Rob Anderson

{{Infobox person

| name = Rob Anderson

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_place =

| other_names = Heartthrobert

| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|34|2022|06|03}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Internet personality|comedian}}

| years_active = 2020–present

| module = {{Infobox TikTok personality

| embed=yes

| followers = 2.5 million

| page = heartthrobert

| page_display_name = Rob Anderson

| likes = 99.7 million

| stats_update = August 6, 2024

}}

Robert Anderson is an American internet personality and comedian. Based in New York City, he became known on TikTok for his Gay Science series, which satirizes LGBT stereotypes and was made into his book Gay Science: The Totally Scientific Examination of LGBTQ+ Culture, Myths, and Stereotypes (2024), and his recaps of the television series 7th Heaven.

Life and career

Anderson was raised on the Jersey Shore.{{cite web |last1=Nunn |first1=Jerry |title=Rob Anderson teaches some lessons in 'Gay Science' |url=https://windycitytimes.com/2024/05/17/rob-anderson-teaches-some-lessons-in-gay-science/ |website=Windy City Times |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=May 17, 2024}} Growing up, Anderson attended a Christian school and frequently performed in musicals during his adolescence. After graduating from college, Anderson moved to Chicago, where he was inspired by the first two films in the Scary Movie film series and the television series Strangers with Candy to pursue comedy.{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Michael |title=Rob Anderson Finds His Pride In Taking Risks With His Comedy |url=https://instinctmagazine.com/rob-anderson-finds-his-pride-in-taking-risks-with-his-comedy/ |website=Instinct |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=June 12, 2022}} There, he performed improv comedy for seven years, including with the iO Theater, Annoyance Theatre, and The Second City.{{cite web |last1=Gomis Expósito |first1=Adrián |title=Rob Anderson: The pathway to success |url=https://sickymag.com/rob-anderson-the-pathway-to-success/ |website=Sicky |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=June 21, 2022}} He also competed on the reality competition series Capture in 2013.{{cite web |title=Kosior '10 competes on new survival reality show 'Capture' |url=https://paw.princeton.edu/article/kosior-10-competes-new-survival-reality-show-capture |website=Princeton Alumni Weekly |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=July 10, 2013}}

Anderson started his personal TikTok account, @Heartthrobert, in late 2019 while living in New York City. He also posted TikTok videos for the food review company The Infatuation, one of which, about granola bars "going everywhere", was posted in 2020 and became popular. His parody of Charlotte Awbery singing the song "Shallow" from the movie musical A Star Is Born went viral and he was soon signed to United Talent Agency.{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Daniel |title=In 'Gay Science,' satire meets the scientific method |url=https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/rob-anderson-gay-science |website=Out |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=June 26, 2024}} He was nominated for the award for Favorite TikToker at the 2021 Queerties.{{cite web |title=The Queerties 2021 / Favorite Tiktoker Winners |url=https://www.queerty.com/promos/queerties-2021/vote-2106.html |website=Queerty |access-date=August 5, 2024}} He started doing stand-up comedy in May 2022.{{cite web |last1=Sichinava |first1=Nino |title=Interview {{!}} Rob Anderson |url=https://schonmagazine.com/interview-rob-anderson/ |website=Schön! |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=October 28, 2022}} By June 2022, he had over two million followers on TikTok. That same month, he narrated an advertisement for Postmates's "bottom menu" for Pride Month.{{cite web |last1=Iovine |first1=Anna |title=Postmates releases 'bottom menu' for Pride |url=https://mashable.com/article/postmates-eat-with-pride-bottom-menu |website=Mashable |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=June 9, 2022}} He released his debut single, "Nothing for You", a comedy song about sexual submission, in September 2022. He went on a national comedy tour, the Heartthrob Live tour, throughout 2022.{{cite web |last1=Kelleher |first1=Patrick |title=TikTok heartthrob on epic gay science videos and his big sub anthem |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/09/10/rob-anderson-tiktok-gay-interview/ |website=PinkNews |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=September 10, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Donovan |first1=Joshua |title=Viral Comedian Rob Anderson Embarks On 'Heartthrob Live' Tour |url=https://www.dnamagazine.com.au/viral-comedian-rob-anderson-embarks-on-heartthrob-live-tour/ |website=DNA |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=October 19, 2022}} Also in 2022, he released his second single, "Is Your Boyfriend Single?", appeared on The Book of Queer as Pelopidas, and published the satirical picture book The Fergamerican National Anthem, about Fergie's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. He was also nominated for the award for Best Comic at the 2023 Queerties.{{cite web |last1=Giardina |first1=Henry |title=Make 'em laugh: Presenting the Queerties 2023 nominations for best Comic |url=https://www.queerty.com/make-em-laugh-presenting-the-queerty-2023-nominations-for-best-comic-20230129 |website=Queerty |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=January 29, 2023}}

Anderson began posting comedic recaps of the WB television series 7th Heaven in March 2023, which broadened his audience online.{{cite web |last1=McClain Merrill |first1=Allison |title=Former '7th Heaven' Fans Are Revisiting the Show's Most Absurd Plot Lines on TikTok |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/7th-heavens-cringiest-moments-are-giving-fans-something-to-talk-about-on-tiktok |website=Glamour |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=June 9, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Ashcraft |first1=Kady Ruth |title=Revisiting '7th Heaven' Through TikTok Has Been a Joy |url=https://www.jezebel.com/revisiting-7th-heaven-through-tiktok-has-been-a-joy-1850466505 |website=Jezebel |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=May 23, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Rob Anderson knows you think he's annoying |url=https://www.losangelesblade.com/2024/04/20/rob-anderson-knows-you-think-hes-annoying/ |website=Los Angeles Blade |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=April 20, 2024}} His video about Mama Bear of the children's book series Berenstain Bears being an "almond mom", posted in July 2023, also went viral.{{cite web |last1=McGuire |first1=Jen |title=Viral TikTok Breaks Down Why Mama From 'The Berenstain Bears' Was Totally An Almond Mom |url=https://www.romper.com/life/mama-the-berenstain-bears-too-much-junk-food-almond-mom-viral-tiktok |website=Romper |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=July 21, 2023}} He also co-hosted the WOW Presents Plus series Glam Slam with Monét X Change.{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Michael |title=Rob Anderson Brings His Patented Brand of 'Gay Science' To The Masses With New Book |url=https://outsfl.com/books/rob-anderson-brings-his-patented-brand-of-gay-science-to-the-masses-with-new-book |website=OutSFL |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=April 15, 2024}} Anderson's satirical social media series Gay Science, which uses fake science to explain the behaviors behind LGBT stereotypes, began in 2020 with a video of him describing why gay men prefer coffee iced rather than hot.{{cite web |last1=Song |first1=Sandra |title=Rob Anderson on Subverting Queer Stereotypes |url=https://www.papermag.com/rob-anderson-tiktok |website=Paper |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=July 12, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Duffy |first1=Steve |title=Rob Anderson Debunks Stereotypes with 'Queer Science' (And Makes Us Laugh) |url=https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/333940 |publisher=Edge Media Network |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=June 20, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Bergman |first1=S. Bear |title='Dungeons and Drag Queens' and country music without the gun-toting hate top the QCC playlist this week |url=https://xtramagazine.com/culture/dungeons-and-drag-queens-caitlin-metz-tanaka-254715 |website=Xtra |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=July 21, 2023}} His book Gay Science: The Totally Scientific Examination of LGBTQ+ Culture, Myths, and Stereotypes was published by Penguin Random House in June 2024.

Public image and personal life

Rebecca Alter of Vulture praised Anderson's 7th Heaven recaps on TikTok as "painfully funny" and called them "hyper-shortform".{{cite web |last1=Alter |first1=Rebecca |title=The Youtube TV-Recap Canon |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/youtube-tv-recap-channels.html |website=Vulture |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=July 7, 2023}} Elle Canada{{'}}s Nancy Pierri wrote in 2021 that Gay Science had "received a ton of praise" on TikTok.{{cite web |last1=Pierri |first1=Nancy |title=15 LGBTQIA2S+ Content Creators You Should Be Following |url=https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/15-lgbtqia2s-content-creators-you-should-be-following |website=Elle Canada |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=July 28, 2021}} Bernardo Sim of Pride called Anderson "one of the most popular gay comedians on social media" in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Sim |first1=Bernardo |title=Comedy Heartthrob Rob Anderson On Why He's Not Afraid To Get Stupid |url=https://www.pride.com/comedy/2022/8/25/comedy-heartthrob-rob-anderson-why-hes-not-afraid-get-stupid |website=Pride |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=August 25, 2022}}

Anderson has stated that he has mild pectus excavatum.{{cite web |last1=Macias |first1=Ernesto |title=Will Bottoms Survive the Apocalypse? @Heartthrobert Has Answers |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/search-history-will-bottoms-survive-the-apocalypse-heartthrobert-has-answers |website=Interview |access-date=August 5, 2024 |date=June 3, 2022}}