John Keister (comedian)

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John Keister (born 1956) 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 cancelled 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.^[1]

Keister has knowledge as to the identity of the pranksters in the University of Washington Time Capsule Surprise where additional, some adult, items from the late 1970s were found with the intended items of the 1950s.