Mike Valenti found himself on the other side of the microphone being interviewed by Bill Welychka of AChannel, Jan. 1.

Cody Campanale, an independent filmmaker and former classmate at Turnbull private school had suggested him to the show. “While they’re interviewing him for BiteTV they asked, ‘do you know any other Ottawa talent?” said Valenti. “I was really glad about that now I’m going to kind of return the favor and interview him.”

A lot has changed since Valenti was a first year television broadcasting student. “I took business marketing for one year,” said Valenti. “That went well, I just came right out of high school, and didn’t know what else I was going to do so I just thought well I’m good with people so jump into marketing. While I was in marketing I created the Mike on a Mic Show”

He turned his attention to television broadcast the next year. By April of 2008, he had been told he could not return to the course due to missed assignments and his preoccupation with out-of-class projects.

Valenti noted a similar situation happening to Tom Green, a comic he has looked up to for inspiration. Green also once attended Algonquin and was removed under similar circumstances. Although Green was eventually re-admitted, and Valenti said the course is a great start to a rewarding career, specific courses like photography would be more rewarding to him now. 

New life has definitely been sparked on his web show. This includes the addition of a new camera, a new cameraman Dave Humphries who has volunteered for two years at Rogers 22 along with Valenti, and fledgling reporter Krysta Renaud.

“I actually started with no camera experience really but I did have a lot of stage experience from high school,” said Renaud, who wants the experience to take her “wherever it takes me. I joined because it seemed like a fun idea and I am excited to see what happens in the future.”

Recently, a long time counterpart returned to the Mike on a Mic Show. Bruno Yakubu, who had once been in the comedy troupe SKIMBros with Valenti, has rejoined to bring exciting segments from the city’s club scene to the web.

“This city is surprising, it has a lot of talent,” said Yakubu, who is attending Algonquin and was a former public relations student.
“I think we have barely scratched the surface of what Ottawa has to offer.”

Yakubu speaks to the do-it-yourself ethic that Mike on a Mic Show has always had.

“When it comes to just our own ideas and we need to just make it happen we really have to do what it takes. Either if we have to be cameraman today, or to give flyers, if we have to talk to people, if we have to do every single job, we pretty much have to do because it’s our idea to make into reality.”