We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Marino. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.

David , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always been a creative person. When I was a kid I liked to write short stories, especially scary stories. I’ve also always loved music and movies. From a young age I was fascinated with horror films, specifically the slasher films from the 1980s. As far as music goes, I played the viola and the piano in middle and high school. When I got to college, I ultimately majored in Communications. I loved writing and telling other people’s stories. I think I’ve always liked to learn about other people and share their perspectives with the world. Through storytelling, I’ve been able to do that. I always knew that my career would be in the journalism or communications field.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In my career, I spent 16 years in the news industry as a reporter and news manager. I’m currently working for an engineering consulting firm as a. Senior Public Relations/Communications Specialist. But it is really important for me to feed my creativity outside of my work environment. A few years ago, thanks to my friend Candace Bellamy, I was given the opportunity to co-host her show on Austin Music TV, Channel 16 in Austin, Texas. Ultimately, I started hosting my own show, The Marino Show. I’ve always loved sharing other people’s stories, both in short and long form media. I interview horror actors, indie filmmakers, musicians, local creatives, and people doing interesting things. I want to shine a light on those who don’t always get the attention they deserve.

As a young person I always felt like an outsider. I was the weirdo who liked horror movies, Debbie Gibson, wore flannel and black, Doc Martens was in the orchestra, and essentially always felt like I wasn’t the cool one. To this day, I still don’t feel like the cool person in the room. But I also love that. I like people who march to their own drummer and do whatever makes them happy. On my show, I feature a lot of horror related actors and content. I’ve always found comfort in horror movies and the horror community. The final girl represented strength and overcoming adversity to me. On The Marino Show you’ll find interviews with actors who appeared in a number of 80s slashers.

You’ll also find interviews with local creatives. I like to dig deep into their creative inspiration. When I interview an actor, filmmaker, or creative, we often have conversations about their other passions, why they love what they do, how their childhood impacted their career choices, their advice to anyone who has felt marginalized and how others can accomplish their goals, and how to navigate the challenges in this world.

I hope when/if people watch my show that they’ll walk away feeling good, especially if they were having a bad day before they tuned in. I like to share the human experience and give people hope. I also like to share behind the scenes stories from the films I grew up watching and. I do silly horror skits. At the end of the day I’m a big horror nerd!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Before I started hosting my own show I had a big fear putting myself out there, especially looking at the current social media landscape. I had to be comfortable being myself and showing my personality. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community, I never felt like I could be myself when I was growing up. In many ways I had to hide who I was and that really messes with your head as you get older. You’re in this constant mode of “what are people going to think about me” or “what if they say something negative”? I also grew up in the 80s and times were different back then. Today, there is still a lot of work to be done, but I’m encouraged that young people have more support than when I was growing up. So, I’ve had to unlearn all of the negative things I was told as a kid from my peers. When you’re made fun of for being you, it makes you question everything about yourself. But I decided years ago that I wasn’t going to let my fear of being accepted hold me back from taking chances. Plus, I have great friends and a supportive family who encouraged me to do my own show.

I’m not a trendy influencer. I don’t strive to look perfect. I’m doing this show because it fuels my creative side. I get to talk about horror movies and interview people that I find interesting. If I’m able to inspire or help others feel good about themselves in some way, then I’m satisfied. I’m slowly growing my audience and I don’t put too much pressure on myself to be the biggest thing in the world. For me, it’s about being authentic and happy with the content I’m putting out.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Authenticity is always my main goal. I want to encourage others to embrace their strengths and talents. You don’t have to be a model or the smartest person in the world to accomplish your goals. I think it’s more important to be yourself and bring all your uniqueness to the table. Through my interviews and conservations, I hope to inspire and encourage others to step out of their comfort zone and pursue their passions in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://supportaustinmusic.com/channel-16/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarinoshow/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marinotvshow/ https://www.facebook.com/AustinMusicTV
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE8gvMcU-BC8U9aymwjTxEg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@themarinoshow?lang=en

Image Credits
The photo with me holding the balloon – credit Photographer Sarah Woodward