Storytellers

Hippo Guy is one of the most beloved figures at The Monti - which may seem surprising given that his sole function is to interrupt people while telling the most intimate details of their lives. In fact, Hippo Guy takes a lot of pride in his disruptive status and thinks that his role boosts his street-cred. But he doesn't fool any of us. You see, Hippo Guy does more than just watch a clock and hit a button - he waits for just the right moment, the right pause and inflection; he makes sure that the space and context in which the story lives has room for a hippo. If it does, he sounds the alarm; if it does not, he waits patiently for the right moment. And it is that sensitivity that has won the hearts of an entire audience. Essentially, he hippos with care - and even the occasional cranky storyteller learns to regard the hippo as nothing more than a pat on the back, a squeeze of the shoulder and a gentle reminder that if it's not too much trouble, you should wrap things up. You're secret's out, Hippo Guy - you're a softy. When not hippo'ing, Hippo Guy manages a development team for a medical software company in RTP. Hippo Guy lives in Chapel Hill with his wife and three kids.