FNI. Almost every time I have gotten laid is because of FNI. People randomly walk up to me on the street like they've known me for years because of FNI. I have met and gotten to know some of the greatest people in the world because of the show. I have danced on a dugout at a Pirate game with the Parrot because of the show. I have appeared on local radio and television and national commercials because of the show. I have done professional theater because of the show. And you know what? I would still trade all of that just to keep seeing unsuspecting folks walking into a dark, dingy basement theater on a Friday night and having their eyes opened to a world they never knew existed: A world where a 39 year old computer geek can take the stage with a 16 year old high school student and make comedy gold. A world that opens people to the joy of performance when their own life never showed it to them. A world where you can sit back and laugh or say, "I can do that too" and get on stage and sink or swim. A world where no one judges anyone and people just want to have fun. I defy anyone to show me a better time. I just thank god that I decided to get drunk that night and go to the show 17 years ago. My life never would have been this full without FNI. So why do I keep hosting the show? The better question is "Why would I ever want to stop?" Here's to 18 more years (but not necessarily with me). 

Love,

Ben