Who says there’s no life after advertising? One ad man left the ad game, forged a new path and is now using his powers of selling to spread the word of God. Sounds unlikely, no? But truth is always stranger than fiction and that most certainly applies to the tale of Father Bob. Camuso that is.
Camuso was once one of us. An ad (wo)man. He cut his teeth working at Ogilvy in New York as an art director and later went on to found his own agency in Seattle, Asher and Camuso Advertising. For twenty years he lived the life of an ad exec – pitching, drinking, staying up till only god only knows when, drinking some more – until he heard the good word.
“At 40, he wasn’t married. He was hanging around with priests.” No. I did not make that up just to be a snarky shit. It’s in his press release, which highlights his radio program, “Conversations with Father Bob.”
Father Bob’s ex-partner, Larry Asher, has said that: “”Advertising is this kind of glamorous field, life in the fast lane, hard-drinking, hard-living. Bob was no goody two-shoes. So I think some people couldn’t put it together, but if you knew Bob, it totally made sense.”
Isn’t it just nice to know that some folks come out of advertising and take a totally different path? For all of those who have been laid off recently… Okay. Maybe you won’t go join a seminary, but perhaps there’s a whole different life just waiting for you right outside your resumes door. Father Bob has said, “Looking back, I can say this is what I was meant to do, 100 percent.” Doesn’t that sound like a nice thing to feel? Damn. Damn this recession.
If you’re a devout Catholic or merely curious, Father Bob will be making his first appearance on CatholicTV’s talk show “This is the Day” on today.